Page 161 of Square Deal

He swallowed. “You could say that.”

My lips parted. There was something he wasn’t telling me. Isaacnever lied, and now that was weighing heavily on his broad shoulders.

I stepped closer and slid my hands up the sides of his neck. “Isaac?—”

His head hung in shame. “The Taylor Creek Inn is being sold.”

The air bled out of my lungs. “What?” I said with ragged breath. Emotion clogged my ability to speak.

Isaac pressed his lips to my forehead and wrapped his arms around me. “I’m so sorry, Han. I didn’t know until just now. I facilitated an introduction between the buyer and the property owner and then handed it off to a lower-level broker. I didn’t even know what property it was until he called a minute ago.”

Tears filled my eyes. “W-what am I going to do? What about all the couples getting married there next year? I-I already have events booked two years out.”

The poker club had gathered in the open doorway. Chase’s arm was around Kristin’s shoulders.

“What’s going on?” she asked. The tremble in her voice was clear as day.

I looked up at Isaac with watery eyes. Kristin couldn’t afford to be out of work. She had four younger siblings depending on her. She barely scraped by as it was.

“You should tell her,” I said quietly, lacing our fingers together.

Isaac cleared his throat. “The Taylor Creek Inn is being sold. The deal went through tonight. I don’t know when it’ll officially change hands.”

Kristin’s jaw dropped. Murmurs and expletives rumbled through the group. Chase tightened his arm around Kristin, and Maddie held her hand.

A tear streaked down her cheek. “Am—am I gonna lose my job?”

Isaac sighed. “I don’t know.”

EPILOGUE

HANNAH JANE

One Year Later

Isaac tapped his foot impatiently by the front door.

“I’m coming, I’m coming!” I yelled as I sat on top of my suitcase and tugged on the zipper.

Didn’t he know it took me way longer to put outfits together and pack than it took him to pull out a few suits and ties and toss a comb in with my things?

Men had it so easy.

My suitcase bumped down the staircase as I hurried down. “Sorry, I looked at the weather again and it’s supposed to rain now. I threw in a few more things.”

He raised an eyebrow at the straining zipper of my carry-on. “A few things?” Isaac cracked a smile. “This trip is twelve hours max. You won’t need more than what you’ve got on now. Business deal, dinner, and we’re on a plane back home.” He leaned down and kissed me. “But you look lovely, Miss Hayes.”

My smile lingered against his. “Thank you.” I looked down at the Carolina blue dress I picked out. It seemed perfect for Charleston. The breezy A-line skirt flowed nicely and stopped mid-calf. The sweetheart neckline of the bodice gave my girls a little extraoomph.

Alice had transitioned from New York to Beaufort and loved the lack of traffic. She picked up my bag and loaded it into the car. Isaac locked the front door and offered me his arm. My Charles David feather heels were great for being seen in.Not so great for walking in.

We snuggled up in the back of the car for the thirty-second ride to the airstrip. The last year hadn’t been easy by any stretch of the imagination, but we had made it.

We flew back and forth for an entire year and savored every moment we had together. Long-distance made life hectic, but boy was it good.

We kept our relationship under the radar. Maybe a littletoounder the radar.

Isaac’s long absences did not go unnoticed, and questions about his whereabouts arose. Gossip spread and assumptions were made. So, Spenser crafted a statement for the tabloids explaining thatMr. Lawson is in a serious, long-term relationship—not hiding out in rehab.

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