Betrayed Hearts

by Susan Anne Mason

  “One of your paintings?”

  She could only nod. She’d painted a small landscape from their time at Rainbow Falls. She hoped it would mean as much to him as it did to her.

  “It’s stunning. You captured the very essence of my favorite spot. The spiritual beauty there.”

  A jumble of relief and elation spilled through her. Right away, he’d understood what she’d been trying to portray.

  “I love it. Thank you.” His eyes bored into hers. “I know how hard it is for you to share your work.”

  She nodded again, still mute. Her pulse stuttered as he took a step toward her and leaned in to kiss her cheek.

  “I will treasure this always.”

  The now familiar scent of his aftershave teased her senses. She managed a shaky smile. “I’m glad you like it.”

  A noise from behind them broke the intimacy of the moment. Lily tore her gaze from Nick in time to see Sarah Jane enter the hall, her face as rigid as the metal cake pan in her hand. Lily’s mood plummeted. She’d forgotten about Sarah Jane’s hostility.

  Lily threw a desperate glance at Nick. Please don’t show her the painting, she pleaded silently.

  As if reading her mind, Nick wrapped the paper back around the canvas and slid it into his bag under the table. “Hello, Sarah Jane.”

  This time Nick’s words weren’t laced with guilt. He was calm and pleasant, as he would be with any member of the group.

  “Hello, Nick.” The iciness of Sarah Jane’s voice spoke volumes. She turned to Lily. “I see you’ve recovered from your illness.”

  “Yes. I’m feeling much better. Thank you.”

  Sarah Jane marched over to place her dessert on the table, and Lily followed Nick.

  “Can I do anything to help?”

  His smile was worth enduring Sarah Jane’s unpleasantness.

  “Sure. You can put one of these sheets on each chair for me.” He handed her a pile of papers.

  Glad to be busy, Lily made her way around the circle of folding chairs. Halfway through, a deep voice bellowed through the hall, startling her. A tall, middle-aged man with graying hair and a well-trimmed goatee clapped Nick on the back. The two men hugged and laughed. Whoever he was, he seemed far too old for the youth group.

  Then Lily noticed his police uniform. Her body went numb as icy fingers of panic clutched her throat.

  Nick led the officer in her direction. Papers fluttered from her nerveless grasp. Run, an inner voice screamed. But fear held her frozen to the spot.

  “Lily, this is my good friend, Mike Hillier. Mike, Lily Draper.”

  The man smiled and extended his hand. She swallowed hard and forced herself to accept it.

  “So this is the new girl in town.”

  Why did his tone sound ominous?

  Nick bent to retrieve the papers from the floor. “Mike’s our police chief. He’s giving a talk tonight on ‘Youth and the Law.’” Nick winked at her. “I like to scare the pants off the kids at least once a year.”

  Mike’s hand went to his holster. Lily swallowed again, trying to ignore the beads of sweat that snaked down her spine.

  “Are you OK?” Mike’s eyes narrowed. “You look a little shaky.”

  Lily couldn’t afford to make him suspicious. Or Sarah Jane, who stood at the far side of the room watching her every move. She managed a weak smile. “I’m fine. Still getting my strength back after that flu.”

  Nick frowned. “Maybe you’d better sit down. I’ll finish handing these out.”

  Lily didn’t argue. “Thanks.” She moved to sit on one of the chairs and forced herself to take deep, calming breaths. He wasn’t here to arrest her. Only to give a talk to the kids.

  A few minutes later, Maxi and Chloe arrived. Lily had never been so happy to see them.

  “Hi, Lily. Glad you could come.” Chloe dropped into the vacant chair beside her. Then she spotted Mike and groaned. “Oh, no. Not the ‘scared straight’ talk again.”

  Maxi grimaced as she took a seat. “Maybe he’ll change it up a bit this time.”

  “One can always hope.”

  They both chuckled at their private joke until the smile froze on Maxi’s face. Lily turned her head. Jason Hanley had just walked in with a pretty blonde at his side, smiling up at him with a look of puppy-dog adoration on her face.

  To make matters worse, Marco entered right behind them. Lily hadn’t seen him since their disastrous date. This had all the makings of a terrible evening.

