Page 28 of Puck and Prejudice

I rest my hands on my hips and look at the sky. Fuck. What have I done?

ChapterTwelve

IZZIE

When I finally arrive home after my graveyard shift at the vet clinic at the Miami location, I’m bleary-eyed but exhilarated at the same time. We had several emergencies throughout the night, which sucked for the pet owners, but it was a great learning experience for me.

I can’t wait to get to bed and sleep in tomorrow, but when I walk up to the front door, I spot Jane sitting on the porch, hugging her legs. Her face is pressed against her knees. My heart shrinks, and my tiredness is forgotten. Something isn’t right.

“Jane? What are you doing sitting in the dark?”

She looks up, and says through a choked throat, “It’s over, Izzie.”

“What’s over?” I sit next to her, and she throws her arms around my neck.

“My engagement to Chad. It’s over.” She sobs loudly, and her body shakes against mine.

I saw Jane cry this desperately only once, when our dog Don Quixote was hit by a car and died.

When her crying isn’t as intense, I ask, “What happened?”

She leans back and wipes her wet cheeks. “Chad found out about my secret.”

“What secret?”

Jane looks into the distance and goes very still. She looks like a marble statue now. “I did something bad, Izzie. I was hoping no one would ever find out. I’m so ashamed.”

“Whatever it is can’t bethatbad. You’re not capable of doing anything bad.”

She laughs without humor. “I’m not as perfect as you think I am.”

“You can tell me anything, Jane. I won’t judge.”

She looks at her lap. “I never told you this, but when you’re away at college, things got really bad here for a while here. We were about to lose the ranch, and Dad borrowed money from a loan shark.”

My stomach twists painfully, and I can’t breathe.

“It didn’t take long for them to start pressuring Dad to pay. They were scary, and I feared they’d hurt him or go after Mom and Lydia.” Jane pauses and licks her lips. “A friend from community college told me about a place where I could make some extra cash fast.”

I swallow the lump in my throat, guessing what type of place that would be. “A strip club?”

She whips her face to mine. “How did you know?”

“I could see where the story was going. That’s your big secret? You stripped for money?”

“Yes. I only did it a couple times, and I only worked the pole. I refused to do lap dances. But I felt sick to my stomach doing it. You know I hate being ogled by men. Then by a miracle, Mom found some old jewelry and sold them. So I didn’t have to strip anymore.”

Miracle my ass. She was probably hiding them.

“You’re not upset?” Jane asks.

I’m incredibly sad she had to resort to doing something she hated, but I can’t say anything. What’s done is done. “Why would I be upset? Being an exotic dancer isn’t the dream, but it’s honest work.”

She shakes her head. “I didn’t want anyone to find out, but Chad did, and he was so mad.”

My brows shoot up. “He broke up with you because you worked at a strip club years ago? What the hell! Do I need to kick his ass? Because I will.”

“No, he didn’t care about my short stint as a stripper. He was upset that I didn’t tell him about it. I also made him believe Dad was doing well financially, which couldn’t be further from the truth.”

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