the front door opened again and was relieved to see Ellie and Lawson Williams enter. As the town’s unofficial matchmaker, Ellie was exactly the person Isabelle should ask about the courting lessons she’d promised Rhett. She greeted the couple with a quick hug. “I’m sure you’re here to see Rhett. He’s right through that door and ready for visitors. Ellie, would you mind if I borrow you for a few moments before you leave? I need a bit of advice.”
“Well, now I’m too curious to wait. Why don’t we talk now?”
Remembering that Rhett had been able to hear her entire conversation with Violet earlier, Isabelle glanced toward the study. “All right, but let’s not do it here. The walls have ears.”
Ellie followed her gaze. “I’m guessing those ears belong to Rhett.”
Lawson grinned. “Why don’t y’all go for a quick walk? I’ll visit with Rhett.”
“Thanks, Lawson.” Isabelle quickly bundled up in her coat, hat and gloves before she and Ellie walked down the porch steps out onto Main Street.
Ellie slipped her hands into her pockets as she sent Isabelle a concerned look. “Is everything all right?”
She’d meant to keep the conversation light, but her response somehow came out a bit drawn-out and shaky. “Yes.”
Ellie frowned. “Isabelle, what is going on?”
Isabelle pressed her lips together. Don’t say it. Don’t say it.
“Isabelle?”
“I kissed Rhett.”
Ellie stopped in her tracks in the middle of Main Street. “Wait. What?”
Isabelle closed one eye and winced before tugging her friend across the street to the courtyard. “I did. I kissed him. Well, actually, he kissed me. Or we kissed each other. I don’t know. It just sort of happened because it was New Year’s Eve. Then the world exploded. And I can’t believe I’m telling you this.”
Ellie shook her head and waved her hands in random circular motions. “Whoa. Slow down. My mind needs to catch up with your words. You and Rhett kissed on New Year’s Eve. That’s...” Ellie nodded then grinned. “That’s wonderful. Hurray!”
Isabelle glared at her. “No! Not wonderful. Not hurray. This is bad.”
“It is?”
“Yes!”
“Why?”
“There are so many reasons.” Isabelle shook her head as she led the way down a path strewn with dead brown leaves. “First of all, I don’t go around kissing men willy-nilly. That is not the kind of girl I am. Second, I had on a mask, so I thought he didn’t know who I was, but he did. He knew the whole time. Third, he’s living in the boardinghouse now, and it was my idea to have him there. Finally, if my parents find out any of this, they will not be happy at all. In fact, they will probably throw him out.”
Ellie grimaced. “Oh. Well, the only thing that really sounds like a problem is the part about your parents. The rest seems pretty romantic to me.”
Panic surged through her. “No romance. Absolutely not. This would be the worst possible time for one with everything so up in the air.”
“What is up in the air?”
“Nothing. Never mind.” Her parents were trying to keep their doubts about the fate of the boardinghouse in the family circle until a decision had officially been reached. “Most important, I refuse to even consider a man who was in love with my sister just a matter of months ago.”
“Hmm.” Ellie started walking again, albeit very slowly. “What does Rhett have to say about all of this?”
“He...” She could almost see the confusion and disappointment on Rhett’s face as she offered the courting lessons in response to his overtures toward...what exactly? She hadn’t let him finish. His words had started to sound too similar to what she’d been hearing from John and Chris, so she’d cut him off almost instinctively. “It doesn’t matter. I’ve made my decision.”
“I see.” Ellie’s knowing gaze said she probably saw far too much, at that.
“The reason I’m telling you this is because I need your help. Rhett’s a good man. He deserves to find someone.” She bit her lip. “What I mean is surely there is some other girl we can send his way to...”
“Distract him?”
“Yes!” Seeing the disapproving frown that earned her, she amended, “No. Ellie, you’re a matchmaker. Surely, you had someone in mind for him when you made the Bachelor List. I mean that’s what the list does, right? It pairs the town’s eligible bachelors with the women you think would be a perfect match for each of them.”
“Yes, that is what it does.”
“So?”
Ellie stared at her for a moment before shaking her head. “I’m no longer in possession of the Bachelor List. Quinn has it and refuses to give it back. He told me some nonsense about it belonging to the bachelors. He’s going to pass it along to someone else eventually, I suppose.”
“Well, we don’t need it. You created it, so you know everything that’s on it. Who did you match Rhett with?”
“That is a private matter between Rhett and me...and Lawson. Lawson knows.”
Isabelle lifted a brow. “And Quinn and whoever else happens to get their hands on that list.”
Ellie placed a calming hand on her arm. “Isabelle, I care for you dearly. You are one of my closest friends. However, I’m getting more than a little tired of being questioned about that list. My policy is not to discuss its contents with anyone. I’m afraid that includes you.”
“All right.” She pulled in a deep breath. “I understand. I won’t bother you about it again.”
“Good.”
Her mind scrambled to find some way around this new obstacle. “I’m all for letting Rhett choose his own woman anyway. At least, as long as it isn’t me.”
Ellie rolled her eyes. “Honestly, Isabelle.”
“I am being honest. The real problem here, and the one I need your advice on, has nothing to do with the list. In a moment of desperation, I offered to help Rhett overcome his trouble with women.”
“Did you, now?”
Ignoring her friend’s smirk, Isabelle nodded. “Yes, I did. Unfortunately, I have no idea how to do that.”
Ellie sighed. “Well, I hate to tell you this, but I already tried to help Rhett. I didn’t end up making it any better. In fact, I’m afraid I might have even made it worse.”
“Oh.”
“Hold on. Don’t give up on me yet. Let me think about it for a minute.” Ellie bit her lip and stayed in deep contemplation as they passed the steps of the courthouse.
