Page 66 of Isabelle & Jason
“Are you?”
A shrug was all she could manage. The truth was, she’d been tempted to call Charlie and tell her everything. She’d wondered if she’d get a similar feeling of relief when she confessed to Charlie as she had with Jason. Getting that information off her chest had been cathartic. But Charlie was different.
And her husband worked with the criminal in this situation.
“Izzie,” Charlie whispered, the light touch of her fingertips on Isabelle’s arm indicating she’d made it to her side. Isabelle didn’t move. She could feel her defenses crumbling. They’d been weakened by Jason both when he’d supported her and when he’d pushed her away.
Isabelle needed someone.
She needed her best friend in the only way that could help.
Not even her tears were enough of a warning for the sobs that burst from her chest. She turned into Charlie, wrapping her arms around her best friend. “I messed everything up,” she cried. “I lost everything.”
Charlie rubbed her back. No words. But then, of course, she didn’t speak. Charlie knew how to be the best friend Isabelle needed.
Clinging to her friend, Isabelle allowed the sobs to wrack her body. The last bit of energy she had slipped from her fingers. Allthe heartache and pain she’d experienced over the last five years was expelled over the next several minutes.
All Charlie did was hold her. Eventually they found themselves seated on the floor, and all of Isabelle’s tears had dried up. Her breathing had settled. Unfortunately, her eyes were puffy and her head pounded. Charlie still didn’t speak. They sat in silence as the light in the room started to fade.
Isabelle didn’t meet Charlie’s eyes when she finally found her courage to speak. “Five years ago.”
Charlie’s brows furrowed, but she still didn’t speak.
“Someone put a roofie in a drink and tried…” Her voice cracked. Isabelle closed her eyes and, surprisingly, another tear slipped past her defenses. She brushed at it roughly.
Charlie’s hand landed on her knee and squeezed.
“He didn’t get very far. Someone intervened.” Isabelle shut her eyes tight, embarrassment burning her cheeks, and she let out a startled laugh. “I don’t even know why this matters so much.”
“Izzie,” Charlie said softly. “It matters because it does. No one deserves to have their trust broken. No one deserves to feel violated that way. Just because it didn’t go as far as it could have, doesn’t mean you aren’t allowed to hurt.” She reached up and wiped a tear from Isabelle’s cheek. “You’re allowed to hurt.”
Isabelle lifted her eyes. There was no denying the truth in Charlie’s voice and her eyes. She believed what she said.
“Have you been dealing with this alone all these years?” Charlie whispered. “You haven’t confided in anyone? Your family? A therapist?”
Isabelle grimaced. Yet again, someone was asking her if she had found a doctor to help her through this.
“No one.” This time it wasn’t a question.
Shaking her head, Isabelle met Charlie’s eyes once more. “Jason knows.”
Charlie’s brows darted upward. “You told him?”
“He’s sort of the person who intervened,” Isabelle hedged.
Her friend’s mouth dropped open. “What?” she whispered.
“That’s where I met him the first time. He was there. He’d tried to ask me out, apparently, but I declined because I was there with—” Isabelle cut herself off and looked away.
“With who? Do you know him?” Charlie demanded. There was an edge to her voice. “Please tell me you pressed charges.”
Once again, Isabelle shook her head. “I didn’t want to have to deal with it. I woke up the next day at the hospital, and the doctor confirmed everything with a tox screen. Jason wasn’t there. I didn’t even remember Jason. He filled in the missing pieces of my memory recently.”
Another stray tear slipped free, and Isabelle forced out a sad laugh. “It’s ironic, right? If I had accepted his request, maybe this wouldn’t have?—”
“Don’t do that,” Charlie said firmly. “Don’t turn this into something it’s not. You were there on a date. You’re not the kind of person who would just ditch a guy when someone else shows interest.” Charlie was right, and she knew it. They both did.
Isabelle nodded numbly. “Regardless, that was the beginning of how everything got worse.”
