Page 122 of Authentically, Izzy
“As I told you all from the beginning, she’s exactly what we’ve needed all along.” Brodie lowered his arm to Izzy’s shoulder and tugged her nearer.
“A new perspective from a creative mind who adores books as much as the rest of us,” Ellen added. “Yes, she belongs so nicely. A remarkable addition.”
Ellen’s compliment warmed Izzy’s face but also settled deep. She glanced around the table. Except for Anders, she really did seem to fit among this bookish bunch.
“Remarkable.” Brodie’s whispered reply, so close to her ear, nearly melted her into the floor. Books, creativity, and that man?! Moving closer certainly brought wonderfully tactile benefits of being near Brodie that none of her cousins could replicate. And the job? Down deep, she knew it was exactly what she was meant to do.
“I can’t even imagine what you’ll do when you actually have some time, Izzy-dear.” This from Brynna, the only one in the family who referred to her as Izzy. Her bright-blue eyes shimmered beneath equally blue, glittering eyeshadow. Paired with her strawberry-blonde hair, it made quite the first impression. “Likely get us started up with ten new shops by Christmas?”
Her light laugh echoed through the room, joined in by others.
“She hasn’t made any plans to move here that soon, Brynna.” Brodie’s voice brewed into the conversation. “Though I wouldn't complain at all if she wanted to find her way to Skern sooner rather than later.”
Izzy’s gaze caught in his.
“Perhaps by the time you move back, Isabelle, I’ll have had my surgery and willseeall the changes you’ve made myself,” Fiona added, her searching eyes scanning Izzy’s direction.
Izzy’s heart double-squeezed at the thought. “That would bewonderful, Fiona. Thenyoucan give the display tables your special charm.”
The girl’s smile grew wide.
“Well, once Brodie gets the stipend for hiring you, they’ll almost have enough saved for the surgery, so it may very well be before Christmas.” Brynna added another laugh. “And what a gift that would be to the entire family!”
Brynna’s words hung in the air.
“‘Stipend’?” Izzy repeated. “For hiring me? What do you mean?”
Brynna’s eyes widened and she looked to Brodie before turning her attention back to Izzy. “It’s nothing, really.” Brynna rushed to add, her cheeks darkening. “Don’t pay me any mind.”
“You didn’t tell her?” This from Ellen.
“No.” Brodie shook his head, his gaze never leaving Izzy’s face. “I tried at one point and then we were interrupted. It never seemed to be the right time.”
“The right time?” A sudden chill branched from her chest up into her cheeks as she turned to Brodie. “What are you talking about?”
The longer he stared at her, the colder she became. Stipend to hire her?
“The government offers substantial financial incentives to anyone who can bring new people to Skymar. It began two years ago with the hopes of repopulating since many of the younger generation are moving elsewhere.”
“Liona came all the way from Indonesia to marry Cousin Kurt,” Fiona’s happy voice broke into the stillness.
Izzy blinked, comprehension making a slow and painful appearance.
So Brodie joined Heart-to-Heart in order to find a woman to bring to Skymar so he could get money to save either Sutherland’s or his sister's eyesight? Her hand flew to her stomach as the realizationignited a physical punch. But that couldn’t be right. She looked back at Brodie, searching his face. Not Brodie too.
“So you’re given a financial stipend if you hire someone or marry them?”
“What do you say to some dessert?” Ellen stood, her smile tight. “Brynna, Fiona, Anders. Help me get it from the kitchen, won’t you?”
The last sentence brooked no refusal, even from Anders. The rest scattered from the room with Brynna and a bewildered Fiona bringing up the rear.
“Isabelle, I can assure you that this is not what you think.” He rubbed his fingers over her knuckles. “Not at all.”
The voice she’d grown to adore sounded far off, strained... very un–Brodie-like.
“You don’t get a financial stipend for hiring someone from out of the country?”
“Yes.” His other palm lowered to her shoulder. “But that’s not why we offered you the job.”
