Isabel and the Wolf: (Part 3) Read Online Free

because then I wouldn’t have got myself involved in this weird situation.”
    “It’s always the hottest ones that give you the most trouble. It’s probably because their general hotness means they don’t need to make an effort, and the sex is so great that you don’t notice that their personalities suck!”
    “I don’t know. Peter’s not really like that. It’s not like he’s arrogant, or doesn’t care how he treats me or anything.” Isabel paused, thinking. “He’s just really unusual and communicates in different ways from the average person. He always takes care of me when we’re together. And I feel like that’s just the way he is. And we haven’t been in close contact, but I still feel that him disappearing like this is out of character.”
    “Hmmm. So maybe he knows Josie through the forest, or maybe they’re drinking buddies. We’ve got no way of knowing right now. God only knows what she was doing at his place, but at least that’s assuaged your worries that he’s lying in a heap in his house, too sick to crawl to his phone.”
    “True.”
    “How about this: let’s forget about him tonight, and go out and have fun! This is the first time – maybe ever, actually – that my best friend and I have both been single at the same time!”
    “Absolutely! And I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be a downer. I didn’t even mean to bring up Peter when you’d only just arrived.”
    “You’re not being a downer, babe, not at all.” Isabel glanced at Kara with gratitude. “You’ve got to talk about stuff. I just want to make sure that the man of the woods doesn’t ruin our crazy weekend!”
    “Cheers to that! God, I can’t wait for a beer!”
    “That’s my girl!” Kara said and gave her shoulder a shake.
    *
    A retro-lounge pop singer’s dusky voice was playing loud from the speaker dock in Isabel’s bedroom, and the two friends had a closet mirror each.
    “How the hell do you do that eyeliner thing?” Kara groaned, scrubbing at her eyelids with a cotton ball.
    “Years of practice and infinite patience,” Isabel replied cheerfully. Her eyeliner flicks were done and she was applying a sparkly blue powder shadow underneath her lower lash line, which made her eyes look greener than ever. “If you hold on a second, I’ll do them for you.”
    “Thanks, babe. So, beers in a dive bar first, and then?” Isabel laughed.
    “Silver City doesn’t exactly have dive bars. There’s a shabby old bar with saloon doors though – I hope that’ll be a good enough substitute?” She paused and put a light dusting of blush on her cheeks. “And after that, I’ve got a surprise for you!”
    “Great! Kara said, her expression impish, expecting it to be something silly. Isabel put on black skinny jeans and an olive green tank top, cut in a low V at the front, and teamed them with black, kitten-heeled pumps. Kara put on a Boho floral dress and battered cowboy boots.
    “Looking good, girlfriend,” Isabel drawled, grinning at her.
    “I brought the boots especially,” Kara replied, doing a high kick that almost smashed into the mirror. “Ready for a night of line dancing… yee ha!”
    “You’re such a dork,” Isabel said, shaking her head.
    It was twilight when they hit Silver City’s main street. White globe lanterns illuminated the sidewalk and the colorful shopfronts, and lights were beginning to twinkle from houses in the hills nearby.
    “This is really charming,” Kara said, with none of her usual snarkiness. They had dinner at a delicious Tex-Mex place, lit by candles stuck in wine bottles, before moving on to the bar that Isabel had been drinking at days before.
    “Hey, Bella!” the bartender called as soon as they walked in. Isabel walked over the bar.
    “Wow, if you know my name, I must’ve been drunker than I’d thought!” she said.
    “No, not so much.” He winked. “I just like to get to know my new customers. Anyway, pleased to meet you, I’m Dan.” He extended his hand