Isabel felt a lump form in her throat. “I understand. More than you might think.”
Frank seemed to catch something in her tone but didn’t say anything. Instead, he extended his hand. “Then it’s settled. If I help you with a purchase agreement, you’ll cook dinner, and we’ll bring dessert.”
Isabel shook his hand firmly. “It’s a deal.”
“Grandpa! Look what Mrs. Henderson gave me!” Tommy came bounding back, holding up not one but two books. “She said the second one is a gift because she feels better after we’ve been in the bookstore.”
Mrs. Henderson followed behind, her silver hair gleaming under the fluorescent lights. “Don’t tell anyone else,” she whispered.
As they all headed toward the door, Frank placed a gentle hand on Isabel’s shoulder. “Welcome to small-town life, Isabel. I think you’ll find everything you’re looking for here.”
Isabel smiled as she stepped outside. Frank was right. The store would soon be hers to nurture and transform. And she was well on the way to finding everything she’d ever wanted.
CHAPTER 11
Two nights later, Frank spread a document across his kitchen table, smoothing it with his palm as he’d done with thousands of legal papers throughout his career. But this one wasn’t for a client—it was for Isabel, and that made reviewing it feel less like work and more like helping a friend. He adjusted his reading glasses and scanned the purchase agreement for the cottage she hoped to buy.
“It has gorgeous original hardwood floors,” Isabel said, her voice animated with excitement. She was sitting beside him, close enough that he could catch the faint scent of vanilla that seemed to follow her everywhere. “They need fixing up, but the real estate agent says they’re in remarkable condition for their age.”
Frank nodded, focusing on the contingency clauses. “Uh-huh. And the roof?”
Isabel leaned forward. “New as of three years ago. The previous owner replaced it right before he passed away. His daughter’s been renting it out since then.”
He read the rest of the document, then looked at Isabel. There was something effortlessly comfortable about herpresence in his kitchen. She fit there, somehow, as if his home had been waiting for her quiet energy.
“The inspection contingency period seems standard,” he noted, turning the page. “But you’ll want to make sure you have a thorough inspection. Old cottages can have quirky electrical systems.”
Tommy’s footsteps thundered down the staircase, and Frank smiled. His grandson had a particular way of making even the simplest movement sound like a small avalanche.
“Grandpa, can I show Isabel my new Lego spaceship before she leaves?” Tommy asked, skidding to a stop by the table.
“If Isabel has the time,” Frank replied, looking to her for confirmation.
Isabel set her coffee down. “I’d love to see it.”
Tommy beamed. “It’s upstairs. I’ll go and get it!” He was gone in another rumble of footsteps, leaving a small wake of energy behind him.
Frank shook his head fondly. “He’s so much like his mom that it’s like raising Sarah all over again.”
“Tommy’s wonderful,” Isabel said with a smile. “How long has he been living with you?”
“For almost two years.” His heart tightened when he thought about why Tommy was living with him. “When Tommy was younger, he was always popping around to see me with his mom. It made it easier for both of us after Sarah and Tony died. My wife died six years ago. She adored Tommy.”
His phone buzzed on the table. Frank ignored it, returning his attention to the purchase agreement. “Now, about the money deposit?—”
The phone buzzed again, more insistently this time. Frank glanced at it, then froze when he saw Marcus’s name and the preview of the message:Read this article on Sterling Industries. We’re mentioned.
Something in his expression must have changed because Isabel immediately asked, “Is everything all right?”
“I’m not sure. I’ll just check this email,” Frank murmured, picking up the phone and opening the message. Marcus had sent a link to aNew York Timesarticle published just hours ago. The headline alone made his stomach knot. ‘Sterling Industries Under Scrutiny: Defense Contract Raises National Security Concerns.’
Frank quickly scanned the article, picking out the story’s key details. Four paragraphs in, he found what Marcus had wanted him to see.The legal team representing Sterling maintains their client has followed all regulatory protocols.
Frank set the phone down carefully as if it might burn his fingers. Sterling Industries wouldn’t be happy that their dirty laundry was being aired in the open. They preferred to fly under the radar, and this case was throwing everything into the public arena.
“Frank?” Isabel’s voice broke through his thoughts. “What’s wrong?”
He looked up, worried about what the article meant for his and Tommy’s safety. “It’s... work,” he said, hearing the inadequacy of the explanation even as he gave it. He ran a hand over his face. “A court case I’m involved with just hit the national news.”
