Isabel shrugged her shoulders, her heart feeling lighter than it had in a decade as they stepped back out into the warm afternoon sun.
"This is exactly what I've always wanted to do, Penny," Isabel admitted softly, looking back one last time at the beautiful architecture of the old manor house. "I've had my time in that fast-paced corporate matrix. I want this simple life now. Managing a quiet café, helping you restore this grand historic house, and giving my granddaughter a real childhood in a warm, welcoming community. It's exactly where we belong."
OWEN
Owen sat at his small desk at the back of the café, staring down at the single resume that had arrived for the manager position. He adjusted his glasses, his chest tightening with a sudden wave of suspicion as his eyes locked onto the previous employment list. The applicant had been serving as a senior project director for the Wayne Group in Miami. It didn't make any sense. Why would a high-level corporate executive want to move to a small coastal town to run a busy kitchen and coordinate lunch shifts? Why now, of all times?
Owen leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping a restless rhythm against the wood. The timing felt entirely too coordinated. He was one of the lead archaeologists working to establish the preservation protocols at the Hearts Hotel pool dig, and the Wayne Group was actively trying to force a buyout. Was this an underhanded corporate play by the firm? Did they already know about his connection to the dig?
Owen sighed, running a hand over his face. He desperately needed help in the cafe. Between managing the daily lunch rushes, the historical society, and spending hours cataloging theCalusa soil strata with Anna, he was stretched thin. If he didn't hand the day-to-day operations over to someone competent, the café would suffer. He would just have to keep a very close eye on her.
Owen focused on the name typed at the top of the crisp white paper.Isabel Graham.Owen blinked, a sudden image flashing through his mind. He remembered the beautiful woman Linda had introduced him to at the summer festival a few weeks back. She had caught his attention the moment she smiled, her warm presence lingering in his thoughts long after the event had wrapped up.Was it the same woman?
He stood up, grabbed the printed pages, and then left for the hotel to go find a quiet space in the dining room. When he arrived at Hearts Hotel, the lobby was quiet as he crossed the floor toward the back office. It was George's old sanctuary, but Linda had been using the office since her uncle was admitted to the hospital. Owen gave a soft knock on the dark wood door.
"Come in," Linda called from inside.
Owen pushed the door open and stepped inside.
"Hi, Linda,” Owen greeted.
“Hi, Owen,” Linda greeted with a warm smile. “Anna is still resting but you are welcome to go to the site.”
“Yes, thank you,” Owen said. “But I’m not actually here for that right now.”
“Oh?” Linda’s brows rose.
“I was wondering if it would be all right for me to use a corner of the dining room to conduct an interview this afternoon?” Owenasked her. “As I need to be here to meet Anna later, I told a potential cafe manager applicant to meet me here.”
"Of course,” Linda said right away. “But I can’t have you conducting an interview in the dining room.”
“We won’t get in the way,” Owen promised her, mistaking her words.
“Oh no,” Linda said. “That’s not what I mean.” She smiled. “An interview needs privacy.” She glanced around her office and the clock on the wall above the door. “I have to get back to Heart House anyway. Why don't you just use this office?"
"I don't want to put you out," Owen countered, holding the resume against his chest.
"Nonsense," Linda told him, tilting her head curiously. "May I ask who the candidate is? Do I know them?”
“Yes, I believe you do,” Owen answered. “It’s Isabel Graham.”
Linda’s brows shot up in surprise.
"Isabel?” Linda breathed. “Oh.” She tilted her head slightly. “Interviewing her at the hotel might be more convenient for her as well.” She started to gather the papers on the desk. “She just checked into one of our suites a little while ago.”
“I thought she’d been in Sweet Blossom Bay for a while,” Owen said, frowning.
“They have,” Linda confirmed. “They have been staying at the beach house up the road. But, apparently, her brother started some renovations on the house, so they needed a place to stay for a while."
Owen's brow knitted more tightly, his underlying suspicion flaring right back to the surface. That sounded a little too convenient.
"What exactly do you know about Isabel Graham’s background?" Owen asked, keeping his suspicion from his voice and features..
"Isabel’s a widow," Linda explained, her expression softening into a sympathetic look. "She went through a terrible tragedy a few years back. She lost her son and her daughter-in-law in an accident, and then her husband passed away shortly after. She's raising her granddaughter, Emma, on her own now. She, her granddaughter, her brother, and their friend are here in Sweet Blossom Bay for the summer.” She closed her laptop. “Oh, and Emma, her granddaughter, has become best friends with Sophia and Lily.” Her smile broadened. “Don’t worry, Owen, Isabel is a wonderful person.” She frowned thoughtfully. “I actually introduced you to her and Penny at the summer festival.”
“Yes, I remember.” Owen shifted his weight, his eyes dropping to the folder. "What do you know about her professional history? Her work history?"
Linda frowned, shaking her head slowly.