  “I should’ve known he’d bring Susie here.” Maxi’s eyes remained riveted on Jason.

  Lily squeezed her friend’s arm, wishing she could do something to help. When Nick began the opening prayer, she sighed in relief.

  Despite the undercurrent of tension, Lily relaxed enough to enjoy the chief’s talk—maybe because she hadn’t heard it before. He spoke with authority and a great deal of respect for the kids. It was obvious from their reaction they respected him just as much.

  When everyone got up to enjoy the refreshments, Lily’s uneasiness returned. Thankfully, Marco ignored her. Jason on the other hand, brought Susie, over to talk with Maxi and Chloe. After several minutes of idle chatter, mostly on Susie’s part, Lily stepped in to drag Maxi away.

  “Thanks for the save. All Jason does is laugh at everything she says.” Maxi grimaced.

  “I noticed. Come on. Let’s get some lemonade.”

  They were pouring the drinks when Mike Hillier sauntered over, hands on his belt. Lily tensed, willing her fingers to remain steady.

  “Hello, Maxi. Lily.” Mike poured coffee into a Styrofoam cup.

  “Hey, Mike. Nice speech,” Maxi said.

  “Thanks. So, Lily, how are you liking Rainbow Falls?”

  The intense look in his eyes set her nerves on edge.

  “I like it very much. Everyone has made me feel welcome.” Well, almost everyone.

  “You’ll find we’re a friendly place.” He took a sip of coffee. “I understand you’re from up north. Bismarck, is it?”

  How did he know that? Had he been asking about her?

  “That’s right.” Lily gulped down a tart sip. The drone of voices in the background made her head spin.

  “You have family up there?”

  “Not really.” She searched for a way to escape, but her mind blanked.

  “What made you move to our fair town?”

  “Whoa, Mike, this isn’t an interrogation,” Maxi cut in. “We usually try to make newcomers feel welcome, not scare them off.”

  Mike gave a sheepish smile. “Sorry about that. Force of habit, I guess.”

  “No problem.”

  When Nick joined them a few minutes later, Lily could have wept with relief. There were some extremely uncomfortable vibes in the air tonight, draining what little energy she had left.

  “If no one minds, I think I’m going to head home. I’m still not feeling 100 percent.”

  Concern shot into Nick’s eyes. “Let me drive you.”

  She shook her head. “It’s OK. I have my car.”

  “Well, at least let me walk you out.”

  “Thanks. I’d like that.”

  Lily said her good-byes, and Nick accompanied her out to the parking lot. The cool night breeze ruffled her hair, a welcome relief from the heat of the church hall. At her car, she fumbled with her keys, and they dropped to the pavement. Her encounter with Mike Hillier had rattled her more than she wanted to admit. Nick quickly retrieved them and opened the driver’s door.

  He pressed the keys back into her hand. “I want to thank you again for the painting. It means a lot to me.”

  Lily tried to shrug off the praise, as well as Nick’s touch, but he kept a gentle grip on her fingers. She couldn’t help but look up into his tender gaze. Warmth spread through her torso. “It was the best way I could think of to show my appreciation.”

  “It’s perfect.” A slow smile spread across his face. “Now I’ll show you mine.”

  He bent his head and kissed her
gently on the lips. It was a sweet kiss, and Lily fought a wave of disappointment when he drew away.

  His blue eyes brimmed with emotion. “I know you’re not ready for a relationship right now, but whenever you are, I’ll be waiting.”

  Words eluded her. She clenched the keys between her fingers, letting the hard bite of metal crush the sudden longing to bury her face in his shoulder, to let him be her anchor in the storms of life.

  He brushed a strand of hair off her cheek, and his expression softened. “I’d better let you get home.”

  She fought the urge to capture his hand and hold it against her face. Instead, she slid into the car and started the engine. Nick gave a final wave, then turned back toward the church. She watched him go, her insides a churning mass of confusion.

  What on earth was she going to do about her feelings for Nick Logan?

  15

  Lily looked up from the appointment book when Chloe flew into the salon on Monday afternoon, bringing with her the smell of sunshine and summer air. The teen waved a paper in front of her like a victory flag.

