Page 33 of The Beat of her Heart

Addie was immediately taken into the crowd inside. Nearly every face was familiar. A few hellos later, her attention shifted back to Giselle.

She stood a few feet away, immaculate in smart pants and a blue button down shirt that matched her eyes. Clearly this was the Giselle Carlisle version of casual. Her arms crossed loosely over her chest, her expression guarded. Addie could tell this wasn’t her scene, and standing by herself only made her stand out more.

Josephine and Ember had already moved on to greet other guests. Addie thought about walking over to Giselle and throughthe distance that had settled between them since they’d arrived.

“Addie! Giselle! Good to see you two outside the hospital,” Madeline said with a grin.

A handful of their colleagues approached, a few of them with their kids in tow.

Addie glanced over at Giselle, who gave a small nod but didn’t seem eager to join the conversation. Addie, on the other hand, was quickly pulled into a discussion about work, children, and the chaos of balancing both.

She caught herself ogling, her gaze lingering on how Giselle’s shiny dark hair caught the light. Addie knew this wasn’t just attraction, though that was part of it. It was more.

The conversation around her continued, but Addie was distracted. Every time she looked up, her eyes found Giselle. And every time, there was that same pull, that same curiosity mixed with something deeper.

Eventually, Addie excused herself from the group, weaving through the crowd as she made her way toward Giselle. But just as she was about to reach her, another group ofcolleagues swarmed in, pulling Addie into another conversation.

She glanced over her shoulder, watching as Giselle stood by herself. Why would anyone choose to be alone?

The party buzzed around them, lively and cheerful, with kids running past and the sounds of laughter and conversation filling the air.

Giselle remained apart from it all, as if she was observing everything but not participating. It made Addie want to close that distance even more, to reach out and say something, anything, that would break through the walls Giselle had built around herself.

But before she could make her way over, Josephine came up to them again, laughing as she pulled Ember into a quick hug.

“Come on, you two! Don’t just stand there,” Josephine said, her eyes flicking between Addie and Giselle. “Grab a drink, enjoy yourselves. This is a party, not an OR.”

Addie laughed, but Giselle only nodded. Josephine gave them a playful nudge before disappearing back into the crowd with Ember by her side.

Addie watched them go, then glanced back toward Giselle, who hadn’t moved. She wanted to say something and ask if Giselle was alright, but before she could, a few kids ran past, laughing and tugging at the hems of their parents’ clothes.

Maybe she should just leave her be.

Sophie and Natalie’s laughter echoed from somewhere inside the house, their excitement filling the air. Addie smiled at the sound, but when she turned to look for Giselle again, she was gone.

Addie’s heart skipped a beat. She scanned the room quickly, her eyes darting over the guests, the children, and the clusters of people standing by the porch. But Giselle wasn’t there.

Her pulse quickened as she looked around again, finally spotting Giselle on the other side of the room, standing near the large window that faced the ocean.

She wasn’t talking to anyone, wasn’t even trying to mingle. Instead, she stood by herself, staring outside, her posture still and her expression distant.

Addie watched from across the room, the sight of Giselle alone pulling her in onceagain. This time, it was impossible to look away. She traced a path down Giselle’s frame. Even from this distance, she was flawless.

A burst of loud laughter from a nearby group startled her, snapping her attention back to the people in front of her. She turned to see Josephine and Ember, their heads thrown back, eyes shining as they shared some joke with their friends. It was the kind of laughter that filled the whole room, the kind that made everyone want to join in.

Everyone except Giselle Carlisle.

Addie sighed, watching Sophie and Natalie emerge from the hallway, only to disappear into Natalie’s room seconds later. Seeing how carefree they were made her smile. She loved these moments.

She didn’t think she’d ever heard Giselle laugh. Not really. A dry chuckle, maybe, but never anything close to what was happening on the other side of the room.

But maybe one day, she would. The thought made her smile.

11

GISELLE

Giselle stood by the large window, her eyes on the waves rolling in from the ocean.

---