Page 17

CASE

Thursday afternoon takes far too long to arrive. Time drags on when all I want is for it to speed up because today I’m taking Isla out for our first official date.

I pull the truck into her driveway, admiring the quaint house and stunning front garden that looks like it could be straight out of a magazine.

There’s a sea of red, blue, yellow, and white flowers of different varieties spread out as far as the eye can see with a small, manicured hedge lining a path of stepping stones leading up to the front porch.

Looking down at the bunch of dried wildflowers in my hand that I picked up at the town’s florist, I wonder if Isla will like them, also hoping that she’ll be excited about the date I have planned for us today.

Birdie was a great source of information in terms of what Isla might like, but it wasn’t until Wyatt told me about a flyer he’d seen in town that I knew where I’d take her.

I’m so distracted by my thoughts as I walk up to the house that I don’t hear the door opening, or spot Isla and her beautiful bright smile waiting for me until I lift my head.

“Hi,” I say, stopping in front of her and placing a hand on her waist before leaning in to brushing my lips over her cheek. The touch sends a jolt through me, and the sound of her breath catching along with her flushed skin has me wondering if she felt it too.

“You looked deep in thought there,” she says, her brown eyes sparkling in the afternoon sunlight.

“I was.”

She tilts her head to the side. “Care to share?”

“There’s just a lot of things we could do today, and I was hopin’ you’re goin’ to like where we’re goin’,” I confess.

“If I’m doin’ it with you, I know I will.” Her eyes drop down to the flowers I’m still holding. “Are they for me?”

“Oh,” I say, having forgotten all about it. “Yeah. I wanted something that would last, so I asked at the florist shop and they suggested this dried bouquet because it could be hung up and enjoyed for a long time.”

Her smile widens. “I love that.”

“Did I hear that you visited my shop?” Jessica calls from inside.

“Mom, are you eavesdroppin’?” Isla says over her shoulder, turning back to me and winking. “Do you want to come inside for a minute? I’ve just got to grab my purse and then we can go.”

“I’d love to. I can sit with Jessica while you finish up.”

“Yes, come do that,” Jessica says loudly, making my lips twitch and Isla sigh.

She reaches for my hand and squeezes my fingers. Warmth spreads up my arm, my pulse racing as I step inside and close us in.

Isla leads me into the living room where her mom is seated in a recliner with what looks like a game show on TV. She lets go of my hand and points to her mom. “Behave yourself,” she says playfully before turning to me. “I’ll just be a minute.”

“Go, child. I’m just goin’ to grill this handsome young man about his intentions. It’s my parental responsibility, after all.”

I laugh when Isla rolls her eyes before rushing out of the room.

“Hi, Jessica. How are you?”

“I’m great ,” she says with mustered enthusiasm. I arch a brow, earning a smirk. “You’re as perceptive as my Lala. I’m not so great that I could run up the mountain or anythin', but I woke up happy and I’m havin’ a good day. In my books, that’s great.”

“That’s nice to hear.” I look down at the flowers in my hand. “Do you have somewhere I can put these?”

She nods to the low-rise coffee table in front of us. “Since they’re dried, they’re very easy to look after. You can just put them in that vase if you’d like. Nice choice, by the way. I approve.”

“That’s all that matters then. Your staff member at the shop was very helpful.”

Her eyes brighten and her lips tip up. “I only hire the best. But it’s always good to hear they’re doin’ a good job.”

After doing as asked with the bouquet, I take a seat on the couch next to her chair. “Your gardens out the front are amazin’ too. So colorful and bright.”

“That’s why I chose them. I don’t get out to tend to them too often now, but thankfully Lala inherited my green thumb so she tries to keep them lookin’ good. I like bein’ able to see them from the window, you see.”

“They’re bound to lift any bad mood,” I say.

Jessica studies me. “Yes, they do. And quite often.”

