Page 36 of Puck and Prejudice

Before I can reply, Dione butts in. “Oh dear. You probably want to shower. I’ll get you fresh clothes.”

“That would be wonderful. Thank you.”

“We can walk back,” I tell Izzie.

“We’ll drive to the house and get everything ready for you,” Dione adds.

I give her my car key. “Sounds good. Thank you, Dione.”

Izzie and I start the walk to the house, and I try to think of something to say, but she beats me to the punch. “Thank you for asking me to come.”

“I’m the one in your debt. I don’t know what would have happened to Fleur if you weren’t here to help.”

“You gave me the opportunity to bring a new life into the world. I’ll never forget it.”

I take a peek at her. My eyes have adjusted to the darkness, and I can make out the hint of a smile. She seems content, and that makes me strangely happy. “You’re welcome.”

We fall silent again, but my pulse is pounding in my ears. What is this strange reaction to a woman who, not long ago, I could barely tolerate?

“You didn’t mention you had a horse ranch when you came to visit ours,” she says after a moment.

I was wondering when she’d mention that. “No. I got distracted.”

“Distracted by what?”

“You.” The confession rolls off my tongue, surprising me.

“Me?” Her voice rises in pitch.

“Yes.” I glance at her. “I didn’t expect to have anything in common with you.”

She holds my stare for a couple of beats, then looks ahead. “To be honest, I didn’t expect to have anything in common with you either.” After a moment, she continues. “About Jane and Chad… do you swear that your motives have nothing to do with hockey?”

“I do. You can trust me on this, Izzie. I have many faults, but lying isn’t one of them.”

“And if I help you, do you promise to stay out of their relationship?”

Hell. That will be a hard one for me, but I promised Chad I’d be supportive.

“Yes.” We’re outside the main house now, so I stop and turn to her. “Anything else you want me to agree to?”

She narrows her eyes. “Yes. I’d like you to be nicer to Jane.”

I flinch. “I was never rude to her.”

“But you were never warm either.”

I think about all my interactions with her sister, and maybe she has a point. “I guess that’s fair. I can be nicer to Jane, but only her, not you?”

She smirks. “I don’t need you to like me, Jackson.”

But what if I want to like you?

The thought pops into my head unbidden, leaving me wondering where the hell it came from.

The front door opens and Dione appears. “What are you doing standing there? Come in already.”

I’m strangely tense and my heart is pounding, but I try to hide it as I point at the house. “Ladies first.”

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