she looked like. Jake was going to stay far, far away from a woman like her.
96
Izzie liked Shelby, and that liking just grew over the next week. Quite a bit. She didn’t say much at all; Allen had told her Shelby was still very self-conscious about the speech impediment she’d had since toddlerhood. She was more insecure than Izzie ever would have expected.
Not that it showed. Izzie suspected Shelby was very good at hiding it beneath a quiet, easygoing nature. But sometimes, Izzie saw exactly what Allen had meant.
Izzie didn’t force it. During that week, when Izzie had to work earlier evenings, Allen had somehow split his time between her and his sister.
He’d taken Shelby out for dinner twice during that time. Part of his quest to get his almost reclusive sister out of the house more often. He’d told her that he worried about Shelby retreating completely.
The rest of the time, he’d been with Izzie.
Izzie had only been home twice in that week. She and Oliver somehow found themselves at Allen’s on the nights Jake was gone.
Jake was full of questions about her relationship with Allen—and what Allen had told her about what he was involved with at the hospital around the time Logan had died. She’d finally gotten fed up with it and told him to ask Allen himself.
He’d asked her if she had slept with Allen. Izzie had stared at him, ready to throw something at his handsome head. She’d finally given in and tossed a couch pillow at him. He hadn’t liked her “What do you think, you ass?” reply.
Alone for days, in some of the most beautiful places on earth. With a man who cared about her. A man she cared about and was insanely attracted to.
She had slept with him. She would have been crazy stupid not to.
More than that, she had never wanted to be with a man the way she did Allen.
She’d told her uncle that, too.
Jake hadn’t liked that, but he could go shove it.
Jake could be such a butt when Izzie was involved with a man. Overprotective.
Izzie thought about both men as she helped Shelby put away the files they were reorganizing.
“C-can I ask you a question?”
Shelby only stuttered when she was worried or anxious. Izzie had noticed that. Shelby, a year or so older than Izzie, brought out her protective instincts just like Nikkie Jean had. Not only because of Allen. But because Shelby seemed to need it.
She was a kind, generous, and very sweet woman. Whereas Annie was quiet and reserved, Shelby was flat out shy.
It explained why Allen had seemed to favor Annie a bit when they’d worked in the ER before the tornado. With the light bluish eyes and the similar hair color and reserved manner, Annie most likely had reminded him of his baby sister.
“Of course.”
“You’re involved with my brother, aren’t you?’
Izzie froze. Other than Jake, Annie, and Nikkie Jean no one else knew about what was happening with her and Allen. Izzie had intended to keep it that way. For a while. They were both enjoying their privacy.
“Yes. But we’re keeping it quiet for now.”
“I-I thought so. Allen talks about you. All the time. He turns secretive when I ask him. He usually doesn’t do that. But…he goes around smiling when he doesn’t realize it. Even more than he did before. Before Logan. He hasn’t smiled much since the day we lost him.”
“I am sorry that you lost him. I know he was a good friend to you.” To Shelby, Logan Lanning would always be a hero. Izzie was never going to say anything to take that away from her.
“I think Allen’s serious about you.”
“Oh?” The last thing she wanted to do was discuss her relationship with the man’s sister. Talk about awkward.
“After that horrible pharmacy woman, I was worried about him.” Shelby grabbed the files off the counter. Part of her job as the receptionist on duty was to file before her shift ended. Izzie was still training her on what the position entailed. W4HAV was mostly volunteer, but for those who ran the place, it was a commitment. Shelby had been hired into one of the five paid social-worker positions. Someone was on duty at W4HAV twenty-four hours a day. Shelby started across the room toward the large bank of filing cabinets. She stopped, then turned back to Izzie. “I love my brother more than anyone else on earth. I don’t want to see him hurt again. I love that he’s so