Chapter 14 Christopher
CHRISTOPHER
Christopher climbed into the passenger seat of Charlie’s car and watched through the rearview mirror as Isabella disappeared into her cottage with Maddy chattering excitedly beside her.
The weight that had been pressing on his chest since they’d first heard Todd’s threats through the hidden microphone loosened slightly, but it didn’t disappear entirely.
Charlie pulled away from the cottage and headed back toward the inn, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the road. Neither of them spoke for several minutes, both processing what they’d heard during that tense conversation at the diner.
“That was intense,” Charlie finally said, breaking the silence. “She handled herself remarkably well.”
“She did,” Christopher agreed, but his jaw was tight. He kept replaying Todd’s words in his mind, the threats barely disguised as reasonable requests. The manipulation. The extortion. “How much of a threat do you think he actually is?”
Charlie was quiet for a moment, her legal mind clearly working through possibilities. “Legally? He doesn’t have a leg to stand on. We have him recorded making threats, admitting he signed away his rights willingly, and attempting extortion. No judge would take his custody claim seriously.”
“But?” Christopher heard the unspoken caveat in her tone.
“But desperate people do stupid things,” Charlie said, her voice taking on a harder edge. “He’s in serious financial trouble. The kind of trouble that makes people irrational. I don’t think we’ve heard the last of him.”
Christopher nodded, his hands clenching into fists on his thighs. “That’s what I was afraid of.”
They drove in silence for another few minutes before Charlie reached over and squeezed his hand. The gesture was gentle and sisterly, and it made Christopher’s chest tighten with emotion.
“I’m glad she has you here to look after her,” Charlie said softly.
The words hit Christopher harder than he’d expected.
He nodded and managed a small smile, but something overwhelming washed over him.
The weight of responsibility. The realization of how much Isabella and Maddy had come to mean to him in such a short time.
The terrifying knowledge that he’d do anything to keep them safe.
He fell into deep reflection as Charlie continued driving, hardly noticing the Christmas lights beginning to turn on as the afternoon dipped toward evening.
The historic streets of the island glowed with warm illumination, families walking along the sidewalks, children pointing at decorated windows.
A week ago, he’d been preparing for another assignment overseas. Another temporary posting where he’d stay just long enough to do the job and then move on to the next place. No roots. No attachments. No complications.
Now everything felt different. Complicated in the best possible way.
He thought about Isabella’s face when she’d walked out of that diner, the way she’d been shaking but had held herself together.
Her strength. Her courage. The fierce way she protected her daughter.
He thought about Maddy’s easy laughter and the trust in her eyes when she’d asked him to paint his nails with sparkly polish.
The way both of them had somehow worked their way past every defense he’d built over the years.
“You okay over there?” Charlie’s voice pulled him back to the present.
“Yeah,” Christopher said, though his voice sounded distant even to his own ears. “Just thinking.”
“About Isabella?”
Christopher glanced at her and saw the knowing smile playing at the corners of her mouth. “That obvious?”
“Only to everyone who has eyes,” Charlie said, her tone warm with affection. “You look at her the way I’ve never seen you look at anyone. Like she hung the moon and you’re just grateful to be in orbit.”
Christopher felt heat creep up his neck, but didn’t deny it. What would be the point? “It’s fast,” he said quietly. “Too fast, probably.”
“Sometimes fast is exactly the right speed,” Charlie said. “Sometimes you meet someone and you just know. All the logical reasons why it shouldn’t work don’t matter because something deeper recognizes something essential.”
They pulled into the inn’s parking lot, and Christopher could see lights glowing in the windows. Home. When had he started thinking of this place as home? He’d been here less than a week.
“Go get ready for dinner,” Charlie said, putting the car in park. “And Christopher? Don’t overthink this. Isabella needs someone steady and strong in her corner. You’re exactly that for her.”
Christopher climbed out of the car and headed up to his suite, Charlie’s words echoing in his mind.
In his room, he showered and changed into clean jeans and a dark green Henley shirt that Holly had once told him brought out his eyes.
He checked his phone and found a text from Gabe saying he and Trinity would meet them at Isabella’s cottage at six.
The evening at Isabella’s house turned into something Christopher hadn’t expected.
The tension from the afternoon melted away as they gathered around her small dining table.
Isabella had prepared a simple but delicious meal of roasted chicken, vegetables, and her grandmother’s garlic bread recipe, which made everyone groan with appreciation.
Maddy and Trinity dominated the conversation, their energy infectious as they recounted their afternoon in St. Augustine with Jane. Jane herself seemed more relaxed than Christopher had seen her, laughing at the girls’ dramatic retelling of their adventures.
Gabe sat beside his daughter, his expression softer than usual as he watched Trinity’s animation. Every so often, Christopher caught his friend’s gaze drifting to Jane, something unguarded flickering across his face before he caught himself and looked away.
After dinner, they cleared the dishes together and gathered in the small living room. Maddy had declared they needed to play Christmas games, and she’d come prepared with a collection that would have made any holiday enthusiast proud.
They played Christmas charades first, with teams of two competing against each other.
Christopher and Isabella discovered they had an almost uncanny ability to read each other.
