Hearts On Fire by Penny Childs Page B

working on his
protective instinct, he knew this. Yet he couldn’t help being led along. Julie
was his first priority and the thought of her being humiliated broke his heart.
         “This is going to be a
scandal.”
         “Is that all you can—”
         A movement at the corner
near them grabbed his attention. And when he looked up and met Lizzie’s shocked
gaze the words caught in his throat. So did his heart.
         She’d been coming around
the corner, headed for the cafeteria with her head down when she’d heard the
familiar voice. She’d meant to stop and turn around but had been too late.
         “Lizzie?” Her hair was
shorter. That was the first thing he noticed since she didn’t have a stocking
cap and coat on. And her face was thinner. More refined. God, was it possible
she was even more beautiful now than she’d been at twenty?
         Arlene turned too, and
when her gaze landed on Lizzie it hardened.
         She didn’t miss the look
or the meaning behind it. Swallowing hard, she backed a step. You’re a grown
up now, she reminded herself. You’re not a scared girl with a baby on
the way. But Arlene still intimidated her. And with good reason. Aside from
her sister and Brian, Arlene MacGreggor was the only other living soul who knew
who Sean’s biological father was.
         He could see she was
going to run. He could read it clearly in her large blue eyes. He had every
intention of stopping her but his mother reached out and sank her fingernails
into his elbow as Lizzie turned on a heel and headed back the way she’d come.
         “Let her go,” Arlene told
him.
         Fury, old and knew
overcame him. Jerking his arm free of her grip, JD started after Lizzie,
telling his mother, “Like hell I will.” Not this time. “Lizzie,” he called
after her, loudly enough to earn him the wrath of several nurses. He didn’t
care. “Lizzie. Damnit! Stop!”
         He was going to get them
both in trouble. And he would chase her down anyway. She knew he would.
Stopping, she tried to gain control of her galloping pulse. But seeing him
standing there in the hallway with his mother… it had been devastating. All the
things she thought she felt for him had been tossed into the air at that
second. She meant to hate him. Always hate him for what he’d done to her. And
yet… Turning, she met his gaze. Those sharp blue eyes penetrated, as always.
“JD. I didn’t… I didn’t expect to run into you here.”
         Of course she hadn’t. He
figured she’d been keeping her distance intentionally. And he’d allowed it. But
couldn’t now, not with her right here. “Julie is here.”
         “Julie? I just saw her
yesterday at your brother’s house. Was she in an accident?” She watched his jaw
work, saw the muscles flex. And like it or not, she noticed him. All of him. The
wide shoulders. The muscled arms. The trim waist. The rear end she’d always
loved so much. Long, long legs.
         His jaw relaxed somewhat.
God, was it possible to want her even more now than he had thirteen years ago?
Was it? “It wasn’t an accident. She… she tried to kill herself tonight.”
         Lizzie gasped. “My God.
Why?”
         “Lizzie, I was going to
come talk to you tomorrow morning.”
         She tilted her head and
felt a fresh pang of fear. “Why? We have nothing to say to each other. To tell
you the truth I was hoping to make it in and out of town without seeing you.”
         The words were like an
arrow to his heart. “Lizzie, your sister was blackmailing my sister.”
         She felt as though all
the breath had been knocked out of her. “ What ?”
         He frowned. “Don’t act
surprised.”
         “But I am. I mean, I knew
she was up to something. But not that. I never would have thought that.” Not in
a million years. She wished for a place to sit. Her knees felt weak. “Are you
sure?”
         “Positive.