Page 71 of Isabelle and the Beast

Chapter

Thirty-One

ISABELLE

Ididn’t sleep a wink. And, no, it’s not because I couldn’t watch any movies.

It’s because I’ve been plotting. Or at leasttryingto plot.

Adam might think we’re done. He might not want to fight Tristan, but I do. Men like Tristan do not deserve to win, and I’m going to make sure of it. But I can’t come up with any kind of plan, and it’s killing me. I can see why Adam feels so hopeless.

It’s eight in the morning, and I’m all packed and ready to leave. I’m wearing the same outfit I wore my first night here—my black slacks, deep purple tank top, and stilettos. But I feel like a completely different person, like I’ve lived an entire lifetime here at the castle instead of just a couple weeks. After saying goodbye to everyone in the kitchen, I make my way to the front entrance, waiting to see Adam one more time. My stomach is in knots. Just the thought of leaving him makes me sick. But I have to hope I can somehow help fix this mess he’s in.

“Is everything ready?” Lionel asks, picking up my bag. Ipacked the gold dress and the bunny slippers, knowing that Adam would want me to have them.

“Uh, yes. I just thought Adam would be here.”

“Unfortunately, he’s been detained,” Lionel says.

“Oh.”

My heart sinks. Maybe I don’t mean as much to him as he does to me. But I can’t believe that. Not after the way he held and kissed me last night. It really felt like one of those “if you love them, let them go” kind of moments.

“Isabelle!” Theo’s voice echoes through the hallway, followed by the sound of his little feet pattering toward me. He wraps me in a huge hug around my thighs. “Don’t leave without saying goodbye!”

“Of course not,” I reply, rubbing his head. I kneel down in front of him. “Are you going home soon, too?”

He nods. “Daddy is supposed to come get me tomorrow.”

“That’s great. I bet you’re excited to go home.”

He shrugs. “I wanted to build another Snow Hulk. Maybe in the winter you can come back and we can build one again!”

“That sounds great,” I say.

“Theo!” Brigette rushes over to us. “Becca couldn’t find you again, you silly boy. Don’t frighten her.”

Theo smirks at me, an expression far too old for his age, and I laugh.

Brigette wraps me in one of her cushioned hugs. “Goodbye, Isabelle.” She pulls back and looks me in the eye. I can tell she’s searching my expression and finds something she approves of. A small smile fills her face. “But this isn’t really goodbye, is it?”

I lean in toward her. “Not if I can help it,” I whisper.

Her eyes twinkle. “I hope you’re right.” She squeezes my shoulders, and the pang in my chest intensifies. I’m going to miss Adam more than I would have ever expected. But Brigette, Lionel, Theo, Josephine, Mario…they’ve all become family, too.

I nod at Lionel, who picks up my suitcase, and we head outside to my car. The sun is shining, and it’s warm outside. It’s hard to believe this whole area was covered in snow just a few days ago.

“Oh, Philippe,” I say, running a hand over the hood.

Lionel tries to hide a smile as he opens the trunk and sets my bags inside. “I trust you’ll be able to find your way back down.”

I nod. “There isn’t really any way to go but down from here.”

He closes the trunk and gives me a little bow. “It’s been an honor serving you. I do hope to see you again.”

I take a step toward him and envelop him in a big hug. His hugs aren’t nearly as cushioned as Brigette’s, but there’s still a familiar, homey feel to him. “Thank you, Lionel.” I pull away and smile at him. “I’ll see you again soon. I promise.”

“I look forward to it.” He steps to the driver’s door and opens it, and I climb inside. I glance back up at the castle, and I swear I can see a flutter of the curtain upstairs. Was that Adam? Is he watching me leave?

---