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We’d done all we could in Colorado. What little information we did glean would have to tide us over until they made their next move. We just had to hope it was sooner rather than later. If Cash didn’t take his shot soon, there was every possibility we’d lose our window to help.
23
IZZY
I flung the door open after five days of being locked up at the compound. I thought for sure it would be Kavanaugh again, showing up to pull me out of the house for another walk, but to my surprise, it was Jason.
He’d finally returned.
“You’re back,” I said breathlessly.
“I told you I would be,” he answered with a hint of a smile on his face. I found myself staring into his eyes a little longer than necessary, studying the tiny flecks of black that swam in his chocolate eyes.
“Daddy, ask her!”
I pulled my gaze from his, giving my full attention to his daughter. “Hey, Carli. How are you?”
She sighed heavily, crossing her arms over her chest. “Daddy said he would take me for ice cream if you came.”
“He did, huh?”
“Will you come? Please?” she asked, her little lashes fluttering as she pouted, looking at me like a lost puppy. She was a miniature version of her dad in every way.
“Well, I don’t think I can say no,” I answered thoughtfully. “I don’t think I’ve had ice cream in…” My smile slipped from my face as I thought about the last time I had any dessert. It had been before I’d been taken, but I didn’t want to think about that right now. Swallowing down the heartache, I plastered a smile on my face. “That sounds great.”
“Really?” I nodded in reply, and she spun around, jumping up and down as she faced her dad. “Daddy, she said yes! She said yes!”
He chuckled, hoisting her up in his arms. “I heard. You don’t have to yell.”
“Sorry.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, something I noticed she did a lot, then rested her head on his shoulder.
“I’ll grab my purse.”
I headed upstairs and slid my purse off the chair of my vanity, then slipped on my shoes. I turned quickly to face the mirror and checked my hair, taking a minute to collect myself. It wasn’t that I was nervous about going out. I had mostly gotten past leaving the property since I’d come back from the hospital. But I was going with Jason, and I couldn’t help but stare at his gorgeous face every time I saw him. Ever since Vira said those things to me, I just couldn’t get it out of my head.
I felt so foolish. In so many ways, I felt like I was a college girl all over again, fawning over a crush. I might have been married for thirteen years, but dating, or even being interested in a guy, was something I didn’t have much experience with. Sadly, I didn’t know how to handle the feelings that were beginning to develop or how to understand if they were even real. I’d been stuck on that damn island for so long that I couldn’t trust anything right now.
“Pull it together, Izzy. It’s just ice cream,” I whispered.
Gathering my courage, I headed downstairs and smiled at Carli, doing my best not to look at Jason so he wouldn’t see the blush threatening to creep across my face.
“Ready?”
Izzy screeched and ran out the door, leaving me behind with her dad. I barely knew what to say most of the time when I saw him. And since the last time he was around, I lost my shit and accused him of being like Zavala, it felt even more awkward.
“I want to?—”
“How was your?—”
We both laughed as we tried to talk at the same time. “You first,” he said, waiting for me to continue.
“I was going to say, I want to apologize again for what I said last time I saw you.”
“It’s forgotten,”
“Not by me. I know you’re not like him, and accusing you of—” I took a deep breath and pushed away the anger and sadness that threatened to take over. “Anyway, I just wanted you to know.”
“Like I said, it’s already forgotten.”