"He's stable," Linda sighed, whistled once for Buddy, and turned her head back to look at him. "But he's incredibly annoyed that the orthopedic team is delaying his discharge date by another week."
"I don't blame him for being restless," Darius replied, offering a supportive nod.
"I'll see you at..." Linda trailed off, looking at him expectantly.
"Twelve o'clock?" Darius suggested, thinking the sooner she arrived at his house to talk, the better.
A part of him wanted to grab her hand right now and blurt out everything right here on the beach. But Darius needed time to go over what he would say and to Penny and Isabel regarding the shift in plan.
"Twelve is perfect," Linda said. She stepped closer, leaning in to press a quick, warm kiss against his lips before turning on her heel. “I’ll see you for lunch.”
She hurried down the beach, her voice calling out for Buddy as the dog came racing back to join her stride. Darius shoved his hands deep into his pockets, standing motionless on the sand as he watched her figure move toward the Heart property. His mind was spinning with an intense momentum, wonderingwhich way his entire world would tip once the noon clock struck and he handed her the truth.
ISABEL
Isabel adjusted the collar of her button-down shirt in the bathroom mirror of the hotel suite, watching the morning sun stream through the high frosted window. The cool light caught the soft streaks of silver hairs near her temples, and she reached for her brush, smoothing her dark locks back into a neat twist. It was early, the clock on the wall showing it was barely past six-thirty. Isabel picked up her cosmetic bag, intending to apply a light touch of powder, when her phone buzzed loudly against the marble countertop.
She glanced down at the screen and frowned when she saw her brother's name flashing on the display. She swiped to answer, propping the device against a lotion bottle so she could finish organizing her workspace.
"Good morning, big brother," Isabel said, keeping her voice light. "What has you calling me at this hour?"
"Morning, Issy.” Darius greeted. “Can you and Penny come see me at the house before you head out for the day?" His tone sounded heavy, flat, lacking its typical clipped sharpness.
Isabel paused, her hand hovering in midair as her frown deepened.
"Darius, I have to get into the café exceptionally early today. Owen is closing down the regular operations for the day because most of his staff members are history and archaeology students from the college. They are all excited about the pool excavation findings, so they're signing up to get field experience and help clear the grid layers,” she explained, proud she’d remembered all that. “ I promised Owen I'd come in early to manage the morning rush and ensure all the regular pastry and coffee deliveries are dropped off at the commercial offices around the town center."
"You're really getting into this new job, Issy," Darius said. There was a distinct note of brotherly pride in his voice, a quiet happiness that traveled clearly through the line. "I'm glad to hear it. It's nice to see you getting your sparkle back."
Isabel felt a warmth touch her cheeks, grateful that the phone screen hid her blush. She let out a soft sigh, her expression softening.
"Thank you, big brother.” He sounded a little down and her heart strings pulled. “Is this matter important? I can give you about ten minutes of my time, but you'll have to meet us near the marina. Actually, you should come into the café. We can have a coffee and meet inside the private manager's office at the back of the building."
"Now you even have your own office there," Darius remarked, letting out a heavy, exaggerated sigh that made Isabel smile. "Yes, it's important. I need your help, Isabel. Yours and Penny's. Or rather, I need your advice on a pressing situation."
Isabel froze, her hand dropping back to the counter. The wordadvicecoming from her brother was a rare occurrence. Suspicion immediately flared in her chest. "Is this situation about Linda?"
There was a long pause on the other end of the line, the quiet so thick she could hear the faint hum of the air conditioning through his receiver.
"Yes," Darius said, his voice dropping into a low, rough register. "I've made a decision. I'm not going to tell her only my last name when she comes over for lunch today. I'm going to tell her everything. The whole history. I think she deserves to know the full truth about why I came to this island."
Isabel felt floored. Tiny waves of shock vibrated through her system, leaving her staring blankly at her reflection in the glass. She stood there in the quiet bathroom, unable to formulate an answer for a beat too long.
"Issy?" Darius's voice called out from the speaker. "Are you still there?"
"Yes," Isabel said, her voice snapping back into focus. "I'm here. Meet us at the Bay Café in twenty minutes. Don't be late."
She disconnected the call before he could say another word. She tossed her hairbrush into her bag and hurried out of the bathroom, her shoes squeaking against the tile as she marched through the suite living room. Isable reached the bedroom door where she began banging loudly against it.
She heard footsteps and then Penny pulled the door open. Her hair was still damp from the shower, a towel draped over her shoulders. She was wearing a faded pair of denim jeans, a plain cotton t-shirt, and a pair of stained sneakers that shealways referred to as her restoration clothes whenever they were inspecting old properties.
"Oh, good, you're dressed," Isabel said, not giving her a chance to greet her. "Grab your purse. We're going to the café. Coffee and croissants are on my tab today."
Penny blinked in confusion, holding the edge of the doorframe. "Okay, Isabel. Can you give me a minute to finish drying my hair and?—"
"No, there isn't any time," Isabel stated, reaching out to grab her friend's wrist. "We have to leave right now."
"Where's the fire?" Penny asked, her voice rising in alarm as she scrambled backward to snatch her leather handbag and a light knit sweater from the chair before Isabel dragged her out into the main suite hallway. She managed to fling the towel that was on her shoulders back into the suite before Isabel banged the door closed
