“If you’re wondering if you should go in, I would highly encourage it.”
Isabelle spun around at the sound of the familiar voice. Sage was standing behind her with a wide grin etched on her face. She radiated a pure joy that caused Isabelle to yearn to find such serenity in her own life. What would it feel like, she wondered, to experience life in this amazing town with nothing to hide? She envied Sage’s seemingly blissful life while at the same time acknowledging it couldn’t have been granted to a kinder person.
“Hi, Sage. You caught me in the act. It isn’t the first time I’ve looked longingly through this particular window,” she admitted with a chuckle. “This place looks so appealing, although I’ve never had a chance to go in.”
“Well, now you do. Come on inside with me. I have business with the owner, Iris Lawson. I’d love for you to meet her.”
Sage bit her lip. “I really should head back to the chocolate shop. I’ve been at the factory all morning.” She took a quick look at her watch. “This morning has just flown by.”
“Just for a few minutes. I promise,” Sage said, taking her by the hand and leading her through the doorway. Isabelle didn’t put up much of a fight. Her curiosity to see the interior of Tea Time had been pricking at her for days now. She would check out the establishment, but she wouldn’t linger for long.
As she trailed after Sage, Isabelle soaked in all the details of the tea emporium. The first thing that drew her attention was the vintage chandelier shimmering from the ceiling. Intimate tables were adorned with beautiful tablecloths and lace doilies. Flowers sat in a small bouquet on each table. Beautiful gold curtains and lush velvet chairs added an air of refinement. Peering in from the front window didn’t do this place justice.
“Isn’t it magnificent?” Sage asked.
Isabelle nodded. A sweet smell hovered in the air. She inhaled deeply as she tried to pin down the scent. It wasn’t a single aroma, she realized. It was a myriad of tea scents all floating in the air. This, she thought, was paradise. If only she had time to partake in the experience.
“It feels like we’ve stepped into another era. Those drapes remind me of something from the Jazz Age,” Isabelle remarked. She loved reading historical novels set in the 1920s. Tea Time would fit right into the setting of one of her favorite books.
Suddenly, a tall woman with brown skin began making a beeline in their direction. With her animated features and an almost regal bearing, she exuded pure elegance. “Sage. It’s great to see you. I’ve been wondering when you would stop by.”
“Hey, Iris. I’m sorry it took me so long to circle back. Things have been crazy lately. I wanted to check in with you regarding the wedding shower Rachel and I are throwing for Piper.”
Iris clapped her hands together. “Rachel has been finalizing some of the details, so I think we’re really in good shape.” Iris turned toward Isabelle, shooting her a curious look.
“Oops. Where are my manners? Iris, I’d like to introduce you to Ella Perez. She just relocated here from Arizona.” Sage grinned. “She’s working at the chocolate shop. Ella, this is Iris Lawson, the owner and creative genius behind Tea Time.”
Iris beamed at the compliment. “Ella, it’s such a pleasure to meet you. It’s wonderful to see a young person like yourself planting roots here.”
“Your place is lovely, Iris. Every time I walk by it just pulls me in,” Isabelle said. “Your interior decorating aesthetic is fantastic.”
Iris beamed. “Thank you. In my youth I wanted to go to design school, which wasn’t possible, so I was able to fulfill all of my decorating dreams right here at my shop.”
“Iris’s son, Gabriel, is one of my husband Hank’s closest friends,” Sage explained. “And he recently got married to Rachel, who is a dear friend and an amazingly skilled nurse. She’s helping me plan Piper’s bash.”
“And along with Rachel came two beautiful little girls, Faith and Lizzie. We’re all so blessed,” Iris said. “Our family has blossomed in the last few months.”
“It sounds like it,” Isabelle said. Family was everything. Watching it grow and expand through marriage and children had always been so gratifying for Isabelle’s own mother. She felt a pang at the thought of missing out on motherhood.
“Well, why don’t the two of you take a seat?” Iris asked. “I just made the most enticing batch of lemon bars.”
Isabelle wished she could take Iris up on her offer. “Any other time I would love to, but I really have to get back to work. I’ve been away all morning.”
“That’s a shame.” She wagged her finger at Isabelle. “I’m going to give you a rain check. Come back anytime and there’ll be a table waiting for you. In the meantime, I’m going to wrap up some lemon bars for you to take with you. On the house. It’s my welcome to Owl Creek gift.”
As Iris quickly made her way back to the kitchen, Isabelle turned toward Sage. “The owner is just as lovely as the establishment.”
“She must like you,” Sage said. “Iris has a bit of a sharp edge at times. She’s a little like my grandmother in that regard,” she confessed.
“Something tells me they’re both strong women.” Isabelle wished she could be a little bit more like the two older women. These days she always felt as if she was coming apart at the seams. She needed to dig down deep and draw strength from God. Ever since this ordeal began, He had been with her. Ba
ck when she was working at the club in Miami, Isabelle hadn’t lived a faith-filled existence. That had all changed after witnessing a murder.
Lord, please grant me strength. I have miles to go on this journey. If I’m going to stay in Owl Creek, I need fortitude. I need to be as strong as an oak tree.
“Hey!” Sage said in a raised voice that drew Isabelle out of her thoughts. “I just had a great idea. Why don’t you come to Piper’s bridal shower?”
“I know who Piper is. She’s a sweetheart. I met her at the Snowy Owl. She’s the owner, right?”