Isabella nodded.
“She’ll be happy to see you when she wakes up,” Jason declared and Isabella swallowed and forced herself not to look at Prentice.
“I hope so,” Isabella replied.
“Get in the car, Jace. We’ve got to take Elle to Fergus’s before we get tea.”
Prentice started to move back around the car and Isabella began to turn to get in but both of them noticed that Jason didn’t move.
They both turned to Jason.
“Jace, mate, in the car,” Prentice reiterated.
“Why’s Miss Bella going to Fergus’s?” Jason asked, looking confused and, for some reason, borderline angry.
“She’s staying there,” Prentice answered.
“Why?” Jason asked, now borderline belligerent.
“Because the last time I was here I didn’t get to spend any time with him,” Isabella explained.
“But… you stay with us,” he replied as if she’d been a frequent visitor since the time of his infancy and regularly was their guest.
Isabella’s heart started racing.
“Pardon?” she asked.
“When you’re here,” he answered. “You stay with us when you’re here.”
“Jace –” Prentice began.
Jason was not to be denied.
Definitely belligerent, he asked Isabella, “Are you here to see Fergus or are you here to see Sally and Dad and me?”
“Jason –” she began.
He cut her off by demanding, “Well?”
“Mate, she’s staying at Fergus’s,” Prentice said firmly.
“No, she’s not. She stays with us. She’s here because Sally’s hurt. She’s here to take care of us. She can’t take care of us at Fergus’s.”
Isabella took a step forward, saying, “Yes, I can, I’ll rent a car and –”
Jason took a step back, locked his ten year old boy’s body and shouted, “You’re staying with us!”
Isabella stopped moving.
Then she drew in a breath.
Then she chanced a glance at Prentice.
His jaw was tight and she saw a muscle tick there. She’d never seen Prentice’s jaw do that but she figured it was probably not good.
Prentice’s eyes sliced to her and he shocked her to her core when he jerked his chin and ordered, “Call Fergus.”
“I don’t –” Isabella started but stopped when Prentice’s head slanted sharply to the side and his face went hard.