Read Online The Heart of a Hero by Barbara Wallace - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Barbara Wallace
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on yourself! I’m willing to bet you have far more to offer than you give yourself credit for. My advice: dump the loser and find someone who appreciates you.
Zoe
O KAY, “dump the loser” was probably over the top. She’d end with “give yourself credit for.”
Hmm. Reminded her of someone else who didn’t give himself enough credit. Lord, but her stomach still churned thinking of how close she had come to losing her precious Reynaldo. If not for Jake…
And he didn’t want to be called a hero.
Following Rey’s rescue, she’d tried to discourage her handyman from working. As far as she was concerned, her loose shingles could wait a day or two. His hip had to be killing him. But no sooner did she make the suggestion than he’d snapped back, “I said I’d start your roof today so I’m doing it,” and hobbled up the ladder.
She could hear him up there now, scraping off shingles. He’d draped a plastic blue tarp around the entire house. It blocked her view and filled every room with dark blue shadows and every five minutes or so, debris would rattle down the plastic like heavy rain. Six and a half hours and he’d yet to take a break, at least not one she’d heard. Like yesterday, he seemed intent on working ’til he dropped. Zoe could picture him up there, muscles straining, sweat dampening his shirt. His face contorting every time he moved…
Well, she decided, pushing the laptop aside, the very least she could do was make sure the man who saved Reynaldo took a lunch break. She still couldn’tbelieve he’d jumped in front of that car. Without him her sweet little dog would be…
Lump sticking in her throat, she paused to pet the dachshund sleeping next to the sofa.
Yeah, she thought, lunch was the least she could do.
Since getting Jake to come down and join her was unlikely, she decided to bring the food to him. Fortunately she’d brought a small beach cooler with her when she moved. She filled it with turkey sandwiches, fruit and cold drinks. As an afterthought, she included a bottle of ibuprofen, and stepped outside.
To her surprise, the sky was far from sunny when she stepped out of her blue-shaded cave. While she’d been inside, her bright cheery sun had been replaced by a collection of gray clouds. Even so, the air felt warm and thick when she reached the top of the ladder. Jake was leaning against his shovel, eyes closed. She’d been right about the sweat. His T-shirt was soaked. The cotton molded across his shoulders and broad chest before falling loose over his flat abdomen.
Zoe’s throat ran dry.
“Knock, knock,” she said hoarsely.
He started and briefly, when his eyes widened, she worried he might lose his balance. A silly concern, she realized soon enough as he quickly steadied himself. His lips drew into a tight line. He wasn’t happy to see her.
Zoe held up her minicooler. “Greetings. I come bearing food. It’s lunchtime, in case you haven’t noticed.”
An unreadable expression crossed his features. “You don’t have to feed me.”
“Of course I do. Reynaldo would never forgive me, seeing as how food is his life and you saved his life. Which reminds me…” She set the cooler down and eased herself onto the peak, careful not to slip on the exposed wood. “In case I didn’t say it before, thank you.”
Jake shrugged. “Dog ran into the street—I grabbed him.”
“It’s a little bigger deal than that,” Zoe said. If she didn’t think he’d balk at the word, she’d call him a hero again. “I would have lost my best friend today if it weren’t for you.” She offered up a grateful smile, which he didn’t return.
He did, however, meet her eyes. “I’m glad you didn’t. No one should have to lose a friend.”
Had he? Something about his voice, hollow and sad, made her shiver.
A heavy silence settled between them. Zoe forced herself to look away. “Hope you like turkey on white. One of those women who can whip up a gourmet meal at the drop of a
Zoe
O KAY, “dump the loser” was probably over the top. She’d end with “give yourself credit for.”
Hmm. Reminded her of someone else who didn’t give himself enough credit. Lord, but her stomach still churned thinking of how close she had come to losing her precious Reynaldo. If not for Jake…
And he didn’t want to be called a hero.
Following Rey’s rescue, she’d tried to discourage her handyman from working. As far as she was concerned, her loose shingles could wait a day or two. His hip had to be killing him. But no sooner did she make the suggestion than he’d snapped back, “I said I’d start your roof today so I’m doing it,” and hobbled up the ladder.
She could hear him up there now, scraping off shingles. He’d draped a plastic blue tarp around the entire house. It blocked her view and filled every room with dark blue shadows and every five minutes or so, debris would rattle down the plastic like heavy rain. Six and a half hours and he’d yet to take a break, at least not one she’d heard. Like yesterday, he seemed intent on working ’til he dropped. Zoe could picture him up there, muscles straining, sweat dampening his shirt. His face contorting every time he moved…
Well, she decided, pushing the laptop aside, the very least she could do was make sure the man who saved Reynaldo took a lunch break. She still couldn’tbelieve he’d jumped in front of that car. Without him her sweet little dog would be…
Lump sticking in her throat, she paused to pet the dachshund sleeping next to the sofa.
Yeah, she thought, lunch was the least she could do.
Since getting Jake to come down and join her was unlikely, she decided to bring the food to him. Fortunately she’d brought a small beach cooler with her when she moved. She filled it with turkey sandwiches, fruit and cold drinks. As an afterthought, she included a bottle of ibuprofen, and stepped outside.
To her surprise, the sky was far from sunny when she stepped out of her blue-shaded cave. While she’d been inside, her bright cheery sun had been replaced by a collection of gray clouds. Even so, the air felt warm and thick when she reached the top of the ladder. Jake was leaning against his shovel, eyes closed. She’d been right about the sweat. His T-shirt was soaked. The cotton molded across his shoulders and broad chest before falling loose over his flat abdomen.
Zoe’s throat ran dry.
“Knock, knock,” she said hoarsely.
He started and briefly, when his eyes widened, she worried he might lose his balance. A silly concern, she realized soon enough as he quickly steadied himself. His lips drew into a tight line. He wasn’t happy to see her.
Zoe held up her minicooler. “Greetings. I come bearing food. It’s lunchtime, in case you haven’t noticed.”
An unreadable expression crossed his features. “You don’t have to feed me.”
“Of course I do. Reynaldo would never forgive me, seeing as how food is his life and you saved his life. Which reminds me…” She set the cooler down and eased herself onto the peak, careful not to slip on the exposed wood. “In case I didn’t say it before, thank you.”
Jake shrugged. “Dog ran into the street—I grabbed him.”
“It’s a little bigger deal than that,” Zoe said. If she didn’t think he’d balk at the word, she’d call him a hero again. “I would have lost my best friend today if it weren’t for you.” She offered up a grateful smile, which he didn’t return.
He did, however, meet her eyes. “I’m glad you didn’t. No one should have to lose a friend.”
Had he? Something about his voice, hollow and sad, made her shiver.
A heavy silence settled between them. Zoe forced herself to look away. “Hope you like turkey on white. One of those women who can whip up a gourmet meal at the drop of a
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