Izzy spent a miserable evening curled up with her laptop, looking at picture after picture of her and Xavier online. There were a lot. She traced his face on the screen, her finger stopping on the dimple. He looked really good to her. Why had he gotten so cryptic and weird on the plane? He obviously hadn’t wanted her with him and Mama tonight. Being left out hurt. Dolly and Hailey had always tried to include her, but she’d removed herself and was always on the outside fringe of her family. Seeing pictures of Dolly, Hailey, and her father together always tugged at her heart and made her feel like the child left home alone. That’s why she usually stayed far away from social media, but tonight she binged on it.

With Mama and Xavier, she’d felt like the center of their hearts. He’d gained her trust and made her happy like no one ever had. Yet now, Xavier was acting weird with her. He was going to meet with her father, or maybe already had, and that made her sick. When would she finally be rid of her father’s influence? It was her fondest dream to be sure. No, that was wrong. Xavier had quickly become her fondest dream, and for some reason he had ditched her.

She put the computer down and went to scavenge the fridge and freezer for food, knowing there wouldn’t be anything appealing. Finally, she pulled out a too-soft apple and a block of Colby cheese. A rap on her door had her shoving the food back in, slamming the fridge door, and grabbing her cinna-mint lip gloss out of her purse. She quickly put some on, rubbing her lips together and fluffing her ponytail before she pulled the door wide.

“X … Oh.” The let down was swift and painful. “Hi, Hailey.”

Hailey’s perfect face was full of sympathy. “Hello, my beautiful sister. Ice cream?” She held aloft a carton of Extreme Moose Tracks.

“Oh, yes, that looks like the ideal dinner.” She ushered her inside and shut the door. “What are you doing alone on a Friday night?”

They walked together into the attached kitchen, and Hailey set the container on the table while Izzy turned to pull out some spoons.

“I had to turn down three dates to go to some dinner with Daddy. As soon as I got done I headed to the store then here. I knew my favorite sister was back in town and needed some chocolate.”

Izzy froze with two spoons in her hand. “Why would I need some chocolate?”

Hailey bit at her lip. “Well, the, um thing with Xavier.”

“What do you know?” Izzy dropped the spoons and grabbed Hailey’s arm. “Why was dad meeting with him? What is he doing meddling in my life again?”

“I don’t know anything about Daddy and Xavier. I’m talking about the pictures of him having drinks with that supermodel, the Italian one with a chest bigger than my mama’s.”

“No, you’re wrong.” Panic fluttered in her chest, but she shoved it away. Xavier wasn’t a player. He cared about her. Hadn’t he proved how wonderful he was in Mexico? “X was meeting with Dad tonight, and then he was going to his house to eat dinner with his mama.”

Hailey studied her for a few seconds, twisted her beautiful mouth, then finally pulled her phone out and tapped on it. Slowly, she turned the phone around. Splayed on the screen was Xavier with Alexandria Fortunata draped all over him. Her arm wrapped tight around his perfect abdomen, her long, bare leg lounging over his. Xavier was leaning toward the supermodel, and it looked like she was whispering to him, and he was clearly smiling, his dimples on display for all.

Her stomach pitched, and Izzy was certain she’d be sick. The caption read, “Xavier Newton moves on from the daughter of Texas Titans’ owner to every man’s dream woman.”

“Are you sure this is tonight?” Her voice squeaked, and she hated herself for it. She’d just been online and hadn’t seen it. But then, she’d been focused on the pictures of her and Xavier and hadn’t refreshed her feed for a while.

“I’m so sorry, sis.”

Cold sweat broke out on her forehead. Xavier. No! She’d trusted him. She’d been falling for him. No, no, no!

Her hands trembled as she pushed the phone back into Hailey’s hand. Izzy shook her head and swallowed hard. “It’s um … Not your fault.” She couldn’t look at her sister. “I’m glad I found out from someone who loves me”—she gestured to the table—“and brings chocolate.”

Hailey wrapped her up in a tight hug. Izzy blinked back the tears. She would not cry over him. He’d seemed absolutely perfect, but she’d known from the moment she met him exactly what she was getting into. She’d convinced herself that being around him on their marathon date and in Mexico with the children was his true character. She’d been deluded. His true character had been last Thursday night at the bachelor auction—the hungry wolf who could never be satiated with just one woman. Exactly like her father. Why should she even be surprised? Why did it have to hurt like this?

She kept blinking and miraculously held the moisture in. Hailey pulled back and gave her a brave smile. “‘Buck up, little camper. We’ll beat this mountain together.’”

Izzy actually laughed at the Better off Dead quote.

“What do you say we eat ice cream and watch Dirty Dancing?”

Izzy was thrown back to Mexico and dancing with Xavier. The way he’d looked at her, their banter, the way he’d touched her and kissed her. No, no, no. She couldn’t go there. Now, he’d not only ruined her trust, but also the memories with her mom of watching what used to be her favorite movie. “Not Dirty Dancing.”

“How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days?”

“How about Harry Potter?” A distraction might help, but she couldn’t handle any happily ever afters right now.

“I got ya. Romance is out. At least let’s do the new Thor and have something hot to look at. I’m pretty sure it’s on pay-per-view.”

“Okay, I can handle that.” Izzy’s heart had been handed to her on a platter. Ice cream and a movie weren’t going to help or change anything, but at least she had Hailey.