For Now And Always

Book 1: The Heart's Way

by Elizabeth Castle

Genres: Contemporary Romance; Romantic Suspense; Workplace Romance; Romantic Suspense; contemporary romance; office romance; workplace romance; steamy romance; childhood friends to lovers

Synopsis

A childhood crush. A forgotten memory. The heart finds a way.

It has taken time, but Isabelle Masterson has managed to get her life back on track. She even landed a job as a project coordinator for a charitable foundation, The Gables. Her job brings The Heart's Way Foundation and John Bannon into her life. While he might not remember her, she remembers him and finds that her childish feelings have changed into those of a woman.
John Bannon is the most qualified person at The Heart's Way Foundation to help launch a new charitable children's medical facility. He enjoys his job, traveling to different parts of the country, and meeting lots of different people. One thing he's learned the hard way is that mixing business and pleasure is never a good idea. But Isabelle makes him want to forget the rules.

When the foundation becomes the target of Isabelle's brother's malicious mischief, Isabelle and John must work together to not only save the project, but also to find her brother and stop him. And when John realizes Isabelle is the young girl he knew in his youth, fighting his desire for her becomes a losing battle. Now he must convince Isabelle that they belong together.

Note from author: “This is the first book in The Heart's Way series, approximately 55,000 words. John and Isabelle's story was an idea I had that quickly came to fruition and immediately spawned a series. All The Heart's Way books can be read separately, but like most series, it's more fun in order. Please note this is an open-door romance.” – Lizzy Castle.

Release date: April 1, 2018

Publisher: In The Air Publishing

Print pages: 206

Content advisory: Open door romance.

Sample

Chapter One

“That must be them.”  Hushed voices were all wondering the same thing; the whispers sounded loud in the quiet of the office.

Isabelle Masterson kept her head down, but her eyes were following the progression of her boss and the two men who had captured the office’s attention.  But it was only one of the two men she was watching.  Through the lenses of her dark-rimmed glasses, her eyes watched his every movement.  He still had the grace of a large cat, his long stride covering the distance of the lobby with a smooth stride and economy of movement.  When he was a teenager, people took his disinterest in the goings-on around him as laziness.  But she knew he was far from lazy.

Ever since her boss at The Gables had told her he had hired The Heart’s Way Foundation, and that John Bannon was going to consult on this project, she had been full of nervous excitement.  She’d been following the organization through local newspapers and national headlines, hoping to see a glimpse of John ever since.  Some people said he was dangerous.  Some people said he was a crook.  Other people said he was generous.  Yet others said he was a godsend.  Depending on who you were, he could be all four of those things.  John Bannon had little use for greedy people, people who used others to further their agendas and their wealth.  Ironically it was his dislike of the wealthy who squandered what they had that had made him go to work for a very wealthy man.  Emmett Trevor was a self-made millionaire who lost his wife to cancer.  He had founded The Heart’s Way Foundation as a tribute to his wife, who was a well-known philanthropist.  John Bannon had been working for Emmett over the last five years, and he had a reputation for being tough to work for and rough around the edges.  But Emmett was fond of saying to reporters that he kept John around because of those very traits.  John was hard to please, and the results were better off for it.

Isabelle watched as he continued to cross the room, unable to keep her eyes off him.  He was tall, though shorter than her boss.  John topped off at six feet.  Isabelle was six inches shorter than he was.  She remembered the one time she’d stood close to him, and she’d had to lift her head to gaze up at him.  She had been tall at thirteen, but he’d made her feel small and dainty.

His hair was still a shade somewhere between blond and brown.  His hair looked brown, but when the light hit it, the blond shone through.  He wore it cropped short these days.  When he’d been younger, it had brushed his shoulders.  She liked the short hair cropped to his skull.  It made him look older, more mature.  The dress slacks were also a new addition.  He wore the dark gray trousers low on his waist, his crisp white shirt unbuttoned at the throat, the cuffs folded up but tucked in neatly.  They were a far cry from the jeans and black t-shirt he had worn at eighteen.

