104 I'll Go Into This Open Minded

Isabelle

I exhaled a low sigh as I entered the apartment. Noami glanced over at me, curiosity taking over her face. She continued watching me until I came into the living room and plopped down on the couch.

"What's up?" Noami asked, raising a brow.

"It's just been an interesting day I guess." I responded to her question. "I'm now the assistant to Killian."

"Oh lord." Noami scoffed as she rolled her eyes. "Good luck with that one."

Noami only really knows how Killian is when he comes into her bar. I've witnessed him try to flirt with her and she's clearly not interested. She's even gone as far as labeling him as a womanizer, which I can't deny that he is one.

There's more to him than that though. Killian has a kind heart and he's been an amazing friend to me since we met. Those are the reasons I decided that it wouldn't be too bad to work with him.

"Thanks." I let out a small chuckle. "It actually wasn't too bad today. He's got less work than Sterling had and Damon isn't constantly breathing down his neck so he's a little more relaxed."

"Speaking of Sterling," Noami straightened up on the couch and turned her body to face me better. "How's he dealing with the fact you're the assistant to his friend instead of him?"

"I mean, he's not happy about it." He didn't actually say that but I picked up on his body language while at work. "He didn't say anything though, he didn't protest it. Not even when he walked me to the car at the end of the day."

"Good." A pleased expression washed over her face. "I'd hate to have to kick his ass for causing you any trouble."

"No need for that." I appreciate her looking out but I know I can handle Sterling on my own, I've done it too many times to count.

"Well, anything else exciting happen?" She asked.

"Well." I bit my lower lip, debating on confessing to her my mixed feelings of this date Sterling asked me on.

She raised a brow and lowered her tone. "Isabelle."

Noami managed to pick up that there was something else on my mind. Of course I should have expected this. She and I have been around each other enough to pick up the mannerisms the other has.

"Spill it." Her eyes continued to look at me as she waited for me to respond.

"He asked me out on a date this weekend." I confessed, knowing that if I try to beat around it would be pointless. Noami would eventually get it out of me one way or another.

"Hold on." She got up from the couch and headed for the kitchen. "This sounds like it may get juicy and I know that girl talk is always better with a drink."

I remained seated on the couch as I could hear her making noise in the kitchen. Returned moments later with two glasses of wine in her hands. She handed over one to me and then took a seat back on the couch.

"Okay." She took a sip and then gave me all of her attention. "I'm ready, so he asked you out. What did you tell him?"

"I told him okay." I casually shrugged before taking a sip of the wine in my glass.

"Is that a good thing?" Noami's eyes narrow. "I'm just not sure where you stand with him today."

"I don't know." I exhaled a low huff. "Honestly, I'm still really torn about the whole thing."

Noami decided to probe for more information. "How come?"

"I'm just not sure if it's too soon I guess." I took another sip of wine and set the glass down on a nearby table. "Part of me wants to so badly because I just want to get back to how it was when we were happy. Part of me wants to back out because every time I've allowed myself to let my guard down with him I've been burned."

"Isabelle." I can tell by the way she says my name that there's a chance I may not like what she has to say. "You did tell him you were going to give him a chance didn't you?"

"Yes." I nodded in response to her question.

"Then you need to give it to him or you need to tell him you changed your mind." She's blunt but it's what I need right now. "Letting him think he may have an actual shot with you just to shoot him down later isn't right either, it's just leading him on."

"I know." She's right, the last thing I want to do is lead him on but I'm not going to let go of him. "I think I'll go ahead with it. I can't make progress with him if I don't at least try."

"Good." A small smile worked it's way onto her lips. "Clearly the guy loves you, he shut a whole fucking airport down just to get you to hear him out."

"Yeah." A small chuckle vibrated through my chest. "That's very true."

Her smile quickly faded and was replaced with curiosity. "Has the man ever had a girlfriend that wasn't you or the bitch?"

I remained silent for a moment as I tried to think back. With Sterling being a Tipton, him having a girlfriend would have been everywhere. Just like it had been when he went public with Elise and then when he went public to me.

For the life of me though, I can't think of anyone else he's ever been with. Growing up he always spent his time around me. Watching him as a teenager, when I discovered I liked him, I noticed he never really eyed any other girl.

Even through the years after I had left, the only girl I had heard about him being with was Elise. Before then there seemed to be no one else, no one that I knew of anyway. Sterling could have just been really private about it I suppose, but I doubt it. The media would have at leas caught some glimpse.

"No." I finally answered her. "I don't think he has."

"Look, I'm one hundred percent on your side." Noami's eyes lock onto mine. "But have you considered that maybe the poor guy is still just figuring out this whole dating thing? Clearly the bitch was calling all the shots and the only example of a decent relationship is the ones his parents have. While asking you out may seem a little soon, he may just be doing what he thinks is best to get back on track."

"True." I thought for a moment, really letting her words sink in. "I guess I'll go into this open minded, Elise is gone so it's not like we have anything like that going against us again."

"Exactly." Noami finished the wine in her glass. "However if he fucks up again, I have no problem giving him a stern talking to all over again."

"Thanks." Another chuckle escaped from me. "I really appreciate it. Hopefully it all works out this time, but only time will tell."