Betrayed Hearts

by Susan Anne Mason

  Lily jerked hard on the wooden chair. Addie had died? She swallowed. All this time, everyone in town had assumed she was dead. How could such a horrible mistake have been made? Who would have declared her dead? The newspaper wouldn’t print something unless the reporter was sure of his facts.

  Lily rubbed her eyes, trying to remember something—anything—about those early years. About her biological father. Surely a five-year-old wouldn’t forget her family.

  Over the years, vague, disturbing flashes of memory had haunted her, but the details always shimmered just out of reach. Her doctor had diagnosed her with post-traumatic stress, saying she’d blocked out everything about the ordeal, then thought to be a fire. Her hand fluttered to the ridge of the scar—a wound she’d never believed had come from a fire.

  The beginning of a headache thumped at her temples. Despite the throbbing, she scanned a few more films, hoping to find further follow-up articles. One more item caught her attention concerning the Strickland home, which had been up for sale since the tragedy. No one wanted a house with such a terrible history. The article concluded that the house on Elm Street would be boarded up and left as is.

  Lily stretched her neck and turned off the machine. A visit to her childhood home appeared to be the next logical step. Maybe seeing the house again would trigger some of those memories that hovered maddeningly out of reach.

  A cold chill crept up her spine as the thought of the violence she might remember caused tremors to race through her body.

  On second thought, that adventure could wait for another day.

  4

  By noon on Thursday, with business at the salon slowed to nothing and Peg gone home for lunch, Lily’s nerves stretched taut, like the strings of a violin about to snap. How would she endure the time until Chloe’s three thirty appointment?

  She barely managed to eat a bite of her sandwich, feeling as though the lunchroom walls were closing in around her. To keep her sanity, she found a broom and busied herself with mindless cleaning.

  “Hey, super girl, slow down. You’re making the rest of us look bad.” Maxi appeared beside Lily and pulled the broom out of her hands.

  Lily grabbed it back with a scowl. “I’d like to keep busy, if you don’t mind.”

  She didn’t dare tell Maxi she was as nervous as a cat in a dog kennel. And although she’d love to ask Maxi a million questions about her next client, Lily couldn’t afford to arouse Maxi’s suspicion—not with so much uncertainty surrounding the situation.

  Maxi followed her around the shop as she swept. “How about doing me a favor, then?”

  “What kind of favor?”

  Maxi’s face lit up. “You know I’m the ‘nail queen’ around here, but I’m also learning to do hair.”

  Lily resumed sweeping with vigorous strokes, her ponytail swaying with each movement. “You are not cutting my hair.”

  “I won’t cut it—”

  “You’re not dying it either.” She cast a wry glance at Maxi as she worked. “Unlike you, I like the color God gave me.”

  Maxi put her hand on the broom. “Can I get a word in?”

  Reluctantly Lily stopped to give Maxi her full attention. “OK, shoot.”

  “I need to practice my up-do’s, you know, for weddings and grads. I figured your gorgeous locks would be perfect to practice on. And since we have no other appointments at the moment...” She raised her eyebrows in a pleading manner.

  Lily sighed. “What exactly would this involve?”

  “Just some big curls and a few strategically placed pins. If you don’t like it, I’ll take it right out. Promise.”

  Lily wavered, the sudden temptation for a bit of pampering overcoming her good sense. “You don’t think Peg will mind?”

  “Not as long as there aren’t any customers.”

  Lily shrugged. “Why not? It’s got to beat sweeping.”

  A few minutes later, Lily found herself in a stylist’s chair with her hair pinned up in various places. Maxi chattered an incessant stream while manipulating the curling iron to create large, loose ringlets.

  For the first time in weeks, Lily allowed herself an unguarded moment to relax. The tension slowly eased from her stiff shoulder muscles while Maxi prattled on. After exhausting the local town gossip, most of it concerning people Lily had never met, Maxi set the iron back in its stand.

  “Tell me again what you thought of Jason.” She twisted a curl around her fingers before pinning it in place.

  Lily smirked. The girl was definitely obsessed. “I only met him for a few seconds.”

  “But you must’ve got some impression?”

  Lily caught Maxi’s hopeful expression in the mirror. “He seemed nice enough.”

