Chapter 8
Isabelle
“Spill,” Charlie said.
Isabelle dropped her purse into the booth and slid in beside it.
“Come on, Izzie, you can’t leave me hanging.”
She glanced up at Charlie and sighed. “There’s nothing to spill.”
“That’s a lie and you know it.” Charlie plopped down in the booth across from Isabelle and groaned. Her hand rubbed at her belly, and she rested her head against the back of her seat. “Why was Jason at the bookstore, and why did you look like you were going to throw up?”
Isabelle shut her eyes against the memories of what had just taken place.
There was no logical explanation for the way she’d reacted.
The guy who was at the bookstore was simply asking her out.
Sure, she’d told him she wasn’t interested, but then he’d asked if she was dating anyone and she’d told him no.
That seemed to be the catalyst for him trying to win her over.
If she took a step outside of herself, she might have said that the old Isabelle would have liked his persistence. She wanted to be desirable.
Or rather, the old her had wanted that.
Now, she just wanted to be invisible, which had always been difficult because of her natural beauty.
Isabelle knew she was attractive according to what society deemed as such.
She never flaunted it or boasted about it.
Even before she’d been attacked. She’d been blessed with a clear complexion, a beautiful skin tone, large eyes, lush hair—everything girls wanted.
But now, she considered her looks a curse.
Events like today were the reason she didn’t even like going to town anymore. It was easier when she had Charlie to scare the guys away. Nothing says unavailable like a big baby bump—even when that bump belonged to a friend.
Charlie waved a hand in her face. “Earth to Izzie. What’s going on? I went across the street to that boutique for like fifteen minutes and disaster struck.”
Isabelle sighed, pressing her fingers into her temples. “A guy tried to hit on me.”
“Jason?”
“No, not Jason.” His sudden appearance had actually been a relief, as weird as that was. Isabelle cleared her throat. “Some guy I didn’t know. He asked me out. I told him no thanks. He didn’t let up.”
When Charlie didn’t immediately demand more details, Isabelle lifted her head and stared at her friend. Her lower lip protruded slightly. The crease between her brows indicated her concern. Were her eyes shining with tears?
Crap. Did she know something? Who would have told her? Isabelle hadn’t said anything to anyone. Her thoughts spiraled and her breathing grew slightly erratic.
Charlie’s hand covered her own, and her soft voice dragged Isabelle to the present. “I know you’re not interested in dating. I get it. Sort of.” Her frown deepened. “But I didn’t realize it had gotten this bad.”
Isabelle stiffened, her blood running cold. What was Charlie talking about?
“I’m your best friend, sis. I notice things. You get nervous around guys.”
Heat flushed Isabelle’s cheeks, and she looked away. It had finally come to this. She already knew what Charlie was going to ask before she did.
“Do you need to tell me anything? Want to tell me anything?”
Before Isabelle had a chance to decide what she was going to do, she shook her head vehemently.
“Are you sure? Because whatever it is, I won’t judge. It’s just that… you’re not really the same…”
“No,” Isabelle snapped, ready to bolt. But Charlie kept her hand placed firmly over hers.
“Okay. You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”
Every muscle in Isabelle’s body relaxed at that statement. She hated herself for this incessant need to keep this secret. But she didn’t want anyone to look at her differently. She didn’t want Charlie to pity her. Forcing a smile, she lifted her attention to her friend. “Thanks.”
Still, there were a million questions in Charlie’s blue eyes. She wasn’t going to just let Isabelle walk away without giving her something.
“Jason helped,” she blurted.
Charlie’s brows lifted. “Jason?”
Isabelle nodded, placing her hands on her flushed cheeks. “Yeah, he showed up and… made the guy leave.”
Her friend blinked several times, and a small smile started to spread across her face. “Is that so?”
“What, it doesn’t mean anything.”
Charlie squirmed, attempting to get more comfortable in her seat. “I don’t know, Izzie. Some guy noticing that you need help and coming to your rescue? Sounds like a match made in heaven.”
Isabelle groaned and rolled her eyes. “Definitely not. He works for my brother. He saw me struggling and he helped. Maybe he’ll get a raise or something.”
Charlie snorted as she reached for one of the glasses of water they’d been left with. “If you say so.” She watched Isabelle for a few moments, and then that knowing smirk touched her lips again. “If you’re not interested, then maybe you’d be willing to get set up on a blind double date with—”
“No.” Isabelle snapped.
“You didn’t even let me finish,” Charlie whined. “Ash said that a new guy just started at the station. There’s nothing hotter than a firefighter, right? And you wouldn’t be alone. I’d be there. And so would Ash.”
Isabelle shook her head vehemently. “I’m not interested in dating. Anyone,” she added with emphasis, refusing to let Charlie believe there was a chance with Jason, too.
“You need to get yourself out there, sis. Whatever it is that’s holding you back… you’re not helping yourself by locking yourself away like Rapunzel.”
Isabelle picked up her menu, if only to avoid Charlie’s searing gaze.
“Dating isn’t the most important thing in life.
I don’t need a boyfriend to complete me.
I get that you found love and you’re happy.
Well, I’m happy just being single. And you’re going to have to accept that.
Because my opinions aren’t going to change. ”
“What about starting a family?”
