Page 118 of Authentically, Izzy
She stared at his profile, the sharp angle of a chin framed with his closely shaved golden beard. His nose with a tiny bend in it, evidently from a “row with Anders” overRobinson Crusoe. The way his blond hair swept back from his forehead as if brushed back by the wind. And her smile softened. He loved her. “People like to give labels to things.”
“In this respect the moniker fits like a glove.” He shot her his charming smile. The sea behind him, the wind tousling his hair, those eyes staring at her as if she was Margaret Hale and he, John Thornton. Oh, she desperately needed to rewatch the last ten minutes ofNorth and Southwhen she got home. Her brow shot skyward. Or... better yet, an acting out of the kissing scene.
“It’s crazy how that Book Matchmaker name has stuck.”
“You’ve not only read so many books you can relate to innumerable readers, but you even set the stage for people to fall in love with books. The bookshop is transformed, and you haven’t even done all you wanted. Don’t you see how remarkable you and your gifts are, dear Isabelle?”
She hadn’t. Not for so long. But now... now she was beginning to realize she deserved a chance to be loved by a good person. To find equal footing for the romantic road of life. Tobeloved, not justtolove. And... well... she had worth all on her own. It truly was amazing how a shift in perspective, an understanding of her own identity in this world and the next, changed everything. She was loved. End of story.
Not only that, she had skills and talents worth using and giving. Thoughts worth sharing and challenging. A solid mind and heart worth trusting instead of hiding all of it behind the safety of silence.
“Thank you, Brodie.” Her eyes stung so she looked away, toward the rolling green countryside that lay dotted with stone houses and white sheep and... her future? The heat slipped from her face. A world away from home?
“I don’t believe in pretense and insinuations when it comes to matters of the heart, Karre. I want you to know up front and honestly exactly where I stand. What I think.”
Her attention pulled back to his profile. He was just wonderful. Through and through. But home? Family? Her heart squeezed to the painful spot.
His lips quirked. “To quote a popular fiction that feels rather appropriate, ‘I love you because the entire universe conspired to help me find you.’”
His quote fromThe Alchemistnearly pushed her struggle to the background, but it lingered between them, waiting for an answer... a choice. She smiled over at him and forced the darker thoughts away. “It required an entire universe to match up two people who live an ocean apart, I guess.”
“That must be why it took so long, but it’s been worth the wait.”
She sighed away her worries and basked in the rightness of being... loved by him. Loved!By him!“It has certainly been worth the wait.”
Every hurt. Every insecurity. Every question why. All of them led her to him. And now.
“What does Karre mean?” She breathed out the question, her throat on fire. “You use it a lot with me and I... I’ve been wondering.”
He drew in a breath, his gaze catching in hers. “It has no proper English translation, but it captures a host of words, feelings really. My dear, my love, my admiration and hope. The word is meant to encapsulate them all.”
“It’s beautiful, particularly when you say it... to me.”
His attention fastened on her. “I don’t say it to anyone else.”
Her breath squeezed and she let his declaration soak through the worries and tremulous hope like a promise. How could she return to life thousands of miles away from her heart? How could she step back into a life of the same when she wasn’t the same anymore?
He turned back to the road and gestured ahead of them. “Port Quinnick.”
The cliffside road wound ahead and disappeared into a conglomeration of buildings hugging the side of the coastline and trailing down to the sea, as if in a race to see who could reach the water's edge first. She leaned forward, taking in the view. Buildings of all sorts, mostly older-looking structures, jutted out of the hillside as boats of all shapes and sizes studded the gray-blue sea along the coastline. A haunting ruin towered over the port city on a nearby hillside, beautiful and eerie in its position with the swirl of dark clouds behind.
“What is that?”
He didn't even look in her direction, only continued his grin. “Ah, I knew you’d like Fearnrose Abbey. Are you envisioning the burned halls of fictional Thornfield in your mind?”
She rested her elbow against the car door and leaned toward the sight, the cool wind blowing against her cheeks. “Definitely, but even with all its brokenness, it’s still such an intriguing site.”
“Perhaps because of it.” He nodded, slowing the car so she had time to take a few photos from their current vantage point. “And it has a story, should you wish to hear it.”
“Seriously.” She rolled her gaze to his. “Do you even need to ask?”
He looked at her with such unveiled affection, she nearly breached the distance and distracted him from driving with a kiss. “I hope you know how glad I am that you’re here... with me, Isabelle.”
To that she did lean over and kiss his cheek. “I’m glad to be here with you, too, Brodie.”
“Well, then.” He cleared his throat and drew in a breath. “Legend has it—”
“Legend has it? Are you kidding me?” She laughed. “I can already tell I’m going to love this story.”