  Maxi beamed, patting and poking the back of Lily’s hair. “He is the nicest guy in the world, with just the right touch of ’bad boy’ in him.”

  “The best of both worlds?”

  “Exactly.” Maxi wedged two bobby pins between her teeth.

  “Are you two dating?” Lily dared to risk the detailed explanation that might follow.

  “No, but a girl can dream.” She plucked a pin from between her teeth and pushed it into Lily’s hair. “By the way, I think Marco likes you. How do you feel about him?”

  The innocent-sounding question didn’t fool Lily for a minute. Maxi was fishing for info. She met her eyes in the mirror. “He reminds me too much of my ex-boyfriend.”

  That got Maxi’s full attention. She took the last hairpin out of her mouth. “Really? The leather jacket, motorcycle type?”

  “Pretty much.”

  “Cocky, too?”

  “Worse.” So much for relaxing. Lily’s muscles tightened just thinking about Curtis. “He had a vicious temper. Especially after a few beers.” Which was one of the reasons Lily never touched alcohol. She’d seen too many people become monsters under its effect. Working at Hank’s hadn’t improved her opinion.

  Maxi pinned the last curl in place, her mischievous twinkle replaced with a solemn expression. “Did he hit you, Lil?”

  Lily dropped her gaze to her lap. “He got rough a couple of times but never actually hit me. Put a nice hole in my wall though. My landlord evicted me the next day.” Lily bit her lower lip, recalling the horrible scene and the terror that had robbed her of breath, wondering if she’d be the next recipient of his fist. She blinked to erase the memory and shifted in her seat.

  “Do you think he’ll come after you?” Maxi grabbed a can of hairspray off the shelf behind her.

  Lily fingers curled around the arm of her chair as the familiar swirl of anxiety returned. “I hope not, but I’d rather play it safe.”

  “He sounds like a creep.” Maxi gave the can a hard shake and squirted a mist over Lily’s head. “Marco’s a bit of a womanizer, but I don’t think he’d ever hurt anyone on purpose. What will you do if he asks you out?”

  Lily tried not to choke in the haze of hairspray. “I don’t know. I’m not sure I’m ready to date anyone right now.”

  The bell at the front jangled, and Nick Logan strode in, tool belt slung low on his hips. He stood inside the doorway for a moment before he turned to look in their direction. His eyes widened when he spotted Lily.

  Time slowed to a standstill as the intensity in Nick’s gaze made Lily’s mouth go dry. Her cheeks heated. She must look ridiculous with her hair all done up like she was going to a prom or something.

  “Hey, Nick,” Maxi called out. “I’m practicing my skills on Lily.”

  Nick’s gaze never left the mirror. “Looks good. Real good.”

  Lily’s face burned even hotter. She pushed out of the chair, and whipped off the stylist’s cape.

  Nick turned to address Maxi. “So where’s this broken dryer?”

  Maxi gestured toward the back of the room. “It’s the same one you fixed last month. The sink’s backing up again, too.”

  Lily returned to the reception desk, doing her best to calm her erratic pulse. What was it about Nick Logan t
hat reduced her to an awkward adolescent? With all the boyfriends she’d had over the years, she’d never experienced this type of reaction, never allowed emotions to dictate her actions. This out-of-control response was definitely not a welcome sensation.

  ****

  Nick gripped the wrench and squeezed hard, attempting to quell the knot of tension in his gut. Lily looked prettier than a package tied up with a bow. He almost swallowed his tongue when he saw her—those huge eyes riveting his gaze.

  Focus on the drain, Logan. At least in the back of the shop, he wasn’t able to see the object of his fascination. He winced as the pipe suddenly let loose a stream of water that hit him square in the forehead. If that didn’t cool him down, nothing would.

  Nick finished with the sink and moved to a bank of hair dryers along the wall. He set the tool box on the floor, allowing himself one quick glance at Lily seated up front with her back to him. Was she at all affected by his presence or merely annoyed?

