Then hesitated.
“And Maggie?”
“Yes?”
“I know things have become difficult between you and Nick.”
Maggie looked down.
“I'd rather not discuss that.”
“I understand.”
Isabelle paused.
“I only wanted you to know that he's been rather miserable.”
Maggie's heart tightened.
She tried to sound indifferent.
“I'm sure he's busy.”
“He is.”
Isabelle smiled sadly.
“But I've known Nicholas a long time. He's perfectly capable of working sixteen hours a day while being absolutely miserable.”
Maggie said nothing.
Isabelle continued.
“He's not a man who finds it easy to admit he's afraid.”
“He admitted it.”
“Then perhaps he's learning.”
Maggie looked up.
“Isabelle, I don't want you to think I'm being unkind. Nick hurt me.”
“I know.”
“And whatever happens with the theater, I need to know I can trust him.”
Isabelle nodded.
“Of course.”
She placed her sunglasses back into her handbag.
“That's something he has to earn.”
Maggie studied her.
Then smiled faintly.
“You're very reasonable for an ex-fiancée.”
Isabelle laughed.
“I assure you, I wasn't always.”
Tessa, who had been pretending to rearrange a display of scarves, looked delighted.
Isabelle continued.
“Nick and I were very good at attending parties together. Less good at knowing what to do when the party ended.”
Maggie smiled.
“We discovered we wanted different lives,” Isabelle said.
“And now?”
“Now he's found someone who makes him remember the life he wanted before he became Nicholas Sterling.”
Maggie's expression softened.
Isabelle glanced toward the drawings.
“But that's not why I'm here.”
She smiled.
“I'm here because I think your project deserves a hearing.”
Maggie looked at her for a long moment.
Then extended her hand.
“Thank you.”
Isabelle took it.
“Don't thank me yet. My committee asks dreadful questions.”
Maggie smiled.
“Then we'll get along splendidly.”
The meeting with Isabelle's arts foundation did not resemble a romantic rescue.
It resembled an examination.
Six trustees sat around a table and questioned Maggie for nearly two hours.
They asked about operating costs, financial controls, staffing, accessibility, and the educational program's ability to reach children whose families could not afford private lessons.
Maggie answered with budgets, schedules, and signed expressions of interest from participating organizations.
When she did not know an answer, she promised to provide the information.
The trustees did not offer immediate support.
They asked for revisions.
Then more revisions.
Finally, they agreed to consider a substantial grant for the educational portion of the project, provided the Starlight secured permanent premises and an independently governed nonprofit operator.
It was not enough to save the theater by itself.
But it gave Maggie something she had lacked.
A credible outside partner.
During the following ten days, she assembled the strongest version of her proposal yet.
Leonard's revised engineering plan reduced the projected restoration cost.
Three prospective commercial tenants signed conditional letters of intent.
A group of local arts patrons pledged private contributions toward the auditorium's restoration.
The film society agreed to participate in programming.
The dance school offered to rent rehearsal space.
Maggie also persuaded a community development lender to review a long-term financing package, contingent upon a viable ground lease and sufficient pledged funds.
The numbers remained tight.