Highly Charged! Read Free Page B

originals are published.”
    â€œI hid two of them long ago but I never told anyone where and these days I have such a hard time remembering anything. The vultures don’t want those diaries to see the light of day.” She frowned, her gray hair sticking up in tufts like a newborn bird’s fluffy feathers. A strand of red prayer beads from a Tibetan monk hung from one hand off the side of the bed. The vultures she referred to were family members who visited her twice a day in attempts to coerce her into changing her will or signing over her power of attorney. “They don’t even know what I wrote in them to begin with, so don’t let their protests stop you. My life is my own to share.”
    â€œOf course.” Nikki had poured her a glass of water from the plastic pitcher beside the bed, unwilling to think about her life after Chloe’s death. She had no idea where to begin looking for diaries that Chloe had forgotten where she’d hidden. “Have a drink and I’ll take you for a spin in the corridor. We’ll see if the guy in Room 142 is still trying to flash the nurses every chance he gets.”
    â€œIn a minute.” Chloe set the water cup down along with the prayer beads. “I have so much I wanted to sharewith you, Nicole. You’re the daughter I never had, and it has meant a great deal to me that you’ve been here with me while I prepare for my next big adventure.”
    She winked a wrinkled eyelid, smiling as if death was a worthy opponent she looked forward to battling. Nikki’s breath caught, her chest constricted tight.
    â€œWhere else would I be?” she finally managed, thinking Chloe was more pale today than yesterday.
    â€œYou should be out in the world, falling in love. Having wild, out of control sex.” Edging higher up on the pillow, Chloe nodded toward the wheelchair in the corner. “But since it’s too late in the game for me to tell you everything you need to know about that, I’ll settle for a ride to Room 142 so we can heckle the old flasher and give the nurses a break.”
    Nikki shook off the memory that still left her heart in her throat. Maybe she’d get lucky and find those two missing volumes while she worked to methodically clean and organize the property this week.
    â€œI have to warn you, I’m operating on a real budget here,” she told Brad finally. She would have hired help in the first place if she could have afforded it. “The inheritance tax cost me my savings, so I really can’t pay—”
    â€œAll the more reason not to keep a rented tractor sitting idle.” He pointed to the equipment parked in the middle of the rolling lawn dotted by overgrown flower-beds full of heirloom flowers. “You can tell me what’s next or if you have plans drawn up for the project, I can look those over instead.”
    His eyes already roamed the landscape as if assessing the flaws for himself. Any hint of flirtation wasgone—although maybe wishful thinking had imagined those hot looks earlier. Right now, he was all business and, amazingly, prepared to offer his services…for what kind of reimbursement?
    The thought of being in his debt worried her, but she wasn’t in any position to refuse. The property was a gem in the rough, but Chloe’s relatives had rented it out for many years while she traveled the globe, and various renters had let it go to seed. Later in life, Chloe had used it as a home base for her work. She’d always had grand plans for it, though, insisting it held special memories of her first real romance. Sadly, the diary that would have chronicled that time period was one of the volumes that remained missing.
    â€œI’ve got some lists and sketches inside the house if you want to take a look.” Pointing the way, she started off in that direction, trying not to dwell on those sexy ultramarine eyes of his. “I really appreciate the help.