What on earth had caused her dramatic change? Sure, they’d been having a heated discussion but not enough for her to look as if she’d seen a ghost. In fact, before he took his hat off, it looked like she was about to blast him again.
Wood scraped on tile; Isabella was in the motion of standing. The good manners his mother had drummed into him and the military enhanced made him stand as well.
“Isabella, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. I just—sorry, Ethan.”
She brushed past him and he was, once again, assailed by her exotic scent that reminded him of incense burning in the night. He stood rooted to the spot for a few seconds, watching as she exited the café as though the hounds of hell were on her tail.
What the hell had just happened?
*
Isabella rushed through the glass door, bumping into someone walking in the coffee shop.
“Sorry,” she mumbled as she scrunched her red fedora between her fingers before putting it on her head. So what if she looked stupid, at least it provided some protection from the hot, Texas sun.
Military.
It all made sense. The autocratic tone he used at the mall. His comment about seeing what happened when no one followed instructions. Ethan Masters was in the military.
His hair had been slightly longer when he’d confronted her in the mall, but now she’d recognize the buzz cut he sported anywhere. In fact, she’d seen it on her dad his whole life. The style brought back so many painful memories. It had taken her years to be able to look at her dad without remembering the loss in her life that haircut represented.
What a dumb idea it was to agree to a blind date her dad set up for her. There was a reason she spaced out her visits with him. She should’ve worked out it had disaster written all over it when he handed her the red fedora. Never had she expected Ethan to be wearing the hat as well; she’d figured he’d hold it. If he had, she would’ve done a quick about-face and walked away from him before he even saw her. Not just because of the hair, but because of their earlier encounter. She didn’t need a bossy man in her life.
The worst thing about the whole situation was, she’d been attracted to Ethan the second she’d clapped eyes on his tall form as he waited out front of the café. For a few heartbeats she’d been looking forward to getting to know him better. It had been so long since she’d been on a date, and the fact her dad had set her up with a guy who was good-looking—well, she thought things in her life were beginning to shift. The last thing on her mind had been checking out what his hair looked like under the hat. In hindsight, it should’ve been the first thing.
Someone tapped on her shoulder; she screamed at the sudden contact. If Dad could see her, he’d berate her for not being aware of her surroundings.
“Hey, it’s me, Ethan. I’m not going to hurt you.”
He got that right. No way was she going to give him the opportunity to hurt her physically or emotionally.
“If this is how you act around women, it’s no wonder you have to be set up on blind dates.”
He flinched, but all she wanted was to get away. Away from the memories that threatened to overwhelm her being around him.
“Our date is the result of one too many tequila shots with a whiskey chaser and a bet I should’ve ignored. I can assure you I don’t need any help getting my own dates.” He took a step back, oblivious to the people walking past them, some trying hard not to stare.
She wanted to shout out, “It’s okay, go about your business and ignore us.”
“Why did you follow me?” she asked.
“You rushed out so quickly, I wanted to make sure you weren’t sick or something.”
Okay, so maybe she was being over the top, but the second he’d revealed his GI Joeness, she couldn’t be near him. “There’s no need. As you can see, I’m fine.”
“Something spooked you though. I mean, I know we weren’t having the most auspicious of discussions, but you didn’t have to run out.”
Ethan’s sincerity wrapped around her. He was a nice, albeit bossy, guy. He just wasn’t for her, even if her heart had started beating in a way it hadn’t done for a decade.
“I’m sorry, Ethan, you’re right, I shouldn’t have run out. You seem like a nice guy. But I made a promise to myself that I’d never get involved with someone who was in the military.” She stuck out her hand. “Thanks for not standing me up. Good luck with your future.”
Oh, my God, could she sound any more formal?
“How do you know I’m in the military?”
His question surprised her. “Um, well, you know, because of your haircut.”
He ran his hand through his short, spiky hair. Tall, dark, and handsome. The description was cliché, but it fit Ethan Masters to a T. His gray T-shirt hugged his muscles. The faded blue jeans he wore clung to his hips.
“Who’s to say I don’t like getting my hair cut this way? Maybe I happen to like really short hair.”
Had she jumped to conclusions? Sweat beaded her forehead behind the band of the silly hat she still wore, and she gripped her handbag a little tighter.
“Are you telling me that you’re not in the armed forces? That I’ve made a mistake?”
Ethan closed his eyes and his chest rose and fell as he took a deep breath. Her hopes whooshed out of her at the same time. “No, you’re right. I’m in the air force.”
Disappointment slammed into her gut with the accuracy of a heat-seeking missile. Memories she’d buried roared to the surface. Memories of another time and another military person who had brought her happiness. Memories of when that happiness was ripped away from her and she was left adrift, lost in her pain. She couldn’t do that again, no matter how alive she’d felt for a few moments.
“I’m sorry, I can’t. Goodbye, Ethan.”
Without waiting for a response, she turned her back on him and continued down the sidewalk.
Don’t look back.
Don’t look back.
Isabella looked back. Ethan stood where she’d left him, his gorgeous mouth twisted in a look of confusion.
