Page 61 of Searching for Valor

For her friend. For the kids.

For Rylan.

God, Rylan…

Zak had told her to stay away, so she’d stayed away, though it killed her to do so. She wanted to be there for him, to support him as he struggled with the aftermath of his suicide attempt.But she understood Zak’s stance. Her presence might do more harm than good, given their complicated history and the fragile state of Rylan’s mental health.

Still, the urge to check on him gnawed at her. She found herself driving past his house at least once a day, hoping to catch a glimpse of him, to reassure herself that he was okay. But the curtains remained drawn, and the house looked as lifeless as she felt.

So when Anna Hendricks called her this morning, asking to meet at The Mad Dog Pub, she was surprised.

Anna was already at a corner booth, her red hair pulled back into a neat braid that fell over her shoulder. She smiled as Izzy approached, but it wasn’t anywhere near the usual wattage of her smile. “Thanks for meeting me.”

Rose Rawlings appeared with two coffees the moment Izzy slid into the booth. “I figured you both could use a pick-me-up.” She made a shooing motion at Anna. “Now scoot.”

Anna sighed but scooted over, making room for her sister-in-law to sit.

Izzy studied both women, and the knot of dread in her stomach tightened. “Okay, now this feels like an interrogation.”

“Not an interrogation,” Anna said quickly.

“Just a conversation,” Rose added.

“What kind of conversation?”

Anna opened her mouth to respond, but the bell over the door rang, indicating a new customer.

“Take a seat anywhere, and I’ll be with you in a few minutes,” Rose called, but the newcomers made a beeline for their table.

Rhiannon Cross, followed by Shane’s wife, Alexis Summers.

Yeah, this probably wasn’t going to end well.

Izzy slid from the booth. “I should go.”

Rhiannon stopped a few feet away and held up her hands. “I’m not here to make things harder for you.”

“We just want to talk,” Anna said and motioned to the seat. “Please, sit down.”

Izzy hesitated, her gaze darting between the four women. The concern etched on their faces made her already taut nerves stretch even tighter. She drew in a breath and slowly lowered herself back into the booth.

“Okay, I’m listening.” Suddenly cold, she wrapped her hands around the warm mug of coffee. “What’s this about?”

Though she had a good idea she already knew.

Alexis pulled up a chair from another table. Rhiannon slid into the booth beside Izzy, her green-gold eyes filled with a mix of emotions Izzy couldn’t quite decipher.

“It’s about Rylan,” Rhiannon began.

Of course it was. Izzy’s chest tightened, memories of the last time she saw Rylan flashing through her mind. He’d been so pale, so still, as they loaded him into the ambulance…

“What about him?” she asked, her voice sharper than she intended.

“He’s not okay,” Anna said.

Izzy laughed bitterly, the sound harsh in the quiet pub. “Yeah, I figured that out when I found him overdosed on his couch.”

Rhiannon winced, and she instantly regretted her words.

---