Hearts On Fire

by Childs, Penny

  Arlene scowled, remembering a daughter who wanted nothing to do with being a lady. She’d wanted to be one of the boys. It had taken an iron will to break her of that. But break her she had. “Be that as it may, I don’t want what has happened splashed all over the morning news. A scandal is the last thing this family needs.” She looked pointedly to JD.

  A scandal is what you’re going to get before this is over, JD thought. “I think you’re getting ahead of yourself, mother. Julie’s health and welfare come first. We’ll worry about publicity later.”

  Her scowl deepened as she turned on her oldest son. “I suppose you blame this on me.”

  Her accusation was out of the blue but it didn’t surprise him. Of course she would try to make this about herself. “I don’t blame anyone. My only concern is Julie.”

  “I agree,” Matt told them. “Something must have happened to drive her to try and kill herself.”

  JD’s jaw tightened.

  “We thank you for your concern, Matthew, but we’d like to handle this ourselves for the time being.”

  Arlene was dismissing him. Matt was used to it. He’d grown up as JD’s best friend but Arlene had always treated him as an outsider. With a tip of his hat he gave her a smile before turning his attention to JD. “You call me if you think of anything. Or if you need anything.”

  Watching Matt walk away, JD took in a long, deep breath, trying to calm his frayed nerves. “He’s only trying to help, mother. Along with doing the job he was elected to do.”

  “He’s trying to pry into our business,” she countered firmly. “Which you must agree with to some level, since you didn’t tell him the entire truth. You didn’t tell him about your sister’s reaction to the news story.”

  He needed to come clean with her on that score. “We need to talk about that.” He looked up and down the hall. They were alone.

  An elegant, plucked brow rose.

  “Julie confided something to me this morning. You’re not going to like it.”

  “I didn’t think I would. Go on. Out with it. What has she done? Please just don’t tell me she was involved in some sort of scheme with that Waring woman. I don’t think my heart could take it.”

  “In a manner of speaking you could say she was. Katy was blackmailing her.”

  “Blackmailing her?” Arlene’s eyes narrowed. “How on earth could that woman be blackmailing Julie?”

  Again he looked around before saying, “Julie was having an affair, mother.”

  “An affair,” she whispered tapping a manicured fingernail to her upper lip.

  “You don’t look too surprised by the news.”

  “I’m not. I’m just surprised she wasn’t more discrete. With whom was she having this affair?”

  “That much I don’t know. She wouldn’t tell me. She wants to protect him.”

  “Protect him,” Arlene spat.

  “She claims to love him.”

  “I’m sure she does. Her marriage to Kenneth was what she had to do, not what she wanted to do. The girl has always let her heart have its way.” Reaching out, she touched his cheek. “JD, please, tell me you’ll look into this mess before confiding in Matthew. If, and only if, it looks like you need to tell him, then do so.”

  “Mother, we should probably tell him now. I just didn’t want to drop that bomb on you until we were in private.”

  “JD. Jameson. Please, hold onto this information just a little bit longer. Just until your sister is stronger. Until we can prepare her for what will come.”

  He didn’t like it. But he understood it just the same.

  “We must protect Julie. We must think of her first. Everyone will know. They will judge her. Shame her. It might break her the rest of the way, son.”

  She was 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. Julie confessed to me this morning.”

  “But what could Katy possibly have been holding over Julie’s head?”

  Now he winced and looked around. This wasn’t the best place to be having this particular conversation but he knew it had to be here and now. Because it was plain to see Lizzie didn’t want to be within ten feet of him. “Apparently Julie was having an affair and somehow your sister found out about it.”

  “An affair?” Her eyes narrowed on him as old memories came back to haunt. “This is really
starting to sound all too familiar.”

  He knew what she was thinking. “Don’t go there. Not now.”

  She’d let him off the hook. For now because of the pain he felt for his sister. “Have you told Matt any of this?”

  “No.”

  “Why on earth not?” she asked.

  “Because I wanted to talk to you first. To see what you know about it.”

  “I knew nothing of it.” She shook her head at him. “You’re wasting your time. Go to the police with what you know.”

  He took a step toward her. Felt old wants stir. It was all he could do not to take hold of her and drag her to him. See if she still smelled the same. Tasted the same. “Not yet.”

