Page 46 of Puck and Prejudice

I park the car but don’t get out. It’s already past ten in the morning, and my entire family is no doubt already up. I grab my phone and send a message to Jane.

Hey. I’m outside. Could you please bring a pair of sweats and a shirt?

JANE: Okay.

Anyone else would ask why I need clothes, but not Jane. If I ever need help burying a body, she’s the one I’m calling.

Three minutes later, she walks out of the house and closes the door carefully. Then she slides into the passenger seat and hands over the clothes. “Here.”

“Thanks.” I set them on my lap and begin unbuttoning the PJ top.

“What’s with the sleepwear?”

“I got caught in the rain, and it was either drive back in wet clothes or wear the PJs.”

“Okay, but where did you get those? They aren’t your style.”

I put the T-shirt on first before replying. “You know I had to spend the night at the client’s ranch, right?”

“Yeah.” Her eyes widen. “Oh, they lent you those. That’s nice, but why didn’t you borrow regular clothes to drive home?”

Here goes nothing. “Okay. Don’t freak out. The client I had to help last night was Jackson Darcy.”

Jane stares at me without uttering a word for a couple beats. Then she shakes her head and blurts out, “What?”

“He came to the clinic last night, wanting to talk about helping you and Chad get back together when he got the call about his pregnant mare having trouble. He asked if I could go to his ranch and help with the foaling. I couldn’t say no.”

“Wait. He wanted to fix the mess he caused? Why?”

“Because he realized he made a mistake. Chad is miserable, Jane. He misses you.”

She looks away. “I miss him too, but if that’s true, why didn’t he call me?”

“Maybe he thinks you’re still angry with him. I don’t know. I didn’t ask Jackson, but I doubt he has the answer either. I don’t think Chad is speaking to him.”

“Oh, that’s terrible. And right in the middle of the finals.” She glances at her hands. “Do you think that’s why Chad hasn’t played so well in the last games?”

“It’s possible.”

Jane looks at me with wide eyes. “Oh, I get it now. Jackson wants to help because the team is losing.”

“I accused him of the same thing, and he swore that wasn’t the case. I think we should give him the benefit of the doubt.”

She narrows her eyes. “Why are you defending him? What happened at the ranch between you two?”

I look away, but I’m sure my face is betraying me. “Nothing.”

“Izzie… come on. It’s me. You can tell me. Did you and Jackson hook up?”

My eyes round. “No! God, why would you think that?”

“Because you’re not meeting my eyes and you’re blushing.”

I throw my hands in the air. “I didn’t sleep with him but… I think there was some flirting on his side.”

“You think, or you know?”

“I’m not sure. He’s not an easy man to read.”

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