Heroes (Hollywood Heartthrobs #1) by Kate Rivers Page B

fought to get himself under control.
              “Okay, Nate.”
He said finally. 
              “When I came
to get the boys I spoke with the police officer who drove them. She told me
about the girl who… who was injured. That’s why you wanted to stay today,
right?”
              “Yes.”
              “And is she
alright?”
              “She’s
awake,” Dean answered.
              “Okay, that’s
a start.” Nate said. “Do you still need to stay, or are you ready to come home
now? I think it would be good for the boys if you were here safe and sound when
they got up. Tucker kept asking when you were coming back.”
              “You’re
right,” Dean responded. “I’ll take a cab out to the airport, the car rental
places there are open all night.”
              “Are you sure
you’re alright to drive?” Nate asked. “Dean, I can come and get you.”
              “No, Nate,
I’ve got it. But, thanks, brother.”
              “It’s
alright. Just get back here, okay?”
              Dean put his
phone back in his pocket and headed back to Jane’s room. She had turned on the
small television in his absence. There was a rerun of Friends on, but
she didn’t seem to be paying it much attention. She had a pensive expression on
her face, but it brightened as he entered. 
              “The hero
returns.” She said cheerfully. “Did you reach your brother?”
              Again, just
hearing her voice soothed him. He wanted to stay, but Nate was right, the boys
needed him. And this woman, broken as she was, could clearly take care of
herself.
              “Yeah. My
nephews are worried about me, apparently. He wants me to get back when I can.”
              “Nephews?”
Jane asked, worried. “They weren’t with you when this happened, were they?”
              Dean couldn’t
bring himself to tell her the truth, not now. “Yes,” he answered, “but they’re
alright. Just a bit scared.”
              “I can
imagine. How old are they?”
              “The oldest,
Tucker, is seven. Alec is five.”
              “That must
have been terrifying for them,” she said, with genuine concern. “You should get
back to your brother’s, put them at ease.”
              “I will. But,
first, you sure you’re okay? I want to make sure you’re alright before I go.”
              The pensive
expression returned. Jane shook her head slightly, as if to clear away an evil
thought. “Yes, I’m fine. And you’ve certainly done more than your civic duty
already.”
              The change in
her expression worried him. He sat down on the end of the bed and looked
closely at her face. “Jane, are you sure?”
              The concern
she saw in his face both emboldened her, and seemed to confirm a terrible
suspicion. She had to ask, and would deal with the answer when it came. “Dean,
before you go, can I ask you one last question?”
              “Anything,”
he said, with obvious sincerity.
              “I want the
truth. You hadn’t met me before yesterday, yet you stayed here for hours to
make sure I was okay. And now, you seem worried to leave me alone. You were
there, and your memory is obviously much better on the subject than mine.” She
took a breath. Whatever it was, it was in the past, and she would move forward
from here. “Dean, did I step in front of that truck deliberately?”
              Dean was
floored. This woman, this hero who rescues children and takes a major head
wound resulting in crippling amnesia completely in stride, was actually asking
him if he thought she had attempted suicide? It defied imagining. He couldn’t
help it, he reached out, taking her hand in both of his. Looking directly into
her eyes, he answered as steadily as he could. “Jane, if you’re asking if