“Yeah.” He looks queasy as he says the word.
“Hey, it’s okay to be nervous to put yourself out there, but I guarantee you’ll regret not trying. You might want to try easing up on the sta—”
“Is this the famous Isabelle?” I turn at the announcement of my name and see Caleb’s parents walking towards us.
I’ve never met them before. It’s only recently that my relationship with Caleb has started to blend from professional to something more like friendship. I’ve seen their photos regularly in the social pages, though. Where there’s one Heart, more follow. This family likes to do things together.
“Mrs Heart, it’s so nice to meet you.”
“Oh, please, call me Matilda.” She beams, reaching for my hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.
Caleb’s dad hovers behind her, speaking to James Huxley.
“We’ve heard so much about you, Isabelle. I can’t believe you’ve been in Caleb’s life for so long, yet this is the first time we’re meeting,” Matilda says. Her suggestive tone makes me pause. She’s looking at Caleb with wide eyes, andoh no.
I hope the jittery chuckle that falls from my lips doesn’t sound as obvious to them as it does to me. “I know,” I say. “OG and I spend so much time together during the week, I’m surprised I even know what to do with myself on weekends.” Because I am single and not interested in your son. Not that one, anyway.
“Oh, how sweet, you have nicknames.” Matilda elbows her husband, who’s still talking with James. “Did you hear that, Thomas? Theyhave nicknames.”
“She calls me that because she thinks I’m old,” grumbles Caleb.
“You are old.” I laugh, though I’m not being serious. For thirty-four, he looks great. “I feel very lucky to be working with him. He’s become a great friend,” I say to his mother, patting Caleb’s arm, and he smiles down at me.
I feel Caleb stiffen beside me. “OG, you good?” I ask out of the corner of my mouth.
I look back at his mother, hoping she understands the dynamic between us, when I recognise Dylan Morgan, with his wild, honey blond hair, walking through the crowd. He’s with a young woman wearing a stunning pale blue dress, and bright red hair, who I’m assuming is his sister. Her head leans against her brother’s shoulder with affection.
We’ve spoken to Dylan on video calls a few times, but I haven’t met his sister, Alexis, who co-owns the distillery with him.
“Dylan!” I call out. His eyes light up as he crosses the room to join us.
“Hi, Isabelle. It’s great to meet you in person,” he says, extending his hand to mine. “This is my sister, Lex.”
“Lex?” I ask. Didn’t Caleb just say the girl he met was named Lex? It’s not that common of a name, is it? And, she’s a redhead.Wait—could it be?“You live in the city, right, not down in Killara Bay with Dylan?” I ask her.
“Yes,” Lex says as she looks nervously at Caleb.
My eyes snap between the two. Oh, they have definitely met before tonight.
“Everyone, this is Dylan and Lex Morgan. They own Jedidiah’s Tavern and its subsidiary business, Legacy Malt, the newest investment for Heart Assets.” I think I’m smiling with too much teeth, and Caleb is just blatantly staring. “Let’s get you two something to drink and then we can get your contracts signed,” I say to Dylan and Lex, because I, for one, need a drink.
I introduce the Morgan siblings around, sticking like glue to Lex. Thankfully, Beth also wants to capture all of Lex’s attention outside of the business formalities, so it’s not too hard to keep her away from Caleb. Beth keeps giving me wide eyes every time Lex turns away to survey the crowd. Perhaps she’s pieced the same thing together as I did. She told me the other week that she ran into Caleb with a redhead at The Wayside, so she must recognise her.
After a few hours, everyone starts to head home. The Morgan siblings signed their contract, and we each toasted with a glass of the new whiskey Dylan brought along with him. When I finish packing up everything we brought for tonight, I look around, spotting Caleb and Gage whispering to each other on the other side of the bar, so I head over to say goodbye. They have their backs to me, speaking in hushed voices. I’m thinking whatever they’re discussing might not be for me to hear, so I’m about to turn away when I hear Gage’s words.
“You can’t possibly still want to pursue her. She’s your client,” he whispers.
“She’s had me in knots, brother. I’ve never felt like this before,” Caleb argues.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea.” Gage shakes his head. “How will you work together if it all goes wrong?”
Caleb groans and runs a palm down his face while my stomach twists at Gage’s words. “I know what you’re saying. But I can’t just forget about her. Forget about everything that’s happened between us. What would you do?”
Gage turns his head away, his voice growing cold and rigid. “You know how I feel about relationships.”
What?How does he feel about relationships? Is this why Beth said he doesn’t like people? Something’s happened to him that has shattered his faith in love. In building a connection with someone. With everything I’ve heard about Gage, with what I’vebeen told, it doesn’t make sense for all the other moments that he’s shown me himself.
If I think about my parents’ relationship, even my sisters’ ones, there’s one thing they all had in common—they all wanted it. Even before they understood why they wanted the other person, or what they wanted from life, there seemed to be an unspoken agreement between them that they’d met someone they were meant to hold space for.