His face was still not what most women would consider handsome.  His features were chiseled, his jaw square.  There was no softness in his face, and none of his features could be considered at all feminine.  Even the longer hair of his youth hadn’t softened his looks.  His eyes were hazel, a light brown with flecks of green.  The grown Isabelle had been attracted to that face.  He looked dependable, reliable, and, quite frankly, incredibly attractive in her eyes.

If she hadn’t gotten a job with Gable, John Bannon would have remained a fond childhood memory.  He had been a brief bright spot in what had been a difficult time.  But like most childhood memories, she hadn’t thought of John in years.  Then six months ago she’d opened the newspaper Gable had given her, and there he was.  John Bannon had matured, but there was no mistaking him.  She had read the article half a dozen times, and with each reading, more and more memories of John had surfaced.

She hadn’t had a crush on him, though the grown Isabelle couldn’t say the same.  She’d only been thirteen at the time, not quite ready for boys and budding romances.  He’d been more like the big brother she wished she had.  Her brother, Marcus, still haunted her nightmares, and John was his antithesis, then and now.  Looking at him strolling through the office, heading toward her desk, she felt anything but sisterly toward him.

Gable had given her the article because he had decided The Heart’s Way Foundation was going to be his project’s saving grace.  He’d asked her to research the organization so he could figure out the best way to approach them.  Isabelle had researched the organization, and if her research on John gave her a little extra thrill, she was the only one who knew.

Isabelle’s stomach clenched again as he came ever closer.  He was still fit.  He looked lean in his clothing, but she knew they masked broad shoulders and a sculpted chest.  John had always been a physical person.  He’d worked construction at sixteen with his father.  Then he’d gone into the military.  In the five years since he’d left, he hadn’t gone soft.

Isabelle squared her shoulders and rose from her seat when the trio reached her desk.  Gable Lockwood was a large man, one who intimidated others easily.  Though Gable stood about four inches above both Emmett and John, Gable’s presence didn’t in any way diminish John’s.  John’s stance and posture told anyone who was paying attention that he couldn’t be bullied or intimidated.  How well she remembered.

Gable gestured to Isabelle.  “I’d like you to meet Isabelle Masterson.  Ms. Masterson is my project coordinator.  Nothing would get done around here without her.”

Isabelle held out her hand, first to Emmett.  He shook her hand enthusiastically.  When she held her hand out to John, she watched him closely for a reaction.  All he did was take her hand in a firm handshake.  There was no sign of recognition in his eyes.  Deep down she hadn’t expected him to recognize her.  She had been a young, gangly teenager the last time they had seen each other.  Any resemblance to her younger self was superficial at best.  Her eyes still might be an odd shade of lavender, and her hair might still be a honeyed blonde, but she was no longer pudgy; her hair was tamed with a pair of scissors and a flat iron, and she didn’t have braces or acne.

“It’s a real pleasure to meet both of you.  I’ve been following your organization’s work.”  Isabelle dropped her hand to her waist when John released her.  She held it to her stomach, feeling embarrassingly giddy in his presence.

Emmett was the one who spoke.  “It’s very nice to meet you, Ms. Masterson.  Mr. Lockwood has been telling me you’re heading this project.  If his praises are to be believed, then I look forward to working with you and your team.”

“She’ll live up to them and then some.”  Gable gestured to the room across the hall and addressed Isabelle.  “Do you have a moment?”

“Certainly.”  Isabelle smoothed her plum-colored skirt and grabbed her laptop.  “I’ve got the presentation ready.”

Gable guided Emmett and John to the conference room, closing the door behind them.  “I’ve been excited about this project.  The medical center we have in mind is the biggest of its kind in the state.  Isabelle has researched all the other centers similar to what I want, and I’ve been working on the perfect location.  We finally have the funds we need to get started on the project.  Donations have been harder and harder to obtain with the recession, but my events committee outdid themselves with our last fundraiser.  The mayor has been a big proponent of the project, which helps.  Mayor Dobson’s ratings are high, and he has been vocal in the press and with the voters.”

Isabelle turned on the coffee pot, listening to Gable.  He and the mayor were friends and had been since childhood.  She had met the mayor a time or two, and she had been impressed with him.  She didn’t pay much attention to politics, but in the last election, she had voted for him and would again.

