“Do you want me to take my shirt off?”
Isabelle smiled before she could stop herself and lowered her arms just enough to see his beautiful face grinning down at her.
“Oh, you want me to get naked?” Jace asked tickling her stomach lightly.
Isabelle giggled and pulled one arm away allowing him to see her smile but still covering her eyes.
Jace leant down and pulled her other arm away from her face, taking both of her hands in his and caressing them gently.
“You’re beautiful,” she blurted out, pulling one of her hands away to tap him on the nose.
Jace pinched his face up in mock disgust. “Men can’t be beautiful, Isabelle. We can be handsome, good looking. I would even accept, insanely hot… but definitely not beautiful.”
She traced his face with her finger this time, committing all the lines into her memory and savoring being this close while she still had the courage.
“You are though,” she continued, fingers stopping to trace his full lips. “Sometimes I get so distracted thinking about your lips.”
Shut up. That reasonable voice inside her head hissed. Shut the hell up before you make it worse.
Jace watched her with a strange look for only half a moment before a big grin covered his face.
“You’re pretty drunk, huh?”
“No!”
Jace ruffled her hair affectionately and then pulled them both off the hammock and onto their feet.
“Everyone’s worried about you,” he told her, serious this time. “Tate is just about ready to call the police.”
“Tate is an idiot.”
Jace smiled. “Can’t disagree with you there, but to his credit, he’s an idiot who loves you.”
Isabelle sighed deeply. She wished Tate could see just how special Jace was, or just even give him a chance.
“You ready to head back?” Jace asked gently.
“No,” she said softly.
“How about you come back so everyone can see you’re alive and then I’ll take you home?”
“Straight home?”
“Scout’s honour.”
Isabelle nodded and took a step forward, only to lose her balance. She toppled towards the ground, bracing for a fall but landed in soft arms instead.
“Whoa there, you all right?” he asked, brushing hair out of her eyes.
“I want to go home now,” Isabelle replied, tears filling her eyes again.
Leaning down he swept his arms behind her knees and then lifted her up so she was cradled in his arms.
Isabelle looked up at the sky feeling incredibly light and free. She spread her arms wide, a grin lighting her whole face.
“I’m flying!” she crowed, and although it was completely stupid, when she closed her eyes it really felt like she was.
Even though her eyes were still shut, Isabelle could feel Jace beaming down at her.
“Well, makes sense,” he mused. “Angels do fly.”
Isabelle blew a raspberry at him and then tuned out his laughter and all other sounds as she settled her arms around his neck and snuggled into the safety and warmth of his chest.
She had no idea how long he carried her, she may have even dozed off at one point because her next memory was jerking awake to Tate’s sharp voice.
“Where the hell was she?” he demanded.
“Easy,” Jace replied, his voice steady. “She just got a little turned around, she’s fine.”
“Isabelle?” Tate asked, his voice rising. “Are you all right?”
“I said she’s fine. I just wanted you to see she was OK so you didn’t worry but I’m going to take her home now.”
“So I didn’t worry?” Tate repeated slowly.
“Well, yeah,” Jace replied. “I figured you weren’t going to get any peace of mind until you had proof she was safe.”
There was a long pause from Tate, so long that Isabelle wasn’t even sure if he was still standing there until she felt his hands try and slide under her back and legs.
“I’ll take it from here,” he told Jace, but there was less malice in his voice this time.
“She’s fine where she is.”
Tate went to grab her again, but this time Isabelle cringed away from his arms unable to bring herself to leave the warmth of Jace’s body.
“No,” she mumbled. “I want Jace.”
Tate immediately let her go and shifted away, sucking in a sharp breath.
“I can ask Ben if I can borrow his car,” Jace said, his voice surprisingly kind. “Do you want a lift?”
“Jace is beautiful,” Isabelle blurted out again before she could stop herself.
“She’s drunk,” Jace told Tate almost apologetically.
“Her Dad’s due to come in another of couple hours. Do you just want to lie her down in a spare room until he gets here?” Tate asked, ignoring Isabelle’s statement.
“No,” she moaned, trying to make her mouth form the words. “I wanna go home, Tate.”
Tate sighed deeply. “I’ll call her Dad.”
“Is that a good idea?” Jace murmured as he stroked her hair.
“Well, he’s not going to enjoy seeing her bundled up in your arms, but he’ll be cool with her being a little drunk.”
For some reason Isabelle found that so funny and she began to emit an uncontrollable giggle, shaking in Jace’s arms.
“At least no one punched me this time,” she babbled. “One for three!”
“What the hell?”
Isabelle froze at the female voice behind them.
Jace groaned softly. “Not now Kimberley.”
Tate leant down so his voice was right in her ear. “This is the girl who punched you?”
Isabelle managed a nod.
“What’s wrong with your new play thing?” Kimberley asked, her words more curious than biting.
“I’ll call her Dad,” Tate told Jace quietly, ignoring Kimberley. “He won’t be long.”
Isabelle looked up to see Jace purse his lips as he glanced at Kimberley.
“I’ll get Isabelle some water and lie her down inside while we wait.”
