“What do you care?” Tristan muttered through clenchedteeth.
Again, with the sad puppy eyes? He wouldn’t fall forthat.
Izzie shrugged. “Your mom was always nice to me. Besides my parents, I didn’t have much of a family in Thousand Oaks. Lilly was kind of an aunt tome.”
“I remember how your parents spoiled you rotten.” Disdain framed his speech now. It wasn’t always likethat.
Growing up, he had envied Izzie’s easy relationship with her loving parents. Lilly was an amazing mother, and he loved her dearly. She had more than compensated for the worthless excuse of a father, who took off before Tristan was born. As a kid, it had sucked not having a dad. Then, it had sucked more dealing with the long string of his mom’sboyfriends.
Izzie pointed her chin up and let his remark slide. “You sounded like there’s something going on with Lilly just now when Iasked.”
“No. I said she was doinggreat.”
“You lied,” shedeadpanned.
Damn it! She can still see through mybullshit.
Then, he reminded himself she had lost the right to that a long timeago.
His turn to shrug. “If you sayso.”
“Not buyingit.”
“Not selling anything.” They locked gazes and Tristan would be damned if he backed downfirst.
Time stoodstill.
Unable to stare into Izzie’s forest green eyes any longer, he caved in. “She’s sick,alright?”
“I’m so sorry to hearthat.”
“It is what it is, some sort of congenital kidney disease. She’s been on dialysis for a couple ofyears.”
This time there was no mistaking the pain that shadowed Izzie’s face, the hint of moisture that made her eyes glisten. A blue vein beat wildly on her neck as she combed her black pixie hair with her long fingers, locking them behind her neck for a moment, before returning her hands to her lap. He noticed she didn’t wear a ring on each finger as she used to, but she wore the Claddagh he gave her on senior promnight.
Not subtle at all, Ms.Anderson.
That solid wall he had built around his heart just gotchipped.
Damage control was inorder.
He reminded himself of Izzie’s betrayal and how much it had costhim.
He resumedscowling.
Before Izzie had a chance to say how sad she was for his mom, he needed to say something. He didn’t doubt her concern was sincere, but Lilly Knight was a major soft spot in his armor. Izzie knew it just too well. He needed to keep the upper hand. An attack sounded like the bestdefense.
“Cut the small talk. Why are you here?” Tristanrepeated.
His office furniture had been hand-picked to put visitors at ease, which wasn’t working for Izzie. Watching her fidget with her hands got to his oversensitive nerves. Yet he waited for her nextwords.
When her tight lips remained sealed, he blew out an impatient sigh and draped one leg over the edge of the desk, resting his ass on its top and dangling his foot. He hoped she bought into his unruffled act because the tight leash he kept his self-control under was about togive.
“After fifteen years, Izzie, whynow?”
5
Izzie