“Mayor Dobson is also smoothing the way for the building permits.  He has also agreed to head up the board of directors.  We’ve got several other people lined up for the board.”  Isabelle handed Gable a cup of black coffee.  “Can I get either of you a cup?”

Emmett shook his head.  “I gave up caffeine.  My daughter tells me I don’t need it with my high blood pressure.  I promised her I’d quit.”

Isabelle turned to John.

“Black, please.”  John turned his attention back to Gable.

Isabelle nodded, the knot in her stomach growing.  She remembered that voice.  John had a deep voice.  Now she found his baritone sexy.  She poured him a cup and one for herself.  She doctored hers before handing John his and taking a seat.

Gable began his part of the presentation.  “The children’s medical center we are proposing is quite ambitious.  There can never be enough researchers, doctors, nurses, and therapists for these children.  When I was trying to get help for my daughter, I was extremely frustrated.  There were waitlists for the major medical facilities, problems with insurance when you finally did get an appointment, and the traveling was harder on my daughter than some of the treatments were.  I’m hoping this facility can help alleviate some of the burden on the other facilities.”

John sipped his coffee, half-listening to Gable Lockwood.  John knew the man’s daughter had been in a house fire.  She had been staying with her grandparents when the old wiring in the house sparked a blaze.  The elderly couple didn’t realize their home was on fire until the blaze had consumed a large portion of it.  The couple hadn’t been able to get to their granddaughter.  Thankfully the fire department was able to rescue the child, but not before she had inhaled a large volume of smoke, and the fire had burned her legs and back.

Gable went from funding homeless shelters and community centers to taking on the task of building a large, charitable medical center for children in the heart of the Midwest.  Though there were a few children’s charitable hospitals, as Gable had said, there could never be enough.  But Gable was way out of his league, which is why he had called in The Heart’s Way Foundation.  Emmett was enthusiastic about the project.  John was a bit more reserved.  John offered his services only when he felt the cause was worthy, and the people behind the project were willing and able to commit to and complete the project.  Some people were overly ambitious and had no idea of the monumental tasks they were taking on.  And because John got results when he approved a project, Emmett let him choose the projects he worked on.  Emmett would take on every proposal that came through his doors if he could.  John tried to be the voice of reason.  And when that didn’t work, John assigned someone else in the organization to the project and focused his attention elsewhere.

Emmett’s foundation, The Heart’s Way, had the resources and contacts to make a center like the one Gable was proposing take flight.  The organization helped small not-for-profit businesses find the funding and the resources they needed to get their projects up and running.  In the case of Gable, he had a vision, one he was not equipped to make into a reality.  He didn’t have the suppliers or contractor contacts he needed to build the medical center, much less furnish it, staff it, and keep it up and running.  He would need accounting services, legal services, building services, and staffing services.  The Heart’s Way could supply those things or point Gable in the right direction.  Gable and his story had touched Emmett.  But Gable’s vision and drive were what impressed John.  It took a lot to pull on John’s heartstrings.  Part of the reason John had agreed to listen to the proposal for this project was that it was rare for an organization this small to come to him with such a big undertaking.  Most of the projects The Heart’s Way Foundation helped were not so ambitious.  This would be the biggest project John had undertaken during his time working for Emmett, but he had no doubt his people were up to the task.

John looked over at Isabelle, who was waiting patiently for her boss to stop talking.  Gable was a talker, something John had figured out about five minutes after meeting the man.  Emmett was nodding and making appropriate noises as he listened.  Most of what Gable was telling them were things he’d heard before.  John’s attention drifted to Isabelle.

He guessed she was of average height when she kicked off her heels.  She had a very pretty face.  Her eyes were hidden behind her glasses, so he wasn’t quite sure of their color.  They looked blue from where he sat.  Her lips were unpainted but full.  It was her mouth that kept grabbing his attention.  She had a small smile playing on her face as if she were amused by her boss.  John had an urge to kiss that smile off her face, to see that lush mouth of hers flushed pink from his.

