Chapter 17
Jason
Jason leaned back in the booth at Sal’s.
“Nice place.” Mathew glanced around. “I can’t believe I haven’t been here yet.”
Smirking at his brother, Jason shook his head. “Maybe it’s too highbrow for the newest town doctor?”
Mathew rolled his eyes. “Or maybe I’m just too busy to carve out time to sit in a diner alone.”
Jason leaned forward and rested his forearms on the table. “You’re not dating anyone? It’s been a year since the divorce. Maybe it’s time to move on.”
“What don’t you get about the whole having no time situation? Two of the doctors at the clinic retired within the last four months. I’ve been helping pick up the slack. It’s not easy.”
It wasn’t hard to hear the words that Mathew didn’t say.
But it’s worth it, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Maybe you should try to carve out some time for a social life, brother. You can’t live your life at work.”
Mathew scoffed. “Says the guy who used to live at the restaurant he ran not even a few years ago.” His smile was genuine, and the two of them fell easily into the banter they always had. “Speaking of love lives. You seeing anyone?”
Jason shifted once more and avoided meeting his brother’s gaze. He hadn’t told Mathew just how close he’d gotten with Isabelle. He didn’t think his brother would be against the relationship, but he had been insistent that Jason needed to tread carefully.
“What’s that look for?” Mathew asked.
Blowing out a breath, Jason reached for the silverware before him.
He unwrapped the paper binding and pulled out the cutlery.
The diner had that hometown feel about it.
On the walls were black and white pictures of everything from people to farm equipment.
The tables, chairs, and booths were all constructed of wood.
The floor was rustic. This place emulated what Copper Creek was at a glance.
But there was nothing he could use to shift the focus his brother had on him.
Jason worked his jaw as he finally looked up and stared at his brother. He was happy. Mathew might be thrilled that Jason had found someone who made his life feel complete. “I’m seeing Isabelle.”
Mathew’s brows pinched. “Isabelle… the Isabelle?”
“Yes, the Isabelle. Things have gotten…” He chewed the inside of his cheek and looked off to where a waitress was bringing out another patron’s order. “Serious.”
“She’s doing well, then?”
“I think so.”
Mathew leaned forward this time. “So she’s seeing a therapist, finally?”
Jason cut his brother a sharp look. “You of all people should understand that it’s none of your business what she’s doing.”
His brother stared at him, his gaze unwavering. “That’s not good, Jason, and you know it.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You know what I’m talking about,” Mathew hissed.
“Based on what you said before, we both understood that Isabelle is still grieving. Even after all this time, she hasn’t managed to get through whatever it is that’s holding her back.
She might be acting better around you, but what about other aspects of her life?
You can’t convince me that she’s suddenly made a recovery without the help—”
“And why not? Why couldn’t she get through the demons that are plaguing her on her own? Sometimes with people, it just clicks.”
When Mathew didn’t give him an answer, Jason huffed.
“See? You know I’m right.”
Slowly, Mathew shook his head. “That’s rare, and usually those people end up burying away the most dangerous things. Healing doesn’t happen with the snap of a finger. We all react to different traumas in individual ways. Based on what you said about her, I don’t think—”
Jason tossed down his napkin. “I shouldn’t have said anything at all.”
“Yeah, maybe not.”
They stared at each other, hardened by the turn of the conversation.
Then Mathew shook his head and blew out a hard exhale.
Jason looked away. “Look, I promised I’d take Isabelle and her friend to the city this afternoon.
Something about her friend’s truck being out of commission and Isabelle didn’t want to drive.
You think we can get this food to go?” They had enough time to eat, but suddenly Jason’s appetite wasn’t what it was.
He wanted to get out of there and back to Isabelle.
Mathew was wrong. Isabelle knew her head better than anyone. If she didn’t think she needed the extra help, then he wasn’t going to push her.
“Yeah, okay,” Mathew muttered. “Fine.”
Jason glanced at Isabelle as she sighed and let her head fall against the headrest. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
She held up her phone. “Charlie said that Ash’s meeting is going long. She didn’t want to make us wait in the truck. You want to go in?”
He studied her intently. Was she wanting him to stick it out in the truck with her?
Why wouldn’t she want to go inside and wait with Charlie?
Something niggled in the back of his mind.
Something Mathew had said about healing in every aspect of Isabelle’s life.
Was she still closing herself off from others?
Refusing to second-guess the gut feeling that told him he should encourage Isabelle to get out of her comfort zone more often, Jason turned the key in the ignition and pulled it out. “Sure. We can wait inside. The air conditioning would be nice.”
