“Don’t you dare laugh!” She checked her hand, rubbing it vigorously even though she must have flung the spider away. “It was on me. It was crawling on me!”
She wasn’t a particularly squeamish woman about a lot of things, but spiders were her nemesis with their wicked little eyes and all of those creepy legs.
Despite her admonishment, Jace chuckled. “Well, it’s not on you anymore.”
“But it’s still here somewhere. Go do your job and find it.” She was still huddled up against Jace, and she couldn’t help but like the feel of his body against hers.
He’d been skinny and rather geeky in high school, when they’d first become friends. He still tended toward the lean side, but she wasn’t sure when he’d gotten so strong and hard and…masculine.
Still laughing, Jace released her and went over to investigate the middle of the floor. Eventually, he found the spider and stepped on it. “There. All safe now.”
“Thank you,” she said, still feeling prickles run up and down her arm. “He doesn’t have any comrades still lurking over there, does he?”
Jace shook his head, smiling at her fondly. “No spiders in sight.”
She released a breath and slowly walked over to where she’d left her pile of trash. Very hesitantly, she leaned over to finish sweeping it into the dustpan.
“So what were you saying?” Jace asked, in a different tone.
“About what?”
“About the love of your life being there all the time, staring you in the face.”
Isabella stood up and met Jace’s eyes. He was staring at her strangely, almost tense for no good reason. Her breath caught in her throat, and she couldn’t look away.
“Isabella?” he prompted, a rough texture in his voice.
“What?”
“What’s been staring you in the face?”
Realizing she was acting like an idiot, she shook her head to dispel the daze. It must be the aftermath of her panic over the spider causing her to respond that way to Jace’s look. “Oh. It’s not the love of my life. It’s just the answer.”
His brow wrinkled. “What’s the answer?”
“The salon ladies were teasing me earlier about me being the only one in my family not getting married and having babies yet,” she explained. “And how there’s only three months left until Tori’s wedding, and then I’ll be the only Warren girl left.”
“You can’t let them make you feel bad about that.”
“I know. But I do want to get married, and I’ve just been waiting around. They jokingly made me a profile on a dating site. I was annoyed at first, but then I realized, why not.”
“Why not what?”
“Join the dating site. Start actively looking for the love of my life, instead of just waiting around.”
“So you’re going to do a dating site? That’s your big revelation?” There was an edge to his voice now that was half skeptical and half something else. If she didn’t know better, she would say it was disappointment.
“Don’t make it sound silly. I want to find a man, so I’m going to find one.”
“On a dating site?”
“Why not? I haven’t had much luck here in Preston. I need to branch out and try new things.”
He shook his head and took the dustpan out of her hand, dumping the contents into the trash. “Okay. Good luck with that.”
He didn’t sound excited. At all.
Isabella frowned. “You could be a little supportive, you know.”
“I’ll be supportive,” he said, almost resignedly. He pushed his glasses farther up his nose. “So what’s the plan?”
Isabella perked up. “I have three months until Tori’s wedding. I’m going to go out with as many men as possible in that time. If all goes well, in three months, I’ll have found the right man to bring to her wedding.”
Jace’s mouth dropped open slightly. “You think you’re going to find someone in three months?”
“Maybe. Maybe not. The point is to give myself a deadline so I really take it seriously. It will be like a dating marathon.”
“Marathon. If I’m going to do this, then I’ve got to do it right. I haven’t had a serious relationship since Brock, and at the rate things are going, I might never end up with anyone. No more sitting around for me.” She smiled at him, feeling a well of excitement at the idea of doing something intentional and productive to pursue a relationship. “What do you think?”
Jace was still staring at her strangely. “I think… okay.”
She shook her head at him. “That’s the best you can do? You’re supposed to be my best friend, you know.”
“I know. I am.” He took a visible breath. “I am.”
“Good.” She walked over to rub his arm. “You should really consider doing the same thing. Maybe you can find the love of your life in three months too.”
“Right. The love of my life. Right.”
He was definitely in a strange mood today, Isabella thought as she finished sweeping the floor.
***
You can find out more about Speed Dating here.
About Noelle Adams
Noelle handwrote her first romance novel in a spiral-bound notebook when she was twelve, and she hasn’t stopped writing since. She has lived in eight different states and currently resides in Virginia, where she writes full time, reads any book she can get her hands on, and offers tribute to a very spoiled cocker spaniel.
She loves travel, art, history, and ice cream. After spending far too many years of her life in graduate school, she has decided to reorient her priorities and focus on writing contemporary romances. For more information, please check out her website: noelle-adams.com.
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Books by Noelle Adams
Eden Manor Series
One Week with her Rival
One Week with her (Ex) Stepbrother
One Week with her Husband
Beaufort Brides Series
Hired Bride
Substitute Bride
Accidental Bride
One Night Novellas
One Hot Night: Three Contemporary Romance Novellas
One Night with her Boss
One Night with her Roommate
One Night with the Best Man
Willow Park Series
Married for Christmas
A Baby for Easter
A Family for Christmas
Reconciled for Easter
Home for Christmas
Seducing the Enemy
Playing the Playboy
Engaging the Boss
Stripping the Billionaire
Standalones
A Negotiated Marriage
Listed
Bittersweet
Missing
Revival
Holiday Heat
Salvation
Excavated
Overexposed
Road Tripping
Chasing Jane
Fooling Around
The Protectors Series (co-written with Samantha Chase)
Duty Bound
Honor Bound
Forever Bound
Home Bound
About Samantha Chase
New York Times and USA Today Bestseller/contemporary romance writer Samantha Chase released her debut novel, Jordan's Return, in November 2011. Although she waited until she was in her 40's to publish for the first time, writing has been a lifelong passion. Her motivation to take that step was her students: teaching creative writing to elementary age students all the way up through high school and encouraging those students to follow their writing dreams gave Samantha the confidence to take that step as well.
When she's not working on a new story, she spends her time reading contemporary romances, blogging, playing way too many games of Scrabble on Facebook and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two so
ns in North Carolina. For more information visit her website at www.chasing-romance.com.
Books by Samantha Chase
Jordan’s Return
The Christmas Cottage
Ever After
Catering to the CEO
In the Eye of the Storm
Wait for Me
Trust in Me
Stay With Me
A Touch of Heaven
Mistletoe Between Friends
The Snowflake Inn
The Baby Arrangement
Baby, I’m Yours
Baby, Be Mine
Exclusive
Moonlight in Winter Park
Duty Bound
Honor Bound
Forever Bound
Home Bound
The Wedding Season
Return to You
Meant for You
I’ll Be There
Made for Us
Live, Love & Babies Trilogy
Love Walks In
Christmas in Silver Bell Falls
Waiting for Midnight
Always My Girl
Website: www.chasing-romance.com
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