Rather than go into the house, he sat down in one of the front-porch rocking chairs, breathing in the crisp November air and musing over the night with Harry’s company since the dog had wanted to be let out.
Scratching the dog’s scruff, he admitted that Isabelle was right. He did understand and saw what he was positive she didn’t see herself. Sophie wanted her father to walk her down the aisle, but Isabelle needed him there so she could step back from the self-imposed responsibility for her family’s well-being that she’d taken on when he’d left. For whatever reason, Isabelle had felt she had to fill her father’s shoes and had been doing her best to do so ever since.
Zach was going to find Cliff Davis.
Not just for Sophie, but for Isabelle, in hopes it set the little girl inside her free.
*
“Last night wasso much fun.” Sophie leaned against Isabelle’s office doorframe. “Mom, Cole and me, and you and Zach. He seems completely smitten, Izzy, and fits right in with us, doesn’t he?”
Because he was faking it. Isabelle really didn’t want to talk about Zach, so she pretended to be absorbed in printing out the shipping labels for the online items they’d sold so she could drop them by the post office on her way home.
“I love that he helped Cole carry in the tree and how he loves to tease you.” Giddiness oozed from Sophie’s voice, making Isabelle guilty that she continued to stare at the computer screen even when Sophie came into the small room and pulled a stackable chair next to Isabelle’s desk.
“You light up when he does that, you know?”From internal combustion where he drove her crazy.“I like him. Cole likes him. Mom likes him. Even Bobbin likes him, and you know how finnicky our cat is.”Traitorous cat.“It makes me happy that you like him, too, Izzy.”
Isabelle winced. She did like him. Only she didn’t. And yet, she did. Was it possible to really truly dislike someone and like them at the same time?
“I have a surprise for you.” Sophie’s voice held its usual cheer as she tapped her fingernails to a Christmas tune.
A sinking feeling in her gut, Isabelle glanced toward her sister’s hand. Sophie’s nails were painted blue, and she had a sparkly white snowflake on her thumbnail. Smiling snowmen covered her other nails. Dragging her gaze from those blasted, happy snowmen, she forced a smile to her face, despite the unease wreaking havoc in her belly.
“What kind of surprise and please tell me that it doesn’t involve Zach?”
“Of course it involves Zach.” Sophie’s exuberant smile said it all, and Isabelle’s sinking feeling Titanicked. “Since y’all never made it to his sewing lesson last night, I’ve rescheduled his lesson.”
Isabelle swallowed, hoping the tightness in her throat eased. “At your class?”
“No, silly. Why would he do that when he has you to give private lessons?” Sophie clasped her hands together. “He’ll be by at six for his first one.”
“We close at six,” she automatically responded, fighting her rising panic.
“Which is why he’s coming by then,” Sophie explained, all smiles. “Mom has a meeting at church regarding the Christmas festival booth. She’s so excited to be helping this year.” Sophie’s expression grew dreamy. “Cole wants me to come out to the farm to make sure I like the paint color for my new sewing room. He’s such a thoughtful man to suggest that we turn one of the spare bedrooms into a sewing room. Isn’t he just the best?”
Isabelle nodded, her mind still processing that Zach was going to be there in—she glanced at her watch—thirty minutes. “Call Zach and cancel.” She gestured to her computer. “I’ve got a ton to do tonight.”
“There’s nothing that can’t wait.” Frowning, Sophie eyed her more closely. “I’ve seen how you are when you’re with him, Isabelle. I know you like him, and he likes you.”
Frustrated, Isabelle glanced toward the computer screen. Sophie was the person she shared everything with. Only, with Zach, she couldn’t share. Why was it the one time she needed to vent to her sister, that she wanted Sophie’s thoughts, she had to hold everything inside?
“My relationship with Zach is complicated,” she admitted, thinking truer words had never been spoken.
“Because he’s military?” Sophie leaned forward, as if being closer would make Isabelle understand better. “You can’t let that get in the way of what’s happening between you two.”
What was happening between them wasn’t real.
“Sarah says he’s wonderful.”
Sophie had discussed Zach with Sarah?
“She barely knows him,” Isabelle pointed out, although that wasn’t how Sarah had told it when she’d called that morning.
She’d gone on about how great Zach was with Jeannie, how helpful he was around Hamilton House, how sweet he’d been to buy her the quilt kits, and how much she loved getting to know Bodie’s friend. She couldn’t say enough kind words about her houseguest. Someone should award her sister and friend future Butterfly badges.Ugh.
“Bodie has known him for years.” Sophie remained unfazed. “He’d never let someone he didn’t trust spend so much time alone with Sarah and Jeannie.”
Isabelle couldn’t argue that. Bodie was relaxed with Zach in ways that she’d never seen him be with other veterans who’d stayed in their Beds for Vets suite. But that was probably because all the other veterans had been strangers prior to their arrival, just individuals sent to Hamilton House by Lukas for Sarah and Bodie to help them find their way again.