  “Why the hell not?”

  “Because I promised my mother I’d check into it first.”

  The light dawned. “Of course. She wouldn’t want a scandal to mar her precious family name.”

  “There is that,” he admitted grimly. “There’s also the fact that someone tried to kill your sister. And I think that someone is the man my sister was having an affair with.”

  “All the more reason to go to the police!” He was standing much too close now. She wanted to back away but would run into the wall if she did. “Matt’s a good man, he’ll do his best to retain your family’s integrity, I’m sure.”

  “He is a good man. But I’m not going to tell anyone else about this just yet. I’m not sure my sister would be able to stand up to the attention right now. She was so distraught she tried to kill herself. One more shove and she might succeed.”

  “An attempted murderer is running around out there, senator.”

  He tilted his head and smiled a little. So she knew where his law degree had landed him. “I know. Help me figure out who he is.”

  “You’re insane.” And still too damn close. She could feel the heat of him and it was enough to drive her senses over the edge. She had no business wanting a man like him. And yet she wanted him. It was as though the years meant nothing. As though what he’d done to her meant nothing. God, have you no damn shame?

  “I need to make sure Julie is going to be okay.” And he knew another way to get to Lizzie. Though he hated himself for using it, he said, “Besides, maybe Katy can come out of this without going to prison.”

  “Prison?” she asked, astonished.

  “You don’t think a judge will just let her walk away from this, do you? With her record she’ll go to prison, Lizzie. Maybe, maybe, we can work this out privately.”

  She huffed out a breath. Then another. He was still a manipulative bastard. But he had a point. “What, exactly, is it you’re proposing?”

  “We find out who Julie was having the affair with. We find him and we find out who tried to kill your sister.”

  “Why don’t you just ask her who he is when she wakes up?”

  “I will. But I don’t think she’s going to tell me. She wouldn’t before.” Because he couldn’t help it, he reached out to her, taking strands of her hair between his fingers. “You cut your hair.”

  His knuckle brushed the underside of her jaw and she thought she would die of it. Unable to speak, she nodded.

  “I like it.” And he liked the look in her eyes. Liked the effect he knew his touch was having on her. “Dr. Waring.” He whispered the words to her. “I’ve missed you.”

  She wanted to tell him she’d missed him too. She almost did. But she saw Arlene come around the corner, her gaze impaling her. Suddenly she got her bearings and jerked away from him. “This can’t happen,” she told him. With one last frantic glance at Arlene, she took off down the hallway, this time not stopping when he called after her.

  Chapter 14

  What the hell had she been thinking, letting him touch her? Jesus Christ! With shaking hands Lizzie splashed cold water on her face. He still wanted her, she knew that much for sure. And what JD MacGreggor wanted, JD MacGreggor usually got. Just like his mama. And she had no intentions of getting herself stuck between the two of them again. Besides, JD was bad news. He’d just wind up breaking her heart again. And once in a lifetime, no, make that twice, was enough. She didn’t think she’d survive it again.

  The door squeaked open behind her and she looked in the mirror. And realized she’d made a huge tactical error in coming to the ladies room. She’d allowed herself to be cornered. Snatching some paper towel from the dispenser, she blotted her face dry.

  “Well, you were in my son’s sights all of five minutes and you already had him wanting to crawl back into your bed. Although women like you know how to make a man think with his crotch, don’t you?” Arlene set her purse on the sink and slid the zipper open. Plucking out a tube of lipstick, she leaned toward the mirror, meeting Lizzie’s gaze there. “I thought we were clear, Elizabeth. You were to stay away from my son.”

  “He chased after me.” Her hands were shaking, and damnit, so was her voice. It wasn’t fear of anything physical, not from this old woman. No, Arlene could hurt her so much worse if she chose to.

  “You came back to town.” She closed the lipstick and put it back into her bag. “Another part of our deal you’ve defaulted on.”

  “My sister—”

  “Is a white trash whore,” Arlene snapped.

  She met Arlene’s gaze unwaveringly when she said, “Like me.”

