Page 14 of Rehabbing the Beast
Chapter Eight
“Quinn, lass, are yeready?” Siobhan poked her head into Quinn’s tiny room and sighed. “Goodness, child. Ye are no’ even dressed yet?”
Quinn pulled the covers up over her head. “Go without me today, Gran. I’m not feeling well.”
With a deft hand, Siobhan yanked the quilt from the twin-sized bed, exposing Quinn in her nightshirt and boy shorts. “Bullshite. Yer fine and ye ken it. It’s them young bucks ye be trying te avoid.”
With a groan, Quinn burrowed her head beneath her pillow. In an instant, that, too, went flying across the small room, first hitting the wall, then the floor, with the softest of thuds.
“Honestly, child,” Siobhan said, trying to sound stern and failing miserably. “Ye have them linin’ up just for the chance to gain yer favor.”
“It’s insane, that’s what it is,” Quinn said irritably as she sat up, her hair mussed and shooting out in every possible direction. “Last week Callum McRae hit his own hand with a hammer, trying to pass it off as ‘an unfortunate farming accident’. And Cian O’Reilly had his fool cousin crack a few of his ribs just so he’d have the excuse to take his shirt off in front of me, Gran. It’s ridiculous!”
Siobhan gave in to the laughter. “Ah, Quinn, darlin’. ‘Tis both a gift and a curse ye’ve been given, I’m thinking.”
“This isn’t funny, Gran. Someone is really going to get hurt.”
“Then 'tis nothin’ else for it. Ye’ll better choose one and put the rest of them out of their misery, for I doona believe anythin’ else is going te stop them 'cept a ring on yer finger.”
Quinn made a distinctly unladylike sound.
“Come now. There must be one among them that quickens yer heart, no?”
That was the problem—there wasn’t. Quinn really wished there was, because it would make things so much easier. They’d court, they’d marry, have lots of “bairns” and spend the rest of their days in this forgotten paradise. She could be happy here, except for one thing: as long as Seth O’Rourke held her heart, her life would continue to consist of a bunch of well-meaning, randy men competing for her attentions, none of whom she felt more than genuine, platonic affection.
“No,” Quinn exhaled.
“Heavens, ye have it as bad as I’ve ever seen. I’ve got to wonder, then, why ye’re here with me instead of out there with yer man?”
“He’s not my man,” Quinn sniffed as the tears started to fall. “He’s rude and insulting, and he detests the very ground I walk on.”
“And yet ye love him?” Siobhan questioned.
“Yes. I know it sounds crazy, but deep down, I know he’s a good man, Gran. A good man who was hurt very badly. He nearly died trying to save the men in his unit. They all survived, but the cost to him was so terribly high. Nearly every bone in his body was broken when they found him... barely alive.”
“A brave man, then.”
“Yes, very brave. Butsoangry at all he lost. He hates what he’s become, as well as anything that reminds him of that. Unfortunately, I fall into that category.”
“He was a patient of yours?”
“Yes.”
“Is he the one who put those marks on yer face?” The question was asked softly, but there was no disguising the edge to Siobhan’s words.
“No! Of course not! He was... verbally abusive, but he never lifted a hand to me. I... got in the middle of a fight between him and another man and became collateral damage.”
“Och, ye fool girl! Gettin’ between men when they’re acting like men! God made us smarter than them for a reason, lass.” That made Quinn smile a little. “Now come along. If those boys are goin’ te all that trouble, the least ye can do is gift them with a smile or two.”
“There’s no way you’re going to let this go, are you?”
“Nay,” Siobhan admitted with a smile. “A Fated wind is blowing this morning, lass. Best ye get yerself ready for whatever is headed our way.”
Fate was what had gotten her into this mess in the first place, she thought. With a heavy sigh, Quinn rose and began to dress for the trip down the mountain and into town.
