CHAPTER 8

         Billy went to the window to take a closer look at Isabelle. He couldn't deny that the seven years that had passed had turned her into a gorgeous woman. She had beautiful dark long hair that she held tight in a ponytail, she was tall, with a fabulous body even though the clothes she wore wasn’t doing her justice. A pair of jeans, a checkered shirt, and a pair of white sneakers weren't exactly the right clothes to highlight Isabelle Baldwin's beauty. Billy smiled when he saw her be tickled by Frannie and Diana. Her laugh was so wonderful, so genuine. Isabelle would have had his full attention.

“Son! Billy!”

           His father's voice brought him back to reality and stopped his train of thoughts about the new babysitter. He put his serious face on again before turning to look at his parents.

“Yes, dad, tell me!”

“Son, I’ve asked you if you heard Shawn today. Did he say if the Germans finally signed the contract?” Chris repeated the question.

“Yes, he told me that they did it. I’ve heard him before he went to see Danielle. He also told me that next month they will send someone to San Francisco to inform us on how things are going on. Both Berlin and Frankfurt branches need us and our products.”

“Chris, sweetheart, since our kids have become so good at running the company, don't you think it's time to finally retire?” Marie asked her husband, caressing his hand, and smiling softly. "Come on, honey, they have shown they can handle things even without you being always around."

              Hearing his mother call him ‘a kid’, made Billy smile. Lately, things at the company were going just fine. The ‘Grayson Trio’, as his father called him, his brother and Shawn, took off a while ago, and together they worked real miracles for their tech company. Richard, along with Christine, was taking care of their branch in Paris. Shawn and himself were working with his father in San Francisco and in New York also. They had one of the most well-known ICT companies in the United States and they were going very well on the European market, thanks to Richard's brilliant ideas.

“Marie, at some point I will do it, I promise you. But, my love, be careful what you wish for because you just might get it. Having me at home all day might be a lot to take in after a few days," Chris said as he approached his wife and kissed her lightly on the cheek.

“Not a chance! I'd love to spend more time with you, maybe going away somewhere, while we still have the strength to do it,” Marie added and put her head on Christopher's shoulder.

           This scene so tender was abruptly interrupted by the laughter of Frannie and Diana who completely filled the living-room running towards their grandparents who were still sitting on the couch.

“Grandpa! Tu es arrivé!”(You're home!) Diana shouted full of enthusiasm. “Viens! (Come with me!) I want to show you how good I am playing soccer with the new ball that grandma bought for me!”

“No, grandpa! Tu dois venir avec moi!” (You have to come with me!) Frannie replied taking him by the hand and forcing Christopher to get up from the couch and follow her. “Grandma bought me a new dress and I want you to see it! Grandma told me that I look like a princess in it.”

“Girls,” Isabelle said softly but in a firm tone, walking slowly towards them, “give your grandfather some room to breathe and please, go and wash your hands. Later I will help you get ready for dinner. Allez, vite! Je vous attends ici!” (Go on, quickly! I'll wait for you right here!) she added this time in French.

            The girls rushed immediately to the bathroom of their room to wash their hands. The three adults were staring at Isabelle quite perplexed. She looked at them a bit scared, not understanding what was happening. Did she say something wrong, something she wasn't supposed to say? Or maybe she shouldn't let the girls go alone in the bathroom?... Maybe she was dressed too casually to stay in there with all of them… Unfortunately, she had no other clothes but jeans and shirts. Her father considered that three pairs of jeans and a few shirts were enough since her social life was non-existent.

"Mrs. Grayson, excuse me..." she said, lowering the sleeves of her shirt. “I found myself following the girls and I didn't pay attention to the fact that I was entering the living-room. I didn’t want to...”

“Dearest, you didn't tell me you know French!” Marie exclaimed getting up from the couch and approaching Isabelle. “You have a wonderful accent! You seem born and raised in France.”

“Oh, thank you... Playing with the girls outside, I heard them talking to each other in French and I’ve started to play along with them. I apologize if...”

"No, don’t worry, there's no problem," Christopher added. "Hearing you talking to them, took us by surprise. The girls are used to talk to each other in French since my daughter-in-law is born in France, but Frannie and Diana struggle quite a bit with the English language. From time to time, I think that they feel like little outsiders. So, thank you, Isabelle, for helping them feel free to be themselves."

             Billy stood in a corner of the room, just to study Isabelle better. In those instants, she was so different, so relaxed. His mother had told him that she didn't remember seeing Isabelle smile or say more than a few words every time she went to the ranch. And now, here, in front of all of them, she was smiling, chatting... she seemed another person. And then when she looked at him with those eyes so similar to the bright summer sky, he felt a blow to the stomach.

“I'd say that Frannie and Diana won't let you go back to the ranch ever again. Now that your secret came out. They finally found someone to talk to them in French being that my brother and sister-in-law aren’t here,” Billy said approaching Isabelle.

            Isabelle turned to him and smiled. She hadn’t been able to see William Grayson until this moment. She had heard from his mother that shortly after finishing college, he started working with his father and brother and that right now he was one of the company's vice presidents. Isabelle stared at him for a few seconds, trying to figure out why her father was so caught up in this idea of ​​seeing her married to him. At twenty-eight, William was handsome, polite, a very important businessman... but she was so insignificant, so unimportant such a small thing. They had nothing in common.

"Isabelle, you have to stay here and have dinner with us..." Marie said taking her hand and helping her to sit on a chair.

“I... Thanks, but... I can't... My father is waiting for me...” she stammered.

"We can send a car to the ranch and bring your father here too," Christopher answered immediately, supporting his wife's idea. “I haven't seen Andrew in such a long time. I would very much like to talk to him a bit.”

             She smiled and for a moment, the idea didn't seem bad. Maybe go out and see people would do her father a lot of good. Talking to someone else other than her, Lucy or the guys who were working at the ranch would help him feel better. Yes, spending an evening out of his routine was really a wonderful idea.

"If my father agrees, then I will gladly accept your invitation. I just want to apologize for the way I am dressed...”

"Oh, dear, don't worry," Marie replied quickly, "we are not the royal family. The girls will dine first and then they will go to bed. Will you give me a hand with all this?”

"With great pleasure!" Isabelle exclaimed with enthusiasm.

"Perfect!" Marie turned to her husband. “Chris, please send the driver to the ranch to bring Andrew here.”

"All right, my love," he replied.

“Billy, what are you going to do tonight? Will you go out with your friends or stay here and dine with us?”

             Billy's expression told Marie all about his plans for the evening. Yes, he would stay home and dine with his parents and the Baldwins. He stopped staring at Isabelle's excited face, and he looked at his mother without saying a word. His eyes were saying enough, so Marie shook her head and smiled smugly.

"I had no doubt," she added softly and pushed the two men out of the living-room. “Boys, you go and do your thing! We’ll see you at the table in an hour and a half!”

           Then she took Isabelle's hand and set off in search of the girls who were too quiet… not a good sign. Frannie and Diana were playing splashing water everywhere and their whole bathroom floor was practically transformed into a small lake. Isabelle became serious and looked a little panicked at Marie, but instead of showing herself angry, she began to laugh and hugged the girls, completely wet from head to toes. They were the picture of absolute bliss, something that Isabelle had seen so, so long ago.