Page 1 of Isabelle & Jason
1
Five Years Ago
Jason Klein
Live country music filled the rafters of the barn-turned-country-dance hall. Boots and Hay was one of those places for the locals to let loose, and tonight was no exception. Jason took a bite of his buffalo wings and surveyed the crowd.
This was going to be one of his last nights out for a while. The restaurant was doing well—too well. The stress over the last couple of years was getting to him. He still loved being in the kitchen, but there was a part of him that wanted… more? He couldn’t put his finger on it.
It wasn’t the job, not really. And he’d been carving out time in his schedule to go on dates. His best friend, Mark, had successfully dragged him out to dance tonight, hadn’t he? So, what was his problem?
A nudge in his side had him cutting a glance in his friend’s direction. “What do you think? A decent place to meet chicks, right?”
Jason rolled his eyes. “And what does Tracy have to say about it?”
Mark scrunched up his nose. “Tracy? The girl I’ve only been on one date with?”
Jason cocked a brow at his friend. Those two were destined for each other. Mark just couldn’t see it yet.
“She’s moving to some small town in a few months. Don’t think the two of us are going to do the long-distance thing.”
“Where to?” Jason said, his attention shifting to the people dancing to the live band.
“Some creek town. I don’t know, man.” Mark leaned with his back against the bar, resting his elbows. His dark hair was longer these days, and it fell into his eyes until he puffed at it or swiped it with his hand.
Jason couldn’t stand his hair getting in his way. Came with being a chef. For now, his longer locks were pulled back into a tight knot. He scrubbed a hand over his clean-shaven jaw. “How’s the new job?”
Mark groaned and let his head fall back. “Do you think Penny would hate me if I quit?”
Jason snorted. “My sister? Nah. She’d just blacklist you from ever getting another job in Colorado Springs. But what do you expect when she pulled so many strings to get you that job? She’s got way too many connections here.”
Another groan. “I thought I’d like working at the shelter, but I don’t know. It’s so… sad.”
This time Jason bit back a smile. “Yeah. Doesn’t feel good seeing all those animals without a home, does it?” He ordered another appetizer from the waitress. Just as he was about to takeanother bite of his food, his focus landed on the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
He nearly dropped the food he was eating, and whatever Mark was saying sounded more like an annoying buzz in the background.
She looked like Latina royalty. Her bronzed skin shone even in the dim lighting on the dance floor. Her long, dark locks had a gentle wave to them, and they brushed the small of her back as she danced.
A princess. That was the only way to describe her.
Her hips swayed to the music, and she lifted her hands in the air. The smile that shone on her face could have brought the strongest men to their knees.
Jason pushed Mark to the side. His friend stumbled and cut a disgruntled look Jason’s way.
“What’s your problem, man?—”
“Be right back,” Jason interrupted. His eyes remained glued to the ethereal beauty before him. She was clad in a pair of jean shorts and some cowboy boots. The white blouse she wore came just above her stomach, showing off a sliver of smooth skin. The sleeves were puffed and draped around her shoulders. Everything about her called to him like a dancing flame calls to a moth.
She turned when he was just a few feet away, and her eyes speared right through him. They were the strangest shade of deep violet. Or maybe that was the lighting. Dark blue? Whatever they were, he would have happily drowned in their depths.
Her hands dropped to her sides, and she cocked her head like a curious animal might. No fear flickered in her expression. She was wild, untamed, and he wanted nothing more than to scoop her up and claim her as his.
Before tonight, if someone had asked him if he believed in love at first sight, he would have laughed in their face. Love at first sight? That was for fairytales.
Seeing this beauty made him realize one thing.
Fairytales existed.
