Page 6

Granger's expression immediately turns serious, his brow furrowing as he pulls out his phone. "I've been out in the fields." He dials her number and puts it on speaker. It goes straight to voicemail.

"It's Dottie. You know what to do."

Granger steps closer. "I'm sure she's fine, Toto." He raises his hand toward my face, hesitates, then drops it to his side again.

I shake my head. "No. Something's wrong, Granger."

My heart pounds as I play him the voicemail from Dottie. It sounds even more frantic listening to it again.

"We'll figure this out, okay?" Granger wraps his arm around me. He's warm and comforting, but I hear the worry beneath his reassuring words. "Let's go talk to Nick and Leo."

I nod and follow him to the workshop the guys converted from one of the large barns on the property.

When Granger gets to the sliding wooden doors, he gestures for me to go first. I enter the warm space, looking around in awe. I've never been in here.

A half-finished dresser sits in the middle of the floor, its wooden inlays already gorgeous. Nick's skill at fine detailing is impressive, especially considering he does it one-handed. He lost his arm in an accident shortly before Dottie arrived in Oz, and Leo built him a mechanical replacement. But even his genius couldn't give it the same fine motor control as a real hand. Nick is truly amazing.

Leo's workshop takes up the other half of the space. Gadgets and tools are scattered along tables with prototypes in various stages of repair. Leo sits staring at a computer, his hair wild around him like he's run his hands through it repeatedly. Between his ruffled hair and full beard, he looks like a rugged mountain man.

All three men are so different. I mean, they’re devoted to family, incredibly handsome, and tall—all three of them tower over me—but that’s where the similarities end. Granger is lovable and kind. Nick is thoughtful and reserved. And Leo looks like he'd bite your head off, even though his heart is pure gold.

"Hey, have either of you heard from Dottie?" Granger asks.

I repress a shiver as he presses his hand against the small of my back, trying not to think about how good his touch feels as he ushers me deeper into their workspace.

Leo and Nick look up, and their eyes widen in surprise when they see me with him.

"Hi," I say with an awkward wave.

Nick nods a hello. Leo mumbles a greeting, pausing his work to focus on Granger.

"I think she's in the house," Nick says, his eyes sliding back to me.

Granger shakes his head. "No, she's not home." He crosses his arms over his broad chest. "She left a voicemail for Toto, and she sounds upset."

Nick frowns. "I haven't seen her since this morning."

Leo reaches for the landline beside him and presses a button—he might be the only person in Oz who still refuses to own a cell phone.

"Straight to voicemail," he grits out after a moment, his brow crinkling with worry.

"Yeah, for us too," I say. "Didn't she get the entry chip when she passed through the gates of Oz? You had to sponsor her, right?"

Leo nods and turns to his computer, typing furiously. "We should be able to track her."

Nick glances over Leo's shoulder, and the two men exchange a worried glance at whatever they see on the screen.

"What is it? Where is she?" I walk quickly toward the guys and slide in next to Leo. He tries to scoot over to give me room, but he's already against the wall, and I don't have time to respect his personal space right now.

"She's not in Oz." Nick pulls out his phone, typing furiously as he tries to figure out what’s going on.

"She left Oz?" I repeat, knowing it's crazy.

"No," Granger says, walking over and nudging me with his arm. "She wouldn't leave without telling us."

"Not willingly," Leo growls.

I whip my head toward him, my heart pounding. "Do you think someone took her?"