Page 15 of Isabelle and the Beast

Seven

ADAM

Isabelle is staying here.

Tonight.

I’m not sure why this affects me so heavily. Her father stayed overnight a few months ago, when I first told him I needed Isabelle to come meet me here, and I didn’t give him a second thought.

But knowing Isabelle is here turns my mind in circles. I can hear her in the kitchen with the workers. They might as well be putting a show on for her with how loud they’re being. But it doesn’t bother me, so long as she doesn’t come here, into my office.

Fire from the fireplace lights the room as I peruse my paperwork. More letters from lawyers, one of whom is my cousin, Bethany Stone, down in Canyon Cove. We have so many issues that one lawyer wasn’t enough.

Lionel walks into the office carrying a steaming cup of tea. “Here you are, Mr. Stone.”

I nod as he sets it down on my desk, noting the moment he registers our family photograph’s new home.

“Anything else you need this evening?” he asks.

I set my hands on the desk and look up at him. His face has grown long and thin with age. His hair, once a dark brown with some streaks of gray, is now completely white, and he wears his glasses at all times, not just while reading. This old man, though, knows me better than almost anyone else on this earth, and I trust him completely. He’s the only one I can confide in.

“Has Isabelle settled in?” I ask.

He nods. “She’s meeting the other workers in the kitchen, and her room is ready for her to sleep.”

“Good. And…her clothing?”

“All set.”

I pause, and Lionel notices. “Is that all?” he asks.

I glance at the frame on my desk. The cracks in the glass make it difficult to see my mother, a sensation I feel more and more lately. “Was I…” I clear my throat. “Did I go too far tonight?”

Lionel raises a brow at me. “Do I have permission to speak candidly?”

I nod, my long hair falling over my eyes. I brush it aside and prepare for what’s sure to be a zinger from Lionel.

He takes a seat across from me. “Yes. I believe you did.”

I knew he’d be honest. “In what way?”

He holds my gaze. “You not only insulted her ability, but you implied her unfair advantage because of her father’s position.”

I furrow my brow. “Was I incorrect?”

“As a matter of fact, yes. But that’s beside the point.” He leans his elbows on the desk. “Is it possible you’re jealous of her relationship with her father, when you currently have little to no relationship with your own?”

Unfortunately, his comment struck a nerve. “Hitting hard, don’t you think, Lionel?”

He sits back in his seat. “I apologize, sir.”

He’s right. I don’t have much of a relationship with my father. The only siblings I really talk to are Henry and Lily, and that’s because Henry bailed me out of jail and handled the initial situation with the lawyer.

I clench my jaw. “Even still, she didn’t have to disagree so vehemently.”

“No, she didn’t.” Lionel presses his lips in a smile. “But I’m glad she did.”

“I don’t understand. Now she won’t do the movie with me.”

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