Chapter 1
Isobel Davis darted down the busy Atlanta Street and inside her favorite coffee shop. Just Peachy Coffee was a newer establishment and was a hidden gem in the downtown area. It was also the only place that gave out free newspapers during the week.
Tossing a smile at Ava behind the counter, Izzie headed across the room toward the stack of newspapers and swiped the one on top. She flicked it open, her eyes sweeping through the classifieds.
Yes! There was an estate sale that weekend. There hadn’t been one of those in a while. Maybe her mother’s jade necklace would be there. The universe had dumped so much hardship on her family, she was due for a miracle.
Izzie folded the newspaper and tucked it under her arm. She wove through the tables and chairs.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Standing frozen in place, Izzie pressed her lips into a thin line and closed her eyes.
Maybe Ava was talking to someone else? She really was too much of a chatter box and Izzie had a long list of things to do before work.
She tossed a glance over her shoulder to find Ava’s amused blue eyes drilling into her.
“You can’t just come in here, take a newspaper, and sneak out like a stray cat.”
Izzie giggled. “Stray cat? You know I would stay to chat if I could, but I had to take an extra shift this morning and I must visit my mom first.”
Ava flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder then leaned on the counter. Her lower lip puckered into a pout. “We haven’t had a good girl’s talk in ages. You work too hard. When are you going to realize that you should only work to live, not live to work?”
Izzie cocked her head to the side. “I think you got that wrong. Isn’t it eat to live rather than live to eat?”
Ava shrugged. “I like mine better.” She straightened with a smile. “Regardless, we should plan a girl’s night.”
“I’ll let you know when I have time,” Izzie waved at her. “Thanks for the newspaper.”
“That defeats the purpose—”
The door cut off her friend’s words and Izzie hurried down the road to her car. She had an hour and a half before she needed to be at work. That gave her just enough time to eat breakfast with her mother.
She made it to the beat-up yellow Volkswagen Bug that was parked a few yards away and yanked on the handle. The door stuck, as it usually did, forcing her to pull three more times before it released. Izzie stumbled back a step to catch her balance then jumped into her car and turned the key.
The drive out to Maple Gardens Assisted Living wasn’t bad.
It was about a twenty-minute drive from Atlanta to get to the fancy retirement community, and only because it was out in the middle of nowhere.
The whole place was surrounded by maple trees as far as the eye could see.
Driving down the winding road toward the hub of the community always made her feel like she was entering a fairytale land.
Flecks of light burst through the leaves overhead, dancing on her windows as she passed beneath the trees on either side of her road.
At the end of the road, a large brick building rose from the earth.
The main structure was for the residents who needed more care than the average tenants.
It was where her mother currently resided.
Surrounding that building were several other smaller fourplexes.
Izzie drove past trails where elderly couples wandered with their spouses, health care workers, or their adult children.
There was a degree of peace, just passing the threshold onto the property.
It was the reason she’d picked this community for her mother despite the high price point, and the reason she’d added more hours to her weekly work schedule.
She pulled into the visitor’s parking lot, snatched her newspaper, jumped out of her car, and sprinted toward the main building. The automatic doors glided open, revealing the front reception desk.
Olivia’s familiar raven-haired head popped up and she smiled widely.
“Izzie! Your mom’s been asking for you. We weren’t sure you were going to make it today.
” She stood behind the desk and murmured something at the other receptionist before coming out and meeting Izzie.
Her grey eyes dropped to the newspaper under Izzie’s arm. “Any luck today?”
Izzie’s head bobbed as she walked with her best friend down the familiar hallway toward her mother’s room. “I have a good feeling about this one, Livy. It’s a local estate sale and the notice said there was a lot of jewelry.”
Olivia’s eyes brightened. “That’s wonderful! Are you going to tell your mother about it?”
The happiness in Izzie’s countenance dimmed. “No. I don’t think that would be a very good idea.” They shifted to the side of the hallway, making room for a woman pushing a resident in a wheelchair. “She’s been disappointed too many times.”
Her friend nodded, lips pressed in a thin line. “That’s probably a good plan.” They stopped outside of a familiar door. The name on the small plaque on the wall read Davis.
Izzie gestured toward the room. “How’s she doing this morning?”
Olivia’s eyes darted to the door then back to Izzie’s face. She tilted her head slightly and offered a soft smile. “Okay, I think. She kept asking about you. But she was in good spirits.”
“Have you heard if she’s making any more progress?”
This time Olivia’s features faltered. She reached out and touched Izzie’s upper arm. “I think she’s made as much progress as they expected. More, even. At this point we just have to be happy with how far she’s come.”
Izzie swallowed hard and nodded. “You’re right. I know you’re right. I just wish…” She glanced at the closed door.”
“I know, sweetie.” Olivia wrapped her arms around Izzie then pulled back and grinned. “Let me know how that estate sale goes.”
Izzie nodded again and headed into her mother’s room.
Margaret was already seated in her wheelchair staring out the window at the gardens within her view. She twisted, glancing over her shoulder and a wide smile stretched from ear to ear. “Izzie! You’re here.”