  The bell jangled and Justine Henderson swept inside the shop, her three-year old daughter, Jenny, howling in her arms. The imp’s face was blotched with tears, her light brown curls a tangle on top of her head. Nick smothered a smile. It seemed little Jenny had a severe objection to getting her hair cut. He dusted his hands off and headed to the front of the shop, thinking he could help distract the toddler.

  Maxi beat him to the door. “Hey, Justine. Hi there, Jenny. What can we do for you?”

  Justine huffed. “Can you take an emergency? She got gum in her hair—again.” The exasperated woman rolled her eyes while the girl wailed louder.

  Nick slowed his stride as Lily pushed up from her chair. Undaunted by the howls and the storm of tears, Lily lifted a tentative hand to one of Jenny’s curls.

  “Hello, pretty girl.”

  The child’s shrieks became a whimper as she contemplated Lily.

  “Bring her over here,” Maxi called from the first stylist chair.

  Jenny cowered against her mother, looking as if another bellow was imminent.

  Lily smiled and pointed to her own head. “Look, honey, Maxi just did my hair. Do you like it?”

  Jenny poked her thumb in her mouth which temporarily stopped the noise. Her eyes widened, seeming mesmerized by Lily. Nick could totally relate.

  “Would you like Maxi to do yours like this? Like a princess?”

  Jenny’s thumb came out. “With a crown?”

  Lily exchanged glances with Maxi who nodded. “Yes, with a crown.”

  The little girl considered the idea and then held out her arms to Lily. Justine’s eyebrows shot upward, mirroring Nick’s own surprise. Lily hesitated for a second, before gathering Jenny to her. Over the toddler’s head, Nick saw Lily’s lids flutter closed. She pressed her nose to the girl’s hair, appearing to breathe in her scent. When her eyes opened, a sheen of love glistened there. Nick’s heart did a slow roll in his chest.

  She deposited Jenny gently in the chair, and Maxi swooped in to take over.

  “Thank you, so much.” Justine pushed wisps of bangs off her forehead. “You have a real knack with kids. Have any of your own?”

  A force compelled Nick to move closer.

  Lily lifted her gaze—a swirl of longing and despair. “Not yet but maybe someday.”

  ****

  Lily waved at Jenny as she left with her mama, her newly-trimmed hair topped with a plastic tiara that Maxi had stashed in the back. Such a precious little girl—one who brought unbidden yearning to her soul. Lily remembered wondering if she were pregnant once during her rocky relationship with Curtis. For a week, she’d had time to imagine what it would be like to have her own child, a tiny being to love unconditionally, who would love her in return. But it turned out to be a false alarm, and a secret part of her mourned the loss of that fragile dream.

  She sighed. Now knowing Curtis’s true nature, it was probably for the best. No child deserved him as a father.

  The front door swung open again, jangling Lily out of her daydreams. Marco Messini swaggered up to the desk. Sunglasses hid his eyes until he pulled them off and whistled. “Look at you, Lily-belle, all gussied up. Must’ve known we were going out tonight.”

  She pushed all thoughts of babies from her mind to focus on her customer. Behind her, the clanging of tools on metal ceased abruptly. In the tense silence, Lily became hyper aware of Nick’s movements in the background.

  She smiled at Marco. “What can I do for you?”

  He winked. “You can join me for dinner tonight.”

  Though she found Marco’s easy-going confidence amusing, Lily had no interest in going out with him. But before she could think of a polite excuse, a shadow loomed over her right shoulder.

  “Why don’t you do Lily a favor and leave her alone?”

  The underlying warning in Nick’s gruff voice raised the hairs on the back of Lily’s neck.

  Marco’s smile changed to a scowl. “How is this any of your business, Mr. Handyman?”

  Lily glanced over her shoulder. A nerve pulsed in Nick’s jaw, while his eyes stayed trained on Marco.

  “Just looking out for Lily’s best interests—which means staying far away from you.”

  In the midst of the heated male emotions swirling around her, Lily’s own temper rose. The last thing she needed was another male meddling in her life. She’d had enough of her father’s interference.

  Pushing up from her chair, she glared at Nick. “I’m perfectly capable of deciding whom I will or will not date. The fact that you’re my landlord does not give you a say in my social life.”

  Nick pinned her with a look somewhere between hurt and anger. “My mistake. I thought we were becoming friends.”

