Chapter 23
Chapter
Twenty-Three
ISABELLE
I wasn’t able to sleep well last night, even with my movies. If anything, the movies and all their romance made it worse.
All night, I’ve been replaying my conversation with Adam and remembering the look in his eyes when he talked about his mother, or the feel of his lips gently touching my forehead. I could hear his voice calling me “Belle,” warming my heart.
I’m twitterpated by Adam Stone.
I spent most of the night watching movies and drifting in and out of sleep. These couches in the theater are ridiculously comfortable. At six thirty, I return to my bedroom to get ready, and, as usual, Brigette is there.
“Good morning, Ms. Isabelle!” she chirps.
“Good morning, Brigette,” I reply. “I have to get ready for my interview this morning.”
She claps her hands together in delight. “May I please do your hair?”
I tilt my head side to side, figuring she might as well. She’s been begging me every morning since I got here. “Sure.”
She jumps in the air and rushes over to the vanity, faster than I expected her to be able to move. “I thought you’d never agree!”
With a laugh, I follow her lead and sit in the chair at the vanity. She starts brushing my hair, meeting my eyes in the mirror and smiling at me.
“I never had a daughter,” she says.
“No?”
She shakes her head. “Two boys. And they’ve given me wonderful grandsons, but no girls to spoil. Even when Miss Lily was here, her mother was the one who would do her hair. I’ve always wanted a little girl to pamper. I have four sisters, and we used to do each other’s hair all the time.”
“Four? And I thought I grew up in a house full of girls.”
She laughs. “There were five of us. My poor father. But it taught him a lot about empathy.”
“Wow.” We sit in silence for another couple of minutes, as she plugs in a curling iron and starts sectioning out my hair.
“Don’t worry, I won’t do anything extravagant. But I’m an expert with a curling iron.”
“I believe you.” And I truly do. I was hesitant before, but maybe I should’ve let her give me a makeover when I first got here.
“So, you and Mr. Stone seemed to have a nice conversation last night,” she says, a teasing lilt in her voice.
My cheeks flush red, completely visible in the mirror. “We did.”
“It seems that you’ve developed a…friendship?” She keeps her focus on my hair, making it easier for me to think and respond.
“I think so. He’s a lot less closed-off, which makes it easier to talk to him.” I look up at her. “Has he always been so…”
“Intense?” Brigette supplies.
“I was going to say rude, but sure. Let’s go with intense. ”
She smiles softly, winding a piece of my hair around the iron. “Mr. Stone has always been intense . Serious, almost to a fault. As far as rude, he’s battled that side of himself since childhood. Perhaps a better word would be ‘blunt.’ But his mother would encourage him to temper that side of himself with empathy.” She sighs. “And while she was alive, it made a difference.”
“And after she died, he just stopped trying?”
She shrugs a shoulder. “It seems that way. Mrs. Stone was the heart and soul of the family. When she passed, each of the children took it in their own ways. Unfortunately, Adam became more selfish and neglected all of his siblings and his father. He ran away from his family’s expectations so he could pursue acting.”
“What about his siblings?” I ask, wanting to get a fuller picture of the family.
“Henry seems to have handled it in the healthiest way. He took over where Adam left, filling his role as second in the family company. Peter has embraced his childish side and is trying to live life to the fullest, traveling and forgoing all responsibilities. And Lily,” she puts a hand over her heart. “Lily desperately needed the guidance of a mother.”
The words from the document on Adam’s computer flash in my mind again. Was there something between Lily and Tristan Jackson? Is that what made Adam go crazy?
I’m about to open my mouth and ask, but Lionel knocks on the door. “Ms. Isabelle? Mr. Stone wanted me to ask where you would like to have the camera and computer set up for your interview.”
Flutters erupt in my belly, knowing that Adam was considering what would be best for me. “Oh! I hadn’t really thought about it.”
“Mr. Stone suggested the dining room. Would that be amenable to you?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
He nods and turns out of the room. I look back at my reflection, blushing cheeks and all, hoping Brigette doesn’t notice.
But she totally does. With a sly smile, she says, “I think a certain someone is encouraging Adam to think of others besides himself.” She winks.
“Who, me?”
“Yes, you!” She laughs out loud, releasing a section of my hair from the clip and starting on the last pieces of my hair. “Mr. Stone is intense, but that also translates to fierce loyalty and protectiveness. When it comes to the ones he loves, there is nothing he will not do to ensure their safety and happiness. It’s why his mother’s death broke him. He couldn’t save her. And despite the fact that she died surrounded by the ones she loved, he felt that there was no reason to attach himself to anyone anymore, not when they would just leave him in the end.”
Her words sink in, and my heart breaks for him. “How sad.”
Brigette nods. “But there’s something about you that’s bringing him back to life. You challenge him, but you’re also patient with him.” She runs a wide comb through my hair, separating the curls. “I have hope for him now.”
