He beckoned to her, and she walked up the steps. He moved across the stage to meet her. “I was just going over some ideas to renovate the balcony area.”
She looked out at the auditorium. The view was different from the stage, one that most people didn’t get to see. “It must be strange to be up here under the lights.” She still couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling, which was even more powerful now.
“I never liked it,” Nick said. “Are you all right, Isabella?”
“I’m fine.” But even as she said so, she felt a wave of dizziness. She put her hand on his arm to steady herself.
Lights flashed in her head, exploding in shards amid a cacophony of screams. On instinct, she dragged Nick across the stage, barely registering his protest—a protest quickly silenced as a heavy light came crashing down onto the stage, exactly where they’d been standing.
And just like in her head, the glass shattered into a thousand pieces, and screams rocketed through the theater.
ELEVEN
Nick’s heart pounded against his chest, his breath coming fast as he looked back to where he was standing seconds before.
Everyone was frozen in place, including him. All he could feel was Isabella’s body close to his. She’d wrapped her arms around him, and he was holding on to her, too.
She’d saved his life. But how had she known? Had she heard something? Seen something snap above their heads?
Suddenly, his uncle started shouting, someone called down from the catwalk, and the stage crew sprang into action.
Tory and his mother hurried up to the stage, both breaking into speech at once. “Are you all right?”
“How did that happen?”
“Thank God you moved just in time.”
“Just in time,” Nick echoed, looking at Isabella. “Thanks to you. You have great reflexes.”
She nodded, then stepped away. “I got lucky.”
It was the same thing he’d said when he’d pulled her out of the car wreck, and a chill washed over him. Was it luck that kept throwing them together? His body still hummed from the adrenaline rush of the near miss and Isabella’s body wrapped around his. Her instinct had been to protect him before she’d thought about protecting herself.
“Thank you, Isabella,” Tory said, giving her a hug. “He’s a pain in the ass sometimes, but he’s the only brother I have.”
“I should get back to work,” Isabella said quietly. “I’ll see you all later.”
“That was way too close,” Tory said as Isabella left.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” his mother asked, a worried look in her eyes. “I can’t believe that light came down. We haven’t had an accident like that in years; everyone is always so careful.”
“I’m fine,” Nick replied. “We should find out what happened, though.”
“Uncle Richard is on it,” Tory said.
“I hope this isn’t a sign,” his mother said worriedly.
“The curse?” Tory quizzed.
“What curse?” he asked.
“This production is the same play that never finished its run because of the fire,” Tory explained.
“We tried to put it on again fifteen years ago, but we ran into a string of problems and eventually decided to do something else,” his mother added, concern lingering in her eyes.
“I’m sure the light falling had more to do with poor workmanship than with a curse,” he said, unwilling to buy into the idea. “You both have too much imagination. I’m going to take off. I need to find Megan.” He glanced down at his watch. “She said she’d come by here after the football game, which had to have ended by now.”
“It’s good that she’s making friends,” Tory commented.
“I’m just not sure they’re the right friends.”
He picked up the blueprints from where he’d dropped them, his gaze catching on the slivers of glass littering the stage. He hadn’t seen or heard a thing—not a crackle or a pop or anything. How had Isabella reacted so quickly?
Shaking his head in bemusement, he headed down the steps. As he entered the lobby, he ran into Isabella again. She was obviously on her way out, her keys in her hand.
“You’re leaving,” he said, a little surprised.
“I’m having trouble concentrating today,” she said, walking quickly through the front doors.
He followed her into the courtyard. “The light falling shook you up.”
“Yes, it did.”
“Isabella, wait,” he said as her pace increased.
She paused, obviously eager to be gone. “What?”
“How did you know that the light was going to come crashing down?”
She stared back at him uncertainly, something in her eyes that he couldn’t decipher. “I sensed it. It’s not a big deal.”
“You saved my life.”
“I don’t think the light would have killed you. I probably just saved you from a few stitches.”
“You were close enough to get hurt, too.”
“Well, we’re both fine,” she said shortly.
“You’re suddenly in a hurry.”
“And you’re suddenly not,” she said in exasperation. “Aren’t you the one who’s always saying we need to keep our distance?”
“That sounds like me,” he said with a smile that softened her expression ever so slightly. “What are your plans for the day?”
She hesitated. “I’m not sure. When I stopped in town earlier, someone left a flyer on my windshield for something called a Wild Turkey Shoot. I thought I might check it out.”
“Wild Turkey Shoot? What will this town come up with next?”
Her lips curved into a smile. “It seems there’s a new event every other day.” She started walking again. “I like the festive atmosphere, the feeling of celebration. You don’t get that in the big city.”
“True, Angel’s Bay has never seen a holiday it didn’t want to celebrate. I’ve spent most of the last decade in L.A., and I’d forgotten. I’m still getting used to—” He stopped in shock as he saw two teenagers making out by a motorcycle close by. “What the hell is she doing?”
“Take a breath, Nick,” Isabella advised.
All he saw was a haze of red fury. That junior thug had his tongue down his daughter’s throat. “Megan!” he shouted, striding forward.
