Read Online A Hero for Her Heart (Truly Yours Digital Editions Book 885) by Nancy Toback, Candice Miller Speare - Free Book Online
Authors: Nancy Toback, Candice Miller Speare
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introduce you.”
“We’ve already met. At the parade.” Derrick couldn’t help the irritable tone of his voice. He hadn’t liked Michael at first glance and didn’t like him any better now. But he was worried the reason was jealousy, and Derrick hated that emotion.
Betsy must have noticed. She sent him a fast glance. “Oh. Well then, please excuse me. I need to say hello.”
Derrick let her go and made a quick exit into the kitchen. Since Paige was Michael’s sister, there was always the possibility he would mention Derrick to her. And despite the passing of almost nine years, she might recognize his name and tell Allie or her mother. He could only imagine the hurt in Allie’s eyes if she discovered he had misrepresented himself to her, Betsy, and Danny.
In the kitchen he skirted a large oak table covered with bowls and platters of food to reach the mudroom. There he exited the house onto a cement slab that served as a back porch. Under a large maple tree, Danny and the pastor were working on the grill, and Danny waved but was immediately distracted by one of his friends. People stood or sat in groups talking. No one paid much attention to him. This was a perfect time to snap a few pictures and just observe. He walked over to another maple, partially hiding himself, and held his phone up until he could see Danny on the display screen, then snapped. He took two more, glanced up, and noticed the spectacular view of the Blue Mountains in the distance so took a few shots of them, too.
“Taking pictures?”
Derrick jumped, almost dropping his phone. Shannon stood at his elbow.
“I love the scenery here,” he said quickly.
“So it would seem.” Shannon tilted her head.
“I don’t have a view like this at home.” Derrick opened the viewer on his phone and showed her the pictures he’d taken of the mountains. All the while his mind screamed, Liar!
❧
Allie stayed upstairs as long as she could. Lack of sleep caught up with her, and she wasn’t in the mood to see anyone, yet she had to go face a houseful. She’d watched Derrick arrive and then Michael. Their joint presence alone was enough to make her feign sickness. But she couldn’t do that to Danny or Ma. And she had to start the burgers.
She ran down the stairs to the kitchen and took a platter of raw burgers from the refrigerator. A shadow fell over her, and she turned and saw Michael.
“You’re avoiding me.” Michael crossed his arms like he expected an explanation. “I saw you hide behind your truck before the parade.”
Allie felt sheepish, but nodded, tired of pretense. “That’s an accurate statement. I am.”
Michael’s blond brows drew together. “Why’s that?”
“We broke up.” Allie placed the platter on the counter with a sigh. “You were dating another woman when we were engaged. That’s called betrayal.”
“That’s called a mistake on my part.” The muscle in his jaw worked. “And I’m sorry it happened.”
“Admitting it was a mistake and being sorry don’t mend betrayal. Not for me. You were living a lie.”
“Something I’ll regret the rest of my life.”
The pain he felt was obvious, but his duplicity had almost destroyed her. Allie shook her head. “I found you kissing another woman. Then you told me you weren’t sure what you wanted—”
“I wasn’t sure, but that made me realize it’s you I want. Only you, Allie.”
“If you weren’t sure, you shouldn’t have gotten engaged to me to begin with. I’m sorry, Michael.” Allie picked up the platter. “It’s over.”
He drew closer. Too close. “Who’s this Derrick?”
“Exactly who he said he was. A businessman passing through town.”
“Then what’s he doing here at the picnic?”
“Not by my invitation, and none of anyone’s business.”
Anger flashed in Michael’s eyes. “Are you going to tell me you don’t love me anymore? That you can forget what we had between us?”
Had he always been petulant and pushy, and she
“We’ve already met. At the parade.” Derrick couldn’t help the irritable tone of his voice. He hadn’t liked Michael at first glance and didn’t like him any better now. But he was worried the reason was jealousy, and Derrick hated that emotion.
Betsy must have noticed. She sent him a fast glance. “Oh. Well then, please excuse me. I need to say hello.”
Derrick let her go and made a quick exit into the kitchen. Since Paige was Michael’s sister, there was always the possibility he would mention Derrick to her. And despite the passing of almost nine years, she might recognize his name and tell Allie or her mother. He could only imagine the hurt in Allie’s eyes if she discovered he had misrepresented himself to her, Betsy, and Danny.
In the kitchen he skirted a large oak table covered with bowls and platters of food to reach the mudroom. There he exited the house onto a cement slab that served as a back porch. Under a large maple tree, Danny and the pastor were working on the grill, and Danny waved but was immediately distracted by one of his friends. People stood or sat in groups talking. No one paid much attention to him. This was a perfect time to snap a few pictures and just observe. He walked over to another maple, partially hiding himself, and held his phone up until he could see Danny on the display screen, then snapped. He took two more, glanced up, and noticed the spectacular view of the Blue Mountains in the distance so took a few shots of them, too.
“Taking pictures?”
Derrick jumped, almost dropping his phone. Shannon stood at his elbow.
“I love the scenery here,” he said quickly.
“So it would seem.” Shannon tilted her head.
“I don’t have a view like this at home.” Derrick opened the viewer on his phone and showed her the pictures he’d taken of the mountains. All the while his mind screamed, Liar!
❧
Allie stayed upstairs as long as she could. Lack of sleep caught up with her, and she wasn’t in the mood to see anyone, yet she had to go face a houseful. She’d watched Derrick arrive and then Michael. Their joint presence alone was enough to make her feign sickness. But she couldn’t do that to Danny or Ma. And she had to start the burgers.
She ran down the stairs to the kitchen and took a platter of raw burgers from the refrigerator. A shadow fell over her, and she turned and saw Michael.
“You’re avoiding me.” Michael crossed his arms like he expected an explanation. “I saw you hide behind your truck before the parade.”
Allie felt sheepish, but nodded, tired of pretense. “That’s an accurate statement. I am.”
Michael’s blond brows drew together. “Why’s that?”
“We broke up.” Allie placed the platter on the counter with a sigh. “You were dating another woman when we were engaged. That’s called betrayal.”
“That’s called a mistake on my part.” The muscle in his jaw worked. “And I’m sorry it happened.”
“Admitting it was a mistake and being sorry don’t mend betrayal. Not for me. You were living a lie.”
“Something I’ll regret the rest of my life.”
The pain he felt was obvious, but his duplicity had almost destroyed her. Allie shook her head. “I found you kissing another woman. Then you told me you weren’t sure what you wanted—”
“I wasn’t sure, but that made me realize it’s you I want. Only you, Allie.”
“If you weren’t sure, you shouldn’t have gotten engaged to me to begin with. I’m sorry, Michael.” Allie picked up the platter. “It’s over.”
He drew closer. Too close. “Who’s this Derrick?”
“Exactly who he said he was. A businessman passing through town.”
“Then what’s he doing here at the picnic?”
“Not by my invitation, and none of anyone’s business.”
Anger flashed in Michael’s eyes. “Are you going to tell me you don’t love me anymore? That you can forget what we had between us?”
Had he always been petulant and pushy, and she
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