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“Nothing.” Isa straightened her back and took a cleansing breath. “But you’re right. I need to take my own advice.”
“Good, glad that’s settled.”
“I didn’t say I would start with Doc, though.” She heard him sigh but didn’t respond, merely stood and made her way back to the haven of her room.
Doc could be solved another day.
If ever.
30
Isa
“So,tell me everything. I’m dying to hear something other than what Ms. McKellen had for breakfast every morning.”
Isa stared at her best friend’s face on the phone. She’d once thought they’d end up old maids together. That was until Niall finally gave up pretending he wasn’t head over heels in love with Orla.
“It’s a mess,” she admitted. “I’ve never been good with men.”
Orla pursed her lips. “You don’t say?”
“Shut it. I can’t help if Mum kept me chaste.” She crossed one leg over the other and stared at the bedroom door. Doc wouldn’t barge through it anytime soon. She’d heard him in the hall earlier before heading to church. “But I don’t want to talk about it. I want to hear all the town gossip.”
For the next ten minutes, Orla dished on the locals and the new couples who’d emerged since Isa’s departure. The shop managed to make rent, pay bills, and earn a bit in excess. The weather was rainy, but a bit of sun was out today. How she desired an Irish breeze through her long hair!
“But I told Niall I wasn’t about to up and move in with his parents. Could you imagine? Me sipping tea every morning with his mum? Not happening. Ever.”
“At least you have someone to sip a cuppa with. No one here can brew a good one.” She stood and started wandering the halls. “And they call themselves Irish.”
“Love, they’re Americanized.”
Isa reached the main floor and made her way to the kitchen. The scent of cinnamon twists still clung in the air. They instantly pulled her back to the previous morning she’d spent with Doc. Blinking back tears, she opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water before slipping out of the room. Suddenly, kitchens were her enemy.
Isa pushed open the door to the back patio and plopped into a chair by the pool. A warm breeze tickled her arms and legs, the sun beating down on her alabaster skin. Her Colorado vacation had given her a tinge of a tan but nothing to call home about.
Focusing back on the conversation, she heard Niall in the background. The door shut and she noticed Orla roll her eyes.Doc would have a heyday with her.The thought chilled her. The only person she wanted Doc to play with was her.
The sound of the shop bell clanged, and Orla hopped off the counter and set the phone down. “Damn man forgot to lock the door again. Oy, we’re closed.”
Isa narrowed her gaze when no answer came back. “What’s going on? Who’s there?”
A scuffle of feet and the sound of a vase crashing to the floor brought Isa to her feet. The muffled scream sent her stomach into a nosedive. “Orla! What’s happening? Are you all right?”
Heavy boots clomped toward the phone. A man wearing a ski mask filled the frame, and Isa stood frozen. She made out a leather cut on the man’s body. “Sorry, lass, your chums won’t be opening tomorrow or the next day.” He chuckled and grabbed the phone. “Tell Macha we’re coming for you next.”
The video call went dead, black staring back at her. The man was clearly from the Twelve Brothers MC. Reality crept in, and she raced toward the lodge.
Flinging open the door, she cried, “They have Orla and Niall!”
Heads popped up from every direction to look at her. Boots clambered on the stairs, and before she made it to the kitchen, the entire Macha crew stood before her.
“What happened?” Doc asked, trying to meet her eyes. She wouldn’t let him. She could barely see anything other than the image of the man in black.
“I was talking to Orla, and somebody came into the shop.” She managed to fill in the rest of the details. When she was done, every face surrounding her was grim.
“Oh God. They’re going to kill them!” she shrieked, grabbing a fistful of Doc’s cut. “This is all Macha’s fault. If my father wasn’t in your club, none of this would be happening.” She hit his chest hard, the impact hurting her fist more than him.
“Get her upstairs,” Reaper directed, taking control of the situation. “Rubble, take Hawk and Snoopy down to Snowshoe. Tell our boys there to be ready. We’re going into lockdown. Brewer, take Dolly and track down the nymphs in town. Get them up here before nightfall. Cueball, go grab the rest of the kids at school. They’re missing a few days.”