Isabelle was trying to keep track of everything going on around her, but then they were moving again towards the front door.
Isabelle lifted her heavy head above Jace’s shoulder so she could meet Kimberley’s hazy eyes. She raised her hand towards her, unsure whether it was a greeting or goodbye. Unsure why the hell she felt the need to acknowledge her at all.
Kimberley raised her middle finger, her pretty face twisted into an ugly scowl.
Isabelle just giggled to herself and then wrapped her arms around Jace’s neck tightly, inhaling his ocean scent.
“Am I heavy?” she murmured against his throat.
“You’re perfect,” he told her gruffly as he grappled with the front door and then carried her through like they were newlyweds.
Jace lead them through a large living area, laying her down on a day bed that had been built into the massive window.
He brushed hair away from her face tenderly and then, after a moment’s hesitation, pressed his lips against her forehead.
“I’ll go get you some water, OK? Just chill here for a while.”
Isabelle nodded, closing her eyes as her body lay limply where he had laid her, her head buzzing and stomach turning slightly.
“So, who are you?”
Isabelle’s ears perked. Was someone talking to her?
She opened her eyes and glanced around the room. No one there.
“Isabelle’s best friend,” she heard Tate’s tight reply.
Turning to face the window she saw a mass of red hair through the glass and Tate’s stern, beautiful face.
Kimberley groaned loudly. “Ugh, what the hell for?”
“Why are you even here?” Tate asked crossing his arms. “I was under the impression there were no hot messes allowed.”
“What did you say to me?” Kimberley asked angrily.
Tate took a step fo
rward, his size towering over Kimberley’s. “Did I stutter?”
Isabelle inched closer to the glass. Looked like a showdown was about to happen and she had a front row.
“I didn’t come here to make trouble,” Kimberley replied after a few tense moments.
“Then why are you here?” Tate’s voice was still hard and unforgiving.
Kimberley turned away from him so her face was directed more towards the window where Isabelle could see a stricken look on her face.
“I have nowhere else to go.”
Tate kept his arms crossed but his hard face faltered just for a moment.
“So you thought you’d come fawn after Jace?”
“I’m not fawning after him!” Kimberley replied defensively.
Isabelle watched as Tate took another menacing step forward. “Well, if you came here for round two with Isabelle then you have more boobs than brains. You will never lay a finger on her again.”
Kimberley barked out a laugh. “Careful there handsome, your fangs are showing. I’d hate to be you when Jace realises his little bitch’s oldest friend is madly in love with her.”
Isabelle barked out a laugh and then clapped her hand quickly over her mouth, her heart pounding as she waited to see if she’d been caught.
She waited for Tate to laugh in Kimberley’s face, to deny it and tell her she was on crack, but instead he paled slightly and then started frantically dialing numbers into his phone.
“James? Hey, it’s Tate…no, she’s fine, she’s having fun, well maybe a little too much fun…no, she’s just lying down getting ready to pass out for the night…. I promise nothing bad happened, ok? She just wants to go home. Ok, yeah take your time. We’re not going anywhere….no worries…thanks, see you soon.”
Tate hung up from obviously calling her Dad and Isabelle cringed. Oh, she was going to be in so much trouble and be grounded for a million years once she arrived home. Panic fluttered like feathers in her almost numb body. She was so caught up in her own emotions and paralysing fear that she totally forgot she was meant to be eavesdropping.
“What are you still doing here?”
Isabelle jumped as Jace’s voice boomed outside.
Had he crept past her? Or just forgotten her glass of water completely?
She shuffled closer to the window and vaguely made out a small glass in Jace’s hand.
Of course he hadn’t forgotten.
“Well?” Jace demanded loudly again, causing both Kimberley and Isabelle to flinch at his tone.
“I just thought…” Kimberley began.
“Jesus.” Jace swore at her. “Why can’t you just leave me alone? I’m sorry that I didn’t dedicate my life to wallowing after you while you screwed everything in sight, okay? Is that what you want to hear?”
Kimberley opened her mouth to reply but Jace just brushed past her.
“I’m moving on with my life, I suggest you do the same. Go home and sober up, and then maybe we can talk.”
Jace moved past Kimberley swiftly, leaving her staring after him with a fallen face and slumped shoulders.
Jace was back in the living room not long after, glass filled in hand and ready to present to Isabelle.
“Here Angel, sorry it took me so-”
“Shh!”
“Were you watching us?” he whispered as he placed the glass on the ledge in front of her and sat down, moving her legs on top of his lap.
Isabelle ignored him and focused back on Tate and Kimberley.
Tate no longer looked hostile or angry. Now he looked…sympathetic?
“You still love him,” he said it like a statement, not a question.
Kimberley looked away from Tate again and Isabelle could see the fat tears falling down her face, smudging her make up. Seeing the tears also, Jace stiffened behind her.
“He was all I had for the longest time,” Kimberley said so quietly Isabelle had to strain her ears to listen.
“Be straight up with me, ok?” Tate began evenly. “Did he ever hurt you? Was he abusive?”
Jace drew in a strangled breath.