  “I got a B-plus on my mid-term.”

  “That’s fantastic.” Lily swelled with pride.

  “Congratulations!” Maxi hopped up from her seat at the manicure station, leaving poor Mrs. Harris with her hand in mid-air.

  “Thanks.” Chloe grinned. “If I do well on my final exam, I’ll end up with a B average. And it’s all thanks to you.” She bent to give Lily a fierce hug.

  Lily waved aside her sister’s thanks. “You did all the work. I only helped a little.”

  “We have to celebrate,” Maxi interrupted. “Maybe ice cream sundaes over at Ruby’s.”

  Mrs. Harris’s loud clearing of her throat had Maxi rushing back to her client. “Sorry, Mrs. H.”

  Chloe pulled two envelopes out of her backpack. “Speaking of celebrations, you’re both invited to my birthday party a week from Saturday.”

  Maxi whooped. “A party. That’s just what we need around here.”

  Mixed emotions swirled through Lily as she slid the invitation out of its envelope. The party would be held at Rainbow Falls Community Center, which meant a big crowd would attend. The thought of being scrutinized by so many of the townspeople dampened Lily’s enthusiasm at being included in Chloe’s milestone birthday.

  “I hope you’ll come.”

  Under Chloe’s expectant gaze, Lily smiled, swallowing her unease. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

  “Nick will be there,” Chloe whispered with a wink.

  Lily kept her expression neutral. “What about Sarah Jane?”

  Chloe rolled her eyes. “Not if I can help it.”

  Thank goodness. Lily had faced enough of the woman’s constant hostility. Still, she couldn’t imagine Sarah Jane letting Nick attend a party without her.

  Later, as Lily packed up her desk, she fingered the invitation before stashing it in her purse. The fact that her sister wanted her at her birthday gave Lily a warm feeling inside. Their relationship was progressing far better than she’d ever hoped.

  She glanced at the sunburst clock on the wall. Five minutes to closing. Peg, Maxi, and the other part-time stylist had all left. The shop sat in silence with only the ticking of the clock for company.

  The front bell jangled a few seconds later, startling Lily out of her musings. She swiveled in her chair—ready to tell whoever it was they were closed—when Nick strolled through the door, a single white rose in his hand. Pure pleasure flooded her system like liquid gold.

  “Hey, beautiful.”

  “Nick. What are you doing here?”

  He smiled and held out the bloom to her. “Just wanted to see your gorgeous face.”

  Warmth bled into her cheeks, and she lifted the fragrant petals to her nose. The thought of their brief kiss in the church parking lot made her stomach quiver.

  “There is another reason I came by.” He stuffed his hands deep in his pockets. “I have a favor to ask.”

  “Oh?” Why did she get the feeling this was something big? Maybe because Nick seemed nervous, and Nick was never nervous.

  “As part of my final course evaluation, I have to preach at the service this Sunday.” He paused, fixing her with a serious gaze as he leaned over the desk. “I was hoping you’d come—for good luck—and to give me your opinion.”

  Was he serious? He wanted her to go to church? She opened her mouth to say no but couldn’t bring herself to destroy the hopeful look on his face.

  “I know it will be hard, given the history with your father. But I think if you come, you’ll see not all ministers are the same.” His mouth lifted at the corner.

  She wanted to say yes. If only her body didn’t quake with fear at the thought of walking into that church with Sarah Jane Miller and the rest of the congregation staring at her.

  “Don’t answer right now. Just think about it and get back to me.”

  She managed a smile. “I—I will.”

  “In the meantime, can I buy you a soda?”

  The phone rang, and she picked it up, giving herself a minute to regain her composure. She jotted down an appointment and then turned her attention back to Nick who’d wandered over to the window.

  “I’m closing tonight,” she said. “Can you wait five minutes?”

  She was playing with fire, no doubt about it, but she couldn’t resist spending more time with him.

  His lazy grin made her heart beat double time. “I can wait.”

  At precisely nine o’clock, Lily turned off all the lights, grabbed her purse, and locked the front door of the shop. They strolled down McIntyre Street until Nick stopped in front of Ruby’s Diner. “You’re going to love this. Ruby makes incredible ice cream sodas.” He held the door open and ushered her inside.