His daughter jumped away from the boy, her face flooding with red as she looked from him to the boy and then back again.
“What are you doing?” he demanded.
“What does it look like we’re doing?” the punk had the nerve to ask, a smirk on his face.
Nick took another step forward. The kid must have sensed his anger, because he quickly hopped onto his bike, said, “See you, babe,” and took off down the street.
“Was that the same kid who got you suspended from school?” Nick asked Megan. “The one who was drinking?”
“Will isn’t bad,” Megan defended. “We weren’t doing anything. He just gave me a ride.”
“You weren’t doing anything?” he echoed. “Are you kidding me?”
“We were kissing. I’m fifteen. What’s the big fucking deal?” she demanded, going into offense mode. “I’m sure you were doing more than kissing when you were my age.”
“That was different,” he spluttered, knowing it wasn’t different at all. But he couldn’t think of something better to say, nor did he know what to do.
“I’m going inside,” Megan declared, and walked by him as if his opinion meant nothing to her. And it probably didn’t.
He blew out a breath and looked over at Isabella, who gave him a sympathetic look. “I am a terrible father.”
“You haven’t had much experience. You’ll get better.”
“When? She’s almost grown-up as it is.” He frowned. “I don’t like that kid she’s hanging around with. Did you see that look on his face? I know that look. I used to give that look. What am I going to do? Should I give her space or go after her?”
“I don’t kno
w, Nick. I’m not a mother.”
“But you were a teenage girl.”
“Well, my teenage self would have been horrified if my father had caught me kissing one of my boyfriends, and I would have wanted a little time for him to get past that image. In fact, I probably would have hoped we’d never talk about it.”
“I am going to talk about it—but not right now.” He sighed. “I’m overreacting, aren’t I? It wasn’t that bad, was it?”
“It reminded me of what we were doing last night.”
“But we’re adults.”
“Yes, we were acting really grown-up at the time,” she said dryly.
As she turned toward her truck, he found himself unwilling to let her go. “Since Megan needs time to cool down, maybe I should check out the Wild Turkey Shoot with you. I could use a drink.”
“Do you think that’s a wise idea, the two of us together?”
“We’ve already escaped death once today. What’s the worst that could happen?”
“I don’t remember any bars out here,” Nick said as he directed Isabella toward the outskirts of town. The flyer just listed the event, address, date, time, and charity contribution. He grew increasingly more doubtful as they took a side road leading past small farms and stables.
As Isabella took a right on the next dirt road, he saw colorful flags waving in the distance and a parking lot filled with cars. He hadn’t taken two steps out of the truck before he realized that they weren’t going to be doing shots of Wild Turkey.
“I don’t think this is about drinking,” Isabella said.
“You tricked me.” He gazed at the pen filled with squawking turkeys.
“I didn’t know. I’m an outsider, remember.” She slammed the door of the truck, giving him an unrepentant grin.
“Yeah, right,” he said, unable to resist smiling back at her. Isabella’s cheeks were rosy, her hair blowing in the wind, not a speck of makeup on her face, but she was gorgeous. Every time he looked at her, he couldn’t seem to look away.
“So what do you think the deal is?” she asked.
He read off the nearby banner, “Catch a wild turkey and win a free Thanksgiving dinner. Donations go to the Good Samaritan Family Shelter. It looks like ten dollars buys you five minutes to catch a turkey. If you don’t get one, you’re out. But your money goes to a good cause.”
“Sounds like fun and it’s for charity. We should do it, Nick.”
He could think of a lot of other things he’d rather do with her than chase a turkey, but, as usual, he was having trouble getting the word no past his lips.
“Nick?” Isabella prodded. “I just asked you if you wanted to catch a turkey.”
“What if I said I wanted to catch you?”
“I’m not running,” she countered.
“Not yet, but you will. You said you never stay in one place. Has there ever been anyone you wish you’d stuck around for?” When she was silent, he persisted, “Have you ever been in love, Isabella?”
She took a quick breath. “That’s a very personal question.”
“Like you haven’t asked me any?”
She was quiet again, then said, “Once. A long time ago. And I didn’t leave him—he left me.”
“That’s difficult to believe.”
“It’s the truth. Now, I’m going to go catch a turkey.” She walked over to buy a ticket.
Nick watched the current contestant in the pen. The teenage boy wasn’t having much success corraling a turkey, but he was impressing the teenage girl perched on the edge of the fence yelling encouragement. And Nick wanted to do the same.
He walked up and told the ticket taker to make it two. “We’ll do it together,” he told Isabella.
She smiled. “Sounds like a plan.”
They watched their predecessor make one last attempt before the clock ended his time. The kid was dirty and sweaty and supremely pissed off at having failed in front of his girlfriend.
Nick had a feeling that if a sixteen-year-old, agile boy couldn’t trap a turkey, he and Isabella were going to have their work cut out for them. “Any idea how we’re going to do this?”
“Not a clue.”
“Ready?” the starter asked them.
Nick grabbed his net with both hands, took a look at the turkeys, and picked out a likely victim. “Let’s go.”
