A cold shiver ran down Christopher’s spine. He sat very still, reading the message again to make sure he’d understood correctly.
I see you managed to get home safely.
The message was in the present tense, which would mean tonight.
Who’s the Boy Scout?
Meaning him. Someone had been watching her. That same someone had seen them arrive at her house or leave the inn together.
Christopher’s mind worked quickly, connecting dots he’d been too distracted to see before. Isabella’s car hadn’t started tonight. Convenient timing. Or had it been sabotaged? An attempt to force her to take a cab, to be alone and vulnerable?
But Christopher had offered her a ride instead. He remembered the relief on her face when he’d suggested it. The way she’d looked almost grateful when he’d agreed to come inside for hot chocolate. He’d thought it was just normal hospitality, maybe a hint of the attraction building between them.
Now he understood. She’d wanted someone here. Needed someone here. Because she was scared.
Isabella has a stalker.
The realization settled in his gut like ice. Someone was watching her. Someone was threatening her. That explained the jumpiness this morning, the way she’d spun around withthat knife when he’d startled her in the kitchen. The fear on her face when she’d gotten that phone call. The mystery caller who’d made her go pale.
It was all the same person. It had to be.
Christopher went very still, letting his instincts take over. His training kicked in automatically. He listened for sounds outside. Nothing unusual. Just the waves and the wind and the normal sounds of a house settling. No footsteps. No movement in the shadows.
But someone was out there. Watching. They knew Christopher and Isabella had arrived. They knew he was here.
He heard Isabella’s footsteps coming back down the hallway. Christopher didn’t touch her phone. It wasn’t his place. But he was watching her differently now, seeing what he’d missed before. The tension in her shoulders that never quite left. The way she glanced at the windows, as if looking for something or someone. Those multiple locks on the front door. The relief when he’d locked the deck door without being asked and then her testing it just to make sure.
She was scared. Had been scared. She was hiding it well, putting on a brave face for her daughter, but she was terrified.
Isabella returned to the kitchen and saw Christopher looking at her. “Everything okay?” she asked, trying to sound normal.
Christopher studied her face, wanting desperately to ask about the message. About who was stalking her. About how he could help keep her safe. But he didn’t want to admit he’d seen herprivate message. That felt like a violation, even if it had been accidental.
“Everything’s fine,” Christopher said carefully, making a decision. He would wait. He would watch. He would protect her whether she asked him to or not. But he’d let her tell him in her own time. She’d open up when she was ready.
Meanwhile, he’d make absolutely certain that she and Maddy were safe.
“This hot chocolate is incredible, by the way,” he added, taking another sip.
Isabella relaxed slightly, pleased by the compliment. She picked up her own mug and leaned against the counter across from him. The distance was comfortable but close enough that they could talk quietly without being overheard.
“Grandmother’s secret was real chocolate, not powder,” Isabella explained. “And a touch of espresso. It brings out the chocolate flavor without making it taste like coffee.”
They talked quietly about cooking, the inn, and the girls’ friendship. But underneath the pleasant conversation, Christopher’s mind was working.Who was threatening her? Her ex-husband seemed the most likely candidate. But was it someone else? How long had this been going on? And most importantly, how could he keep her safe without scaring her away?
He was still thinking through possibilities when Isabella’s phone buzzed againon the counter.
The sound interrupted their conversation. Isabella looked startled at first, like she’d forgotten the phone was there. Her face went pale.
Christopher glanced down at the screen. The message preview was visible to both of them this time.
Get rid of the Boy Scout so we can talk, or else...
The threat hung between them, impossible to ignore now.
And Christopher knew with absolute certainty that he wasn’t going anywhere. Not tonight. Not until he knew Isabella, Maddy, and Trinity who was staying here, were safe.
9
