Not sure what to say, she rubbed her face. “That’s really kind of you,” she said.
Why wasn’t loving someone easy? The feelings came naturally, of course, but everything else seemed so stressful. Every decision she made had consequences, and she wasn’t sure if she was making the right ones at all.
She glanced at the coffee, and out of instinct, she picked one up. She raised her gaze to see Jackson standing a few inches away. The depth of his gaze as he stared down at her sent shivers across her skin.
“Thanks,” she whispered as she clung to the coffee like it was a lifeline.
“Yeah,” Jackson replied as he returned to the drink carrier and got a cup for himself.
They sipped their coffee in silence. Right before Isabel thought she would drown in the words they weren’t saying, Jackson parted his lips.
“Where’s Bobby?” he asked as he glanced around the room.
Isabel’s gaze drifted to the living room. She could still hear his snores. “He’s sleeping. Jet lag has been terrible for him.”
Jackson’s gaze followed hers, and he nodded. “I got you a croissant,” he said as he opened the bag.
Isabel’s stomach rumbled in response. “That sounds amazing,” she said, taking the one that he handed over to her.
The crunchy, delicate texture and buttery flavor filled her mouth as she bit into it. It tasted amazing. She closed her eyes for a moment and took in a deep breath. There was definitely something to say about food melting stress away.
When she opened her eyes again, her gaze automatically found Jackson. He was leaning against the counter with his arms folded. His expression was intense as he studied her.
Heat pricked her skin as she dropped her gaze to the floor. Fear and worry creeped up inside of her. Why was he looking at her like that? What did it mean?
Too scared of what he could do to her heart, Isabel busied herself with finishing breakfast. She could tell he wanted to talk, but she wasn’t sure if she could handle the conversation. If she opened the door to her feelings for Jackson, would he stick around? Or would he run like he did eight years ago?
She’d finally pieced her life together enough to feel as if she could move on, but Jackson coming in and shaking up her world could only put her right back where she’d been when he left.
Once her croissant was gone, she brushed her hands against each other and took a sip of her coffee. She turned to Jackson and gave him a smile. “Thanks so much,” she said.
Jackson nodded as he slipped the remaining portion of his croissant into his mouth. Then he took a few sips of coffee and turned to set the cup down on the counter. His back was to her, so she took that time to take a few deep breaths and center her mind.
Whatever was going to happen, good or bad, she needed to be ready for it.
“Isabel,” Jackson whispered.
The intensity with which he said her name caused shivers to rush across her skin. Her whole body heated at the depth in his voice. Her pulse quickened as she returned his gaze.
“Yes?” she asked.
He stared down at her and slowly moved closer. She could feel his body in front of her as he leaned in. It was amazing that, even though they weren’t touching, she could feel him. Could breathe him in.
“I…” His voice trailed off as he held her gaze. He studied her, the intensity in his eyes taking her breath away.
“Coffee?” Bobby’s clouded voice shattered the tension that filled the air.
Isabel jumped back and whipped her gaze over to Bobby. His eyes were hazy as he shuffled into the kitchen.
“Right here,” Jackson said as he handed over the remaining coffee cup.
Bobby took it and tipped it to his lips. A few seconds later, he shuffled over to the table, where he pulled out a chair and collapsed onto it.
Bobby seemed too distracted with rubbing his shoulder and neck to realize what had almost happened between Isabel and Jackson.
And as she thought back to her interaction, she wasn’t sure what had happened between them. It felt as if he were going to tell her something important.
What did he want to say?
Her heart stuttered as she glanced around the room. Jackson was busying himself on his phone, and Bobby had both elbows resting on the tabletop, propping up his drooping head.
“I should go,” Jackson said after he slipped his phone into his pocket.
Isabel glanced up at him. Sadness crept into her soul as she instinctively stepped forward. “Are you sure?”
Jackson held her gaze for a moment and then nodded. “Yeah. I’ll see myself out.” He turned and made his way over to the back door. After the soft sound of the door closing, Isabel let out her breath.
“Why was he here?” Bobby mumbled.
Isabel made her way over to the sink to distract herself with the few dishes that were inside. Part of her wanted to run after Jackson. The other part of her worried what would happen if she did.
Would he take her back? Did he care about her that way? Was she willing to risk everything to find out?
Fear and pain coated her mind as she stared out the kitchen window to her backyard. She knew Bobby was talking to her, but she just couldn’t pay attention to him. All she could think about was Jackson and how he was leaving. Again.
“I can’t do this,” she whispered, closing her eyes as she allowed her words to wash over her. She could be strong. She needed to do the right thing despite how scared she felt.
Nancy had been right. Her father would never want her to be unhappy, and being with Bobby would do just that.
“What?” Bobby’s voice drew nearer.
She glanced over her shoulder to see that he was a few feet away from her. She sucked in her breath as she took in his confused expression.
Tears pricked her eyes, but she didn’t allow them to fall. She was done with crying. She was done with feeling out of control. Her life was in her hands, and it was her job to make the most of it.
“I can’t marry you, Bobby.” She reached over to her left hand and pulled the ring off.
