She hadn’t. But the food was for two of her best friends, and they were saving lives. She wanted them to have fresh, nutritious meals, ones she knew they both liked. She gave Harlow a little smile. “Maybe not. I had to send your favorites so I knew you’d eat. Sometimes, when you’re really tired, you forget all about eating.”
Harlow followed her across the great room and through the large archway separating the dining room into the kitchen. Shabina had an open floor plan, so she could talk to her guests and see them while she was cooking. She had dog beds placed along the walls for her dogs as well as her guests’ dogs. They were frequent visitors, and each pet had its own bed.
“Sharif seems a little on edge tonight,” Harlow observed. She turned to watch as the big Doberman paced along the window, staring out. He paused every few feet to listen. “Does he want out?”
Every muscle in Shabina’s body tensed. Two of the dogs were supposed to patrol outside the house while one stayed inside with her. But there was no way she was allowing her dogs outside her house without her. She needed them close to her. If she went out, she was armed at all times, and she’d protect the dogs. She could never say that to anyone, because somehow, she knew it would get back to Rainier Ashcroft. He seemed to have eyes and ears everywhere. He seemed to think he was responsible for her security.
Rainier. She just couldn’t allow herself to think about him. He was her biggest weakness. The moment she let him into her mind, her entire being believed she needed him. That she couldn’t survive without him. That she didn’t even want to. Not when she was in crisis. She was on a downward spiral, and she had to learn to cope on her own.
“No, he needs to stay in tonight. They have a routine, and they don’t like to deviate, but I think it’s good for them to occasionally do different things.” Another lie to a friend. She detested lying to any of the women who’d been so good to her. They’d let her into their lives and supported her dream of owning the café. They’d helped to make it a success.
Harlow carried a tray with two food warmers on it to the long sideboard in the dining room. It would be easy access for the women from most of the rooms. Shabina had already put out the silverware, napkins, plates and glasses.
“I love coming to your house, Shabina. It always smells so welcoming.”
That was the nicest thing Harlow could have said to her. She needed to hear that her home was everything she wanted it to be for her friends. Before she could reply, the alarm went off again. This time it was Vienna Mortenson, accompanied by Zahra Metcalf. With Vienna being so tall and blonde and Zahra being extremely short with her large dark eyes and dark hair, they were striking together. Zahra carried a little bundle of fluff in her arms.
She had loved her half-mix, rough-coated, twenty-pound Pyrenean shepherd, a joyful, energetic dog she’d had for years. When she lost him, she refused to even entertain the idea of another dog. She wanted the same mix, which would be impossible to find. Somehow, just recently, the local vet, Dr. Amelia Sanderson, through her numerous connections, had found a little Pyrenean shepherd in a rescue shelter who had just given birth. The girls had hastily gotten together and, with Dr. Sanderson’s help, managed to secure a little female for Zahra as a surprise. Zahra and the puppy were inseparable.
Originally from Azerbaijan, she had come to the United Stateswith the help of Harlow, whom she had met in college. Now a US citizen, she worked as the local hospital administrator. She was very gifted in securing grants and organizing fundraisers. Between the money Vienna often donated from her gambling wins and what Zahra managed to raise, their trauma and surgical units were considered the best in the vicinity. They were able to attract good doctors and nurses with the pay they could offer.
Zahra was a man magnet. No matter the age, men flocked to her. She was flirty and fun, but she didn’t date. For a long while everyone thought she would eventually end up with Bruce Akins, owner of the Brewery, but he never actually got up the courage to ask her out, so the relationship never got off the ground. Shabina thought it was probably a good thing. Privately, she thought Bruce would never have been able to handle Zahra. He wouldn’t understand her.
Zahra was all smiles as she entered, greeting the dogs and showing them her puppy, letting them take their time sniffing her thoroughly. Misha came rushing up to be introduced as well. Shabina found herself laughing with Vienna and Harlow because Zahra didn’t seem to notice there were humans in the room. She was too busy explaining to the dogs who her new baby was and how they were all going to be such great friends.
