Loving Bella by Renee Ryan Page A

above, casting dark, ominous shadows over them. She could only make out a scant few details such as dirt, dirt and, oh, right, more dirt.
    Confusion giving way to frustration, she glanced at the good doctor for some clue to this unusual turn of events. He simply stared at her. Blinking, staring, grinning, frowning? She couldn’t tell. Shadows, long and deep, concealed his features entirely.
    Well, of course. Why make this easy for her?
    In spite of a hot surge of rebellion, Bella scooted a little closer to the man, casting her gaze to the right and back to the left again. She didn’t particularly like the dark.
    And, uh, were the walls closing in on them by chance?
    Stifling a gasp, Bella quickly lowered her gaze to the ground that…was… moving.
    Moving?
    One explanation came to mind.
    Rats.
    In spite of the calm horse at the end of the reins and the equally calm man beside her, the street was teaming with hideous rodents, their sharp little fang teeth waiting for a fresh ankle to bite.
    She tried to pretend she was on the stage with a packed audience. She failed. And all at once Bella surrendered to abject terror. “Do…do you see that?” She jabbed her finger toward the ground.
    “See what?”
    “R…r-r-r…r-r-r-rats! Everywhere.” She clawed at his sleeve. She hated rats worse than the dark.
    He gave her hand a condescending pat. “They’re more afraid of you than you are of them. Give it a moment more and they’ll scurry away.”
    “No. You…you…you d-d-don’t understand.” She yanked hard on his arm, pulling at him until his ear came close enough for her to speak in a loud whisper. “I hate rats!”
    One by one, he slowly untangled her fingers from his sleeve and chuckled. “I should think you’ve seenenough of the little black creatures in your life. Aren’t they a staple backstage of most theaters?”
    The man had a point, a rather large point. But Bella was not in the mood to concede anything to the unfeeling, overly calm beast. “Ssss…So?”
    “So,” he said with the same practiced patience he’d used on Ethan yesterday. “I should think you’ve had plenty of time to get over any phobia you might have incurred through the years. You must know they won’t hurt you.”
    They won’t hurt you? Was the man insane? “Rats bite.”
    “Has one bitten you before?” he asked, his voice filled with genuine worry.
    Oh, right, now he showed concern. When it was too, too late.
    Bella jerked her chin. “That is not the point.”
    “Has a rat bitten you in the past?” he asked again, his tone growing softer and his hand patting with less condescension.
    “ No. But, at the risk of stating the obvious, I…I…I am wearing slippers.”
    “Right. I forgot.” The man sounded entirely too passive, almost gleeful in the face of her panic.
    Something bigger was going on here, bigger than rat teeth searching for Bella flesh. And just like that, she knew. Beau’s terribly important meeting this morning made perfect sense now.
    This little trip down rat alley was a test.
    One the horse was passing, one the doctor was passing and one Bella had every intention of passing, as well.
    Just give her a moment.
    Once she started breathing again she’d have her fear under control. Oh, sure, her hands were shaking uncontrollably. And her heart was pounding a fast tempo against her ribs. But she would not submit easily.
    Lord, empower me with the courage to do Your work today, regardless of the black furry challenges You’ve set before me.
    “While we’re waiting for our new friends to find a hiding place,” Dr. Shane began in a matter-of-fact tone, “I should take this opportunity to warn you about what’s to come.”
    “Of course,” she said, waiting silently for him to proceed. Anything to get her mind off sharp, pointy fangs.
    Turning her head slightly, she considered the doctor more carefully now that her eyes were adjusting to the shadows. In the dim light, his features had taken on a series of