Bobby’s gaze followed her movement, and his eyebrows rose higher as she reached over and placed the ring in his open hand.
“We want different things. I thought I could justify making exceptions because it would make me happy.” She pinched her lips. “But I’m not happy, and I don’t think you are either.”
Bobby’s gaze had dipped down to the ring that was nestled in his palm. He fiddled with it for a moment and then glanced back up at her. “Is that what you really want?”
Isabel pinched her lips together and nodded. “It’s what I need to do. I want to stay in Honey Grove. You want to see the world. I just don’t see how we can make that work.”
Bobby stared at her for a moment before he nodded. “Yeah. It was a fool’s errand to think we could pull that off.” He sighed as he glanced around. “Well, I guess this is it then,” he said, slipping the ring into his front pocket.
“I guess it is.” Isabel hugged her chest. It felt as if her whole soul was breaking. Even though ending things with Bobby was a risk, she knew it was the right thing to do. Besides, her dad would understand. She knew he only wanted her happiness. And for the first time, she was going to think about herself and what she wanted first.
Bobby reached out and wrapped his arms around her. He held her for a moment before he pulled away. “You’re a great girl, Isabel,” he said as he pressed his lips to the top of her head.
Isabel smiled as she pulled back. “You’re a great guy, and you’ll find a girl who wants to go on all your adventures with you.”
Bobby chuckled as he dropped his arms and shoved his hands into his front pockets. “Yeah. She’s out there, right?”
Isabel nodded. “Of course.”
Bobby glanced over at her and smiled. “And the same goes for you.”
Isabel’s just smiled softly at his words. Truth was, she’d already found the person she wanted to spend her life with. He was the g
uy who’d wiggled his way into her heart a long time ago and had never really left.
Her only fear was that he didn’t feel the same. But that was a risk she was willing to take.
From now on, she was determined to be happy. She’d spent too much of her life living for other people.
Not anymore.
Chapter Eighteen
Jackson pulled into his parents’ driveway, frustration brewing in his stomach. He killed the engine and pulled the keys from the ignition. Then he sat there, with his hands on the wheel and his head tipped forward.
Why was he such a fool? Why had he thought things would change?
Did he really think that if he showed up at Isabel’s with coffee and croissants, she would come running back to him? Was he that naive?
Apparently.
But even though he’d known going was a risk, he couldn’t stop himself. He loved her. Wholly and completely. With every fiber of his being, he loved her. And he wanted to spend the rest of his life showing her that.
But it wasn’t in the cards for him.
She had Bobby, and he had…no one.
Growling, he grabbed the handle and flung the car door open. He stepped out onto the asphalt and slammed the door shut behind him.
He was ready for his vacation to be over. He’d had as much Honey Grove as he could handle. The wedding tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.
Jackson made his way across the driveway, up the back steps, and into the kitchen. The smell of bacon and eggs filled his nose.
His stomach grumbled as he shut the door behind him and walked over to his mom, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. He kissed her on the top of her head.
“This smells delicious, Ma.”
Sondra patted his arm as she shifted away from him so she could pull a waffle from the waffle maker. “Good. You need your strength up if you’re going to talk to Isabel today.”
Jackson sucked in his breath.
Sondra twisted her body around, shoving her finger in his direction. “What did you do?”
Jackson held up his hands. “I went to her house this morning.”
Sondra narrowed her eyes. Then she sighed and folded her arms across her chest. “Why?”
Saying the words “I can’t stay away” sounded pathetic, so Jackson just shrugged. “She didn’t have food, so I brought her some breakfast.” Jackson reached behind his mom and grabbed a slice of bacon.
Sondra studied him for a moment and then shrugged. “Good.” She swatted his shoulder. “But next time, stick to the plan.”
Jackson swallowed hard, a sharp piece of bacon scraping his throat on the way down. He blinked a few times as tears from the pain filled his eyes. Then he cleared his throat and reached over to grab a water bottle from the fridge.
Next time.
Right. His mom still thought that there would be a next time.
Call him crazy, but he was pretty sure that wasn’t going to happen. Not when Bobby kept showing up every time he tried to confess his feelings for Isabel.
He was beginning to think that a relationship between the two of them that went beyond being friends was a fool’s errand.
“Oh no.” Sondra’s voice cut through his thoughts.
He glanced over to her to see that she was wielding a spatula.
“Stop that,” she said as she narrowed her eyes.
Jackson studied her. “Stop what?”
“That self-defeating look you have in your eye. The one that says you’ve given up.”
Jackson furrowed his brow. “I haven’t given up.” Then he sighed as he shoved his hands through his hair. “I’ve taken steps to get closer to Isabel—she’s the one that’s been pulling away.” He scrubbed his face with his hands. “It’s just hard to keep going.”
Sondra grabbed a plate from the stack next to the griddle and began filling it with food. She handed it over to Jackson and pointed toward the table. “Your worries aren’t something a good, hearty breakfast can’t fix.”
Jackson took the plate and made his way to the table. Sondra busied herself in the kitchen while he ate.
