Sentimental Journey Read Free Page B

of anyone seemed beyond Jessica's ken. And Justin's warning added to her wide-eyed intrigue.
    "No, dad." Jordanna hesitated before refusing the offer. "I'll talk to him."
    But, by her expression, Jessica could tell that her sister wasn't looking forward to it as she left the room. Justin then walked over to turn the volume of the stereo down to low. Jessica had the impression that he expected their sister to call for help and he wanted to be sure to hear her.
    Her father remained in the room. Turning to Justin, he demanded, "Just who is this Brodie Hayes?"
    Justin appeared to hesitate, a frown permanently implanted on his forehead. "He was in my class in high school—that is, when he bothered to come to class. He was smart, though. He wasn't in school half the time and still managed to pull above-average grades. But he dropped out when he was sixteen. He runs with a rough crowd. Those who haven't been in reform school have seen the inside of a jail cell."
    "I don't like the idea of Jordanna getting mixed up with that sort." Her father's expression deepened with concern. He took a step toward the door. "I think I'd better send that young man on his way."
    "No, dad, let Jordanna handle it," Justin insisted. "Believe me, it's better that Brodie doesn't develop a grudge against the Thorne family."
    Her father looked grim, but did not argue. Neither man had been paying any attention to the silent Jessica. Silently she slipped from the room and darted up the open staircase to her bedroom. The reason was simple and obvious: from the window of her room, she was able to overlook and overhear what was going on below.
    Her first glimpse of Brodie Hayes fulfilled all the expectations her vivid imagination had conjured up. Coal black hair, black as she devil's, gleamed in the sunlight. Tall, with a powerful physique, he dwarfed her slightly built sister, faded jeans showed signs of excessive wear. His bare arms were corded with sinewy muscles. He was surrounded by an aura of toughness that was doubly intimidating to Jessica when coupled with what her brother had said about him.
    Jordanna appeared on the surface to be composed, but Jessica who knew her well saw the nervous trembling of her smile and the distance her sister tried to maintain from the rough-looking, dark-haired man. From her lofty perch Jessica eavesdropped on the conversation.
    "Are you engaged?" Brodie Hayes demanded.
    "No," Jordanna answered defensively.
    "Are you going steady with anyone?" He had taken a step closer and Jessica trembled in sympathy for her sister.
    "Not at the present time, I'm not," Jordanna admitted in a tone that indicated that that fact was of little importance.
    "Then I don't see what's stopping you from accepting my invitation." It was more than a challenge.
    "I'm sorry." Jordanna walked several feet away, escaping from the intimidation of his closeness. "I've already told you I'm busy. I'm sorry you've come all this way for nothing, but you should have called first."
    "Yeah," he agreed cynically, "all the way from the wrong side of town."
    The remark seemed to make Jordanna uneasy. "I said I was sorry, Brodie."  
    "And I'm supposed to say it's all right. Forget it." The mockery in his voice was harsh. He took a deep breath, the muscled wall of his chest expanding to strain the few buttons of his shirt that were fastened. "Very well, consider it said. But there's one other thing; I haven't given up." Peering from her window, Jessica shivered with fear because it had sounded like a warning. "You have more class in your little finger, Jordanna, than all the other girls I know put together. I'll be seeing you again, you can bet on it."
    On that ominous note, he turned and started down the long sidewalk to the driveway. Jessica heard the closing of the front door, indicating that her sister had reentered the house; but she wasn't able to take her eyes off the tall, dark-haired man striding away.
    There was something about the way he moved, lithe and