The easy way she treated Tommy’s loss made Frank’s chest ache. For Isabel, it was something natural to talk about rather than a tragedy to tiptoe around. This was what Tommy had missed since the accident—someone who could help him remember the joy of his parents, not just their absence.
Isabel checked the time. “Oops. I have to leave. I promised Susan I’d be back by now.”
Tommy’s smile slipped. “Can you stay for a little bit longer?”
Isabel shook her head. “Not today, Tommy, but I’m sure we’ll see each other again.” She turned to Frank. “I’ll put these books in Kathleen’s truck, then head back to her house. Thanks for the hot chocolate.”
Tommy leaped from his chair. “I can take some books to the truck.”
Isabel smiled. “It’s okay. It won’t take me long. Talk to your grandpa about when you want to ask Mrs. Henderson if you can help her. I could meet you at the bookstore.”
Tommy nodded. “I will.”
After Isabel left, Tommy bit into his cookie. “I like Isabel, Grandpa.”
“Isabel’s a nice person,” he said quietly, more to himself than Tommy. And that was what worried him the most.
CHAPTER 7
The aroma of Kathleen’s lasagna filled the house as Isabel helped slice tomatoes for the salad. Through the kitchen window, the tall pines swayed gently in the evening breeze, their branches creating shifting patterns on the lawn.
Three hours ago, Mrs. Henderson had called Isabel to say she’d accept her offer to buy the bookstore. Isabel was excited and scared at the same time. Moving to Sapphire Bay had never been her intention before she left Portland, but with no other family living in Oregon, it made more sense than a lot of other things she’d done since James had died.
“You’re awfully quiet over there,” Susan said, uncorking a bottle of red wine. “Are you thinking about the bookstore?”
Isabel sighed. “I still can’t believe it’s real. I’m going to own Henderson’s Books.”
“To our future bookstore owner!” Lynda raised her glass. “Will you change the name?”
Isabel placed the sliced tomatoes in the salad. “I’m considering it. But even if I change it, the town would probably keep calling it Henderson’s Books.”
Kathleen smiled. “It takes a while for people to change their habits, especially if a business has been around for most of their lives.”
“Speaking of town traditions,” Susan said with a grin. “Are we going to talk about your coffee date with the mysterious Frank George?”
Isabel felt her cheeks warm. “It wasn’t a date. Tommy invited me, and Frank was just being polite.”
Lynda exchanged knowing looks with Susan. “I might believe Isabel if I hadn’t seen her and Frank at the market last weekend. He couldn’t take his eyes off her.”
“You haven’t changed,” Isabel said, tossing a cherry tomato at Lynda. “You should have become a matchmaker instead of a vet.”
Lynda grinned. “It doesn’t pay as much. Besides, I enjoy seeing people find their happy-ever-after moments. It’s better than dipping my toes in the dating world.”
“I’m not sure Frank is the right person for Isabel,” Kathleen said as she wiped her hands on her apron. “He’s always been a little mysterious. Even his arrival with Tommy caused a bit of a stir.”
Isabel’s hands stilled on the cutting board. “What happened?”
“They arrived during the worst storm we’d had in years,” Kathleen said. “The roads were practically impassable. Frank’s truck broke down just outside town, and he and Tommy walked through the blizzard to reach help. Mrs. Chen found them half-frozen outside the library.”
“Poor Tommy,” Lynda murmured. “That must have been terrifying.”
“The strange thing was,” Kathleen continued, “Frank wouldn’t let anyone call a tow truck for his vehicle. He insisted on waiting until the storm passed to deal with it himself. Andwhen people tried to help them find a place to stay, he was very particular about wanting something remote.”
“Maybe he just values his privacy,” Isabel said, remembering how Frank had tensed when Tommy talked about their neighbors. “Not everyone wants their life story shared with the rest of the town.”
“Says the woman who’s about to own one of the most popular social hubs of Sapphire Bay,” Susan teased. “Are you nervous about the change?”
Isabel took a deep breath. “Terrified, actually. It’s such a big step. Moving here, running a business, starting over...” She gestured vaguely. “I keep telling myself I can always sell the store and move back home if things don’t work out. But when Mrs. Henderson called to accept my offer, I felt a rush of possibility. Like maybe I’m not completely crazy for doing this.”
