Zach’s left dimple dug deep with his lopsided grin. “You doubt my ability to do so?”
No, she didn’t. Zach’s self-assurance didn’t come across as vanity. Just his acknowledgement of his capabilities. If her father could be found, Zach would find him. Her stomach convulsed around her chicken salad and a wave of nausea hit. Nausea and uncertainty. What had she done?
Because she wasn’t sure she wanted Cliff Davis found after all this time. Some things, some people, were probably better left in the past.
*
Not surprising toIsabelle, three Butterflies fluttered around The Threaded Needle and were all eyes and ears when she and Zach returned from their business-meeting picnic. Maybelle and John had disappeared not long after Zach had pointed them out, but Maybelle wasn’t with the ladies so it wouldn’t surprise Isabelle to learn that they’d just changed spy position and made better use of their binoculars.
“Back so soon?” Rosie looked all innocent. “We weren’t expecting you for hours and hours.”
“You sent enough food for days.” Isabelle waged a battle between gratitude at their generous love and frustration at their matchmaking. “Thank you. It was delicious, but Sophie shouldn’t have asked y’all to do that. I’ll be useless this afternoon after eating so much midday.”
“Nonsense.” Aunt Claudia dismissed her claim, giving Zach a smile that said he had her approval. “We’re always up for stocking a Christmas picnic basket.”
“Especially for someone who enjoyed my Christmas sausage balls so much.” Ruby beamed at Zach, giving her stamp of approval, too.
“Now…” Rosie fluttered her fake lashes. “What did you think of your Christmas presents?”
Heat washed over Isabelle’s face. “We, uh, we got in a rush to leave because there was this odd, nosy couple with binoculars who kept spying on us, and we forgot to open them.”
There. That let them know she was onto them.
Three Butterflies giggled and looked back and forth at each other.
“Spying on you?” Aunt Claudia shook her head. “Dear, when not making lists, you’ve quite the imagination. They were probably just bird watching.”
If Isabelle hadn’t already known the women were in on the spying, that her aunt mentioned exactly the cover that Maybelle and John had used would have given them away.
“Ah, bird watching. I bet you’re right.” She pulled the corner of the quilt from the bag Zach carried and tapped the pattern. “These birds are so lifelike, aren’t they?”
Next to her, Zach chuckled.
Aunt Claudia focused on him. “Zach, you must go with Isabelle out to Harvey Farm for their Christmas kickoff.”
To give him credit, he didn’t leap at the nugget they’d delivered, which should make Isabelle happy because she didn’t want him encouraging them. That so wasn’t disappointment she was feeling instead.
“Christmas picnics and kickoffs? It’s not Thanksgiving yet.”
Every female in the room burst into laughter, including Isabelle.
“You can tell he’s not from around here, bless his heart.” Rosie patted Zach’s arm. “No worries, though, hon. We’ll have you celebrating Christmas three hundred and sixty-five days a year, like the rest of us, soon enough.”
“Speaking of Harvey Farm, you’re invited to a couple’s shower for Sophie and Cole tomorrow afternoon.” Ruby beamed, obviously proud that she’d been the one to invite Zach. “We’re not serving my sausage balls, but your tongue will still smack against the roof of your mouth in gratitude of how good everything tastes.”
“Tempting,” Zach said, looking as if he really was tempted.What was he doing? And would a swift kick to the shins knock some sense into him?
“And Thanksgiving, Zach.” Aunt Claudia practically fell over herself as she smiled up at him. “You should come to Thanksgiving dinner. Our whole family will be there, plus quite a few friends. The more the merrier. We’d love you to join us.”
Zach started to say something, but Isabelle could contain herself no longer and knocked her elbow against his arm, letting him know she had this.
“Aunt Claudia, I appreciate that you asked Zach to dinner. That’s so thoughtful of you, of all of you, to include him.” She forced a smile that hopefully didn’t convey how much doing so hurt with her teeth gritted. “But Zach’s only in Pine Hill a short time.” Exactly how long was he there? She hadn’t thought to ask. If he hadn’t found her father by the time for him to leave, would he continue looking? “He will be spending Thanksgiving with his own family.”
After all, he’d mentioned parents and a brother.
“I won’t be going to Atlanta for the holidays.”
Ignoring the curious Butterflies, Isabelle frowned. “You’re not going home for the holidays?”
