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Jackson growled again and Isabel was starting to like that sound a bit too much. Teasing him had always been a blast and she was a little surprised at how easy it had been to slip right back into that type of talk around him.
“It’s time Isabel interacted with some of our other party attendees.” Jackson ushered her toward the living room.
“That’s fine,” Nicole called after them. “We’ll find her later, Jackson.”
“You can count on that,” Tessa added.
In the hallway, Jackson paused. “Sorry about them.”
“No worries. I like them.”
“Yeah. That’s what I’m sorry about.”
Isabel laughed. “Don’t be nervous. I’ll stick to stories mainly about their men and leave you out of it as much as possible.”
Jackson put a hand to his chest. “I would appreciate that.”
“Isabel!” Violet untangled herself from the lap of an attractive dude with chin-length hair. She threw her arms around Isabel. “I didn’t expect to get to see you again so soon.”
“Again?” Jackson asked.
“We ran into each other when I took Blaze to the vet earlier today,” Isabel explained.
“Yeah. I would have invited you to come to this party, but I...” Violet glanced at Jackson.
“You didn’t think she’d come?” He nodded. “She’s only here now because I tricked her.”
“You did trick me.” Isabel sipped her drink. “Took me here against my will, but this drink is making up for his abduction.”
“Abduction?” Jackson shook his head. “You could have chosen not to get in the jeep, Isabel. I didn’t exactly tie you up and carry you off.” But the tiniest gleam in his brown eyes suggested he might like to do just that.
That should bother her.
Why didn’t that bother her?
She downed another sip of her Blue Monday and focused on Violet. “Is that your husband’s lap you were sitting on?”
Violet’s face brightened. “Yep. Come meet him.”
She grabbed Isabel’s hand and for pretty much the next hour, Isabel reconnected with a ton of former Maplehaven friends. Dakota Brenton and his twin sisters, Jacy and Dena. Noah Williams and Krista Davidson who had surprised Isabel by telling her they were married. Jorden Demetri, Violet’s brother, who looked twelve different forms of adorable with two beautiful children filling his lap. Heidi and Kyle Jennings who made her promise to stop into Mountain View Pizza while she was in town. Marco Vieira who owned Cups Café and Miller Danahy who was now a doctor.
Then there were all the significant others she’d also met. Leah Greenstead who taught fourth grade and had married Dakota. Carter Bennett, the video game god who had captured Dena’s heart. Finn Johansen, the military engineer who had claimed Jacy. Dawson Kinsford, Violet’s famous cellist. Diana Rosalen, who made organic baby food and had married Jorden. Shaina Windsor and her sister Heather who had snagged Marco and Miller respectively.
So many lovely people who made Isabel realize it had been so long since she’d been in such good company.
Most surprising of all? That Jackson Henley might be good company too.