“I have the best family already.”
“Kids?” Charlie pressed.
Isabelle glanced down to where the top of Charlie’s belly was still visible from her vantage point. A twinge of sadness filled her chest. Once upon a time, they’d made plans to have children at the same time so their kids could be best friends, too. That was in the before.
She sighed and plastered on her well-practiced, reassured smile. “I’m going to be the fun aunt. There’s nothing better than that.
Charlie looked ready to argue, but their waitress arrived. Thank goodness. Now all Isabelle had to do was keep Charlie talking about the baby and all the fun stuff she’d already purchased.
Should be easy enough.
Isabelle shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Wringing her hands in front of her, she considered the option of running back to the house.
Deep down, she knew she shouldn’t do that.
Standing in front of the wranglers’ cabin door, she continued to fidget and talk herself into knocking.
Technically, she could probably just walk in.
The bedrooms were all down the hallway. The door would open up to a main living space with a kitchen and sitting area.
No one would blink an eye at anyone entering without knocking.
Okay, maybe they’d blink at her entering. It wasn’t like Isabelle ever came this close to the cabin—ever.
“Isabelle?”
She stiffened and turned her head in time to see Mark approaching.
Giving a sigh under her breath, she forced a smile and faced him. “Hi… Mark.”
His gaze darted from her to his living quarters. “You need something?”
Isabelle blushed hot. “I was actually looking for Jason.” She dropped her attention to her hands. “He helped me out with something today, and I wanted to thank him for it.”
Slowly, Mark nodded. “Right, okay. Well, he should be inside. Have you knocked?”
She didn’t want to admit that she hadn’t even gotten the courage to do that yet, and thankfully he didn’t wait for an answer. He simply moved past her and opened the door. If he noticed the way she jumped to the side to grant him access, he didn’t comment on it.
“Yo, Jason. You here?”
Isabelle flinched at his loud voice, but when he cut her a look, she smiled. He smiled back.
“Let me check his room.” Mark didn’t give her enough time to figure out what she was going to say because in mere moments, he had Jason in tow.
“Isabelle? Everything okay?” Jason hurried toward her the second he came into view.
She nodded, her eyes darting to Mark, where he hovered in the hallway. Jason glanced at him, then motioned for the door. “You want to take a walk?”
Relieved, she nodded again.
Once they were outside, she completely lost her nerve. Her skin burned from where she rubbed her fingers and hands against each other. Everything she’d wanted to tell him, she’d forgotten the second he came into view.
“Hey,” he whispered.
She jumped at his voice, then blushed with embarrassment. Why was this so hard?
“Are you okay?”
“You asked me that already.”
He chuckled, and for some strange reason, the sound put her at ease. “Yeah, well, you look like you’re about ready to pass out again. Just tell me if I need to find a soft space for you to land.”
Isabelle snorted. It wasn’t a laugh by any means, but it was enough to ease the tension that coiled in her body.
“Noted.” When she finally forced herself to meet his eyes, she found them dancing with slight amusement.
The unease in her chest morphed into something else—something not entirely unpleasant.
Her stomach swooped and she had to remind herself to keep breathing.
When he cocked his head expectantly, she nodded and cleared her throat.
“I came to tell you thanks… for what you did today.” She could feel the heat in her face intensify.
It would have been better if she’d thanked him at the bookstore.
“It was nothing, Isabelle.”
She shook her head. “No, don’t do that. Don’t downplay what you did to help me.” She looked away, clenching her hands to keep herself from making any wild gestures. “It was… everything.”
Jason slowed and she did too. Then they stopped altogether.
There was no way she could tell him why it had happened or that she’d dealt with that sort of thing before. He would think she was broken, and there was a small part of her that was surprised to realize she didn’t want that to happen.
She took comfort in his presence.
Yes, that was what this strange, warm sensation was.
Comfort. Safety.
Jason reached out his hand toward her face. Isabelle jerked back, her eyes flying wide. Then immediately, her cheeks flushed hot.
“I’m sorry,” she blurted. “That was—”
“Isabelle,” he cooed, “you don’t have anything to be sorry for. I shouldn’t have…”
Things just kept getting worse. Now that she’d done that, would he realize she wasn’t worth the hassle? Would he see her for what she really was? Broken?
“I won’t touch you if you don’t want me to.” His voice was so quiet she wasn’t sure she’d heard him right. Had he actually said that out loud?
Before she could comment, he continued down the path they’d been taking. He controlled most of the conversation, telling her about hanging out with his brother for lunch and picking up a few books at the store. Then grabbing some stuff for Nikki at the market.
She listened, grateful the attention had been taken from her. By the time they got back to the house and she was preparing to take the stairs, his question stopped her cold.
“I’d like to go running with you in the mornings… if that’s okay.” The hesitancy in his question tugged at her.
Slowly, she turned to face him, noting a familiar look of longing in his eyes. Dang those magic eyes of his. “Okay,” she rasped.
“Okay?”
Isabelle nodded. “I’d like that. Tomorrow?”
“Name the time and I’ll be there.”
For the first time in a long time, the smile she wore was genuine. “You sure you can keep up with my schedule? I tend to start early.”
“I think I can handle it,” he mused. “Bring it on.”