  The interior reminded Lily of a true fifties-style diner with red vinyl booths and a chrome counter flanked with round stools. An old-fashioned jukebox sat in the far corner cranking out Patsy Cline’s “Crazy.”

  Nick nodded to a couple of guys at the counter as he led her to a quiet booth at the back. After a waitress had taken their order, Lily sat back against the cushioned seat, feeling suddenly like she was on a real date with Nick—a feeling both thrilling and terrifying.

  “How’s your aunt doing?” she asked in an attempt to remain casual.

  A frown marred his brow. “About the same.”

  “Do you think she’s up to Chloe’s big party?” Lily unfolded a paper napkin onto her lap.

  “Not really. I tried to talk her out of it, but her mind is made up.”

  “Maybe Maxi and I can help.” Where had that come from?

  Nick gave her an approving smile. “I’d appreciate that. Thank you. The ladies from the church are providing the food, but maybe you could help with the decorations.”

  “I’ll talk to Maxi, and we’ll call your Aunt Sonia tomorrow.”

  Uncertainty crept into his eyes.

  “Don’t worry. I won’t say anything about Chloe being my sister.”

  He let out a relieved sigh. “Thank you.”

  The waitress arrived with their chocolate sodas. While Lily enjoyed the frosty treat, she took the opportunity to change the subject. “Where would the nearest hospital be?”

  Nick blinked. “Memorial Hospital in Kingsville. About thirty miles from here.” An expression of concern crossed his face. “Is Doc sending you for tests?”

  “No. Nothing like that.”

  He frowned. “Then what’s this about?”

  She swirled her straw through the chocolate liquid. “I talked to Doc about the Strickland murders.”

  One of Nick’s golden eyebrows shot up in surprise. “What did he say?”

  “He was called to the house that night.” She took a spoonful of chocolate into her mouth, relishing the cool burst of flavor.

  “Did he tell you anything new?”

  “Not really. But he did confirm that the older daughter, Addie, died in the hospital several weeks later.”

&n
bsp; “That makes no sense.” Nick set his glass down with a thump. “Wait, who’s Addie?”

  She shrugged. “My middle name is Adelaide.”

  His slow smile made her senses spin like the swirls of chocolate in her glass. “Pretty, but I prefer Lily.” He sobered. “Still, the fact remains that you didn’t die.”

  “Someone from the hospital must have told him I did. That’s why I need to go there and see what I can find out.” She looked at Nick as she took another sip through the straw.

  “I hate to disappoint you, but I doubt they’ll tell you anything.”

  “Why not? They’re my medical records.”

  He held her gaze. “If they even have records back that far, I’m pretty sure there are rules about who can access them. You’d likely need photo ID matching your records.”

  She stilled. Photo ID was out of the question. Her driver’s license still bore her adopted name, before she’d taken her mother’s surname when she moved to Bismarck. And she had nothing with the name Strickland, except her birth certificate. Lily slumped back against the seat, fighting a surge of disappointment. Those records would tell her if she’d been actually declared dead by the hospital or if she’d been released.

  Nick reached a hand across the table to squeeze her fingers. “What if we get Doc on board? He has privileges at Kingsville.”

  “What makes you think he’d help me?”

  “If we both talk to him, I think we can convince him.”

  Lily ignored the tickle of fear in her belly at the thought of telling Doc who she really was. But what choice did she have? “OK, if you’re sure we can trust him.”

  Nick nodded. “I’m sure. I’ll call him tomorrow.”

  When they’d finished their drinks, Nick paid the bill, and they started home. Lily loved being able to walk most places in town, especially now that the weather was so nice. She glanced up at the dark night sky, noting the cascade of stars out in full force.

  “Look, you can see the Milky Way.” Nick pointed with one hand and draped the other around her shoulder.

  She tried to concentrate on his words, despite the delicious warmth of his nearness. A star streaked across the night sky, and Lily gave a cry of delight. “I’ve never seen a shooting star before. Aren’t you supposed to make a wish or something?”