Already, Shabina was feeling so much better. Just having her friends around her with their different personalities and their caring made her world seem brighter. She handed Vienna and Harlow the other two trays of food warmers and took baskets of freshly baked bread wrapped in warm linen to the sideboard.
“It’s a good thing you have a swimming pool,” Vienna said. “This much food is crazy, but you know we’re going to eat it all. Especially that one”—she nodded toward Zahra—“and Raine. The two of them can put away food and never gain an ounce.”
“That one?” Zahra, sitting tailor-fashion in the middle of the floor, surrounded by dogs, looked over her shoulder with one eyebrow raised, proving she was listening. She managed to look adorable as only Zahra could look. “I do have a name.”
“You do?” Vienna shot back. “I can think of several, but you’ve objected to every single one. Are you going to help?”
“I’m introducing Misty to her friends right now,” Zahra said. “And the names you come up with for me are ghastly. I don’t flirt, and I don’t complain, and I don’t eat too much chocolate. Every name you choose for me has something to do with one of those subjects.” She gave a haughty sniff and turned her attention back to her puppy.
Shabina, Vienna and Harlow burst into laughter. It was the first genuine laughter Shabina had experienced in days.
“Zahra Metcalf, lightning is going to come right through the roof and strike you dead for that whopper you just told,” Harlow predicted. “I would venture to say that at this very minute you have chocolate candy in your backpack. You’ll tell us everything in there is needed for Misty, but we all know dogs can’t have chocolate. And you’ve got it.”
Zahra gave them the haughty eyebrow. She’d perfected that particular look. “The chocolate is for emergencies.”
Another round of laughter went up, and Shabina could see that even Zahra smiled, although she pretended to be annoyed.
“Of course it is,” Shabina soothed. “I haven’t met Misty yet. She doesn’t look in the least bit timid.”
Zahra flashed her grin, the one that could melt men at fifty feet. “She’s so brave. She’s had all her vaccinations, so she should be safe on the ground. I do take her running, but I’ll admit I’m still a little afraid of putting her down where other dogs I don’t know have been.”
Shabina couldn’t imagine losing one of her Dobermans, especially to parvo. Her dogs were her constant companions. Her heart went out to Zahra. “I don’t blame you. I’d be the same way. I did make treats for all the dogs. And I have a brand-new bed for Misty. You don’t have to use it today, but when you’re ready, you can start teaching her that it’s her special spot if she gets tired of the other dogs. When she’s there, the other dogs know to leave her alone.”
The alarm sounded again, announcing the arrival of Stella Harrison-Rossi. Raine O’Mallory was with her, leaning heavily on a cane. She was still recovering from several surgeries on her leg. She’d been shot, the bone shattered, and she’d been fortunate that a top orthopedic team had been able to save the leg. Raine never failed to surprise Shabina with the way she was so quiet, usually the least talkative person in the room though she was scary intelligent.
She appeared to be an independent contractor, working mainly for the US government, she claimed as an analyst, but helicopters came for her at all hours and took her and her dog, Daisy, away. She’d be gone for days. When she was injured, she was guarded day and night by the military as if she were a national treasure. To say the least, Raine was a mystery woman.
Bailey, Stella’s Airedale, and Daisy, Raine’s mischievous Jack Russell terrier, ran eagerly to Shabina to greet her.
Stella laughed. “They know who gives them all the treats. Blatant kissing up right there.” She stepped back to ensure Raine made it safely into Shabina’s house.
Shabina could see it wasn’t easy for Raine to walk, even with her cane. Her progression was slow. There was no expression on her face, but without a doubt each step caused pain. Raine had always been an adventurer. A bit of a thrill seeker. She’d hikedthe entire John Muir Trail alone, nearly three hundred miles of wilderness. She’d summited Mount Whitney several times and been up Half Dome numerous times. She’d hiked the Alps, been in a dormant volcano in Iceland, gone to the ice caves in Romania and hiked all over that country. She’d hiked the backcountry of Thailand and gone down the Amazon River as well as traveled to many other countries. She parasailed and bouldered, and she loved anything involving problem-solving, which made her good on aerial silks and rope. It was difficult to see her struggling to walk.
