Page 63 of Isabelle & Jason
Jason blew out a breath as he forced that familiar numb feeling to wash over him. He’d been the one to break up with her. It didn’t matter if it was for her own good or not. If he hadn’t done it, things might have gotten worse.
Or they might have gotten better.
He gritted his teeth at that contrary thought. Then he forced himself to meet his friend’s concerned gaze. “What if I was wrong?”
Mark frowned. “Wrong about what?”
“About ending things. What if… You don’t know her like I do. She needs me.”
Mark blew out a breath and nodded thoughtfully. “It’s possible.”
Jason cut him a dark look and moved to get up, but Mark stopped him.
“Or maybe not.” He studied Jason for endless seconds. Then he cocked his head to the side. “You’re right. You know her better than I do. All I have is limited knowledge of what happened and what I’ve witnessed so far. I’m not a doctor. But there had to have been enough doubt in your heart for you to make this decision, right?”
Jason couldn’t deny that.
Doubt.
So much doubt about whether he was doing right by Isabelle or if he was enabling her.
Mark continued. “I’ve known you a long time, though.”
At that, Jason met Mark’s eyes again.
“And I can see that you’ve been struggling. Relationships are hard. Even the healthy ones. But when you feel like every single day you’re scrambling to get your footing, you have to ask yourself if that’s the kind of life you want to lead.”
“I love her, Mark,” Jason croaked.
“I know,” he admitted.
“So much.”
“I know,” Mark repeated. “And perhaps that’s the reason you made the decision you did.”
Jason could have pointed out that he only made said decision because everyone around him was saying the same thing. First his brother, then Mark. Even his sister Penny had suggested that he give Isabelle her card officially.
But whether their opinions were there to help Isabelle or if they were trying to protect Jason from himself, he couldn’t be sure.
“Give it some time. See what happens. We’ll keep an eye on her, okay? I’m sure her family has noticed what’s been going on. Something will have to give.”
“Why don’t your words instill any confidence?” Jason sighed.
Mark chuckled. “Because you like to be in control. It’s part of who you are. You chose a career as a chef, for heaven’s sake. You crave being a director of chaos. Then you left that lifestyle. That energy doesn’t just go away. You needed to channel it, and what better way than to help someone who needed it?”
“I hate when you start making sense,” Jason ground out.
“I love you, too,” Mark laughed. “Come on. It’s time to start getting lunch ready.”
“I knewyou were out of practice, but jeez, this is just embarrassing.”
Jason gave Daniel an irritated look. The man supervised the livestock side of things while Mateo and his siblings still headed the dog breeding side of things.
Mark had made an excellent point last week when he’d pointed out that Jason had excess energy he’d been needing to expel. That meant Jason needed to find another hobby or at least take on more responsibility.
Hence, the reason Jason was helping wrangle the calves for their current round of vaccines. He’d been tasked with roping the creatures and stabilizing them so Mark and some of the other men could do the rest.
Normally, Daniel wanted this task done fast and efficiently. But today he seemed to be feeling “generous.”
