lay down on the bed and closed her eyes. In the morning, she returned to the window. She didn’t eat or drink and no one came to see her. Izzy knew she would win. She no longer felt hungry or thirsty. She simply existed in an empty place where it didn’t matter that she couldn’t see.
“IT’S BEEN TWO DAYS,” Aaron said as he walked into Nick’s office. “She won’t talk to me or say anything and you know I’m very funny.”
“You’re the best,” Nick said, studying the proposal Aaron had put together.
“And you’re not listening,” Aaron told him, putting his hands on his hips. “She won’t leave her room. This is day three. How long can she go without food and water?”
He saved the file on his computer and leaned back in his chair. “She has a bathroom. She can get water.”
“She doesn’t look good. I think she’s catatonic or something.”
“You watch too many movies on Lifetime. She’s fine. She’s pouting until she gets her way.”
“I don’t want anything to happen to her,” Aaron told him as he took the seat across from his. “Nick, you have to do something.”
“I don’t know what,” he admitted, angry at Izzy for being difficult and at himself for failing. “She’s not a kid. She’s not excited to see a horse and able to forget her problems by taking a ride. This isn’t a new place for her. Barn kittens aren’t going to cut it. She’s angry and hurt and she needs a damn psychologist who can get inside her head.”
Except she wouldn’t talk to anyone. Her sisters had made that clear. She wouldn’t leave her room, participate in family functions. She wanted to…What? Stare out a window until she died?
There was life in her. He could feel it. And strength. But she’d given up. Once a person gave up, it was over. He’d learned that the hard way. He’d known that the second he gave up, they would win. But he’d had an enemy- death. Something to defeat, something to fight. And he’d had Garth. His friend had been his responsibility. Getting them both out had driven him to endure and ultimately to survive. What did Izzy have?
“If I could challenge her in some way,” he said, more to himself than Aaron. But how?
“Cards are out of the question,” Aaron said. “Maybe arm wrestling. Or have sex. You’re a heterosexual male. You know what to do.”
“It’s not that simple.”
Which was only half true. Izzy appealed to him. It would be that simple for him, although he doubted if she would appreciate him joining her in bed.
“Seduce her.”
“That’s not in the contract.”
“If you do it right, she shouldn’t complain.”
“Any other suggestions?”
“We could drag her into the woods and then help her find her way home.”
“Interesting plan,” Nick said. Would that give Izzy the will to push back. Or did she need something else? Something to hate. He’d had an enemy-did she need one, too? It was worth a try.
“I like her,” Aaron admitted. “I don’t want her to give up.”
“Me, either.”
“Can I take her food?”
“You already know the answer to that.”
Aaron sighed, then stood. “I always thought you could fix anyone. I hate being wrong.”
“Not as much as I do.”
IZZY LAY ON THE BED. She was bored and a little light-headed from lack of water. She hadn’t had anything to eat or drink in nearly seventy-two hours, but wasn’t actually hungry, which was weird. Sleep was easier, as was the passage of time. Everything blurred and her sunburn no longer hurt.
She almost didn’t care about not being able to see. Nothing mattered. Not even going home. She could just stay here forever.
She heard footsteps, but raising her head took more effort than was comfortable. She barely opened her eyes.
“You win.”
She recognized Nick’s voice. Even more interesting, she smelled something delicious. Something that made her sit up, even though the sudden movement made her head swim.
He put something on the dresser then walked over to the bed and grabbed her arm. He pulled her forward, then shoved all the pillows behind her back and let her go. She found herself propped up.
“You win,” he repeated. “I give up. I’ll call Lexi and Skye in the morning and tell them to come get you. You can go back to living in Lexi’s house. That’s what you want, right?”
She blinked, then remembered too late that wouldn’t bring him into focus. Her head felt fuzzy-almost like she was drunk.
“Why?” she asked, and was surprised that her voice sounded hoarse. Probably because she hadn’t spoken in three days.
“You don’t want to be here.”
“I didn’t want to be here before.”
There was movement. If she had to guess, it was a shrug. He handed her a large glass.
“Sip slowly,” he said. “It’s going to taste sweet, but you need to get it down. There’s water, but plenty of sugar, some herbs, electrolytes. It’ll help you feel better.”
She took a sip and nearly gagged on the too-sweet taste. Seconds later she felt like she was dying of thirst. Still, remembering her stroll into the wilds just outside the ranch and vomiting afterward, she continued to take small amounts.
He put a tray with stubby legs across her lap. She inhaled the mouthwatering scent of chicken and vegetables, not to mention fresh bread.
“Soup,” he said. “And one of Norma’s biscuits. Aaron will be by later. If you’ve kept all this down, he’ll give you a sandwich. Go easy on the food for the next couple of days.”
She wanted to dive into the soup and drink it while swimming around in the bowl. The image lightened her spirits, or maybe it was the sugar rush from the drink.
“See ya,” he said and turned to leave.
“Wait.” She cleared her throat. “That’s it?”
He faced her again. She couldn’t see his individual features, so she had to guess what he was thinking. If she had to pick an emotion, she would guess boredom.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“This is as much as you’re doing? Seriously? What kind of crap is that?”
He leaned against the door frame. “You’re not interested in being helped. You’ve made that clear.”
“Not interested? This was the best you could do? I refuse to wash a horse and you’re finished? Is that what you do when those hurt kids come here? Do you even have any training for this kind of work? Are you certified? How much are my sisters paying you?”
“A lot less than they should have been.”
“How did they find you? The phone book?”
“I come highly recommended.”
“Oh, please. I doubt that. I’m not even a hard case. You didn’t make any effort.” Now that she thought about it, he’d done nothing, which really pissed her off. “One or two idiot pep talks and you’re through? A three-day hunger strike and you throw in the towel? Talk about all hat and no cattle.”
“What would you have wanted me to do, Izzy? Beg? I think this is all about being the center of attention. You need everyone running around, fussing over you. Then you’ll be happy. You probably won’t get the surgery because you like being the one everyone worries about.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” She wished her throat weren’t so raw so she could yell. How could he think something like that, let alone say it? “I’m not the one pretending to know what he’s doing. You’re nothing but a snake oil salesman. When my sisters find out about this, they’re going to investigate you. You’re going down.”
“You think I’m all talk? What about you? You’re just taking up space.”
She’d never actually hated anyone before. But now the feeling burned hot inside her. “Go to hell.”