“No,” Kimberley replied firmly. “Jace is…Jace was the only good thing in my life. He’s almost as screwed up as I am, but he would never hurt me or anyone he cared about.”
Isabelle glanced over at Jace staring outside with a pained expression on his face.
Tate took an unsteady breath and then hesitantly put a hand on Kimberley’s shoulder.
“I’m sorry,” Tate told her quietly.
Kimberley shrunk back like he’d shoved her. “You’re what?”
“I’m sorry.”
Kimberley wrapped her arms around her chest, a defensive move Isabelle was all too familiar with.
“Why? Aren’t you Team Barbie or whatever?”
Tate sighed deeply. “Look, I’m not thrilled that you punched Isabelle but I guess… I guess I can sort of understand why.”
Isabelle felt her whole body go cold. What?
Kimberley scrunched her face up in disbelief and then scoffed.
“Caring so deeply about someone that your whole world seems to just move around them is hard. Loving someone who is oblivious, that’s even harder. But to watch them choose someone over you, to know that even though you would do a better job at loving them and making them happy, and still not even be considered? Yeah, I can see how that would make someone do some pretty horrible, desperate things.”
“And which one would you be?” Kimberley asked curiously.
“All of the above, I guess.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
Tate shrugged. “I don’t actually know. I guess I don’t really have anyone else to talk to about it and I figure no one would believe you if you said anything.”
“You know you can’t even be a contender if you don’t put yourself in the running.”
“That would get me nowhere, trust me.”
“Because she’s too stupid to notice you?” Kimberley said darkly.
Tate’s eyes burned with rage again.
“Why do you do that?” he asked fiercely. “Every time you let a little softness in, you have to backtrack with cruelty. You can be strong without being a bitch, you know.”
Kimberley glared at Tate, and it looked like she was about to snarl something back but instead she took a deep breath and shook her hair out of her eyes.
“If you allow someone to get close, you allow them to break you,” she told him softly. “And I am done being broken.”
Silence drifted between them as Kimberley’s words sunk in. Isabelle wanted to hate her, really wanted to find no redeeming qualities in Kimberley but, as horrifying as it was, she could see a lot of herself in her.
“It’s not because she’s too stupid,” Tate said finally, after what felt like an eternity of silence.
“Pardon?”
“When you’ve known someone your whole life, they become a part of you,” he explained. “You know what their small facial expressions mean, what their tone of voice is really saying, you know what they’re feeling even if they don’t know they’re feeling it themselves.”
Tate let out a shaky breath. “I know exactly who I am to her, I know exactly where I stand and that pretty much means I will never be a contender, no matter what.”
Isabelle tuned out Kimberley’s response as her brain worked past the haze to put everything together. Was Tate talking about her? Was she the only girl he’s ever been in love with?
All at once pieces to a puzzle she had not even known she held fell into place - it all became clear to her now. Tate’s hatred of Jace, his desperate pleas that she stay away from Jason and pay attention to the people who really loved her. Countless times he had stayed over and she had woken up to him watching her sleep, holding her hand to his chest.
Oh. Oh. She had been such an idiot.
Feeling eyes burning into her she turned to Jace and the wry smile and sympathy in his eyes confirmed it all for her.
“Oh my god,” s
he whispered. “I didn’t…I mean, I wasn’t even trying to…”
Jace rubbed her leg gently. “You had no idea, huh?”
Isabelle shook her head, feeling shell shocked.
“Am I the only one who didn’t know?” she whispered.
Jace didn’t say anything, just looked right at her, giving her full access to those beautiful, expressive eyes.
Shit. Now everyone knew she was an idiot.
“Maia…” she began, remembering Maia’s strange behaviour.
Jace looked apologetic. “I’m really sorry about that, she was just trying to force you into figuring out if you had the same feelings for him or not.”
But I don’t. I love him so much, more than she loved herself or any of her other friends, but he was family, he had always been her family.
“How am I meant to deal with this? What the hell do I even say to him?”
Jace shuffled closer, putting Isabelle’s legs down so he was sitting and he could place himself right next to her.
“You don’t.”
“What?” she snapped. “I’m just meant to cut him out of my life now or something?”
“No,” he told her calmly. “You don’t say anything to him. You’re drunk, you don’t know what you heard or what you saw. Everything will be normal.”
Tears filled Isabelle’s eyes as shame coloured her cheeks.
“How is anything ever going to be normal again?”
He took her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him.
“That guy out there, that’s your best friend in the whole world, the guy who’s stuck with you your whole life, no conditions. He hasn’t just changed now that you know why he’s been so protective all these years, and he isn’t going to stop being the same person you always thought he was.”
“So, I just pretend like nothing happened?”
“There won’t be any pretending, Tate is your family and that means more than just one drunken confession.”
Isabelle nodded, slowly turning away from Jace so she could be alone in her thoughts.
This didn’t have to change anything, not if she didn’t want it to. They didn’t need to have that awkward talk and she didn’t have to crush the closest person to her heart and leave them both with nothing.
Her head became clearer and her resolve strengthened. Jace was right, she had already lost so much, and nearly losing Tate had almost killed her.
Home is Where the Heart Is (Home #1) Page 17
