Page 24 of Two Hearts' Ploy

Well, that was a slap in the face, Wren thought briefly, attempting to mask the hurt she was feeling. Of course that’s what Kelly would think of her. Wren had even tried to take away a guy that Kelly had been interested in as a teenager. It was amazing that they’d managed to stay friends.

Kelly must have suddenly realized that what she’d said had hurt, because she reached over with her hand to squeeze Wren’s. “I’m sorry. That didn’t come out right, Wren. I realize that the tabloids aren’t anything that I should base your reputation on. When I was in the spotlight, I had the same trouble.” Kelly heaved a sigh. “It’s just that I’m pretty sure that Jeff hasn’t seen anyone since he lost his leg.”

“What?”Wren was shocked. The guy was so hot, it was hard to believe. Wren grimaced. “To tell you the truth, learning something like that kind of makes me scared ofhim.”

Kelly burst out laughing before resuming their conversation.

“He broke up with his girlfriend three years ago, and they’d been an item since high school. It had nothing to do with his injuries, even though my older sister Kate seems to think it did. For whatever weird reason, she feels like she’s at fault for what happened to Jeff because she signed his permission papers for officer’s school because Jeff didn’t want to upset my mom by asking Dad, and hooked up with Jake Loughlin to have him pull some strings behind Mom’s back.” Kelly sighed. “I’m not saying that I’m going to be upset if the two of you end up…well, together. It’s not right that he can’t seem to move forward when it comes to women. Just make sure he knows the score. I’mnot sure if you feel the same way that you did, but I remember you insisting you were never going to get married, and Jeff’s definitely the marrying kind, even though he doesn’t like to admit it.”

Wren nodded her understanding, relieved that Kelly wasn’t really being insulting. And then she realized something else – she wasn’t as immune to insults as she thought she was.

Was Wren really as adverse to marriage as she’d once been?

Reminded of the close-knit family she’d kind of gotten to know as a teenager after observing how happy Kelly obviously was, Wren was filled with a sense of longing. Kelly’s mom had been more like a mother to her in those modeling days than her own mother had been.

“Are you going back in the water?” Kelly asked.

“I think I’ll sit here and dry off while Jeff’s in there swimming with your son.”

After they sat on the beach and talked for a while, Wren sighed. “Kelly? There might be trouble, so no one is supposed to know I’m here. As far as anyone is concerned, I’m in New York.”

“What’s wrong, Wren? Is it something you can talk about?” Kelly asked, staring at Wren with obvious concern.

Wren grimaced. “I have a stalker. I’ve had one for a while now. But we think that he’s finally acting out. I don’t know if you’ve heard about that studio fire in Hollywood that’s killed three people and left another couple critically injured?”

“I have, as a matter of fact. It’s just awful,” she replied.

“They’re sure the wiring was tampered with and that I was more than likely the intended victim. I really shouldn’t be hanging out with you, but Jake seems to think I’ll be hard to locate, at least for now, since my head of security faked a trail to New York.”

“Oh, Wren. I’m scared for you,” Kelly growled. “Will you be safe at the Inn?” she asked, looking uncertain.

“For now,” Wren answered.

“What does Jeff have to…” Kelly sighed and grimaced. “I can guess. Anyone who can parachute from planes wearing a prosthetic is more than capable of taking care of himself…and you, if that’s his assignment. He’s an adult with serious skills. I need to keep reminding myself of that.”

“He jumps out of planes – even with his injuries?” Wren clenched her teeth, shocked at how much it bothered her. “Just thinking about him doing that gives me the chills.”

“I hear you,” Kelly agreed.

For a moment, Wren was arrested, watching Jeff walk out from the water and onto the sand. He looked like some kind of sun-kissed Adonis with all those muscles bulging out from his arms and leg.

“Damn, he’s so sexy,” Wren murmured. “The scars and prosthetic make it even more of a statement.”

Kelly snorted. “Don’t let him hear you say that. It’d go to his head for sure. I don’t know if I should even tell you this. He’s had the biggest crush on you, ever since he was a teenager. That’s why I never told him that I knew you. I might not have ever heard the end of it.”

Wren’s mouth gaped open, staring at Kelly.

And then they both burst into laughter.

Chapter Ten

What was wrong with her,Wren wondered? Another thirty minutes later, she walked with Jeff Callahan into Jake Loughlin’s office, high above the lakefront at the Inn. Located inside its own wing, the office was attached to a luxury apartment.

She probably knew Jeff as well as any man she’d met during the last ten years, she supposed, maybe even better than most of the guys she’d dated, as strange as it seemed.

He was a decent upstanding guy – not the usual kind of man she was drawn to. Wren ate up guys like him for breakfast, according to the tabloids.

Sure, at times she felt lonely, but she had no intention of ever getting seriously involved with anyone. Growing up with her parents as an example had steered her away from any thoughts of marriage and having a family.

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