Blake chuckles. “I take it your wedding vows included that you won’t steal any of your wife’s dessert. Or is that just chocolate cake specifically?”
Isabelle grins at him. “Just chocolate cake. Everything else I’m happy to share.”
I order Tiramisu.
The faint sound of music plays from the floor between Isabelle’s chair and mine.
She removes her phone from her purse and answers it. “Hi, Grandma.…What’s that?” Her voice raises a few octaves. “I can’t hear you. Give me a moment. I need to go outside, and then I’ll be able to hear you better.” She pushes her chair from the table and walks toward the entrance.
The conversation moves to a discussion about our careers. Fortunately, one of the husbands is an entertainment lawyer, so everyone wants to know all about his famous clients—which means no one is in a rush to hear about my fictitious life as a project manager for a computer software company.
By the time the waitress serves our desserts. Isabelle still hasn’t returned.
I’m half-finished with mine when a nagging feeling bitches at me that Isabelle has been gone for too long—even for talking to Josephine on the phone.
I excuse myself and walk out the main doors. Isabelle isn’t outside the front entrance. I scan the area. Nothing.
I call her phone.
It goes straight to voice mail. I leave her a vague message, then call Landon. He doesn’t answer his phone, either. But that’s not surprising if he’s currently hacking into Bradshaw’s computer. The last thing he’s going to do is have the ringer on.
His voice mail message clicks on.
“Landon, I’ve lost eyes on Isabelle. Have you heard from her in the last few minutes?”
I end the call and walk around the building, searching for her or signs that she was here a few minutes ago.
Still nothing.
Maybe she returned to the resort.
Without telling me first?
I push down the panic that’s threatening to erupt like Mentos dropped into Diet Coke.
I step back inside the restaurant and head to our table. On my way there, I ask the waitress if she’s seen my wife in the past few minutes.
“I saw her leave the restaurant, but that’s the last I saw of her. Is everything all right?”
“I need to settle her bill and mine. Can you do that?”
A concerned frown wrinkles her brow. “Yes, come with me, and I’ll do it right now. Are you sure everything is okay?”
Again, I avoid the question. “I’ll need to talk to the hostess, too.”
She nods and escorts me to the main entrance. “Tammy, this gentleman has a question for you,” she tells the petite brunette in a black dress. To me, she says, “I’ll get your bill now.”
She leaves.
“What can I help you with?” Tammy asks me.
“Have you been here for the last ten or so minutes?”
“I’ve been here for the past hour. The other hostess seats the guests while I remain here.”
“Did you see my wife leave?” I describe Isabelle.
“Yes, she went out through those doors a few minutes ago.” She points to the doors in question.