  “Precisely.” Taking a tissue, Arlene dabbed at her freshly painted lips. “You may have married well and gotten yourself a fancy degree, but I haven’t forgotten where you came from. And I haven’t forgotten you almost managed to trap my son, the senator, into a fruitless marriage by getting yourself pregnant with his child.” Turning from the mirror she met Lizzie’s gaze directly. “And if I haven’t forgotten all of that, surely you haven’t forgotten what I can and will do if you cross me.”

  “I haven’t forgotten.” Lizzie lifted her chin.

  “Now don’t let your pride get the better of your sense, Elizabeth. Think of the boy.”

  “I am thinking of Sean. Perhaps it’s time I told JD he has a son.”

  Arlene smiled but her eyes remained cold. “You certainly could do that. It would end my hold over you. But you’d better think long and hard before you come to any decision.” Stepping closer, Arlene leaned in. “If you do you’ll lose the boy. I’ll see to it you lose custody of him.”

  “You can’t do that. I’ve raised him.”

  “Because you never told JD he had a son. A judge would not look kindly on that. And neither will JD. He’ll come after his boy. And he’ll get him. Do you think a judge would keep a US senator away from his long lost son? The story would be all over the news. You would be portrayed as the vile witch who kept a man’s son from him. The public would side with JD and so would a judge.”

  The threat was a real one and she knew it. “JD has asked me for help.”

  “Tell him no.”

  Now Lizzie snorted. “He’s your son. What do you think he’ll do when I tell him that I won’t help him?”

  This gave Arlene pause. The girl was right. “Go back to Seattle where you belong.”

  “He’d follow me. You know he would. He’s convinced I must help him find Julie’s lover.” She rolled her eyes. “Here he is trying to protect your precious family name by doing your bidding once again. And look how you repay him. By treating him as though he’s a puppet while you pull the strings from above.”

  “I’m protecting him,” she hissed.

  “Well, you don’t have to worry about that,” Lizzie promised her. “If it’s one thing I can guarantee you, I won’t make the same mistake with JD again. I won’t let him use me and throw me away.” She tossed her paper towel into the garbage and straightened her back. “I’ve no intention of being his fling again.”

  “That would be all you could be to him.”

  Blue-blooded bitch, Lizzie thought, storming out of the restroom.

  “You should let that girl alone, JD. She was nothing but trouble way back when and she’s nothing but trouble now.”
r />   JD glanced over at his mother in the passenger seat. “She’s not a girl anymore. And she’s far from trouble. She’s a doctor.”

  “Be that as it may, she’s not suitable for you.”

  “Is she suitable for me?” Josh asked from the back seat. He grinned at his bother in the rearview mirror.

  “I must admit she’s better than some of the women I’ve seen you with over the years,” Arlene told him, not rising to the bait.

  “She sure has held up good all these years.”

  JD scowled at him. “When did you see her?”

  “Jealous, big brother?”

  “Not.”

  “I went down the hall to see how Katy is holding up.”

  “Oh Lord,” Arlene grumbled. “That’s just what we need. You went to visit the woman who is blackmailing your sister?” She put a hand to her forehead.

  “Don’t get riled up, mom,” Josh told her. “Nobody saw me but Lizzie. And Deputy Danson. But he won’t say anything.”

  “Oh, I feel so much better.”

  “I’m not going to stay away from Lizzie, mother. Not this time.”

  Arlene’s wrath shifted to her oldest son. “You have a career to think of.”

  “These aren’t medieval times. Arranged marriages are frowned upon. So is looking down on others because they aren’t in the same tax bracket.”

  “He means nobody likes a snob, mom,” Josh supplied.

  “I understood him perfectly, Joshua.” Turning her attention back to JD she said, “It’s not her money which concerns me. It’s her… well… Her breeding. Her lack of sophistication. She wasn’t raised with it. She was raised by a criminal and an alcoholic.”

  “Yes, which only speaks of her incredible character.”

  “Character? She wed the first man with money she could find after you left her and she had his child to shackle him.”

  JD cringed. Because his mother’s words paralleled thoughts he’d had himself. Until he’d looked into Lizzie’s eyes again. Until he’d heard her voice and touched her again. He’d called her a witch once because he’d always felt as though he were under her spell. That, he realized, hadn’t changed one damn bit.