Page 105 of No More Heartbreakers

On the kitchen counter my phone rang, and I lunged for it.

“Aric?” I was breathless.

There was a pause. “Uh… Heidi—it’s Jane Elaine.”

“Oh… hi.”

“Hi. Nice to talk to you, too.” I could hear her smirk over the phone. “So Mom says you’renotengaged? And you’re moving?”

“Correct, and probably.”

“Well, good—I mean about the engagement thing—I thought you were with Aric now. I nearly fell out of my chair when I saw the video on the news last night.”

As I’d done with Kenley and Mom, I recounted the entire horror of the previous night and was rewarded with my sister’s sympathy, though she had snort-laughed at some parts of my twisted story. Shewasa big sister, after all.

“I hope Aric will listen to me.”

“Are you sure about him? I mean, is this your forever guy?”

“Um… I think so. I hope so. I want him to be.”

“Then if he doesn’t call you back, show up naked on his doorstep.”

A shockedgaknoise erupted from my throat. “This is the advice I get from a preacher’s wife?” I laughed.

“Hey, where do you think all those babies in the church nursery come from? Phil’s a man of the cloth, but he’s still aman. And men can find a whole lot more understanding in their hearts if they find a warm and willing woman in their bed.”

“Okay, I’m going to try very hard to put that lovely mental image of you and Pastor Phil getting it onoutof my head. Thanks for that, sis.”

She laughed loudly. “Well, I do have some good news on the home front—the church is getting sued.”

“Sued? How is this good news?”

“Some guy attending a memorial service theresayshe slipped on some spilled punch in the fellowship hall. And I offered to represent the church. Pro bono, of course.”

“That’s great, Jane Elaine. So you’ve finally found something you can do for them that doesn’t involve wiping runny noses in the nursery or attempting to carry a tune.”

“Exactly. The church council is so grateful they told me not to even bother baking cookies for the annual cookie share next week.”

“Good news for youandthose with whom your cookies might have been shared.”

My sister was a kick-ass attorney. Baker? Not so much.

“All right. Well, I’ve got to get back to work. Have a good trip to Nashville and good luck in your interview. We’ll be praying for you. And go get your man.”

I waited a few hours and tried Aric again. No answer. Again.

By six o’clock, he still hadn’t called me back. Too busy with work.

Or with hating me. I took off my clothes and stood in front of my bathroom mirror, imagining following my sister’s advice.

I’d ring his doorbell, and Aric would answer. He’d look me up and down, checking out the peace offering… and close the door. Ugh.

Or worse, he’d open the door, shirtless and still wearing his suit pants from work, and Colleen would come down the stairs right after him, every bit as naked as me but pulling it off awholelot better. I shuddered.

No doorstep nudity.

I put my clothes back on and turned on the news. Colleen looked beautiful, of course, but her Valley-girl inflection bugged me as usual. I muted the sound until it was time for the sportscast.

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