She headed down to the shore, then changed her mind and made a detour to sit on the hill overlooking the water. There was a beautiful tree she fancied to be at least a hundred years old with thick branches that arched out and down halfway to the ground. From the distance it reminded Isabel of a giant umbrella. It was secluded and peaceful.
She sat down with her back against the tree trunk. Folding her hands in her lap, she closed her eyes and listened to the sound of the waves lapping against the rocks and tried to quiet her thoughts. It was lovely to be alone, away from the chaos for a little while.
Michael was suddenly standing over her. So much for solitude.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Relaxing,” she answered, shading her eyes with her hand as she looked up at him. “I’ve decided this is my new favorite spot on the island.”
“You can relax later,” he said. “Come on. It’s time for dinner.”
“You go ahead. I’m not hungry.”
He reached down, grabbed her hand, and pulled her up. She wanted to point out that it was a family dinner and that she wasn’t family, but she thought that would sound childish.
She turned to the shore. “I’ll just stretch my legs—”
“Good idea,” he said.
She walked around him and continued on.
He caught up to her and anchored her to his side, putting his arm around her shoulders and turning her back toward the house. She was about to demand that he let go of her, but then she looked up and lost her train of thought. His smile knocked her off her game. Why did he have to be so sinfully sexy?
When she was around him, all she wanted to do was grab hold and never let go. And if she did exactly that? He would eat her alive and then move on.
No, thank you.
“Nick and Laurant just arrived with Samantha and the Wild One. It’s time for dinner,” he told her.
“The Wild One?”
“Tommy’s almost two. He’s a handful. It bothered you when Kate called my mother ‘Mom,’ didn’t it?”
He didn’t miss anything, did he? No reason to lie because he’d know it. “Yes, and I can’t stop thinking about it. It was a ridiculous reaction.” With a shrug, she added, “It just surprised me, that’s all.”
They went up the steps together and stopped on the porch. Before she had an inkling of what he was going to do, he leaned down and, wrapping his big strong arms around her, kissed her long and hard.
For Isabel the kiss was mind-blowing. Her whole body went limp. She wanted to say something, but her pounding heartbeat drowned out any words. She prayed for a coherent thought.
“You . . . you . . .” She sounded like a blithering idiot.
He had the gall to smile at her. He knew how rattled she was, and he seemed to get a kick out of it.
“Now you’ve got something else to think about,” he said.
He walked into the house and left her standing on the porch. Threading her fingers through her hair, she rushed after him. “You have to stop doing that.”
She almost bumped into him when he turned around and looked at her. “Yeah, I probably should.”
“Probably should what?” Dylan asked the question. He was standing just inside the dining room with all of the family behind him, gathered around the table.
Michael looked like he was going to explain, but thankfully, Judge Buchanan saved her from mortification.
“Dinner’s ready. Come sit down,” he ordered, pulling a chair out next to him.
There was no getting out of it now. Tonight Isabel was a member of the family.
THIRTEEN
ISABEL WAS A NERVOUS WRECK. BY THE TIME SHE HAD FINISHED DRESSING TO MEET XAVIER, she was shaking in her flats. He’d told her to wear comfortable clothes, and she took him at his word.
She put on her favorite pair of skinny jeans and one of her new blouses. The color was jade green and quite flattering, according to Regan, who picked it out. After she brushed her hair, Isabel added a touch of makeup, lip gloss, and a dab of her favorite perfume.
Panic was trying to grab hold. Her mind conjured up all sorts of horrible scenarios. She pictured herself walking onto the stage and her throat closing, making it impossible to sing. Or she would walk onto the stage, smile at the audience, and throw up. Wouldn’t that be lovely? Crazy thoughts were tripping over each other. What if they hated her voice and booed her? What if she fainted? Worse, what if she slipped and went flying into the audience?
Kate and her sisters-in-law took Isabel’s mind off her fears. Xavier’s car wouldn’t be there to pick her up for another forty-five minutes, so Isabel went into the kitchen to get something cold to drink. Laurant, Regan, and Kate were all sitting at the table. All three of them had makeup on and were wearing pretty sundresses.