Isabella laughed despite herself, feeling some of the tension ease from her shoulders. She stood, feeling more confident than she had when she’d walked in. She was still nervous, still dreading the confrontation to come, but she was no longer terrified. She had a plan. She had people in her corner. She wasn’t alone this time.
As she stepped into the hallway, Maddy’s voice called out to her. “Mom!”
Isabella turned to see her daughter hurrying toward her with Jane and Trinity close behind. All three of them looked excited about something.
“Mom, can I go into St. Augustine with Jane and Trinity?” Maddy asked, her eyes bright with hope.
Isabella’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Okay, sure, if you’re not going to get in Jane’s way.”
“They’re nothing but helpful to me,” Jane assured her, and her tone was genuine. “I could use their energy and enthusiasm. We’re picking up some supplies for the ballroom and maybe stopping for ice cream.”
Relief flooded through Isabella. Having Maddy occupied and out of the way during the meeting with Todd was a blessing she hadn’t expected. “Then thank you, Jane.” She smiled at her, then turned to Maddy. “Be good, okay? I have an appointment in town at three, but I should be back before dinner.”
An idea occurred to her suddenly. “Mrs. Hurling is going to be doing dinner at the inn tonight, so I thought we’d invite Christopher, Trinity, Gabe, and...” She looked at Jane hopefully. “If you’d like to come for dinner at our house tonight?”
“Oh, that would be so awesome!” Maddy exclaimed, bouncing slightly on her toes. She turned to Jane with pleading eyes. “Please say yes!”
“Please, Jane!” Trinity added her voice to the chorus. “And I’ll ask Dad and Uncle Christopher ifthey can come!”
Jane’s expression softened in a way Isabella rarely saw, the walls coming down just slightly. “That sounds lovely. Thank you for including me.”
“Yay!” both girls cheered in unison.
Isabella watched them head toward the door, Jane already organizing their afternoon with the efficient competence she brought to everything. Relief continued to wash over Isabella in waves. At least Maddy would be far away from her father while Isabella faced him. Safe in St. Augustine with Jane watching over her.
She turned back toward the kitchen, intending to start prep work for tonight’s dinner at the cottage, when Christopher surprised her by coming in through the back door. He was carrying a bag from what looked like an electronics shop, and he grinned when he saw her.
“I’ve got everything Charlie ordered,” he announced, holding up the bag.
Isabella’s heart did that skipping thing it had been doing a lot lately around Christopher. “That was fast.”
“Store opened at nine. I was there at nine oh one.” He set the bag on the kitchen counter and gestured for her to come closer. “Let’s go get you wired up. We’ve got about ninety minutes before you need to leave, so we have plenty of time to test everything and make sure it works properly.”
Isabella walked over to the counter, watching as Christopher carefully unpacked the equipment. He handled everything withthe kind of competence that came from military training, his movements precise and purposeful.
He pulled out a small black box and opened it to reveal a tiny microphone no bigger than a button. “This goes here,” he said, his fingers brushing against her collarbone as he indicated where the microphone would attach.
The touch sent electricity through her entire body. Isabella tried to focus on what he was saying instead of the way his proximity made her pulse race.
“And the transmitter goes in your pocket,” Christopher continued, holding up a device about the size of a deck of cards. “Charlie and I will be parked within a hundred yards of the diner. We’ll hear everything in real time.”
His eyes met hers, and the intensity in his gaze made her breath catch. “He’s not going to hurt you, Isabella. I won’t let him. Do you understand?”
Isabella nodded, her throat tight with emotion. “I understand.”
But what she really understood, what was becoming crystal clear as Christopher carefully showed her the equipment and explained how everything worked, was that she wasn’t just falling for this man anymore.
She’d already fallen. Completely. Irrevocably. And probably had done so the moment she’d laid eyes on him. And the terrifying part wasn’t meeting her ex-husband in ninety minutes. The terrifying part was realizing that for the firsttime in twelve years, she was letting someone in. Really in. Past all the walls and defenses she’d built so carefully.
Christopher White could break her heart in ways Todd never had. Because this time, it would actually matter. This time, she was actually in love.
“Isabella?” Christopher’s voice pulled her back to the present. “You okay? You look a little pale.”
“I’m fine,” she managed, forcing a smile. “Just nervous about this afternoon.”
“That’s completely normal,” Christopher assured her. He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, the gesture tender and intimate. “But you’re not doing this alone. Charlie and I will be right there. You just have to get through the conversation and find out what he really wants. We’ll handle the rest.”
Isabella nodded again, not trusting her voice.