John tore his gaze from the attractive Ms. Masterson before she noticed him staring at her.  Her purple suit fit her well.  The skirt was modest, coming below her knees.  Her pale pink blouse was covered by a loose-fitting matching jacket that he guessed disguised a trim figure.  Her jewelry was discreet, and her makeup was minimal.  She looked like a nice, small-town girl from a nice, small Midwest town.  Exactly the type of woman he stayed away from: small-town girls with small-town ambitions and small-town ideas.  John’s dates were sophisticated, career-minded, and not clingy.  Isabelle had commitment written all over her.  She was the type of girl from the town he grew up in.  Small town and small-minded.  He’d escaped his hometown, escaped marriage-minded small-town girls, and joined the military after he turned eighteen and finished high school.  From there he’d ended up in Los Angeles, as far from a small town as he could get.  He’d been stationed in California for a time, and when it came to making a permanent home, he’d chosen the outskirts of Los Angeles and a job in the city.

There wasn’t a ring on her finger, so he guessed she wasn’t married.  John liked to assess anyone he worked with, and Isabelle seemed easy to typecast.  And since they would likely be working together, he wanted to get a handle on her and the type of person she was.  Gable called her competent, hardworking, and easy on the eyes.  John agreed with the third assessment, but the first two he would hold in reserve until he had a chance to see for himself.

John decided it was time to interrupt Gable.  “What about you, Ms. Masterson?  I know why Gable is dedicated to this project.  How about you?”

Isabelle was startled when he spoke, but quickly composed herself.  John had only spoken a couple of words since his arrival.  He had always been quiet, watching what was going on around him without much participation.

“I’m dedicated to all of our projects.  This one is particularly special to Mr. Lockwood, but I can empathize with him.  My mother was in a home and getting her adequate care was difficult.  I can’t imagine what it must be like to not be able to get good care for your child.  My heart breaks for what Gable and his wife went through.  Are still going through.  And to not be able to get the right care because you can’t afford it is an abomination.  But as Gable said, money talks, and it’s no different when it comes to healthcare.  If you want top-of-the-line care, you have to pay top-of-the-line prices.  It seems grossly unfair.”

Only part of what Isabelle said rang true, but John couldn’t quite put his finger on what was wrong with her short speech.  “How many projects like this have you done?”

“Like this one?  None.”  Isabelle nervously tugged at the hem of her skirt.  “I’ve been here a year now, and the projects I’ve done have been smaller.  I helped the local shelter get a contractor to rebuild the sleeping quarters at cost.  I also helped a local school find a cheaper food distributor, one that could supply healthier food.  I actively help our community shelter organize its fundraisers.  I’m afraid building a medical facility is out of my skill set.”

“It’s out of all of our skill sets, which is why we need The Heart’s Way.”  Gable was glaring at John.

John halted Gable’s tirade.  Emmett just smiled at him, not fazed by John’s abruptness.  John knew he had insulted Isabelle’s abilities, but he wanted answers to his questions.  “I need to know how much I can rely on Ms. Masterson.  I realize she is your project coordinator, but the projects you’ve done up until now are nothing like the project you are attempting to undertake.  Helping a school out and organizing a fundraiser is not the same thing as building a medical center.”

Isabelle opened her laptop and plugged it into the oversized television.  She pulled up her proposal.  “Why don’t you look over what I’ve come up with before you pass judgment?”

Isabelle spent the next hour going over her proposal.  She and Gable had worked together to put a visual presentation together.  She outlined the center, its potential locations, and the vendors she had lined up with donations of supplies, food, and volunteers.

“We’ll need the appropriate construction team, electricians, plumbers, and HVAC installers.  I have decorators in mind for this job.”  Isabelle pulled up the names and samples of work the decorators had done for other projects.  Slide after slide, she put forth Gable’s vision.  She was a decent graphic artist, so she ended the presentation with a graphic representation of the completed building.

John leaned back in his chair while Emmett told her how impressed he was.  John didn’t speak, but Isabelle had impressed him with her proposal.  She knew exactly what Gable and the team he’d assembled could and couldn’t do.  Isabelle seemed to know everyone in this town and who was capable of what.  He could take this proposal back to his team and have them focus on the key areas where she saw the most need for their assistance.

