Page 20 of Isabelle & Jason
Isabelle stiffened, then ripped herself away from him. Jason remained crouched before her for just a moment, then slowly, he rose. He turned just as a very pregnant Charlie Ashton darted past the crowd of people behind him. The two friends clung to each other, Charlie asking too many questions and Isabelle’s eyes remaining locked on him.
Charlie’s hands fluttered around Isabelle’s flushed face. “Talk to me. Are you okay?”
That was enough to pull Isabelle out from whatever prison she’d locked herself in. She finally met Charlie’s eyes. “Yeah, I’m fine,” she whispered. “I just got lightheaded.”
Jason would have snorted if it wouldn’t have brought attention to him. That was certainly not a moment of lightheadedness. Isabelle was struggling, and if her best friend couldn’t see the evidence of it, then either Isabelle excelled at hiding it or Charlie was blinder than Jason thought.
Charlie swung around the moment Isabelle’s focus collided with him. For a moment she seemed unable to place him. Then her expression brightened. “Oh, it’s you. Jason, right?” They hadn’t spoken for over a year. He couldn’t help but be impressed that she remembered who he was.
Nodding, Jason offered a smile. “Yeah.”
Charlie dragged her attention from him to Isabelle several times, and then she gave Isabelle an obviously pointed look. Isabelle blushed but turned her gaze to the book in her hand.
“We were just about to go to lunch, if you’re interested,” Charlie said.
Isabelle’s head snapped up and her pale complexion returned.
“No, that’s okay. I already ate,” Jason said quietly, if only to assure Isabelle she wouldn’t have to deal with him anymore today. He thumbed over his shoulder. “I better get going. I have a few more errands to run.”
Charlie looked like she wanted to say something more, but Isabelle’s hand on her forearm stopped her. Jason turned and strode toward the other side of the shop. If he had any chance at getting close to her, he’d have to figure out a way to get her to trust him first. Maybe Charlie could help.
Or maybe he was delusional.
8
Isabelle
“Spill,” Charlie said.
Isabelle dropped her purse into the booth and slid in beside it.
“Come on, Izzie, you can’t leave me hanging.”
She glanced up at Charlie and sighed. “There’s nothing tospill.”
“That’s a lie and you know it.” Charlie plopped down in the booth across from Isabelle and groaned. Her hand rubbed at her belly, and she rested her head against the back of her seat. “Why was Jason at the bookstore, and why did you look like you were going to throw up?”
Isabelle shut her eyes against the memories of what had just taken place. There was no logical explanation for the way she’d reacted. The guy who was at the bookstore was simply asking her out. Sure, she’d told him she wasn’t interested, but then he’d asked if she was dating anyone and she’d told him no.
That seemed to be the catalyst for him trying to win her over.
If she took a step outside of herself, she might have said that the old Isabelle would have liked his persistence. She wanted to be desirable.
Or rather, the old her had wanted that.
Now, she just wanted to be invisible, which had always been difficult because of her natural beauty. Isabelle knew she was attractive according to what society deemed as such. She never flaunted it or boasted about it. Even before she’d been attacked. She’d been blessed with a clear complexion, a beautiful skin tone, large eyes, lush hair—everything girls wanted.
But now, she considered her looks a curse.
Events like today were the reason she didn’t even like going to town anymore. It was easier when she had Charlie to scare the guys away. Nothing says unavailable like a big baby bump—even when that bump belonged to a friend.
Charlie waved a hand in her face. “Earth to Izzie. What’s going on? I went across the street to that boutique for like fifteen minutes and disaster struck.”
Isabelle sighed, pressing her fingers into her temples. “A guy tried to hit on me.”
“Jason?”
“No, not Jason.” His sudden appearance had actually been a relief, as weird as that was. Isabelle cleared her throat. “Some guy I didn’t know. He asked me out. I told him no thanks. He didn’t let up.”
