Page 30 of Isabelle & Jason
“When are you going to stop torturing yourself?”
The question dragged Jason from his self-destructive haze. “What?”
Marcus gave him a pointed look. What did he know? Had Isabelle said something? She wouldn’t, would she? Marcus jerked his head in the direction of the horse where Daniel held the reins. “When are you going to let someone else give it a try?” Was there actual concern in his voice? No. The amusement in Marcus’s eyes said it all. They were all enjoying the show.
Jason huffed out a breath. “When that stubborn horse finally understands that someone is going to have to sit in that saddle at some point.” He motioned for his supervisor to lead the horse his way. Then he shoved his boot into a stirrup and swung his other leg over. Not even a couple seconds later, the horse wanted him off.
Jason enteredthe room he shared with Mark, finding his friend in bed with one arm around the back of his head. Mark was staring up at the ceiling and didn’t bother looking in his direction when he said, “I’m not sure Tracy wants to stay here. In Copper Creek.”
Jason paused, wiping the back of his neck with his towel. He’d just gotten out of the shower. After a day of cooking, trying to break in a horse, and the other various chores, he wasn’t ready for a heavy conversation.
And yet at this point, he had heavy topics of his own he wanted to discuss with his friend. Slowly, he lowered himself onto the edge of the bed. “Where would she want to go?”
“Her parents live in Denver. I think she wants to be close to them, for when we want to start a family.”
“Start a family?” Jason chuckled. “Have you even set a date yet?”
Slowly, Mark rolled his head around and stared at Jason.
A broad smile stretched across Jason’s face. “Congrats, man. When’s the big day?”
“Four months.”
Jason let out a low whistle. “That’s close. You think she’ll be able to get everything in order?”
Mark shrugged. “She doesn’t seem worried. We don’t want anything big. Small is good. Just close friends and family, you know?”
He nodded, then leaned forward to grab a T-shirt he’d left on the bed before pulling it over his head. In no time he was dressed and resting on his bed in a similar fashion to Mark. The ceiling never seemed so appealing as it did in that moment. How could he confide in Mark about everything that was going on with Isabelle without sharing too much? He needed advice. And he was tired of getting it from his brother.
“Just spit it out.” Mark sighed.
Jason smiled despite himself. “Hmm?”
“I know you want to talk about something.”
“How do you figure?”
Mark sighed again and turned his head to stare at him. “Do you even realize how sore you’re going to be in the morning? I’ve never seen anyone take a beating like the one you did today. Something’s up and you need to let it out.” After a pause, he said, “Does it have to do with Bella?”
“Don’t call her that,” he muttered.
“What? Why?”
“I don’t know. But she doesn’t like it.”
Mark frowned. “Okay, Isabelle, then. I take it that’s why you’re putting yourself through the ringer?”
Jason shifted, unable to get comfortable. “Yeah. It’s her.” He half-expected Mark to groan and tell him that his boss’s sister wasn’t worth it. That would be the smart thing. Come to think of it, Mark hadn’t brought up the concerns with dating their boss’s sister at all.
Maybe he should be more concerned with how Mateo would react.
Shaking his head, Jason attempted to focus again.
His issues weren’t about a relationship. He wasn’t trying to get her to date him. He was trying to help her heal. That was all this was. Jason would rationalize all he needed in order to keep nosy Nellies out of his business.
Isabelle needed help. She needed hope. She needed to heal.
Jason cleared his throat. “It’s not what you think, though. This isn’t romantic.”