Gable’s phone rang, interrupting Isabelle’s concluding remarks.  “I need to take this.”

John and Emmett watched as Gable left the room.  They turned inquiring eyes back to Isabelle.

“That was his wife.  His daughter Brittany had a doctor’s appointment today.  She’s growing so fast, and now she needs procedures done to help the scar tissue stretch over her growing body.  Her burns were extensive.”

Emmett nodded.  “I’ve met her.  She’s a real trooper.  John didn’t mean to insult you earlier.”

Isabelle smiled at Emmett’s kind words but turned back to her presentation, unable to look at John.  She knew she lacked the abilities she needed to impress him.  “I understand.  You don’t know me, and Mr. Bannon is right.  I’ve not done projects like this one and he has.  You have people working for you who could build this center from the ground up without my help.  But that’s not what you do.  You try to equip the people working on the projects to be able to do it themselves.”

Isabelle took a breath and faced John.  “That’s what I want from you.  I want you to equip me to be able to handle this project.  Once you’re gone, there will still be work to be done.  I realize it’s not just building the center.  There will be constant fundraising and constant updates and maintenance to the structure.  I don’t think Gable completely realizes the lifetime commitment he’s making.  But if anyone I know is willing to dedicate himself to the center, it’s Gable.”

“What about you?  Are you willing to dedicate the rest of your life to this project?”  John couldn’t help the challenge in his tone.

“No.  I’m not willing to dedicate the rest of my life to this project.  But I’m willing to dedicate all my time and talent to this project so long as I work for Gable.”

It was an honest answer, one John appreciated.  “How did you end up working here?”

Isabelle didn’t want to answer his question.  Not only would it sound like she was tugging on his heartstrings, but she was also embarrassed to answer him.  Her family’s fall from grace was humiliating.  And while he might not remember her, she remembered him.  She was too ashamed to admit to him how she had ended up here.

John leaned back in his seat, wondering at her hesitation.  Normally he wasn’t interested in the personal lives of those he helped.  There was something familiar about her, though they’d never met.  His unprecedented interest in her had him repeating the question.  “Well?”

“I applied for the job like anyone else.  I wanted to work somewhere where what I did mattered.  What I do matters here.”  It was the truth, though certainly not all of it.

“Yes, what you do here matters.”  Emmett interrupted and gestured to the screen in front of him.  “I remember when I first opened the doors of my organization.  I had your enthusiasm and the same desire to do something with my life that would matter when I was no longer around.  Just don’t let your desire to help others take over your life.  You have to have balance.”

Curiosity made her speak.  “I’ve read about your career.  As I said, I’m a fan.  But two years ago, you almost closed the doors of your foundation.  The press said you had a nervous breakdown, but I don’t believe that.”

Emmett laughed.  “I read those same reports.  No, I didn’t have a nervous breakdown. What I had was a project that fell apart because the people involved were more interested in pocketing donations than investing in the future of their town.  Unfortunately, the press was on the side of the organization misappropriating funds.  Let’s just say I was getting disillusioned.  I was working hard to try to help people, and so many of them weren’t looking for help.  They were looking for handouts.  Which was ironic because these people were supposed to be trying to help rebuild their communities.  Instead, they were pawning off the work and taking the credit.  I guess I got burnt out.  John here put things back into perspective for me.  I’ve put him in charge of choosing the projects we take on.”

Isabelle looked back at John.  “So that’s why you asked if I was willing to dedicate my life to this project.”  Isabelle closed her laptop and rose.  “My life is a bit much to ask for, but you have my promise I’ll work hard.  You’ll find everyone on the staff to be hard workers and dedicated to the work they do.  Gable’s project is overly ambitious and we’re out of our league.  We need your help.”

John rose.  “That’s why I’m agreeing to help.  I’m very particular about the projects I get involved in.  Gable’s pitch was impressive.  And your presentation was well thought out.  With luck on our side and a lot of hard work, we’ll get the medical center off the ground.”

