Harper’s eyebrows shot toward her hairline. “Why not hire a professional consultant? There are people who specialize in retail setup.”
Gerri’s laugh was musical, but her eyes held steel. “Isla has a natural instinct that my friend could really benefit from. Sometimes the best help comes from someone who’s lived the dream, not just studied it.”
Isla turned to Harper, hope and nervousness warring in her chest. “Could you manage the store alone for a few weeks? I could really use the time away, and some sun wouldn’t hurt. Plus, I’d love to help someone start their dreams the way we did.”
Harper studied Isla with her classic penetrating gaze that had served them both well over their years of friendship. Isla could practically see her friend weighing the pros and cons.
“All right,” Harper said finally, though her tone carried a familiar warning. “But don’t go there and fall in love with some mysterious man and never come back.”
Isla’s pulse quickened at the possibility Harper had just planted, but she focused on Gerri’s expectant face. “I’m in. When do we leave?”
“Tomorrow, if you’re able to manage it.”
“Tomorrow?” The word came out as a squeak. “That’s... Yes, I can do that.”
Gerri clapped her hands together, and for just a moment, her eyes flashed pure gold. “Perfect. I’ll meet you here first thing in the morning, and we’ll head straight to the airport. Don’t worry about flights or accommodations—I’ll handle all the arrangements. You just need to show up with a suitcase.”
Before Isla could ask any of the dozen questions suddenly crowding her mind, Gerri was moving toward the door with surprising speed for someone in heels that high.
“Wait—” Isla called after her.
But Gerri was already gone, leaving only the faint scent of vanilla and ozone hanging in the air. Isla stared at the empty doorway, her mind reeling.
That was the most random thing that’s ever happened to me.
Yet something deep in her bones whispered that this sudden opportunity was exactly what she’d been waiting for without knowing it.
“That was bizarre,” Harper said, appearing at her elbow. “But I’m excited you’ll finally get some sun and relaxation for once.”
Hours later, Isla stood in her bedroom surrounded by the familiar chaos of hasty packing. The reality of tomorrow’s departure had finally settled into her bones, bringing with it a cocktail of anticipation and bewilderment that made her hands tremble slightly as she folded clothes.
“This is completely insane,” she murmured to herself, shaking out a coral sundress before laying it carefully in the case. “I just met this woman six hours ago, and now I’m flying across the country with her.”
But even as the words left her lips, more excitement bubbled beneath her practical concerns. She’d always been the type to chase opportunity with both hands, consequences be damned. When Harper had needed a business partner, Isla had emptied her savings without hesitation. When her elderly neighbor needed help after surgery, she’d spent three weeks cooking meals and running errands. Helping others felt as natural as breathing, even when it meant stretching herself thin.
She reached for a flowing white skirt, imagining how it would feel to wear something so light and airy after months of Cape Cod’s heavier fabrics. The thought of trading her wool for cotton sent a thrill through her system.
“Sunshine and ocean breezes,” she whispered, folding a pair of denim shorts.
The more clothes she packed, the more real the adventure became. She added a turquoise blouse that brought out her eyes, several pairs of sandals, and her favorite wide-brimmedhat. Each item felt like a small rebellion against the predictable rhythm her life had fallen into.
Hawaii had always existed in her imagination as a paradise of pristine beaches and crystalline waters, but she’d never found the right moment to visit. Now opportunity had literally walked through her bookstore door wearing designer heels and a knowing smile.
Curiosity finally got the better of her. She grabbed her laptop and settled cross-legged on the bed, typing “Everflame Isle Hawaii” into the search bar. The results page loaded with a disappointing collection of unrelated links. She tried variations—”Everflame Island,” “Everflame Isle bookstore”—but nothing relevant appeared.
Her brow furrowed as she pulled up a map and zoomed in on the Hawaiian island chain. She traced each familiar name with her finger—Oahu, Maui, Kauai—but found no mention of anything called Everflame Isle.
“That’s strange.” She tried one more search, this time adding “small islands Hawaii,” but still came up empty.
A rational person might have felt concerned about the mysterious absence of their destination from the internet, but Isla found herself oddly unbothered. Perhaps the island was simply too small to register on major mapping services. Remote places often flew under the digital radar, existing in peaceful anonymity while the world rushed past.
“It’ll probably be tiny,” she said aloud, closing the laptop. “Maybe a few hundred people at most.”
The unknown elements only added to her growing excitement. She’d have to trust her instincts and embrace whatever came her way—exactly like in her beloved romance novels where the heroine ventures into uncharted territory and discovers magic.
She slipped into her pajamas and climbed under the covers, but sleep proved elusive. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw herself walking along pristine beaches or helping arrange books in a sun-drenched shop overlooking the ocean.
But beneath her conscious restlessness, something deeper stirred—a whisper of intuition that felt both thrilling and slightly unsettling. She knew somehow that this trip would change her, whether she was ready for it or not.
