Not just hope that the Sterling case would eventually be resolved, but hope that perhaps his life—and Tommy’s—could expand beyond survival mode into something richer. Something that might include a bookstore owner with paint on her cheek and wisdom in her eyes.
CHAPTER 16
Isabel stood in front of Kathleen’s house, watching Susan pack the last of her belongings into her rental car. Each item that disappeared into the trunk felt like another moment of their precious reunion slipping away.
“I think that’s everything,” Susan announced, closing the trunk with a decisive thud. She turned to face them, her bright smile at odds with the shimmer of tears in her eyes. “Unless you’ve hidden my favorite casserole dish again, Kathleen.”
Kathleen laughed, but the sound caught in her throat. “That was one time, thirty years ago. Are you ever going to let me forget it?”
“Never,” Susan replied, her smile softening. “It gives me a reason to keep coming back.”
The four women stood in a loose circle, the inevitability of the moment settling over them like a physical weight. Isabel knew this day would come—Susan had been clear from the beginning that her catering business in Georgia couldn’t spare her for more than a few weeks—but that didn’t make it any easier.
“I wish you could stay for the bookstore opening,” Isabel said, voicing the thought that had been nagging at her all morning. “It won’t be the same without you there.”
Susan reached over and squeezed Isabel’s hand. “I’ve already blocked off four days in November on my calendar. I’ll be back for a proper visit once the holiday rush slows down. And I expect a full tour of Henderson’s Books—or whatever you call it—with all the bells and whistles.”
“I’m going to hold you to that,” Isabel warned, trying to keep her voice light despite the lump forming in her throat.
Lynda, who had been uncharacteristically quiet all morning, suddenly stepped forward and wrapped Susan in a fierce hug. “I hate goodbyes,” she mumbled into Susan’s shoulder.
“Then don’t say goodbye,” Susan replied, hugging her friend tightly. “Say ‘see you in November’ instead.”
Lynda pulled back, nodding as she wiped her eyes. “See you in November. And I’ll call you tonight when I get back from the animal shelter interview.”
“You’d better,” Susan said. “I want to hear all about it. If you end up working there, I’ll need regular updates on all the animals—especially the puppies.”
Isabel watched her friends with a swelling sense of gratitude. These women had been her anchors through her life’s best and worst times. They’d celebrated her marriage to James, comforted her when she couldn’t have children, rejoiced with her in her career successes, and held her steady through her grief.
And now, they supported her as she started a new chapter, the unexpected adventure of owning a bookstore in a town that felt familiar and completely new.
“What are you thinking about with that far-off look?” Kathleen asked, nudging Isabel gently.
Isabel sighed. “Just how lucky I am to have you all in my life. Fifty years of friendship is something pretty special.”
“It sure is,” Susan agreed. She glanced at her watch and grimaced. “And if I don’t get going, I’ll miss my flight. And that would definitely put a damper on our amazing time together.”
The time for lingering was over. Susan made her way to the driver’s side door, each step seeming more reluctant than the last. Isabel felt a pang in her chest as she watched her friend prepare to leave.
“Before I go,” Susan said, turning back to face them, “I need you all to promise me something.”
“Anything,” Lynda responded immediately.
Susan’s gaze swept over each of them. “Promise me you won’t let fear stop you from embracing whatever comes next. All of you.” Her eyes lingered meaningfully on Isabel. “Even if it involves a certain lawyer with blue eyes and a mysterious past.”
Isabel felt heat rise to her cheeks. “Susan!”
“I’m just saying,” Susan continued with a mischievous smile. “Life’s too short to waste time overthinking things. Trust me, I’ve catered enough weddings for people in their sixties and seventies to know that love doesn’t have an expiration date.”
Kathleen grinned. “I’ve been telling her the same thing.”
“Can we please focus on saying goodbye to Susan without discussing my life?” Isabel protested with a sigh.
“Fine, fine,” Susan conceded, opening the car door. “But remember your promise.”
“To not let fear stop us,” Lynda said with a smile.
“Exactly.” Susan’s expression grew more serious. “I mean it. All of you have a chance at something special here in Sapphire Bay. Don’t waste it wondering what might go wrong.”
