Page 72 of Isabelle and the Beast

I start the car, the sensation of the engine rumbling almost foreign after the amount of time I’ve spent in the castle. I can’t believe I’m actually leaving. Half of me feels like this experience has been a dream, and the other half feels like this castle is where I’m meant to be. But there’s no time to dwell on these thoughts. Because if I’m going to help Adam, I need to leave. I shift the car into drive and start heading down the mountain.

As I drive, it begins to rain.

I was sure Lionel and Agatha were joking about the weather reflecting the mood of the resident, but I can’t help wondering if the rain is a sign of Adam’s temperament.

I think about the way he was when I first came here. Just like a snowstorm, quietly furious. Cold and intense, holdingeverything inside and not letting me see the light. I laugh to myself, remembering the days when he gave me the silent treatment and I kept saying ridiculous things to make him break. Even then, I knew that there had to be deep feelings hidden underneath the surface.

It wasn’t until he saved me in the forest that I really suspected how deep those feelings went. When I realized how much he cared for and loved Lily, and then his mother, it all came together.

Thinking of Lily renews my determination to see this plan through. I won’t break any promises to Adam; I want to deserve his trust. But I don’t know how I’ll be able to manage it.

As I drive down the mountain, tightly gripping the steering wheel, racking my brain for some semblance of a plan, my phone rings. It’s a call from an unknown number, the area code showing it’s someone from LA. A casting director? It’s always worth it to pick up an unknown number, even with the risk of it being a telemarketer.

I press the button to answer the call from my Bluetooth speaker. “Hello?”

“Hello, is this Isabelle Lovett?” A cheerful, male voice rings through my car.

“It is. Who is this?”

A small chuckle sounds through the speaker. “I apologize for calling unannounced. But I figured I should introduce myself, since we’ll be working together.” A pause. “My name is Tristan Jackson.”

I recoil in shock, my arms jerking the steering wheel to the left. I let out a squeal of terror, but thankfully no one is coming the other direction. I tilt the wheel to the right and get back on my side of the road.

“Hello? Are you all right?”

“Yes, hello. I’m here. I’m just…driving.” I can’t help the coldness that comes through my voice. I’m finally talking to TRISTAN JACKSON, aka the worst human being alive, as far as I’m concerned.

“Ah, I’m sorry for distracting you. Is this a bad time?”

I want to say yes, but I also want to know what exactly he’s trying to pull here. “No, it’s fine. I can talk while I drive.”

“Great. Well, like I said, I wanted to introduce myself to you. I read about your interview, and I was so impressed. I’m so sorry Adam showed you up like that. He tends to steal the spotlight at the most inconvenient moments.”

I stay silent. Is this the way he views things? That Adam stole the spotlight from him when he first started acting? And that he continues to do that in their careers?

He clears his throat. “Anyway, I was so intrigued by you that I asked around and finally got your phone number. I wanted to see if you’d be interested in having dinner together. Maybe some drinks. We could go dancing.” I swear I can hear his smile through the phone. “I haven’t met anyone like you in the industry. I can tell there’s something special about you, and I think we should get to know each other before we start the movie in a few weeks.”

Oh, wow.

This guy is good.

Truth be told, if I didn’t know anything that Adam had told me, I would have been flattered. That little shiver of “he likes me!” would have rushed down my spine, the tingle that tells you that you’re special, and this guy has picked you out of everyone else for his attention.

For a moment, I hesitate. Who do I believe? Is Adam telling the truth about Tristan?

Yes. I trust Adam.

Adam has shared everything with me. At this point, I feel like our souls are connected. And even besides that, I’ve seen Lily and spoken with her.

This pathetic excuse for a man took everything from her, and I won’t let it happen again.

“I’ll have to pass,” I say. “But thank you for the offer.”

He doesn’t say anything for a moment, and then he laughs, still light-hearted. “What do you mean?”

“I mean exactly what I said. I’ll pass on spending any kind of time with you.”

“May I ask why?” His voice is sharper now, with a bit of an edge.

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