  When he stalked back to the dryer, shame squeezed the air from Lily’s lungs, but a second later, annoyance flared. How dare he make her feel guilty? She could go out with whomever she wished. She turned back to Marco. “I’d love to have dinner with you tonight.” She made sure her sugar-sweet voice was loud enough for Nick to hear. The clanking of tools increased behind her.

  Marco beamed, all evidence of ill-humor gone. “Great. I’ll pick you up at six.”

  He waved to Maxi—who Lily thought had shown remarkable restraint staying out of the conversation—and sailed out the door, whistling off-key.

  Lily sank back onto her chair and let out a long breath, still not entirely sure how she’d ended up agreeing to a date with Marco Messini.

  ****

  The next few hours passed in a blur, and the time for Chloe Martin’s manicure arrived. Peg had turned up for her shift just as Nick left and was now busy with a color job. Lily could barely concentrate long enough to answer the phone or take down appointments. Every few minutes, she had to wipe her damp palms on her skirt and remind herself to breathe in a normal fashion.

  Maxi hovered near the reception desk, chatting about what Lily should wear to dinner with Marco, but Lily didn’t hear a word. When the door jangled open at precisely three thirty, Lily’s gaze flew to the front. An attractive dark-haired girl burst in, her focus glued to the cell phone in her hand. Lily stared, drinking in every detail of the girl’s appearance—the light brown eyes, high cheekbones and chin-length bob. From her attire and the hefty pack on her back, she appeared to be a high school student—just the right age to be her sister.

  The girl looked up from her phone and smiled past Lily. “Hey, Maxi. How’s it going?”

  “Hi, Chloe. Just peachy. Hope you haven’t been biting those nails again.”

  Chloe grinned as she held out her hand for inspection. “Nope. I’ve been good.”

  As though sensing Lily’s scrutiny, Chloe turned her head, a slight frown bringing her thin eyebrows together. Lily rose from her chair on shaky legs. She tried to speak, but her dry throat closed up.

  “Oh, sorry.” Maxi waved a hand in her direction. “Chloe, this is Lily, our new receptionist and my new neighbor. Lily, this is Chloe.”

  Lily forced her trembling lips into a smile. “Nice to mee
t you, Chloe.”

  “Same here.” With a brief nod, Chloe dismissed her and turned her attention to Maxi. “Can we get started? I gotta help Mom before I can go out tonight.”

  The rest of her words trailed away as Chloe followed Maxi to the manicure area.

  Lily’s rubbery legs gave out from beneath her. She sank onto her chair and forced herself to focus on the appointment book so she wouldn’t stare.

  The same heart-shaped face, the same wide eyes and dark hair. The resemblance was undeniable. An arc of electricity raced through Lily’s system, her body confirming what her brain had only started to comprehend.

  Lily had just met her sister.

  5

  Nick couldn’t concentrate on his studies that night. First, the hard spokes of the kitchen chair bit into his back, and no amount of shifting alleviated his discomfort. Then a powerful need for a cola had him rummaging in the fridge. Finally, the incessant drip of the kitchen tap magnified to sound like a form of Chinese water torture.

  He slammed the textbook closed and pushed up from the table to pace the linoleum. The real problem—the one he’d been trying to avoid all evening—sat like the weight of a rock on his chest.

  Lily’s ridiculous date with Marco Messini.

  He rubbed his neck and looked up at the wooden clock on the wall. Eight thirty. Would she be home yet? Knowing Marco as he did, Nick doubted it. His hands fisted as images of that slime ball putting the moves on Lily filled his imagination.

  Lord, watch over Lily and protect her from Marco’s dishonorable intentions.

  Nick stalked into the living room, hoping the familiar wallpaper and tattered couches would calm him. He hadn’t had the courage to change a thing since his mother passed away. Now, as he forced his thoughts from Lily, Nick took a long look around. His childhood home needed some serious renovations. The outdated furniture, worn carpeting, and peeling wallpaper all had to go.

  He still hadn’t decided whether to sell the place or make it his permanent residence. This house held so many memories, both good and bad. It would be hard to let it go. But if he did become the minister of Good Shepherd Church, he’d have the rectory to live in.