Page 45 of Puck and Prejudice

“Don’t ‘come on’ me. It was a logical train of thought after you said he was inexperienced.”

“I suppose. But anyway, I said before that I won’t interfere, and I’ll be nice to your sister. You can trust me to keep my word.”

“Okay. I’ll give you a chance to prove you’re not an ass.”

“Good.”

“You’ll end up loving Jane. Everyone does.”

There’s no hint of jealousy in Izzie’s tone. She’s just stating a fact. “Is that so? Tell me more about her.”

“I thought your PI gotallthe intel on her,” she replies sarcastically.

“He wasn’t focused on positive aspects,” I reply. “I suppose confessing that doesn’t help my case, does it?”

“No comment.”

I look at her and find her smirking. I begin to relax. “Go on. I’m waiting.”

“Fine. Your PI missed that Jane gave up studying dance in one of the most prestigious schools in New York so I could pursue my dream of becoming a vet. She went to community college instead, while I attended my dream school out of state.”

“That was pretty selfless.”

“It was, and I wouldn’t have allowed her to give up her dream if I had known. She never told me anything, and I only found out years later from one of her former dance teachers.”

Damn, I did make assumptions about her character. “Thanks for sharing that story with me.”

“I know people will judge her anyway, but I really hope that you, being Chad’s best friend, won’t continue to be one of them.”

I don’t know what else to say to convince Izzie I won’t, so I just nod.

We fall silent, and I reckon it’s best if we don’t talk much. I turn on the radio and ask, “Any preference?”

“No. Whatever you feel like listening to is fine by me.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, unless you plan to listen to hard-core metal. I don’t think I can handle banshee screaming before lunch.”

I smile. “Do you think I listen to heavy metal?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know. You don’t seem like you do, maybe you’re secretly a head banger.”

I chuckle. “Who knows, maybe I am. But you haven’t earned the right to know that yet.”

From the corner of my eye, I see her jaw drop, and I smile wider.

ChapterNineteen

IZZIE

Ican hardly believe the events of the past twenty-four hours. Jackson went from my number-one enemy to my ally. He kept saying he doesn’t lie, and that I could trust him, but a part of me is still expecting to be disappointed by him.

By the time I finally arrive home, I’m in a daze. I’m tired as hell, and I’m in dire need of a nap. But I can’t rest until I speak to Jane.

Last night, I texted her to let her know I wasn’t coming home because I had a vet emergency out of town. But I didn’t tell her the emergency was at Jackson’s ranch.

He dropped me off at the clinic where I’d left my car, so when I arrive home, she’s still clueless. If I tell my family where I spent the night, there’ll be an uproar caused mainly by Mom, who’s devastated that Jane and Chad broke up. She took it even harder than my sister did. Jane didn’t tell her that Jackson was the one responsible for the breakup. That would have forced her to reveal what the PI discovered.

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