When Christopher acted out “reindeer,” Isabella guessed it in three seconds.
When Isabella pantomimed “wrapping presents,” Christopher knew it before she’d finished the motion.
“That’s not fair,” Trinity complained good-naturedly. “You two have telepathy or something.”
“Just good chemistry,” Jane said with a small smile, and Christopher caught the knowing look she exchanged with Gabe.
Next came Christmas trivia, where Jane proved to be surprisingly competitive. She knew obscure facts about holiday traditions from around the world and the history of various Christmas carols. Gabe watched her with barely concealed admiration as she rattled off answers.
They finished the evening with a white elephant gift exchange using small items they’d found around the house.
It was silly, chaotic, and filled with laughter.
Christopher ended up with a ceramic reindeer figurine that Maddy had wrapped, and he declared it his new most prized possession, which made her beam with delight.
By nine o’clock, Trinity and Maddy were starting to fade despite their protests that they weren’t tired. Gabe and Jane said their goodbyes, and Trinity hugged everyone before leaving. Charlie and Logan, who’d arrived halfway through the evening, departed soon after.
That left Christopher alone with Isabella and Maddy in the cottage that had started to feel remarkably like home.
“I should probably head back to the inn,” Christopher said, though he was reluctant to leave Isabella alone after the day’s events.
“Actually,” Isabella said quickly, and he heard the relief in her voice, “I have an early morning catering job tomorrow. It’s for a breakfast meeting at one of the hotels downtown. I was wondering if you’d be willing to help me prep tonight and then assist with setup in the morning?”
The excuse was transparent, and they both knew it. Isabella didn’t want to be alone. Didn’t want to leave herself and Maddy vulnerable if Todd decided to do something stupid. And Christopher had no intention of leaving them unprotected.
“Of course,” he said easily. “I’d be happy to help. What time do we need to be up?”
“Good. I’ll prepare the guest bedroom.” The relief that flooded Isabella’s face made something in Christopher’s chest tighten. “Five thirty? Is that too early?”
“Perfect,” Christopher assured her. “I’m an early riser anyway.”
They spent the next hour in the kitchen, with Isabella showing him how to prep ingredients for the breakfast casseroles she’d be serving.
Christopher followed her instructions carefully, chopping vegetables and shredding cheese while Isabella mixed batters and assembled dishes that could go straight into the oven in the morning.
Working beside her in the small kitchen felt natural. Easy. They moved around each other with an efficiency that spoke of growing familiarity. Every so often, their hands would brush or their shoulders would touch, and Christopher would feel that familiar spark of awareness.
By ten thirty, Maddy had showered and changed into her pajamas. She appeared in the kitchen doorway, looking sleepy but determined. “Can we watch a Christmas movie? Just for a little while?”
“It’s late, sweetheart,” Isabella said, wiping her hands on a dish towel. “And you have to be up early tomorrow.”
“Please? Just one?” Maddy’s eyes were pleading. “Christopher can help me pick one out while you take your shower.”
Isabella looked at Christopher, a question in her eyes. He nodded slightly, understanding the unspoken request. He’d keep an eye on Maddy while Isabella took a few minutes for herself.
“Okay,” Isabella relented. “One short movie. But when it’s over, straight to bed.”
“Deal!” Maddy grabbed Christopher’s hand and tugged him toward the living room.
Christopher settled onto the comfortable couch while Maddy scrolled through the streaming options on the television. She chose “The Polar Express,” declaring it her favorite Christmas movie even though she’d seen it a hundred times.
The movie started, and Maddy curled up on the other end of the couch with a throw blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Christopher found himself actually watching it, drawn in by the animation and the story despite having seen it several times with Trinity over the years.
About twenty minutes into the movie, Maddy’s phone buzzed on the coffee table. She frowned and picked it up, the blue light from the screen illuminating her face.
Christopher wasn’t trying to pry, but concern made him ask, “Is that Trinity?”
Maddy’s frown deepened, and something that looked like confusion crossed her young face. “No.”
She stared at the screen for a long moment, her frown intensifying. Then she turned the phone toward Christopher, and he saw the message displayed there. “It’s from my father.”
Hi Maddy. This is your dad. I’d really like to meet you for ice cream.
Ice ran through Christopher’s veins. Todd was contacting Maddy directly. Trying to go around Isabella. The manipulation made Christopher’s jaw clench with anger.
A crash came from behind them, and they both turned to see Isabella standing in the hallway doorway.
She’d changed into comfortable clothes for relaxing, and she’d been carrying a tray with three mugs of hot chocolate.
The tray now lay on the floor, ceramic pieces scattered across the hardwood, hot chocolate spreading in a dark puddle.
But Christopher barely noticed the mess. All he could see was Isabella’s face, drained of color, her eyes wide with shock and fear as she stared at Maddy’s phone.
“Mom?” Maddy’s voice was small and uncertain.
Isabella’s lips moved, but no sound came out. She just stood there, frozen, staring at the phone that had brought her worst fear directly into her home.
Todd had found a way to contact Maddy. And from the look on Isabella’s face, Christopher knew that everything they’d dealt with today was just the beginning of a much bigger problem.