Page 30 of The Healer

Amos scowled, lowering himself into the chair with a few cracks and pops of his joints. “I’m going, and there ain’t a damn thing you can do, Dane. I’m old, and each second alive is precious. I want Mona in my arms, my life, and I have every intention of luring her here to stay.”

“What?” Ilona squeaked.

Not have Gran with her in Fenneg? No, that was out of the question. Where would her home be? The tempestuous emotion in Amos’s eyes told another story. She slumped into the seat. Gran would reject him again, so Ilona had nothing to worry about. A few days on duty in a small town, how busy could she get? It would be like working at Amity, one last hoorah.

“Fine.” She folded her arms across her chest, glaring at the man.

“I don’t like this,” Dane growled under his breath.

The rumbling deep from within him raised the hairs on her neck. She shivered and tightened her jacket.

Amos stiffened but shook his head. “Challenge me if you must, but I’m leaving.”

Ilona thumped Dane on the arm, stinging her knuckles when she hit solid flesh. “Are you implying I’m incapable of handling a small town? I’ll have you know, Mr. Mayor, I’ve worked trauma, for pity’s sake.”

He captured her fist, holding it in place. Heat poured from him, hotter than a newly filled water bottle. “I didn’t say that. It’s just… Some folks are picky about who doctors them.”

“They can damn well get over themselves, or they can heal on their own.” She tugged her hand free, aware he let her, before facing her grandfather. “Amos, how long? I’m not staying here so you and Gran can…y’know, get naked.”

His cheeks darkened, but she couldn’t say if it was from embarrassment or fury. “You’ll stay as long as it takes.” He rose to his feet, tossed a few notes on the table, slapped a set of keys into Dane’s hand, then stormed off.

Ilona scrambled across Dane’s lap to follow.

Then bumped into Amos’s chest who had halted his exit. “Where does she live? Give me the address.”

Ilona pinched her lips as she shoved her face in his, showing her defiance. He could have at least said please.

“You’re as infuriating as she was.” He waved his hands into the air. “Fine, I’ll find her without you. How many Monique Devereauxs can there be?”

She laughed. “It’s not Devereaux anymore.”

He gasped. “She married?” His gaping mouth slipped into a grimace.

“Is it Strickland?” Dane leaned his elbows on the back of the bench, watching them.

“My daughter was Dr. Elise Strickland?” Amos paled. He threw out a hand to grip the door handle. “I knew of her, of her husband…your parents.” He charged at Ilona to cup her shoulders. “Tell me, where’s Mona?”

Dane leaped off the bench, his chest warming Ilona’s back. Was he complicit in this nonsense? Or did he think Amos would hit her?

She slumped, unable to handle whatever this was with any emotional integrity. This shitstorm was of Gran’s doing. Ilona rattled off the address. Amos left the diner with the door banging behind him, climbed into his truck, then sped off. As if she waded through quicksand, she flopped onto the bench opposite Dane, who had returned to his donut.

“I guess I’m your new doctor for the foreseeable future.” She dabbed her eyes with a paper towel. “Anything I should know about?”

Dane pushed away his empty plate. “Shit, this isn’t going to end well.”

Rhys couldn’t move. His bear shook its head, whining for release. Slapping him down, he grabbed his coat and slipped it on as he strolled out. Seeing Callie in other women wasn’t fair to himself or the women. Gritting his teeth, he strode up the hill, and paused, watching through Mo’s windows as Dane, Rhys’s redhead, and Amos chatted. Her expressions were easy to read, her shock, her pale face, her anger and flushed cheeks, her dismay and resignation, and ending in her slumping across the table.

He shoved his fists deep into the pockets of his jacket. Dane would have to explain what was going on. The woman stomped out of Mo’s, leaving a bemused Dane seated in the booth. She hesitated when she saw Rhys standing there.

He didn’t know what to say. Asking if she was all right was lame, even as a thought. She marched up the hill to Cromwell’s.

Rhys didn’t hesitate. Besides taking a second to stare after her swinging ass, he opened the door and slid into the spot she vacated. “What the fuck is going on?”

Dane grunted. “Where do I start? Ilona is Amos’s granddaughter.”

Ilona. Rhys tested her name on his tongue. He shivered, relishing the skitter of excitement brushing across his senses.

“Amos hadn’t known she existed until now. But instead of getting to know her, he’s hying off to Fenneg to find Mona, her grandmother.” Dane swiped his finger over the sugar dusting the empty plate. He sucked on his finger. “Now, I have a new doctor for the fest.”

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