I nod. “My brother Jude is a landscape gardener. He’s the ‘plant guy’ out of all of us. He’s slowly fixin’ up the gardens at the ranch. Then there’s my twin, Sutton, he’s tryin’ his hand at it too. He’s working on a Zen garden next to the greenhouse and vegetable patches.”

Jessica’s gaze widens and she leans forward. “That sounds wonderful. And your Christmas tree farm too. I remember you tellin’ me all about that.”

“You’ve got a good memory.”

“It’s one of the things that I try to keep sharp. I do daily Wordle and Sudoku puzzles. Every little bit helps,” she says. “Or so the medical professionals tell me.”

“My grandfather used to do puzzles. Every time we visited, he’d challenge us to finish a big one thousand piece one before we left at the end of the summer.”

“I’m surprised he didn’t make you solve riddles,” she muses, making me laugh.

“You’d think so since that’s what everyone called him.”

“Indeed.” She glances toward the doorway before her eyes meet mine again, and this time they’re full of mischief. “So, young man, what are your intentions with my daughter?”

I catch Isla’s horrified look as she walks back into the room and I shoot Jessica a wink, catching on to her plan.

“I promise I have nothin’ but the worst of intentions with your daughter.

If she has rules, we’re breakin’ them. If she has a curfew,” I lean in, dropping my voice to a loud whisper, “she’s goin’ to be late.

” The answering cackle from Jessica makes it worth it.

“Lala, if you don’t keep this one, I will.”

“Mom! Keep your hands off. He’s mine,” Isla muses.

Hearing her call me hers the way I already know she’s mine does something to me.

When we lock eyes, that’s when I feel it. A thing that’s always felt out of place… off kilter… clicking into place. It’s all the confirmation I need to know that she’s exactly who I thought she was. My One…

Isla Murray is my soulmate. She has to be. She’s meant to be mine.

“Case?” she asks, her expression a mix of confusion and concern.

“Yes, beautiful?”

She bends down, resting her hand on my shoulders. “I asked if you were ready to go.” Dammit. Totally missed that.

“Sorry, yeah,” I reply, standing and turning to look at Jessica. “And as for my intentions, I promise to be respectful and a total gentleman. I was raised right, I promise.”

“Firstly, I can already tell your Mama made sure you had manners. But goodness me, I hope that was a pile of baloney,” she replies.

“My daughter deserves some disrespectin’ and to go out and have some fun for once, doin’ it without worryin’ about me or her responsibilities for a little while.

Promise me you’ll show her a good time and you’ll have my undyin’ gratitude, Case Cooper. ”

A slow growing smile tugs at my mouth. I think I like Jessica Murray just a smidge less than her daughter. And that’s a whole lot. “I promise I’ll try my best.”

“On that note…” Isla pins her mom with a stare. “We’ll head out now. Betty’s next door and knows you’re here alone, so she’s ready to pop on over if you need her. OK?”

“Yes, Mom,” Jessica says with a sigh. I have to bite back a laugh because she sounds like a teenager being left home for the first time.

Isla's warm eyes crinkle at the sides when they meet mine. “You ready?”

“Sure am. Been waitin’ a long time for you to ask me out.”

Her mouth drops open and I can’t help but chuckle. “Best of intentions,” she scoffs. “I see how it is.”

My hand moves of its own volition, lifting to caress her cheek. “Not yet, beautiful,” I say low and rough. “But if I get my way, I’m hopin’ you will by the end of the night.”

“Go on, love birds. Time’s a wastin',” Jessica shoos us away, waving her hand in the air as she does it.

Isla laughs, the sound like music to my ears. “OK. OK. We’re leavin’.”

“Good. Oh and Case?” Jessica calls out just as we reach the front door. “Thank you.”

“Any time, Jessica.”

“Knew I liked you for a reason,” she murmurs with a smile.

“Funny that,” Isla murmurs. “I like him too.”

Yeah… she’s definitely my One. Now all that’s left to do is prove it to her.