Page 17 of Isabelle & Jason
Jason blew out a breath and stared up at the night sky. “I’ve got an older brother and a younger sister. They both went into the medical field—wanted to help people. We grew up in the city. But when my uncle and aunt came down this way to retire, weall sort of followed them. My folks live on the other side of town, closer to them.”
She glanced at him again. “So, you left your city life to be a cowboy.” There must have been something in her voice that gave away her surprise.
He released a breathy chuckle. “I don’t think you can judge. You moved here.”
“I wasn’t judging,” she bit out, surprised by her own defensiveness.
Jason cut her a pointed look. “You think I wasn’t thinking clearly when I gave up my chef job to move here, don’t you?”
“I wouldn’t say you weren’t thinking clearly.” She scrunched up her nose. “I just think it’s… strange, I guess. Isn’t it sorta a downgrade?”
That had him laughing out loud—enough of a change that she startled. Jason shook his head. “Depends on what you call a downgrade. I get more flexibility with my job. I have more time to spend with my family since they’re close. And I get to go on middle-of-the-night walks with beautiful women.”
She stiffened, her steps slowing. But before she could say anything to disrupt the easy-going feeling they were sharing, he changed the subject.
“What do you want to do when you grow up?”
Isabelle balked at that. “I know you might not see this, but I assure you, I’m an adult.”
They were stopped now, standing yards away from the barn. And they were close. His eyes burned into her in that moment, but it was his hushed words that had her heart jumping back into the fray. “Oh, I’m very aware of that, Isabelle.”
She blinked several times, and her lips parted. There was no denying the meaning behind his husky words. Once again, he spoke before she could tell him she wasn’t in any way interested in what he might be offering.
“All I’m saying is that you seem to be under your family’s thumb.”
Isabelle scoffed. “How so? We all work together here. That’s how it’s been since we moved. We all have a part to play, and what I do is important. I help train the dogs and get them ready for their new homes. I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.”
Jason cocked his head slightly to one side as he studied her. “Maybe under their thumb isn’t the best description.” He scrubbed at his jaw. “Maybe it’s more like they’re shielding you from reaching your potential.”
Her gasp was unintentional. Jason had no idea what he was talking about. Her brothers, her sisters, they were all here to help her feel safe, even if they didn’t know it. They were the only ones she could count on. She wasn’t stuck. She loved it here.
Body vibrating with fury, she scowled at the man who thought he could speak to her with such condescension. She didn’t owe him anything. Not a single explanation. Not a single word. Not a single breath.
Isabelle spun on her heel and took off in a sprint, ignoring the way his voice sounded as he called after her. What a jerk!
The rest of the day she spent avoiding any chance of bumping into Jason. If she wasn’t working with the pups, she was in her room. She refused to linger outside when he might be coming or going.
It wasn’t until Camilla knocked on her door and poked her head inside that Isabelle realized how exhausting it was to make her day all aboutnotseeing someone.
Isabelle lifted her head to offer her sister a tired smile. “Hey.”
Camilla lifted a plastic sack. “This was left by the front door. It has your name on it.”
Her eyes dropped to the bag. “What is it?” she said warily.
Opening the bag, Camilla peered inside. “Looks like herbal tea. There’s a note. Want me to read it?”
Isabelle jumped up from the edge of the bed and strode toward her sister. “No, I’ll read it.” She took the bag. “Thanks.” She didn’t have to read the note to know who had brought the tea. By the looks of it, the tea was used for relaxation and sleep.
With shaking fingers, she pulled out the small, folded piece of paper.
Thought you could use this.My sister has a hard time sleeping sometimes, too, and this is what she uses.
-J
Isabelle turned the note over.There was nothing else. No expectations for seeing him, speaking to him, or going out. He’d gotten her a gift with no strings attached.
A strange sort of warmth unfurled in her chest, and she pulled the box of tea from the bag. She wouldn’t be able to use it, of course. The only times she slept without the nightmares was when she ran herself so hard that her body couldn’t keep up and she all but passed out.
