Chapter 9
Chapter nine
I fuss over the flowers in the vase, making sure everything is perfect.
Almost everyone is here, mingling around the open floor of the old theatre.
Beth happily takes over, currently talking to her grandparents and their friends about the design for Smoke and Barrel.
I move through the room, almost tripping on my wedges when my eyes pass over Gage standing by the bar.
His hair is slicked back, but the longer length on top still holds a bit of those untameable waves.
The dark scruff on his jaw looks like it’s been shaved slightly shorter.
He’s wearing black jeans that have rips on the thighs, and if I ever wondered how far the ink on his arms, neck, and wrists went, I’d have my answer.
Black swirls peek through the holes in his jeans, but not enough for me to decipher their meaning.
I see Caleb join Gage at the bar to get himself a drink, so I make my way through the crowd, drawing closer to them. I haven’t seen Gage in a few weeks, not since he came to the office all dressed up.
It’s crazy to think he’s worth as much money as his brother.
They carry themselves so differently. Caleb is well accustomed to the business world.
He knows how to work a room, always dressed to impress.
Gage works in the bar he owns, and he’s always dressed so casually.
I wonder how he spends his days when he’s not at The Wayside. I wonder what he does to have fun.
I’m just about to reach the brothers when their dad, Thomas, steals Caleb away, leaving Gage alone. My steps falter, confidence fading at the thought of talking to Gage on his own, but then I remember he’s technically my client too, and I’m allowed to talk to him.
“Hi, Gage.”
He turns his head to look at me, and the green of his eyes is so deep, it’s haunting. There’s a heaviness there, but it doesn’t push me away. It almost pulls me in further, inviting me to get lost in its depths.
“Hi, Isabelle. The place looks great.” Chills erupt over my skin when he says my name. It’s so soft yet commanding, the way he seems to wield it.
“Thank you.” I smile.
“You didn’t have to go to so much trouble. But I appreciate it.”
“Every win deserves to be celebrated, no matter how big or small.”
I fiddle with a coaster on the bartop, spinning it against the surface. I start to feel my skin prickle and heat the longer Gage remains silent. Chancing a glance in his direction, I look over to find him staring at me.
“You’re right. This is something that needs to be celebrated.” My belly hops with his validation. “What was the last thing you celebrated?”
His question startles me. I wasn’t expecting his sudden interest, but my mind takes me back to a few days ago when I was at my parents’ house.
“I bought myself flowers on the weekend. Then, I was having breakfast with my family, and when my sister and niece came into the room, Wren had the biggest smile when she recognised me. She’s fifteen months old, but the fact that she takes one look at me and smiles like that?
” I sigh happily. “I love being an aunt.”
“That definitely sounds like a little win worth celebrating.”
“What about you? What was the last thing you celebrated?”
His green eyes turn stormy at my question. The tip of his tongue pokes out and flicks over the ring looped through his bottom lip. I’m so transfixed by the sight, I almost miss his answer.
He shrugs as he turns away, taking a sip of his drink.
“Come on, it can be anything.” I nudge his shoulder with mine. “Beaten any personal records? Planned a holiday? I don’t know what Caleb’s celebrating lately, but he seems to be rewarding himself with a lot of new suits and ties. Particularly if it’s red.”
“I think it’s that redhead he met recently. He’s obsessed, and I’m not entirely convinced it’s in a healthy way.”
My hand reaches out before I have time to think the action through, landing on his thick forearm. I can feel the muscles tense beneath my fingertips. I shake my head free of the fog before speaking. “Did he go to the bakery?”
Gage’s head tilts with curiosity. “You’re the colleague who told him about that place?”
“What?”
“Caleb said a colleague told him to try the coffee there. You were right, it was really good.”
“No.” I shake my head. “I haven’t been there. I told him to go there cos he was hoping to run into the owner of the beauty salon over the road.”
“Why wouldn’t he just go into the beauty salon?”
“Because he was in stealth mode. He’s trying to see where he stands with her best friend.”
“Not the redhead?”
“I think it’s the same girl.”
Gage’s eyebrows fly up as his eyes widen. “Fuck,” he says with an amused huff. “What the hell is going on with my brother?”
I laugh into my palm, my body with a mind of its own as it turns into Gage, my head falling onto his huge, rounded bicep. My breath hitches as I straighten, giving him an awkward smile before my eyes look nowhere but at the bartop in front of us.
Gage clears his throat. “So, what flowers did you buy yourself?”
