“Do you know if he’s made any moves since then?” Brix asked.
“None that we’ve been able to track.” Tryst folded his arms across his chest. “But Baron is a patient man when he wants to be. Just because he hasn’t done anything yet doesn’t mean he won’t.”
“What do you think I should do?” I asked.
Tryst’s gaze met mine. “That’s up to Isabel. She’s the one who has to decide what kind of relationship she wants with her father, if any.” He paused, and in the dim light, I could see the concern etched into his face. “But I’d advise vigilance. Baron is a man accustomed to getting what he wants. When that doesn’t happen, he tends to find other ways.”
“Other ways, meaning what?”
“I can’t say for certain. That’s what concerns me. We can’t predict what he’ll do when he feels cornered.”
My fingers drummed against the worn wood of the table as I absorbed Tryst’s prediction. Baron hadmoney, influence, and connections that stretched across the wine industry and beyond. If he wanted to make Isabel’s life difficult, he had plenty of options.
“For now,” Tryst said, “focus on her. On the baby. On building your life together. We’ll keep our ears open, and if Van Orr makes any moves, you’ll know about it.”
The meeting ended shortly after. My brothers offered their support as we filed out of the caves—Brix with a firm handshake and a look that said he had my back, Cru with a promise to check in later, Bit with a joke about Isabel being too good for me that almost made me smile.
Snapper hung back as the others headed toward their vehicles. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” I ran a hand through my hair. “I want to get back to her to tell her what happened, but I don’t want to interrupt the lunch.”
“Then, walk with me. How long has it been since we’ve hung out in the vines together?”
I raised a brow.
Snapper shrugged. “Just trying to kill some time, bro. But remember this about Isabel. She’s tough, Kick. Tougher than people give her credit for.”
“I know.”
After spendinga couple of hours reminiscing about our childhood, our days on the rodeo circuit, and all the stupid shit we did together, we walked to the Stonehouse, where the women’s lunch was still going on. I pictured Isabel inside, surrounded by my mother and sisters-in-law, maybe starting to relax, maybe even enjoying herself.
But when we reached the garden entrance, Alex met us at the door, and her expression sent a spike of dread through me. Especially when I walked in and didn’t see Isabel.
“Where is she?” I asked.
“She left. We thought she might be with you.” Alex glanced back toward the interior of the Stonehouse.
“When?”
“About an hour ago. She said she needed some air. We expected her to come back in, but when she didn’t,Daphne went looking for her and said your truck was gone—which is why we thought maybe you took her home.”
The warmth in my chest turned to ice. “It should be where I left it.” I pushed past Alex into the Stonehouse. The twinkling lights overhead seemed garish now, mocking. My mother sat near the fireplace, her dark eyes filled with worry. The other women were gathered around her, their conversations muted. The room that had felt so festive this morning now felt heavy with concern.
“What happened?” I demanded.
“She was doing fine,” Ma said. “We were talking, getting to know her. Sharing stories. And then…” She shook her head and twisted her hands in her lap. “Something I said upset her. I called hermija, told her she was ours now. Her expression changed, and before any of us realized what was happening, she was gone.”
What my mother said should have made Isabel feel welcome, but instead, had sent her running.
I took out my phone and called her number. It went straight to voicemail.
I tried twice more with the same result. “Isabel, it’s me. Please call me back. I’m not upset. I just need to know you’re okay.” I paused, struggling for what else to say. “Please.”
Snapper appeared at my elbow. “What’s going on?”
“Isabel left. According to Ma, she was upset.”
“Where’d she go?” he asked.
