the move, drawing closer. The man left Isabel and ran toward her car. To fetch her EpiPen no doubt.
Honestly, Chad was a little shocked by the speed of her reaction to the bee venom. She’d been stung once when she was a child. After doing research, he’d learned that allergic reactions could be more severe in adults and in subsequent exposures.
On the screen, Olga lowered beside Isabel, the frame of the video zooming in on her face that had turned into a hideous mask. Not only was her face painfully swollen but her cheeks were drooping at the same time and her eyes were a glassy mix of agony and fear.
Holy—That was the money shot.
Chad chuckled at Isabel’s monstrous image, the sound of her wheezing sending a thrill through him.
You brought this on yourself, babe.
Never should’ve gone out with that man. Chad bet lover boy would stay away from her until she was looking her best, which should take a day or two.
“Do I want to know what you’re watching?” Brett asked.
“No.”
“I should fire up the grill. Mindy has everything prepped and ready to go.” He stood, grabbing his drink. “Burgers and chicken kabobs for the kids. Steaks and baked potatoes for us. I think Mindy is skipping lunch since I spoke to her about her weight. You’re staying, right?”
The video ended and Chad muttered a curse under his breath over how short it’d been. “Steak sounds perfect.”
“Hey, when are you and Isabel getting back together? Mindy misses her.”
Of course she did. Isabel was the only friend Brett allowed Mindy to have at the house.
Starting the video over again from the beginning, Chad said, “I’m working on it.”
Chapter Eleven
Lucky. That was how Isabel felt. Dutch had taken care of her and McQueen for the past two days. First thing in the morning, he was there with her coconut-milk latte and take-out breakfast from a café, then he took her dog for a walk.
They’d watched the top five Steve McQueen movies along with her favorite films, snuggled together with no pressure for anything more than comfort and affection. He paid exquisite attention to her, giving his whole self and not asking for anything in return. Dinners had been delivered and after he took her dog for one final jaunt outside, he’d hold her, kiss her and leave.
Part of her didn’t want her recovery to end.
She was back in her regular routine finally, but behind on everything. Work, jogging, Krav Maga lessons. Wednesday had rushed up on her and she was supposed to have dinner with her uncle in two hours and still hadn’t told Dutch one way or the other if he was going, too.
Before her near-death allergic reaction, she’d been ready to invite Dutch, but now that he’d earned his place at the dinner table beside her, she could barely contain her excitement.
Isabel dialed her uncle as she grabbed her workout bag from the trunk of the loaner vehicle the car repair shop let her use and walked inside the Krav Maga school.
“Isabel, mi hija, I hope you’re not calling to cancel.”
“No. I wouldn’t dream of it,” she said, relieved her face no longer showed any sign of swelling. “It’s just, I’d like to bring someone to dinner. A guy I’m seeing. I know how much you hate surprises.”
“You haven’t mentioned you’re dating anyone.”
“It’s new, but he’s special. I’d love for you to meet him.”
“Not tonight,” her uncle said. “I have business I want to discuss with you at dinner.”
“How about we talk privately and then he joins us for dessert?”
“We’ll discuss it when I see you later. The car will be at the gallery at seven.”
Isabel groaned into the phone, wanting her uncle to hear every decibel of her frustration.
“Don’t pout. It’s unbecoming. I hate to disappoint you, truly, but I need some one-on-one time with you. That’s it. Te amo.”
Isabel hung up without saying I love you back.
It was no wonder she’d gotten caught up with Chad and went along with his controlling behavior. She’d grown accustomed to similar treatment from her uncle, who was just as imperious. The same won’t-take-no attitude. It was his way or consequences.
Thank heavens she’d met someone different like Dutch.
Isabel threw her phone in the gym bag and zipped it.
“You really pushed us today, John. Thanks,” a male voice said, sending a hot rush of adrenaline shooting through her system.
Isabel looked up and stared at Chad. A class had just finished, and he was walking out with the instructor, John. The two of