Damn, fate was wearing her bitchy pants today.
Chapter Three
The early morning sun glinted through the light cloud cover, casting shadows on the road as Ethan and his unit did their mandatory PT workout. Thank God, Ryder and the other guys hadn’t cornered him yet to hear the juicy details about his weekend date. It could be because their lieutenant colonel seemed in a surly mood. Today wasn’t the day to push chatting while working out, like they normally did.
It had been three days since he’d met Isabella, and even though their date had been over quicker than Sam scarfing down her breakfast, he still couldn’t get the image of her disappointment out of his mind. Her blue eyes, which had sparkled while they’d been sparring, had dulled to a stormy-ocean shade when she’d given him a last look before continuing on her way.
He knew all about the difficulties of being married to a career military person. Hell, his whole family was military. His mom had been in the army; his dad as well. His maternal granddad had been a World War II pilot. It was preordained that Ethan would enlist after high school. It was just a matter of which branch he would join. Instead of being a pilot, he’d chosen to work in security forces and then switched over to the K-9 unit. He loved every minute of it.
His family had supported and encouraged him every step of the way. That was what he wanted from the woman he would end up with. Someone who loved him unconditionally, even when deployed, the way his father loved his mother. He’d yet to find that woman, but Isabella had fired neurons he hadn’t known existed in him.
Finally, after a grueling PT session, showered and in his uniform, he headed to the mess hall for some breakfast. Piling up his plate to replace the carbs he lost, he headed to the table where the rest of his squadron sat.
He took one mouthful before the questions started.
“I saw you all zoned out there this morning, Masters. Wet dreaming abo
ut blind date Betty?” Ryder teased. “She was that good, huh?”
If the guys could read his mind, they’d have a field day razzing the shit out of him.
“It was fine. We met, had a coffee, and that’s it. I won’t be seeing her again.”
“Who had Ethan strikes out again?” Ryder called out. Seven arms rose in the air.
Ethan picked up his biscuit and tossed it at his buddy, hitting him square on the nose. “You’re all assholes.” He shook his head and resumed eating to stop himself from laughing.
“Was she hot, or was she a disaster like the last chick Linc set you up with? Ha, maybe Linc is deliberately sabotaging you. What did you do to him?”
Ryder just wouldn’t leave it alone. There was no way Ethan was going to share with his buddies that Isabella was indeed hot as Linc had promised. But he had to say something to get them off his back. Maybe saying it out loud would exorcise her face from his memory bank.
Yeah, and that’s a pig you see flying past the window.
“Put it this way. Linc didn’t lie. Isabella Knowles is good-looking.”
Understatement of the century. If he breathed a word that she was stunning, sexy, and spunky, his buddies would all be hassling Linc for a hookup. The least Ethan could do was save them from being shot down by her.
“Isabella doesn’t date military guys. So, close your jaws, boys. You have no chance with her.”
“Sucks to be you, eh, Ethan?”
“Yeah, Ryder. Sucks to be me. But”—he pointed his fork at Ryder—“at least I got to spend time with a pretty lady, which is more than you’ve done in months.”
Laughter rang out around the table, and conversation turned to other subjects. For the sake of his team, Ethan put the disaster date behind him. Lapses in concentration could get them killed. Even though he was back stateside and on base, his focus needed to be on his job. And not on a woman with captivating blue eyes and luscious blonde hair.
A woman who wanted nothing to do with him.
*
Isabella should be marking the paper on her desk, not staring at it. Grading papers was an integral part of the job, and she always stayed after school to get the job done. Once she was home, she liked to relax without the specter of her own homework hanging over her head. It didn’t always work out that way, and today looked like it was going to be that day.
Every time she looked at the essay, all she saw was Ethan’s face. The slump of his shoulders as she walked away from him. His disappointment was an emotion she didn’t understand. Why was he upset their date didn’t work out? They’d spent all of twenty minutes together.
Heck, if she considered their first meeting at the mall, all they’d done was clash, yet here she sat, days later, still thinking about the guy.
How pathetic was she? He was the opposite of everything she wanted in a guy.
Her phone buzzed by her elbow, glancing down she saw Dad flashing up on the screen. Biting back a groan, Isabella hesitated before picking it up. She’d been expecting this call. Expecting Dad to check in and find out how the date went. It still rankled that he’d knowingly set her up with a guy who was in the military. He was well aware of her reasons for staying far away from anyone involved with any of the armed forces.
Picking up her phone, she swiped the call. “Hey, Dad.”
“Hi, Isabella, how’s your day?”
Casual conversation from her dad? This wasn’t normal. Perhaps he figured out he’d mucked up by setting her up on a date. Over the years, their relationship had gone through many cycles, starting with resentment that his career in the army ripped her away from the friends she made and caused her mother to walk out on them. Then gratitude that he was there when she needed him most.
At present they were going through a strained period, and, with the way she was currently feeling toward her father, it was going to stay that way for a while.
“I’m glad it’s over. What can I do for you, Dad?” She deliberately kept her voice cool.