Warmth spread through Izzie’s body as she wandered across the room. “Of course I’m here. I told you I’d eat breakfast with you every morning.” Her hands settled on the wheelchair. “Not to mention, we have to finish that chapter in Pride and Prejudice.”
If it was possible, her mother’s features brightened further. “Ooh, I love that one.”
She placed the book in her mother’s lap. “I know, mom.” Izzie grinned as she turned her mother’s chair around and rolled her out the door. “Do you remember where we are in the story?”
Her mother grew still except for her fingers which fidgeted with the book in her lap. She murmured something Izzie couldn’t understand.
“It’s okay, mom. I’ll help you remember.
” They headed down the hall toward the cafeteria.
Some of the workers wearing scrubs waved animatedly at Margaret, wishing her a good morning.
But most of the residents they passed weren’t completely lucid, so when her mother waved at them, they didn’t respond.
Izzie frowned. Her mother’s memory was the only reason she hadn’t been moved into one of the other buildings. There were other tenants who had mobility issues and they weren’t required to have such strict supervision. If only she could get her mother to crest that threshold.
They arrived in the cafeteria and Izzie paused. “Where do you want to sit this morning?”
Her mother surveyed the room, from one side to the other. “I don’t see Lawrence.”
“Lawrence?” Izzie stared down at the top of her mother’s head.
Last time they’d shared a meal, Margaret couldn’t remember Lawrence.
The two had met one another two weeks ago and the nurses kept putting them together—something to do with how bright and happy her mother was.
She seemed to share some of her light with the other resident. “You remember Lawrence?”
Margaret glanced up at her, a grin on her face. “Of course I remember Lawrence, dear. He’s my dear friend.”
Izzie couldn’t dare hope that this was the turning point she’d been praying for.
Her mother hadn’t been able to make new memories very well.
Even some of the older ones were hard to dig up.
Heart beating a little faster, Izzie spun her mother around.
“Well, I guess we should go find your friend, then, shouldn’t we? ”
They headed for the reception desk, but Olivia wasn’t there. The other woman offered them a smile. “What can I do for you?”
“My mom wants to eat breakfast with one of the other residents. Do you think you could find him?” This could very well be against the rules.
“Of course. Anything for Margaret.” The woman winked at Izzie’s mother.
Izzie blinked. “Oh. Great.”
“Who are we looking for?”
“Lawrence.” Her mother offered.
The receptionist turned to her computer and clicked a few times. “It looks like his nephew checked him out this morning but he said they’d be staying on the grounds. You might be able to find them out in the commons.”
“Hear that, Mom? Lawrence might be in the commons. What do you say about breakfast outside?”
“That sounds lovely, dear.”
Izzie thanked the receptionist and then they turned and headed out the door into the warm morning sunlight.
They took a left and made their way toward the large open area surrounded by shrubs and greenery.
A few wrought iron tables were situated in the center near a bubbling fountain and several benches lined the perimeter.
Her mother sat straighter in her chair and pointed. “There he is. There’s Lawrence.”
Izzie’s eyes followed her mother’s gesture and she peered across the way.
Then her blood ran cold. “Oh, Mom. I don’t think today is a good day.
He looks busy, visiting with someone.” She made to turn the wheelchair around but her mother threw her hands onto the brakes, making it harder to go anywhere. “Mom. We can visit with him another—”
“No. I want to eat breakfast with Lawrence.” Her mother set a pair of earnest eyes on Izzie. “He’s my friend, Izzie. Please.”
Izzie’s shoulders slumped as she stared at her mother then over to where Lawrence sat on a bench beside someone she would have recognized anywhere. Lawrence’s nephew was none other than Bartholomew Brown—heir apparent to the fortune of his uncle. Playboy. Adventurer. And drop dead gorgeous.
One more attempt at turning around got her nowhere.
Her mother wasn’t going to budge. Izzie expelled a sigh from her lips.
“Fine. Let’s go say hi to Lawrence.” They bumped along the cobblestone path toward the elderly man.
Izzie kept her gaze averted, not prepared to meet the eyes that had stared at her from magazines at the convenience store where she worked.
They arrived far too soon. Margaret beamed at Lawrence and his nephew. Lawrence didn’t acknowledge their presence while his nephew gazed at them with curiosity.
Izzie leaned over and murmured, “Let’s come back another time.”
“No, Izzie. Lawrence, you don’t mind us sitting with you, do you?” Margaret beamed at Lawrence and waved at his visitor, her paperback copy of Pride and Prejudice flying out of her hands.
Bartholomew Brown got to it just before Isobel, scooping it off the grass in one fluid motion and holding it out with a smile. He was taller than she expected. And it was obvious he spent time at the gym, those broad muscular shoulders easily visible beneath his fitted t-shirt.
Stop it!
Isobel dragged her eyes to his face.
That was a very bad idea. Warm brown eyes regarded her with amusement.
She cleared her throat. “Um, thanks.”
“Shall I return it to your mother?”
“It’s Margaret.” Her mother chimed in. “Izzie, get the book, dear.”
Right, he was still holding it out to her. She curled her fingers around the edge farthest from his fingers. “I’ll take it.”
“I’m Bart.”
“I know.”
“The normal response is, ‘And I’m Izzie’.”
She froze. “How do you know my name?”