It was slight, but Isabelle’s expression fell. She nodded almost glumly and pushed her door open. They wandered up to the front entrance of the fire station, and Jason opened the door for her. She gave him a small smile, and a whoosh of cool air enveloped them.
“She said it was down the left hallway.” Isabelle lifted her focus from her phone and pointed. Together they headed in that direction.
“Izzie!” Charlie bounded toward them from where she sat.
“Sorry to make you wait. I brought Ash some lunch, but right as my brother dropped me off to eat it with him, he got pulled into a meeting.” She lifted a paper sack.
“I guess he’ll have to scarf this down without me.
” Her eyes flicked to Jason. “Hey, you.”
His grin widened when he noticed the pointed stare that Charlie tossed in Isabelle’s direction. When the best friend couldn’t hide her glee, that was always a good sign.
“How much longer do you think the meeting will go?” Jason asked.
She shrugged. “Heck if I know. He’s got a couple newbies in there with him. I don’t know if this is a training meeting or—”
At that very moment the door opened. A couple men shuffled out, but it was the second to the last that had Jason doing a double-take.
Isabelle paled and the hand he held went clammy and shaky all at once.
“Izzie?” Charlie moved in closer. “Honey, you’re shaking. Are you okay?”
“Bella?” Dillan’s surprised voice made Isabelle flinch. “What are you doing here?” His eyes darted from Isabelle to where she held Jason’s hand, then flickered up to Jason. “Do you live in Copper Creek?”
Isabelle was breathing heavy, sharp, and shallow breaths. Jason didn’t waste any time in pulling her away from Dillan and Charlie, though the latter followed without prompting.
“Izzie, what’s going on? Are you okay?”
Isabelle’s pleading look was all Jason needed to understand what she was dealing with. She hadn’t told anyone in her life what had nearly happened. She had wanted to forget it, and the man responsible for all the nightmares was standing just a few yards away, speaking to Ash.
Charlie didn’t seem to notice that the reaction had coincided with Dillan’s presence. She placed fluttering hands around Isabelle’s face. “You need to breathe.”
Gasping, Isabelle nodded and turned her face into Jason’s chest. He wrapped his arms around her, and when Charlie sent her a worried look, he said, “Go get her some water. She’s a little dehydrated.
She hasn’t been feeling well lately.” It was a terrible excuse, but Jason had to pray that it would work.
The last thing he wanted was for Charlie to find out what was really happening.
Isabelle didn’t need another person with good intentions breathing down her neck when all she wanted was to feel normal again.
The second they were alone, he ducked down to meet Isabelle’s gaze.
“You’re going to be okay. I have you. I’m not going anywhere.
Now, focus. Breathe.” He demonstrated for her, his hands framing her face.
Nodding with each breath, he finally got her to settle.
When he looked up, he didn’t see Dillan anywhere.
Charlie had been snagged by Ash, and they were looking in Isabelle’s direction.
“Isabelle, Charlie’s on her way back with Ash. Do you want them to—”
She shook her head vehemently.
“We can say you’re sick.”
At that, she nodded.
“Okay.” He forced a tight smile when Charlie and Ash reached them. “I think we’re going to have to take a raincheck. She’s a little lightheaded.”
Charlie frowned. She wasn’t buying it. Who knew how much experience Ash had with this sort of thing, but Jason had a feeling he didn’t believe what was being said, either. Regardless, they didn’t argue.
After Isabelle’s breathing was under control and they’d dropped Charlie off at her home, Jason turned to Isabelle. He didn’t know how to broach the subject without sounding insensitive. It was probably best to jump in. “Maybe you should reconsider seeing someone—”
“No.” Isabelle’s response was firm, unyielding. “I don’t need to see anyone. I just don’t want to see him ever again.”
“Isabelle—”
“Drop it, okay? He’s working at the fire station now.
” She barked out a disbelieving laugh. “I can’t believe it.
What did I ever do in another life to…” Her voice trailed off and she shook her head.
Then she turned to him and took his hand in her own.
They were still in his truck, parked out front of her home.
“Thank you for helping me through that today. It was… a surprise.”
If that wasn’t the understatement of the century, Jason didn’t know what was.
He almost asked if she would be okay with him having a chat with Ash, but he thought better of it.
The state of Isabelle’s mind was rocky at best. When things settled down, he’d bring it up.
And hopefully by then she’d be willing to seek therapy on her own.
He certainly refused to overstep again and make matters worse than they already were.