Page 19 of Isabelle & Jason
Jason scoffed, shaking his head. “What am I supposed to say? Hey, Isabelle, remember me? Oh wait, you can’t remember me from that night because you were drugged and attacked. Your brain erased me. But I swear, I’m the good guy even though I’ve been stalking you for nearly a week.”
Mathew’s expression was unreadable but only for a few moments. Then he threw back his head and laughed. “Yeah, that’s a start.”
Tossing a wadded-up napkin at his brother’s head, he fought the urge to smile. Of course telling a secret like that one wasn’t going to be easy. He had no clue how he could bring it up without scaring her off.
But maybe there would be an opening.
If she ever gave him the chance to speak to her again.
Jason sighed, climbing out of the booth. “Thanks for your advice, but I think I’m going to pass. I don’t know what it would do. And right now, I’m already struggling to get her to even talk to me. Maybe one day when she trusts me.”
Mathew stood too, but he shook his head as he leveled Jason with a hard stare. “I’m telling you, don’t keep this secret. And don’t attempt to get close to her without laying all your cards out for her to see. Trust can be shattered so easily these days. Make sure she has a foundation she can build on.”
“Yeah, okay,” Jason said as his brother tossed several bills on the table. “Same time next week?”
“Yep.”
They parted ways and Jason drove into the heart of Copper Creek. He had a few errands to run. Penny had been helpful in giving him ideas. He didn’t know if Isabelle had liked the tea, and even if she didn’t, he wasn’t going to let that stop him from trying.
The bookstore had to have some literature on ways to help with trauma and sleep difficulties. So that was his first stop.
Through the front windows, he saw her immediately. That gave Jason pause. With how hard she’d been avoiding him, would she even be interested in seeing him? Would she run out of the shop like her clothes were on fire?
He watched her through the glass as she sat curled up on a large chair with the sunlight shining through. She practically glowed like an angel. His hand remained on the door as he continued to weigh the consequences of going inside and saying hello.
Then his decision was made for him.
A man approached Isabelle.
His heart ratcheted as he watched the guy lean against the tall back of the chair. Isabelle immediately looked nervous. She chewed on her lower lip and inched away from him without climbing out of the chair. The guy wasn’t getting the hint. Did he think she was just flirting?
With a snap of his wrist, he slammed the door to his truck shut, then jogged inside. It took a little effort to get through a couple of groups of people lingering in various bookshelf aisles. By the time he reached Isabelle, she looked about ready to pass out.
Her skin was a pale shade of gray, which was saying something with her natural tawny skin tone. Her voice was a rasp as she said, “Thanks, but like I said, I’m not interested.”
At some point she’d risen from her seat, but the guy was blocking her from moving around him. He sported a cocky grin and laughed as he said something, but Jason didn’t register any of it before he grabbed hold of the man’s collar and yanked him backward.
The guy stumbled back a few paces but didn’t lose his balance. With the jerk to his back, Jason faced Isabelle. “You okay?”
Her eyes were wide, her breathing short and sharp. Her fingers shook even though they gripped the edge of the high-backed chair. He’d seen this before. When stress at the restaurant got to be too much, one of his employees had a panic attack.
There was no time to coax her into doing anything at this point. Jason gently grasped her upper arms and settled her into the chair. He placed the book she’d been holding on the ground and crouched down before her. “Isabelle, you have to listen to me.”
Her eyes were shut tight, and her breathing remained unchanged. She wasn’t getting enough oxygen.
“Isabelle,” he said, firmer this time. “Look at me.”
Her eyes flew open. “You need to focus on your breathing. Nothing else. Deep breaths.” He demonstrated, all the while grounding her with his touch. “In… out… Can you do that?”
Slowly, she nodded.
Minutes passed just like that. Deep inhales. Slow exhales. At some point, her small hands had wrapped around his wrists while he still held her face firmly in his.
Isabelle didn’t have to tell him what started the panic attack. He knew exactly what it was. And this moment only proved one thing to him. She had definitely not done anything to move on from her past trauma. She was still struggling, going it alone.
By the time her breathing was once again under control, she was staring at him with those piercing eyes of hers. Nothing else in the world mattered but the two of them. They were linked, tethered to each other in this moment.
“Izzie? Oh my gosh! What happened?”
