Page 1 of Two Hearts' Accidental Heroes

Prologue

Crystal Rock, Wisconsin

Seated on a picnic bench at the edge of the parking lot near the ball field, Rick wondered why it was taking so long for Eric to pick him up from practice. Usually, his brother was here right on time, but he was about thirty minutes late today. Normally, Rick wouldn’t care, because he could walk into town and maybe grab some fast food along with something to drink. But stupidly, he’d forgotten to plug his phone into the charger last night, and it had been dead when he’d tried to call Eric fifteen minutes earlier.

Just then, someone driving a Camaro came squealing into the parking lot nearby. Stopping quickly, the driver waited while the girl who was with him scrambled from the passenger seat of the car. Stepping out from inside, the pretty blonde wearing heels and a tight leather skirt slammed the door rather forcefully behind her as the guy behind the wheel shoved the car into gear, accelerating swiftly through the parking lot, barely avoiding a confrontation with a pickup as he exited onto the street.

Rick suddenly realized that he knew her, although she was only a freshman. But he never remembered seeing Shanna Weldon dressed like this.

Despite the fact that her sister Anya had been dating his older brother Eric since they’d both been in junior high, he knew little about Shanna. Probably because Eric and Anya seemed to be stuck together like glue. Anya spent more time hanging around at their house than she did at her own.

Although Rick had sure noticed Shanna. She was a tiny little thing with white-blonde hair, and there had always been something about her that brought out his protective instincts, even though she’d made it clear that she didn’t want or need anyone’s protection. There had always been something a little tragic about her as well. He hadn’t been around her enough to know for sure what it was that made him instinctively know that hanging around with her could mean trouble. She and her sister Anya didn’t appear to be close at all.

He frowned, noticing her shaking hands as she smoothed them over her skirt. Her clothes were even more revealing than he’d realized at first. The halter top she was wearing barely covered her breasts. It was probably swimwear, he decided, as she tugged on a gauzy sleeveless top, tying it at the waist.

When her hands moved to her waist, Rick cleared his throat, not wanting to startle her while she was adjusting her skirt.

Shanna looked up, her eyes filled with tears as she stared straight into his.

Obviously, she hadn’t known she had an audience because she froze, seeming to compose herself before Rick’s eyes before she glanced back down, continuing to straighten her clothes.

He was surprised to see how much makeup she had on her face. Not that it made her look bad.

She was probably only thirteen or fourteen, but wearing a layer of carefully applied eyeshadow and mascara made her look a lot older, maybe even over eighteen, he decided.

Hoisting the long strap from her bag crosswise over her neck so that it rested against her hip, she hesitated before finally approaching.

“You’re Anya’s boyfriend’s brother, aren’t you?” she asked, sitting at the end of the bench where he was waiting, watching the road.

“The name is Rick,” he replied, giving her a side glance. “And you’re Shanna. Right?”

Distractedly nodding her agreement, she unzipped her purse, pulling out a mirror. After applying another layer of eye shadow and dabbing on some lip gloss, she stuffed everything back in her purse before yanking out a brush and tugging it through her long blonde hair.

She wasn’t just pretty, Rick decided as he studied her closely, she was pretty much perfect. And beautiful, with her violet blue eyes. He couldn’t remember thinking that about any girl he’d ever known.

“Well, just say it,” she growled, slamming down her hairbrush on the picnic bench seat beside her.

“What?” he asked, puzzled as he cocked his head. Of course, he hadn’t stopped staring at her, so she’d probably taken it the wrong way. But she’d definitely gained an attitude since the last time he’d seen her.

“What every other guy that you know is probably saying about me,” she muttered. “That I’m a slut.”

Rick’s eyes went wide before he finally answered gently, “I really don’t understand what you’re talking about, Shanna. No one that I know has ever had anything bad to say about you.”

Rick hesitated. He definitely needed to be careful about whatever came out of his mouth. There was something really strange about her behavior. And he was beginning to understand that it didn’t have anything at all to do with him or his friends.

“Then why are you staring at me like that?” she asked hoarsely, tears once again filling her eyes.

“All I was thinking about was how pretty you are,” he answered gently. “That’s it. I promise.”

“Pretty?” she squeaked, sounding nearly hysterical.

He looked at her uncertainly. Something was seriously wrong here. Even though their conversation seemed to be getting kind of intense and it was making him uncomfortable, Rick couldn’t help reassuring her. “I know you don’t know me, but you can trust me, Shanna. What’s wrong?”

She hesitated, holding his gaze, looking like she was considering revealing something.

But before she could say anything, a loud blasting honk from a truck in the parking lot interrupted their conversation.

“My dad’s here to pick me up,” she said quietly, seeming to suddenly close herself off from him as she stood.

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