A sigh sounded down the phone. Perhaps she didn’t need to be so hard on him, but Dad knew everything she’d gone through with Travis.
“I wanted to know how your date went.”
“I think you know exactly how it went, Dad.”
“You didn’t give him a chance, did you?”
“Why on earth would I? You know how I feel about going out with someone in the military.” Her voice rose a couple of octaves with every word. If she didn’t lower her voice, the remaining staff at the school would hear her business. Apart from her best friend, Meredith, who worked at the school with her, she didn’t want her colleagues to know everything about her past. Some things were better left unsaid. And her short marriage was one of them.
“So I take it there won’t be another date with this man?”
Honestly, what was wrong with Dad? Couldn’t he hear how upset she was? “No, there will not. If he had been in any occupation other than the military, I might have given him a chance.”
“Isabella, you’ve hardly been living since Travis’s accident.”
“I can’t believe you went there, Dad. Travis was my life and he was taken from me in a flash. I’m not going to put myself through that again.”
“You need to put yourself out there, Daughter, not hide away.”
Isabella wanted to pull her hair out. Yeah, it was going to be a while before she talked to her dad again. “Look, I’ve got to go, Dad. I’ll talk to you later.” Much later, but she left that unsaid.
“Before you hang up, I’ve got one last thing to say.”
“Yes?”
“I didn’t raise you to be a coward. I dare you to ask him out again.”
“What? Since when did you dare me to do anything?”
“Since now. I don’t like to see you shut yourself away.”
“Oh, my God, I’m not shutting myself away, and I’m not going to do this with you. Bye, Dad.” She disconnected the call and tossed her phone on her table, holding her breath as it slid across the wood surface, stopping just before toppling off.
What had got into him?
Sure, he’d always pushed her to excel at school, and yes, when her world fell apart he provided her with all the support she needed. Once she was ready, she’d gone to college and gotten her degree, and now she was living her life the way she wanted. She didn’t need her dad setting her up with anyone.
Her phone chimed with an incoming text message; sighing, she leaned over and grabbed her phone. The second she saw the message she wished she hadn’t.
“Here’s Ethan’s number: 825 555 9830.”
Seriously? Her dad wasn’t giving up on this. Why was he so invested in her contacting Ethan? He hadn’t even met the guy.
“Hey, are you just about done?”
Isabella looked up and saw Meredith, standing in the doorway. “Not even close,” she said. Looked like it was going to be a long night for her.
“What’s wrong?” Meredith plonked herself down in one of the student chairs.
“My dad.”
“Ahh, what’s he done this time?”
Meredith had been her friend since college days. Both of them had started later than normal due to circumstances beyond their control. They’d been assigned as roommates and had connected the second they took their first class together. It helped they’d both had traumatic events in their pasts, so when one of them was down, the other knew how to bring them out of their funk.
“I told you about the date he set me up on?”
“Yeah, and how the guy turned out to be the same one from the mall. So I’m sure, once you explained all of that, he understood why you don’t want to see him again.”
Isabella shifted in her seat. She’d been so annoyed with her dad she hadn’t mentioned their first meeting. “Not quite. I just asked him why he would think it was a good idea to set me up with someone in the military after he knew what I went through.”
“Ouch. I bet that went down well.”
“Tha
t’s an understatement. He basically dared me to call Ethan and set up another date. What does he think, I’m thirteen and desperate? What sort of parent does that to their kid, especially when said child is almost thirty years old?”
Meredith smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Just be grateful you have a parent who cares.”
Isabella’s annoyance died in a heartbeat. Meredith had lost both her parents in car accident when she was young. She had to fight for her own life, and her best friend had done an amazing job. “You’re right. I’m sorry, Mere. I should be grateful that Dad cares.”
“It’s fine. I know you didn’t mean it. So what are you going to do? Are you going to call Ethan?”
Isabella should’ve known Meredith would brush off her comment as nothing. It was what she did and what Isabella did when thinking about her past, which was something she tried hard not to do on a regular basis. “I have his number; Dad just texted it to me. As for whether I’ll call him, I don’t know.”
“Maybe your dad is right. Maybe you should give this guy another chance.”
Isabella’s eyes almost bugged out of her head. “What? You know what happened to Travis. Why do you think I should put myself through that kind of hurt and worry again?”
Meredith shrugged. “You told me it was a freak accident. A one-in-a-million chance of it happening again. Just think about it, Iz. Have some fun for a change.”
“Maybe.”
Meredith’s phone rang and a smile lit her face. “Oh, it’s Mark. I’ve got to take this. I’m here if you want to talk.”
Her friend dashed out the door, saying a breathless hello to her boyfriend, who was on the other side of the world, no doubt closing in on another business deal.
Picking up her phone, Isabella sat back and studied the number in her dad’s message. Why was she even considering dialing it? They’d hardly said anything to each other, and what they did say was heated and far from an amenable conversation.
Yet during the short time in the coffee shop, she’d been energized in a way she hadn’t been for a long time. Without a doubt, if Ethan weren’t in the military, she’d be calling him.
Blind Date Bet Page 2
