Read Online Georgie's Heart by Kathryn Brocato - Free Book Online Page B

you to have so many people mistake you for your brother?”
    Zane liked her quiet acceptance of his statement. Now was not the time to push her further, not when they were due at the new clinic site within an hour. “As a matter of fact, I had no idea Hunter Howell existed until I had people on the street ask me for my autograph after
Sunfire Down
made him a star. That’s what led me to discover I had a brother.”
    Georgeanne nodded sympathetically. “It must have been a real shock to see yourself on a movie screen.”
    â€œIt was.” Zane hadn’t told anyone the entire story of discovering his brother, but found himself telling Georgeanne everything he’d done and felt. “Having a twin is the sort of thing every kid dreams about, but I never really expected to find one when I checked the adoption records.”
    â€œYou must have been very angry.” Georgeanne lowered her gaze to her plate. “It seems so unfair to separate identical twin brothers.”
    â€œI was pretty angry at first,” Zane admitted. “Then I realized how lucky I’d been. Hunter was adopted by a couple who fell upon hard times. He’d been badly abused, while I had received every advantage, including a lot of love.”
    Georgeanne’s dark-brown eyes actually filled with tears. “What sort of man did he become?”
    Zane wanted to touch her face and kiss away the tears. “He’s surprisingly normal, considering.” He longed to cradle her head on his shoulder and tell her all the things he wasn’t saying — all the emotions she seemed to be picking up from the ether. “You’ll have to judge for yourself. Believe it or not, we’ve become close friends.”
    â€œWhy shouldn’t you? It’s my understanding that identical twins usually wind up in similar circumstances in spite of totally different upbringings.” She smiled suddenly. “In fact, I’d be willing to bet a reasonable sum on the assumption that he’s into hands-on volunteer work himself.”
    Zane’s gray eyes widened. “How did you know?” He should have realized Georgeanne Hartfield had a sixth sense when it came to people and emotions. “Don’t say anything, will you? Hunt would kill me if he thought I’d let out his dirty little secret.”
    â€œThat’s right. Hunter Howell makes his living being a tough guy without a conscience, doesn’t he?” Georgeanne laughed, a delicious ripple of sound that traveled through Zane like the vibrations of a stringed instrument. “I’ll have to go see his latest movie and judge for myself what he’s really like.”
    â€œFine. I’ll pick you up tomorrow night at seven. The show starts at seven-thirty.”
    Georgeanne’s mouth dropped open, but she shut it again quickly. “Doctor, you’re forgetting yourself. You’re a member of my painting crew, and my painting crew does not see movies when there is painting to be done. I have been known to conduct hangings and public whippings over such infractions.”
    â€œMy deepest, most heartfelt apologies.” He grinned at her, fully aware that she had been shocked at the invitation. “It’s just that I’d really like to know your impression of Hunter.” He added, “Seeing that you’re such a good judge of people … ”
    â€œI’m no better a judge than you, Doc — Zane.” She changed the subject, and he allowed it, for now. “Dr. Baghri says you’re involved in quite a few volunteer efforts yourself.”
    â€œWhen a man feels profoundly lucky in life, it’s natural to want to give something back,” Zane said.
    He questioned her about her training as a psychologist and her current choice of work then listened intently to what she had to say about her interest in children, the family home she’d inherited in the middle of the rice fields,