Burning Touch

Chapter 35

Isabelle,

Let me start by saying I never knew I could fall in love with anyone ever let alone as fast as it was falling in love with you. I think I knew I was in trouble the first time we danced together the night we first met. Your touch burned me and you ignited something in me that changed me. You are the best-unexpected thing that has ever happened to me and I'll always be grateful for having known you.

I got to know different sides of you and I love them all, especially the side of you that prompted this decision I'm about to make. You are smart, talented, amazing in every single way, and career-driven; I admire that about you. But I watched it pull you away from everyone you care about, from everything you care about. I know how important your dream is to you because AFTech was once my dream. I know how it can get when it feels like you've finally got it and don't want to risk the chance of letting it slip through your fingers. I had Fred and my family there to pull me back and see that it wasn't as important as the people you have in your life, the people who have always been there and will always be there. I set my priorities straight then and I hope you will be able to do the same.

Let's just say this wasn't the perfect time for us. You need to find yourself in this new life you have and I need to get back to my own life, one which I thought would be ours but...

I wish you all the very best because you deserve it and so much more.

Love,
André.

Isabelle blinked back the tears that were threatening to spill as she placed the letter back on the table, her hand resting above it.

She had been expecting an angry letter where he had blamed her for their failed relationship but he had brushed it aside like it wasn't her fault and instead of being angry, he has been supportive. Isabelle's frown deepened even more as she sighed. She didn't know what to make of the letter; was he angry, was he ok, was he hurt, none of those things had been portrayed in the letter.

Oh, André.
Isabelle shut her eyes and pushed her surfacing emotions back and let out a shaky breath.

Had Andre given up on her already when she had been too busy to spend time with him? Had he lost interest in her so quickly? Was he now indifferent towards her? From what she had read, it felt like he was ok with everything and was ready to move on. But then there was the part where he wrote about how he felt the first time they met, what did that mean?

Isabelle racked her brain for answers she knew she wouldn't be getting answers to. When her head seemed like it was going to implode, she let out a heavy sigh and picked up her cutlery. She dug into the pancakes and put a piece into her mouth, only then did she realize she had lost her appetite. She closed her eyes in surrender as she placed the cutlery back on the plate. She looked at the plate.

"What a waste." She asked for the fruit to be packed as she might get hungry later. She paid her bills and left.

Andre arrived in Seattle a little over nine hours since his departure from Leicester, even the name made his heartache.

"Hey." Fred said when he picked up André call.

"Hey, I touched down a moment ago, I'm heading home. I'll head to the office after I freshen up."

"Go home and stay home. You can go in tomorrow."

"I've taken too much time away. I need to be there and have something to do else..."

"You'll go crazy," Fred said. "I know and if I didn't know why, I'd tell you to still stay home but I do, so, get your ass to the office ASAP."

Andre smiled.

"She came over in the morning to see you. I gave..."

"I don't want to know Fred." Andre shut his eyes. "I don't want to know. She made her choice last night."

"She looked just as heartbroken as you were when she found out you had left."

Andre sighed.
"She'll have the team and dance to help her forget just like I have the company." Andre said.

"Don't overdo it."

"I won't if you won't."

"Deal."

"Deal."

"Speak to you later bro."

"Yea." Andre said before he hung up.

Andre stared out the car window ignoring the feeling of emptiness in his chest. The way it hurt to breathe and how he tried to push her away from his thoughts because with each breath, she popped into his mind. Andre shut his eyes to stop the thoughts of her but it only made it worse because an image of her dancing and smiling popped into his head.

His phone rang then and he welcomed the distraction openly that he forgot to check the caller ID.

"Hello." He said.

"You left and you didn't inform me."

"Josie."

"What happened André?" She asked.

"A lot and I don't want to talk about it."

"But both of you are my best friends and I worry about..."

"In the beginning, you said you wanted to stay out of it, so please do."

Josie sighed on the other end of the line.
"Are you ok?"

"I will be."

"You need me to come over and just hang, I will."

"No, it's ok."

"Josie?" Mia called Josie from the other room and Andre frowned.

"Is that...Mia?" He asked.

"Shit. You aren't supposed to know where she is." Josie said. "Promise me you won't tell Fred."

"Why wouldn't I..."

"Cause Mia doesn't want him to know and you found out by mistake so just act like you don't know."

"I can't lie to Fred."

"If he doesn't ask, it's not lying."

Andre sighed.
"You are sneaky."

"I love Fred, you know I do and if this was Fred in Mia's place, I'd do the same because I respect all your choices and this is Mia's, so please."

"Alright, alright."

"Ok, I got to go. But call me when you need someone to just be there with you."

"I will Josie."

"Good to have you back in Seattle." Josie smiled.

"It's good to be back."

"Bye."

"Bye."