Page 99 of Finding Fate

Emma slid her phone into her back pocket when they finished reading it. “She sent it right after lunch, but I was so distracted by the time I saw you that I forgot to mention it. What is Izzy paying you back for?”

Annie’s face fell as the sting of understanding behind her sister’s texted words hit her.

“Annie?”

Jet frowned. “For something that was supposed to already be forgiven and didn’t deserve this in the first place.”

“Okay…” Emma responded, her tone unsure with their moods. “Sorry, I brought it up. Oh, look, there’s Ian. I wonder if he’ll be my escort,” she said before running off to greet him.

Jet placed a hand on Annie’s back as they made their way outside towards the giant oak in the courtyard. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. That was a low blow, especially for Izzy.”

“You know what?” she answered abruptly. “I’ll get over it. It’s not like I’ll actually make the official court or anything.”

Jet didn’t say anything. He just walked with her to meet their friends, one he wasn’t too particularly happy with.

When they rounded the corner of the building, Annie could see Izzy sitting with Tucker beneath the tree. Her stomach knotted, and she stopped.

“I’m gonna head home, babe. I promised Mom I’d clean the kitchen and bathrooms today before she got home since Grandma and Grandpa are coming in for Thanksgiving this weekend. I want to get a head start.”

Jet gave her an all too knowing look before he kissed her goodbye, and she headed to her truck.

“I told her not to, man,” Tucker said to Jet when the rather peeved Greek approached his friends.

Izzy shot Tucker a sarcastic ‘Thanks for defending me’ look.

“Well, I did.”

“It’s alright, dude. I’m sure you tried,” Jet assured his best friend.

Izzy looked down, recognizing that the reassurance was not meant for her. She was not forgiven, and coming from Jet, that said a lot.

“Alright, I’ve got to head out to work, love. I’ll come see you tomorrow before we head out of town.” Tucker said, leaning down to give Izzy a quick kiss. “You mind if I take one of those 3D pictures to show my Nana and Pop Pop?”

He’d be gone for most of the week; the trip to Dallas to see his grandparents was something his family did every year. “Next year will be weird, though. Destiny can’t be in two places at once,” Tucker thought, wondering how it would work.

Isabel nodded, hating that he would be gone so long. “Sure, I’ll get a couple of early ones together for them, too. Love you.”

“Love you, too,” Tucker said as he left for the parking lot.

Jet watched Izzy look down at the bench next to her, avoiding his gaze. He knew she knew he was upset. “Good. I want her to know how crappy it was for her to do that to her sister.”

“So, where’s Annie?” Izzy asked after a few minutes of awkward silence. It was very unnerving to have Jet mad at her. She didn’t like it.

“She went home to start cleaning the house.”

Izzy looked up at him, confused. “She left me?”

He nodded. “But that’s fine. I’ll give you a ride.” “And a talk,” he added in his head.

She nodded back, knowing full well what he meant.

* * *

They rode around in silence for a long time. Even the radio was turned off, Jet being well aware Izzy couldn’t help but reflect on things when left in silence, especially when she knew someone was mad at her, and he wanted to let her imagination run a little wild at what he might be thinking before he said what was on his mind.

It was a good half hour before she started excessively playing with her hair, her cheeks beginning to flush pink with worry and frustration. At those signs, he was sure he’d waited long enough.

“That was some seriously screwed up payback.”

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