“Actually, he should.” Darlene’s brows lifted and Isabelle shrugged. “It’s Christmas. If ever someone was going to come home, that’s the time.”
If only she could fully open her heart to forgive him. Lord knew he’d reached out to her and her mother repeatedly over the past week. He was trying. As much as she knew she needed to keep her guard up, a part of her wanted to lower every defense and just embrace the little girl inside of her who wanted her daddy to be in her life.
“It’s going to take some getting used to, your father being back in town,” her mother continued, reminding Isabelle that she wasn’t the only one dealing with a lot of emotional baggage. “It was good of the Harveys to hire him to work on the farm.”
Despite Bobbin’s sabotage attempts, Isabelle managed to get the remainder of the paper taped. “I think they were grateful he responded to theirHelp Wantedad. They’ve been extra busy this year with the ice-skating rink being such a success.”
Isabelle stared down at the gift. Her heart fluttered and she swallowed. For the first time in a very long time, she’d wrapped presents for her father. Her mother hadn’t asked who the gifts were for, but Isabelle was a planner. Her mother would know that she’d marked off every name on her gift list long ago. Every name except the one she’d added that week. The gift was nothing more than a pair of wool socks and good gloves but buying them had made Isabelle’s head spin. Wrapping them, the same.
“Sophie is going to be so surprised when she gets back from her honeymoon.” Her mother glanced her way. “Have you talked with her?”
Cutting off a long piece of silver ribbon so she could finish with the gift, Isabelle nodded. “She sent me selfies of her and Cole in front of the Eiffel Tower. He even took her to the Palais Garnier opera house. It all looks surreal, and yet she’s there.”
Picking up the package that held the gloves Isabelle had already wrapped to inspect the tag, Darlene smiled. “I got that selfie, too. Thank you for helping Cole pull that off. We’re going to be hearing about their trip all Christmas.”
“At least that will give us something to talk about Christmas Day while Dad’s here. That will help keep it from feeling so awkward, having him in the house again.” Isabelle curled the ribbon with the edge of her scissors, pleased it twirled perfectly. Bobbin pounced, swatting at the bouncy end. Isabelle put her scissors on the floor and picked up her cat to look directly into his green eyes. “You need to stop that or you’re going onto the naughty list.”
Darlene reached for the gift and ribbon and tied a bow around the box. Rubbing her chin over where Bobbin had buried his head in the curve of her neck, Isabelle gestured toward the tag she’d already filled out. Darlene put the tag on, then put it under the tree.
Turning toward Isabelle, she gave a nervous laugh. “I’ll take all the help I can get regarding your father. But let’s not talk about him anymore. How about you? Any trips to Paris in your near future?”
Rubbing her cheek against Bobbin, Isabelle frowned. “Of course not.”
Her mother’s brow rose. “Then you haven’t heard from Zach?”
Ugh. Not her mother, too. “What does Zach have to do with my going to Paris?”
“Sophie isn’t the only one of my daughters who dreamed of a honeymoon in France.”
Grateful for Bobbin’s affections, Isabelle snorted. “Perhaps you’ve forgotten how I feel about military men in all this Dad-being-home-and-us-calling-a-semi-truce-to-take-things-one-day-at-a-time thing.”
“I’ve not forgotten. And it really has nothing to do with how you feel about military men, but how you feel about Zach.”
“Mom—”
“I saw you two together, Isabelle,” her mother interrupted. “We all did. You were happier than I’ve ever seen you.”
Bobbin squirmed in her arms, apparently deciding he’d had enough loving, but Isabelle didn’t let go. “Then I should go into acting. It was all fake for Sophie’s sake, remember?”
“I love you, darling, but you’re not that good of an actress.”
Isabelle snorted. “Thanks, Mom. I appreciate that.”
Coming over to put her hand on Isabelle’s shoulder, her mother sighed. “I always knew Sophie would give her whole heart to some lucky man. I’m glad it was Cole, because he’ll treasure that gift. You…” her mother paused. “I always worried about you, Isabelle. I never doubted that it would take a special man to win your heart, that he’d have to have the nerves of Daniel and be as patient as Job.” Her mother’s dark eyes met hers. “He’d have to be tough as Samson, as wise as Solomon, to get around those seemingly impenetrable walls you’ve protected your heart with all these years.”
“You make me sound as if I’m incapable of love.” Isabelle hugged Bobbin to her, then frowned when the cat gave her a swat with its paw, causing her to loosen her hold and him to jump free.
“Far from it,” her mother assured. “You’re capable of great love. The kind that consumes one’s very being and lasts a lifetime. Deny it all you want, but you know exactly what I’m referring to. My question is, are you going to let Zach behind those walls?”
“You may have forgotten this part, but he left. Without saying a word to me, I might add.” Just like her dad had. He’d known how hurt she’d been by that, and then he’d done the same thing. “You paint a fairy-tale image of a man who could love me, but it’s more a nightmare, because Zach doesn’t love me.”
Her mother sighed, then walked over to the Christmas tree, poked beneath it, and picked up a brightly wrapped package. “Sarah dropped this off for you. I was supposed to give it to you to open tomorrow, but everyone will be here tomorrow, so maybe tonight is better. It’s from Zach.”
Isabelle stared at the present. “What is it?”
Handing her the gift, Darlene shrugged. “Only one way to find out.” Darlene bent and kissed the top of her head. “Tomorrow’s going to be a long day, so I’m calling it a night. But before I go, know how much I love you, honey, and that I want you to be happy. If that’s here, working at the quilt shop with your sister, then fine. If it’s not, go find your happiness, Isabelle.”
Isabelle’s heart squeezed. “You mean Zach?”