The starter blew his whistle, and they were off. He charged his turkey—the less time the turkey had to react, the better. But the bird was quicker than he expected. Nick swiftly tossed the net, but his foot slipped, and he did a belly flop into the mud.
He sputtered, spitting dirt out of his mouth as he got back up to face the laughter. Not only was Isabella chuckling, but the rest of the crowd gathered along the fence was also enjoying the show.
“Let’s see you do it,” Nick challenged.
Isabella tried a softer approach, wheedling like a turkey whisperer. But in the end just as she closed in with the net, the turkey batted her away with madly fluttering wings that sent her falling back on her butt.
Her expression of dismay was hysterical.
“Why don’t you chase them toward me, and I’ll toss the net,” Nick suggested. “We might have better luck.”
“Okay.” She pushed her hair out of her face, leaving a streak of dirt across her forehead, then waved her arms gently, moving the birds toward him.
He crept up quietly behind one, holding the net wide to toss it over the unsuspecting turkey’s head.
“One minute,” the timer shouted, his voice scaring the birds.
Isabella laughed as they took off.
“Thanks, pal,” Nick told the timer.
The guy shrugged. “Better hurry. You’re almost done.”
Isabella was moving another couple of birds in his direction, and he stepped forward quietly, hoping not to startle them.
He was close, so close.
So was Isabella. She had her net ready in case one of the birds came back at her.
A glance passed between them, and she mouthed softly, “One, two, three.”
They charged the birds, hurling their nets. In doing so, they both slipped in the mud as the birds squawked in protest.
The next thing he knew, he was sprawled on the ground with a net over his head, the turkey long gone.
Nick peeled the mesh net away from his face. Isabella was doubled over laughing, pure joy on her face. He loved the way she laughed, with her whole heart and soul, even though her amusement was directed at him.
“What do I get for catching you?” she asked, wiping away a tear of laughter.
He got to his feet. “Did you do that on purpose?”
“Of course not,” she protested as they walked back to the gate. “You just got in my way.”
As they left the pen, Nick saw one of his longtime friends, Jason Marlow. A local cop now, Jason had recently started dating, Brianna Kane, the widow of another former friend.
“Nice job, Nick,” Jason said, slapping him on the back with a laugh.
“See how you do, before you start gloating,” Nick retorted.
“Have you met Brianna?” Jason asked.
“Hello again,” he said, smiling at her. When he’d last met her years ago, she’d been engaged to Derek Kane. “I’d shake your hand, but as you can see, I’m a little dirty. This is Isabella Silveira. Isabella, this is Jason Marlow. He works with your brother.”
“The famous Isabella,” Jason said, his smile broadening. “I heard about your dramatic arrival in our town. Joe has had me hounding every business along that stretch of highway in search of the car that ran you off the road.”
“I told him to forget about it,” Isabella said. “There’s nothing to be done now, and I want to move on.”
“Your brother doesn’t let things go.”
“He’s stubborn,” Isabella agreed.
“It must be a family trait,” Nick put in.
Isabella made a face at him, then turned to Brianna. “I wouldn’t go there in nice clot
hes,” she said. “It’s pretty slippery.”
“Jason is on his own.” Brianna smiled.
“And I will succeed,” Jason added. “I’ve got a four-year-old to impress.”
“My son, Lucas,” Brianna explained. “But he already thinks Jason is a superhero, so this really isn’t necessary.”
Lucas came running over with the tickets. Jason swung him up into his arms, and it was easy to see the love between the two of them. The longtime bachelor had turned into a family man.
So many things were changing, Nick thought. Shane getting married to Lauren. Jason dating a woman who had a kid. And he was living with his fifteen-year-old daughter and trying to ignore the hottest woman he’d ever met.
“You two going to stick around?” Jason asked.
“And enjoy your eventual humiliation?” Nick asked. “As much fun as that would be, I think we’ll be going.”
Jason laughed. “Nice to meet you, Isabella.”
“You, too. I’m sure I’ll see you around.”
As Jason, Brianna, and Lucas headed toward the pen to await their turn, Nick walked Isabella back to the truck. “How come almost every time I’m with you, I end up in the mud?” he asked.
“We must stop meeting this way,” she agreed. “But you have to admit, that was fun.”
“I don’t know about that. But this is fun.” He pulled her against his muddy chest and planted a kiss on her lips. As soon as his mouth touched hers, he pulled her closer, deepening the kiss because he wanted it so much. Her immediate response set him on fire.
When he finally let her go, his gaze dropped to her sweet, hot mouth. Her breasts heaved as she breathed hard, drawing his eyes lower. He burned to see her naked, to put his hands on her breasts, on her ass, on every beautiful inch of her body. Seeing the same flare of desire in her eyes, he swallowed hard.
“We should go,” she said quickly.
“Yes. Right. Go where?” he added, his brain muddled.
“Your car. Is it at the theater?”
He had to think. “Yes.”
As she got into the truck, Nick adjusted his jeans, then got into the passenger side. He rolled down the window as they pulled out of the lot, needing the cold, crisp ocean air to cool the fever that was Isabella.
At Hidden Falls (Angel's Bay Novel) Page 18