Page 83 of One Kind Soul

“Déjà vu,” Rada mumbled.

Nicole filled the EMTs in on what had occurred and they got Christian loaded onto a gurney. Rada handed Nicole her purse after fetching if from the farmhouse for her.

“Close the store,” Nicole said. “Then go home, Rada.” She couldn’t handle another casualty on that farm today.

She climbed into the ambulance and sat across from Christian. The swelling looked better and he was able to open his eyes more. The EMT had put an oxygen mask on him so he couldn’t talk, but his blue eyes radiated emotion as his gaze stayed locked on her.

Leaning down to press a kiss to his forehead, she took his hand. “I love you so much,” she whispered and he pulled her hand to the center of his chest, flattening her palm over his heart. It beat quickly. Too quickly, but she supposed anaphylaxis or epinephrine might have that effect on a body. At least his heart was beating. When Christian had dropped to the ground beside her, it was if someone had ripped her soul out of her body.

Thank God she’d known where the epinephrine was and that she’d done a little research today. Otherwise . . .

She squeezed her eyes shut. Otherwise this fabulous man could have died. How could a tiny thing like a bee bring an entire hot cowboy farmer down like that?

How had Lynda known Christian was allergic to bees?

Where the fuck was Lynda?

The last two questions needed answers. Today had been a two-ambulance day at Shepherd Orchard and Farm. That was two ambulances too many.

Especially when Lynda is my problem.

Her problem that needed her solution.

After a short drive, the ambulance pulled up to the hospital and Christian was scurried off to the ER. Nicole found Jared in the waiting room and filled him in.

“Goddamn bees,” Jared grumbled. “I’ve offered to scout the property and relocate any nests I found, but Christian said the bees had a right to be there. Maybe more of a right than we did.”

“Probably wouldn’t have mattered today anyway,” Nicole said. “My sister could have arranged to have her own bees brought in. Who knows what’s she capable of doing?” She clenched her fists on the armrests of the chair she sat in beside Jared.

“Ben said it was a man that he saw,” Jared said.

“Lynda has help.” Nicole ground her teeth. “Why anyone would help her is beyond me. Unless she’s verbally manipulated them. She is a master.”

Jared patted her forearm. “Even masters make mistakes. She’ll be caught.”

Damn right. But Nicole no longer cared about letting the police handle the situation. Seeing two men hurt today was enough to justify taking action herself. Christian didn’t like the idea, but she didn’t like the idea that he could have died today either.

She sat quietly next to Jared—and then Ben’s sister when she arrived—and ran through different plans in her head. She wanted to bring Lynda to the surface, but she didn’t want to put anyone else in danger.

She had to assume her parents in California were not targets. Lynda didn’t have any beef with them. They hadn’t stopped her from her favorite hobby of bullying Nicole. They hadn’t put Lynda and her stupid husband in jail.

The other people who meant the most to Nicole were all in Maplehaven. The only way to keep them safe was to make Lynda think Maplehaven—and its remarkable residents—weren’t anything special to Nicole.

Time to go.

With a glance at the other folks populating the waiting room and wondering which ones possibly worked for Lynda, Nicole drew in a deep breath as Christian appeared through a set of double doors. She hesitated for a moment, her breath stolen away by the rumpled, vulnerable look of him. His black hair was disheveled and his skin was still blotchy, but he didn’t look as swollen as when he’d been brought in. Everything inside her wanted to gather him into her arms and never let him go.

“I can’t do this,” she said too loudly instead, attracting attention from the others in the waiting room.

Christian looked around then settled his gaze on her. His fatigued expression almost made Nicole abandon her plan.

“Christian is fine,” Jared said in a soothing tone as he gestured to his friend, standing in front of them.

“I actually don’t care,” she spat back. “I’ve been here for mere weeks. I barely know you people.” The words sliced into her chest. Though she had only known them all a short time—aside from Tessa—she loved them. They’d welcomed her into their lives, made her a part of their families, shown her she had worth way beyond what Lynda had drilled into her head since they were kids.

And Christian . . . God, he’d improved her life in ways she couldn’t count.

“Nicole . . .” Christian began, his voice still scratchy after the bee sting reaction, but she shot out of her chair.