Page 93 of The Widower
“You want Isabelle, that’s what.I know you better than you think, my dear friend.”
“Uh-huh. If you say so…”
Henry stayed by my side for maybe five minutes before heading off to walk with Helen and Hanna.
I’ll admit, with every step I took, my eyes kept scanning the area for anything suspicious. I didn’t believe whoever trashed Isabelle’s house was done, so being extra careful was nonnegotiable.
“Don’t walk next to Hanna!”Isabelle’s sudden voice startled me, though I tried to play it cool.
“And why not?”
“She’ll start asking you for everything she sees. It’s what happens when she’s with me—or my mom—and you don’t have to buy her anything.”
“Oh, that’s what this is about…”
As time went by, I started agreeing with Henry’s “babysitter” comment. My feet were killing me, and I couldn’t remember the last time I’d spent this long in a mall.
After a quick stop at a home décor store, I turned my attention back to the three women—only to realize Isabelle wasn’t in sight. A wave of alarm hit me, and I scanned the crowd in every direction.
Relief washed over me when she finally appeared, arms crossed, her face flushed with frustration.
“What did I tell you about not giving Hanna stuff?!” she snapped, wasting no time. I had no idea what she was talking about.
“If you didn’t notice, I’ve been right next to you almost the entire time—and I haven’t bought a thing.”
“Then what’s all that?”
I looked where she pointed—and there they were: two of my undercover guards, each holding a ridiculous amount of shopping bags. So much for keeping a low profile.
Helen was carrying even more, while Hanna stood grinning from ear to ear. What the hell was going on? I glanced again and—of course.
“What are you laughing at?” Isabelle asked, exasperated.
“Hey, I had nothing to do with that pile of gifts Hanna’s got. I might’ve planned to spoil her, but someone else beat meto it—and judging by the look of it, she’s already made a new friend.”
Henry had Hanna sitting on his shoulders, both of them laughing like maniacs. My friend had plenty of flaws—including being too damn cheerful—but I couldn’t deny his kindness or generosity.
“Someone was too busy worrying about me and forgot about someone else,” I said.
Isabelle covered her face with both hands.
“Sweetheart… relax.” Elisa joined us, smiling. “Let Hanna have her fun. We’ll figure out a way to pay the man later.”
“Good luck with that,” I chimed in. “Henry’s nothing like me—you won’t be able to pay him back a single cent.”
“Oh, perfect. I don’t even know what to do with my life anymore…”
I allowed myself a small smile. Would it be wrong to admit Isabelle looked even prettier when she was flustered—or irritated?
Yeah…I can’t get her out of my head.
The outing was finally over.
Thank God for that.
Three hours at the mall felt like running a marathon—I was completely wiped out.
“Notice any strange activity?”
