Page 59 of Love Bomb

“No offense meant, old chap,” her father said absently. “I’m sure your establishment with suffice.”

“Although,” her mother said, “we have been sitting at our table for at least five minutes now, and have yet to see a server.”

Dougal’s eyes blazed. “I’ll send your waitress right over,” he said icily before patting Rona’s arm. “I’m at the bar if you need me.” With a glare at her parents, he stalked off.

“I see Dougal hasn’t developed any manners in the time we’ve been gone,” her mother said as she watched him go.

“Quite so,” her father said, turning back to their table on the other side of the room. “Come along, Rona.”

Then they walked off, expecting her to follow.

Rona glanced at the exit. She was sorely tempted to run, but she knew her parents. If they felt they were entitled to speak with her, then her feelings on the matter were irrelevant. One way or another, they would make her listen to them. Experience told her that it was better to get the talk over with fast than to try to avoid it. Avoidance just made things worse—for her anyway.

Keeping her head down so she wouldn’t have to look anyone in the eye, Rona followed them across the room.

Bain had just come out of the shower when his phone rang. He fell on it, hoping it was Rona. And was sorely disappointed to find it was Dougal calling.

“Get to the pub now,” the mayor ordered, instead of saying hello.

Bain stilled. Dougal was many things, but rude wasn’t one of them. Normally, Bain had to wade through twenty minutes of small talk to get to the point of his calls.

“What’s going on?” he said.

“Rona’s parents are here,” Dougal said, his tone dripping with disgust. “They cornered her and bullied her into having dinner with them.”

Bain didn’t hesitate. He switched the phone to speaker and discarded his towel. He grabbed a pair of boxers and quickly stepped into them.

“I’ll be there in ten minutes,” he said. “Hopefully, sooner.”

“I’ll do what I can to protect her from the worst of it until you arrive,” Dougal said. “But you know what they’re like.”

“Aye.” They used words like knives, and they cut to the bone.

“I’ve assigned their table to young Polly,” Dougal said.

Bain paused buttoning his jeans. “Polly?”

“Her mother is Lady Elsbeth Stewart. She’s taking a year out before she goes to uni.”

“And you think she’ll treat the Dalglieshes the way they’re used to?”

Dougal barked a laugh. “Lady Elsbeth grew up in Invertary before she moved to London and fell in love with a Lord. Her parents ran the fish and chips shop. She still comes back, at least once a year, usually for the Christmas market, where she beats the Domino Boys at their own game and sings bawdy songs on karaoke night.”

Bain grinned. “In other words, Polly won’t take any crap from Rona’s parents.”

“I’m more worried that she’ll wind them up,” Dougal confessed. “But at least Rona has an ally until you get here. But hurry up. It doesn’t look good. Rona’s folding in on herself.” With that, Dougal hung up.

Bain knew exactly what he meant. Around her parents, Rona tended to become quieter, until she was barely there at all. He shrugged into his sweater before thrusting his feet into his boots. To hell with socks. He had no intention of spending time in the snow anyway.

As he thundered down the stairs, his mind was full of memories of Rona’s parents. None of them good. They had a way of sucking the light right out of her. And even though Rona hoped that getting rid of the folly would make them love her, Bain feared she was deluding herself. The only people they loved were themselves. At most, Rona was barely a footnote on a failed marriage.

“What’s happening?” Darach shouted as Bain rushed past and opened their front door.

“Rona’s parents have turned up,” he called before swinging the door shut behind him.

He gunned his engine and pulled out into the road with more speed than the wintry conditions warranted. All he could think was that he needed to get to Rona before they hurt her. Then a horrible realization hit. Who had Rona turned to for comfort and protection when her parents had taken her from Invertary?

He feared the answer was no one at all.