She fluffs the hair around my shoulders, and my eyes widen at her work. “Brigette! You’re incredible! Why didn’t I have you do my hair before?”
She shrugs, a little shy now. “I can do your makeup, as well.”
I nod enthusiastically, and for a moment, I wonder what Adam will think when he sees me all made up.
Half an hour later, I’m sitting in front of the computer in the dining room, ready for my interview. I’m wearing the outfit I wore on my first night here. If it was good enough for meeting Adam, it should be good enough for an interview.
I haven’t seen Adam this morning. I had hoped that he’d come by to give me some well-wishes, a little extra boost of confidence, but he’s nowhere to be found.
I swallow down my disappointment. That’s okay. He helped me prep last night and sent word through Lionel this morning, and that means more than he’ll know.
A window pops up on the screen, saying the host has joined the meeting and will let me in soon. I inhale and exhale deeply, channeling my inner Audrey Hepburn. I can be poised and collected, answering their questions with grace. I study my appearance on screen, thrilled with Brigette’s work. Now I want her to do my hair and makeup every day. And my looks are only part of it—the conversation with her fills an empty space in my heart I didn’t know was missing.
The screen changes and I see a brunette woman smiling at me. Her chin-length hair and dark lashes look familiar—I’ve seen her interviews online before.
“Hi, Isabelle! I’m Allegra,” she says warmly. “Thanks so much for joining me today!”
“Thank you for having me!” I reply with a big smile.
“I’m not sure if you’ve seen our interviews on Inside Scoop before, but we’ll have a few video clips spliced together, and there will be a written article summarizing our conversation. Do you have any questions?”
I shake my head, eager to get started.
“All right, let me start recording.” She clicks on her mouse, and an alert appears that the meeting is being recorded. “So, Isabelle, let’s start with an easy one. What was it like growing up with sisters who are professional models? ”
“Oh.” I wasn’t expecting to talk about my sisters right off the bat, but I guess it’s a basic question. And, thankfully, one I prepped with Adam. In truth, it wasn’t the best. It made my sisters shallow and self-absorbed, and I was just along for the ride. But in reply to Allegra, I say, “It was really exciting! I got a glimpse of life behind the cameras. And every time they were printed in a magazine or commercial, I was able to show it off to my friends at school.”
“That’s so cool. I bet you made a lot of friends that way.”
Yeah, fake friends. “Yep!”
“That’s great. Did your sisters have any pets growing up?”
What a weird question. “No, we didn’t have any pets. Catherine has really severe allergies, so even though she wanted a dog, she could never have one.”
“Oh, that’s interesting! I don’t think anyone has reported on her allergies before.”
Shoot. Was that supposed to be a family secret? No one ever mentioned it before.
Allegra continues. “Now, your sisters have said often they make sure to eat full, well-rounded meals, which is so admirable for models these days. Where did that influence come from?”
I blink a few times, unsure what these questions have to do with me and my acting. “I’m sorry, I must have missed something. What is the focus of this interview?”
She furrows her brow. “Your manager didn’t tell you?”
I shake my head, dread filling my stomach.
“It’s an article series about celebrities told by their closest family members. We’re getting the inside scoop from you on your sisters.”
Her words sink in, and I feel a sting behind my eyes. I will not cry. I will not cry.
This has nothing to do with me, or acting, or my own career .
It’s all about my sisters.
My heart hurts, but I can’t let her know. Even if this interview isn’t about me, I can do my best to present myself in a way I’ll be proud of. One day, when I’m an A-list actress and people search my name, I don’t want anything online that will embarrass me.
Maybe I can still spin it in a positive direction. I can throw in a few references to my own acting career, and then she’ll have to ask about it.
I nod, recalling the question she asked. “Well, I think my sisters’ respect for nutrition came from our mother. From what I’ve heard, she was an amazing cook and always kept my dad and sisters well-fed. I’m glad they have that reputation in the modeling community.”
“Do you go to a lot of their shows now?”
Bingo. Here’s my opportunity. “Unfortunately, no. I’ve been busy with my own pursuits lately, building up my own career as an actress. But I have some exciting projects on the horizon.”
“That’s nice.” Allegra doesn’t even bat an eyelash. “When’s the last time you saw your sisters?”
I press my lips together, trying to remember while swallowing down the disappointment that this article will not go in my favor. At all.
I’m about to open my mouth and answer when a pair of strong arms appear at my sides, hands resting on the table in front of me. Adam’s voice sounds above my head. “Isabelle doesn’t have much time to see her sisters because she’s preparing for a movie role with me.”
Allegra stares for a moment, and I can see the recognition wash over her face. “Is that…Adam Stone?”
I tilt my head up to look at him, wondering what in the world compelled him to do this.