As much as he didn’t want to admit it, his mother had been right. There wasn’t much that her bacon, eggs, and waffles couldn’t fix. By the time his plate was clean, he felt a lot better.
Leaning back in his chair, he rubbed his stomach and smiled over at his mom. Just as he was about to thank her, the doorbell rang. He furrowed his brow and turned in the direction of the front door.
“Well, now, who could that be?” Sondra asked as she set down the dish towel and made her way through the kitchen and out into the living room.
Jackson stood up from the table and grabbed his plate. It was probably just a package being delivered. He made his way around the counter and over to the sink, where he rinsed his plate before loading it into the dishwasher.
“He’s right back here.” Sondra’s voice drifted back from the front of the house.
Confused, Jackson glanced up and almost dropped his plate. Isabel was walking through the kitchen, right toward him. She had a determined look in her eye as she approached.
“Isabel?” he asked, still not sure if he was seeing things.
Isabel nodded as she reached out and grabbed his arm. “I need to talk to you,” she said as she headed toward the back door, dragging him along with her.
Jackson didn’t stop her. It wasn’t until they were outside and the back door was shut that Isabel turned to study him with her hands on her hips.
“Did you hire a nursing service?” she asked. Her eyes were narrowed and there was an accusatory hint to her voice.
Not sure how to answer that, Jackson shoved his hands into his front pockets and shrugged. Finally, he sighed. “Yes.”
Isabel’s expression stilled as she studied him. Then she pinched her lips together and glanced around. Jackson could see the tears forming in her eyes.
“I’m sorry,” he said as he stepped forward. He’d wanted to make her life easier, not make her upset.
Isabel closed her eyes as she shook her head. Then she sighed and glanced back over at him. “Did you pay for my car to be fixed?”
Jackson cleared his throat and then nodded slowly.
Isabel let out a laugh as she threw up her hands. She paced across the grass and then turned to stare at him. “Why?”
Jackson forced a laugh. Why was she here? So many questions were rolling around in his mind, but Isabel looked expectant, so he shrugged. “Because you’re my friend.”
And he knew that was all she could be to him. She was marrying Bobby, and that was that.
She narrowed her eyes. “I have lots of friends. None of whom were willing to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on me.” She took a step forward. “Why did you do it?”
Frustration coursed through Jackson as he dropped his gaze. Why was she doing this to him? It wasn’t fair. She was spoken for. Why was she making him spill his feelings for her? Nothing could ever come of them.
“Isabel, I…” He held her gaze and then dropped his eyes to study the ground.
Suddenly, her shoes appeared in front of him. Startled, he glanced up to see her standing only inches away.
“Bobby is headed to Australia,” she said, her voice low and hesitant.
Jackson furrowed his brow. “What? Why?”
She inched closer to him. “He’s going to live his life, and I’m…going to live mine.”
Jackson blinked a few times, trying to register what she’d said. Could it mean what he so desperately wanted it to?
“I’m not marrying Bobby.”
Jackson felt frozen in place as he stared at Isabel. Did she really just say that?
Isabel inched even closer. “I don’t love Bobby, and I was marrying him for all the wrong reasons.” She peeked up at him through her eyelashes, holding his gaze.
“You don’t?” he whispered, the emotions in his body taking over and choking his ability to speak.
She shook her head. “The pers
on I love, I’ve loved for a very long time.”
Jackson’s heart pounded harder in his chest as he hoped he was interpreting her words correctly. “You have?”
She nodded. “But he broke my heart, and I’m scared he’ll do it again.”
Jackson winced. What she said was true, but it hurt when he thought about her in pain. “I’m sure he’s sorry.”
She paused before she glanced back up at him. “Why did he leave?” she asked.
Tired of speaking in the third person, Jackson dipped down to meet her gaze. “Because I was scared. I thought I wasn’t good enough for you.”
Isabel furrowed her brow. “Why would you think that?”
Jackson sighed as he pulled back. “I wanted to marry you, Isabel. I did. But when I asked your dad for permission, he said…no.” Jackson winced, holding his breath as he waited to hear what she had to say.
When he glanced back at her, she looked mad. “He did what?”
“He said I wasn’t good enough for you, and that he wouldn’t bless our marriage.” Jackson shoved his hands into his pockets as embarrassment crept up his neck. He hated saying these things to her, and he most certainly didn’t want her to admit that they were true.
Isabel pinched her lips together as her expression turned contemplative. “I love my dad, but he can be an idiot sometimes.” Isabel inched closer to Jackson and brought her fingers up to brush them against his arm.
Shots of electricity rushed across his skin from her touch.
“He can?” Jackson asked, as he found himself leaning into her. Everything about her, from the way she smelled to the way she felt next to him, was so familiar it made his whole soul ache.
Isabel nodded as she allowed him to thread his fingers through hers. “He had no right to say any of that to you. Not when I chose you.” She peeked up at him. “You’re my person, Jackson Braxton. You’ve always been my person. I may have tried to forget that after you left, but what’s written on the heart is hard to erase.”
Jackson reached up and cradled her cheeks, reveling in the feeling of her skin under his fingertips. “Your heart?”
Her Ex: The Braxton Brothers Series Page 14