Isabelle nodded, trying to keep her composure.  She knew her presentation would determine whether or not the foundation took the job.  It seemed she was successful.  Trying to keep a huge grin off her face, she led both men out to the hall.  “In that case, let me introduce you to the rest of the team.”

John followed Isabelle as she walked Emmett through the office.  They met several people, all of whom claimed to be fans of the foundation.  Instead of being cloying and desperate, John felt genuine enthusiasm from the small team.  The organization consisted of a dozen paid employees and a fair number of unpaid volunteers.  Isabelle knew everyone’s names and job titles.  Gable hadn’t been exaggerating when he said Isabelle was his right-hand man.  As he met the team, each one had a problem or question for Isabelle.  She patiently answered everyone’s questions, signed forms, all the while keeping an eye out for Gable’s return.

“I have to say you’ve impressed me, young lady.”  Emmett shook her hand.  “John here is hard to impress, but you managed to impress him too.”

John lifted an eyebrow at Emmett’s assumption, but Emmett knew him well enough.  Had he thought the project was a joke or a waste of time, they would have walked out.  A contract had not been signed yet.  John refused to sign anything until he’d met with the potential client’s team and team leaders.  But Isabelle had impressed him just as Gable had.  She seemed dedicated to her job, but time would tell.

Gable found the three of them after all the introductions had been made.  “So, what did you all think?”

Emmett held a hand out to Gable.  “We’re in.”

Gable didn’t bother to hide his whoop of satisfaction.  “You have no idea what this means to me.  To all of us.  We should celebrate.”

In short order, Isabelle found herself seated beside John at a posh restaurant in the heart of downtown.  She tried to keep the giddy feeling in her belly under control.  She declined a glass of wine when offered.  The last thing she needed was alcohol in her system.  She was trying hard not to stare at John, trying to keep her thigh from touching his on the bench seat, and was trying not to drink in the scent of his aftershave.  The faint scent that mixed with John’s body chemistry was heady.  If she didn’t get herself under control, she’d end up giggling like a silly teenager with her first crush.

Fortunately, she wasn’t required to contribute much to the conversation.  Emmett and Gable talked enough for all four of them.  John, too, was quiet, looking a bit impatient for dinner to be over.  When the group finally broke up, Gable took Isabelle back to the office to get her car, while Emmett and John took a cab back to their hotel.

“So, what did you think?”  Gable flipped the lights on in the small office. Everyone else had left for the evening.  Ever the gentleman, Gable escorted Isabelle up so she could grab her purse and laptop before walking her to her car.

“I think we’re quite lucky.  I had the feeling that if my presentation hadn’t been up to Mr. Bannon’s standards, we would have been commiserating over drinks instead of celebrating.”

“I got that same vibe.  Emmett said he trusts John’s judgment and that he would make the final decision.  I was worried The Heart’s Way wasn’t going to be able to handle the project, but Emmett seemed confident at dinner.”

Isabelle locked the doors behind them and headed for her car.  “I researched them thoroughly before you approached them.  It’s been a while, but they’ve done projects this size before.  It was before Mr. Bannon’s time, but what I know of him in the press tells me he’s up to the task.”

“I’m worried about his gruff manner.  He was rude.”  Gable opened her car door after she hit the lock on her remote.

“Yes, he was.  Don’t worry about it.  I’ve dealt with worse.  Remember Mrs. Miller?  If I can handle her, I can handle anyone.”

Gable laughed, as she knew he would.  Mrs. Miller didn’t top five feet, but she was a force to be reckoned with.  Things went her way, or they didn’t happen.  Somehow Isabelle had steered Mrs. Miller in the direction she wanted her to go, with the older woman being none the wiser.  John wouldn’t be as easily manipulated, but she knew he was a reasonable man.

“I hope you’re right.  This project means the world to me and Caitlyn.  Brittany might not benefit, but hundreds, hopefully thousands, will.”

Caitlyn was Gable’s wife of fifteen years.  Brittany was now twelve years old; the scars that marred her body were now six years old.  It had taken almost that long for Gable to put the project together.  With John’s help, Isabelle vowed to make the center a success.  Not only for Brittany but for children just like her.