Oh shit. On the occasions when I buy myself flowers, I usually go for sunflowers, hydrangeas, or sweet peas, depending on what’s in season.
I love ruffled petals and pastel colours, especially yellow.
When I passed the flower stand walking home from my parents’ house the other day, I couldn’t look away from a particular bouquet.
I look back at the crowded room, ready to find an escape so Gage doesn’t ask more questions after what I’m about to confess.
“Buttercups,” I say, then turn away, letting myself be pulled into the crowd.
My lips roll together, trying to hide the evidence of how much that little exchange affected me. I was totally flirting with Gage. Is he watching me now? If he is, would I even do anything about it? Would he?
“Izzy.”
“Yes!” I squeak when Caleb startles me.
“Are you alright?” He frowns.
“Oh, yes. What do you think?” I ask, glancing around the room. “I haven’t seen Dylan and his sister yet, but I’m sure they won’t be long.”
Caleb waves a hand. “That’s fine. I’m taking your advice.”
“My advice?”
“About Lex.” He smiles. Ah, the redhead he met recently and hasn’t stopped thinking about.
“I’ve been stalking the bakery for weeks, trying to catch her friend, Claire.
” Stalking? Did I suggest that? “So I’m just going to put myself out there.
Tomorrow, I’m sending flowers to her house with my number to call me. If she’s interested.”
I sigh in relief. Caleb hasn’t dated anyone in the time I’ve known him.
With Beth’s inside knowledge, plus endless articles online pinning him as one of Heart City’s most sought-after bachelors, I wasn’t sure what I was dealing with.
Turns out he was experiencing his first crush.
I might need to have a word with him about the stalking, though.
“I’m proud of you for taking a chance on something real. ”
“Yeah.” He looks queasy as he says the word.
“Hey, it’s okay to be nervous to put yourself out there, but I guarantee you’ll regret not trying. You might want to try easing up on the sta—”
“Is this the famous Isabelle?” I turn at the announcement of my name and see Caleb’s parents walking towards us.
I’ve never met them before. It’s only recently that my relationship with Caleb has started to blend from professional to something more like friendship. I’ve seen their photos regularly in the social pages, though. Where there’s one Heart, more follow. This family likes to do things together.
“Mrs Heart, it’s so nice to meet you.”
“Oh, please, call me Matilda.” She beams, reaching for my hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.
Caleb’s dad hovers behind her, speaking to James Huxley.
“We’ve heard so much about you, Isabelle. I can’t believe you’ve been in Caleb’s life for so long, yet this is the first time we’re meeting,” Matilda says. Her suggestive tone makes me pause. She’s looking at Caleb with wide eyes, and oh no.
I hope the jittery chuckle that falls from my lips doesn’t sound as obvious to them as it does to me.
“I know,” I say. “OG and I spend so much time together during the week, I’m surprised I even know what to do with myself on weekends.
” Because I am single and not interested in your son. Not that one, anyway.
“Oh, how sweet, you have nicknames.” Matilda elbows her husband, who’s still talking with James. “Did you hear that, Thomas? They have nicknames.”
“She calls me that because she thinks I’m old,” grumbles Caleb.
“You are old.” I laugh, though I’m not being serious. For thirty-four, he looks great. “I feel very lucky to be working with him. He’s become a great friend,” I say to his mother, patting Caleb’s arm, and he smiles down at me.
I feel Caleb stiffen beside me. “OG, you good?” I ask out of the corner of my mouth.
I look back at his mother, hoping she understands the dynamic between us, when I recognise Dylan Morgan, with his wild, honey blond hair, walking through the crowd.
He’s with a young woman wearing a stunning pale blue dress, and bright red hair, who I’m assuming is his sister.
Her head leans against her brother’s shoulder with affection.
We’ve spoken to Dylan on video calls a few times, but I haven’t met his sister, Alexis, who co-owns the distillery with him.
“Dylan!” I call out. His eyes light up as he crosses the room to join us.
“Hi, Isabelle. It’s great to meet you in person,” he says, extending his hand to mine. “This is my sister, Lex.”
“Lex?” I ask. Didn’t Caleb just say the girl he met was named Lex? It’s not that common of a name, is it? And, she’s a redhead. Wait—could it be? “You live in the city, right, not down in Killara Bay with Dylan?” I ask her.
“Yes,” Lex says as she looks nervously at Caleb.
My eyes snap between the two. Oh, they have definitely met before tonight.