Straight From The Hip. Сьюзен Мэллери

she thought, feeling awkward. She wasn’t used to eating in front of strangers. She wished she could take a tray to her room, but had a feeling she knew what would happen if she asked.

      Norma put serving bowls on the table. “Eat up,” she said sternly. “I don’t want to hear anything but lips smacking.”

      “We’re not allowed to talk?” Izzy asked in a whisper.

      “We can talk,” Aaron told her. “She just sounds tough. Want me to serve you?”

      “Okay.”

      “There’s pot roast and potatoes and carrots. Plus biscuits. Norma, you’re killing me with your biscuits. They’re delicious.”

      “I make them because you like them.” Her voice came from behind them, in the kitchen.

      He dished out food as he spoke, filling her plate. “Wineglass is on your right. Tonight it’s a saucy little Washington Syrah from Walla Walla. I’m in charge of the wine selection. It’s a hobby of mine.”

      Izzy glanced across the table. She could see Nick’s outline, but had no idea what he was doing. Eating? Staring? Reading the paper? He was silent, which unnerved her.

      “Do you need me to tell you where the food is on your plate?” Aaron asked.

      “No, thanks. I’m not that handicapped.”

      “You’re not handicapped, you’re handicapable.”

      His perky statement made her laugh. “Okay. If you say so.”

      “I do.”

      Izzy picked up her fork. Her mouth was watering before she took her first bite. She nearly swooned when she tasted Norma’s perfect pot roast. Her stomach growled again, this time in appreciation.

      “You’ll meet Rita tomorrow,” Aaron said. “She’s in charge of the horses. She and her husband live a few miles away. They’ve been married forever.” He sighed. “It’s just so romantic. I want to find someone. Nick, you never introduce me to any of your friends. Why is that?”

      “They’re not your type.”

      “You don’t know that.”

      “Yeah, I do.”

      There was something in his tone that made her look up. But no matter how hard she stared, she couldn’t bring him into focus. Or the room. Or her plate. Her appetite disappeared, leaving her feeling sick to her stomach.

      “Izzy?” Aaron sounded concerned.

      “I’m fine,” she whispered.

      “Eat a biscuit. It’ll make you feel better.”

      She knew he was only trying to help, but right now nothing was going to make her feel better. Nick was silent. The unfair advantage of everyone else being able to see made her want to lash out.

      “You’re quiet,” she snapped. “Are you judging me or being critical?”

      “I wasn’t thinking about you at all.”

      She stiffened.

      “Is that typical for you?” he asked. “Do you expect everything to be about you? You’re only happy when you’re the center of attention? No wonder you were comfortable sitting around, being taken care of. Least effort, most outcome. Being blind is probably the best thing that ever happened to you.”

      CHAPTER THREE

      HUMILIATION IMMOBILIZED Izzy. She wanted to bolt from the room, but couldn’t figure out which way to go. The last thing she wanted was to trip or run into something.

      The unfairness of Nick’s words twisted inside her. If she could have been sure of her aim, she would have thrown her plate at him.

      “I didn’t ask for this,” she said quietly. “Not the explosion or the consequences. But then it’s easy to be critical of me—after all, there’s nothing wrong with you, is there?”

      Instead of another sarcastic reply, she heard the distinct sound of a slap.

      “Hey,” Nick grumbled.

      “Norma hit him on the back of the head,” Aaron whispered.

      “Go, Norma,” Izzy murmured.

      “Don’t be rude,” the other woman said.

      “Don’t push me,” Nick told her.

      “Like I’m afraid of you.”

      Izzy heard footsteps retreating to the kitchen.

      Aaron cleared his throat. “Nick isn’t actually a horrible person.”

      “Really?” Izzy asked. “Could have fooled me.”

      “I don’t need you defending me,” Nick said at the same time.

      “Yes, you do,” Aaron snapped. “Look, Izzy, he needs to test your boundaries. Find out what kind of person you are. He sincerely wants to help.”

      She looked at the blur across the table. “What does he do for the people he doesn’t want to help? Throw them off the side of a building?”

      There was only silence.

      “Izzy,” Aaron said, sounding frustrated, “being sympathetic doesn’t always work. But this is done with love.”

      “Really?” she asked, both annoyed and embarrassed. “This is love?”

      “Absolutely,” Aaron told her.

      “Do you always talk for him?”

      “Someone has to and I’m good at it.”

      Nick continued to keep quiet, which was seriously irritating. Didn’t he get that she was at a disadvantage here? But he wouldn’t care about that. Somehow he would make this all her fault.

      She picked at her dinner, not eating very much and not caring that Norma would take her to task for it. But when the meal was over, the other woman didn’t say anything as she cleared plates.

      The second Aaron pushed back her chair, she was on her feet.

      “I’ll walk you to your room,” he said.

      “Thank you.”

      “I’ll do it,” Nick said.

      “You don’t have to,” she told him.

      “I know.”

      Aaron faded away. One second he was standing next to her, the next, he was gone. Izzy sucked in a breath. Just a few more minutes, she told herself. Then she would be in her room and by herself.

      The blur that was Nick started walking. Izzy went after him, remembering about the step just in time to avoid tripping again. Halfway through the big living room, he stopped and turned. She assumed it was to face her.

      “I’m not trying to hurt you,” he said.

      She pressed her lips together and didn’t respond.

      “Everything is different now,” he continued. “Whatever you were before, whoever you were, it’s all gone. This is your reality. If you won’t have the surgery, then you’ll have to learn to be blind.”

      “Neither is your problem.”

      “It became mine the second your sisters called me. You’re here, Izzy, and you’re not going anywhere. You can get through easy or you can get through hard, but you will get through.”

      Annoyance turned to anger. Who the hell did he think he was? “Gee, coach, when we win the big game will we all go out for ice cream sundaes?”

      “Nice attitude.”

      “You like it? There’s plenty more.” She could feel him staring at her.

      “What