Heartbreaker by Diana Palmer

like his shirt, and he was in a vicious humor. It had been a bad day altogether. He shouldn’t have yelled at Tellie. But he wondered why she’d come barging in. He should have asked. It was just that it had shamed him to be seen in such a position with Bella, knowing painfully how Tellie felt about him. He’d hurt her with just the sight of him and Bella, without adding his scathing comments afterward. Tellie wouldn’t even realize that shame had put him on the offensive. She had feelings of glass, and he’d shattered them.

    Nell was waiting for him at the foot of the staircase. She was visibly seething, and her white hair almost stood on end with bridled rage. “So you finally came out, did you?”

    “Tellie was tearing up the driveway as she left,” he bit off. “What the hell got into her? Why was she here?” he added reluctantly, because he’d realized, belatedly, that she hadn’t looked as if she were pursuing him with amorous intent.

    Nell gave him a cold smile. “She couldn’t get you on the phone, so she drove over to tell you that Marge has had a heart attack.” She nodded curtly when she saw him turn pale. “That’s right. She wasn’t here Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    chasing you. She wanted you to know about your sister.”

    “Oh, God,” he bit off.

    “He won’t help you,” Nell ground out. “Yelling at poor Tellie like that, when she was only trying to do you a good turn…!”

    “Shut up,” he snapped angrily. “Call the hospital and see…”

    “You call them.” She took off her apron. “You’ve got my two weeks’ notice, as of right now. I’m sick of watching you torture Tellie. I quit! See if your harpy girlfriend in there can cook your meals and clean your house while she spends you into the poorhouse!”

    “Nell,” he began furiously.

    She held up a hand. “I won’t reconsider.”

    The living room door opened, and Bella slinked into the hallway, smiling contentedly. “Aren’t we going out to eat?” she asked J.B. as she moved to catch him by one arm.

    “I’m going to the hospital,” he said. “My sister’s had a heart attack.”

    “Oh, that’s too bad,” Bella said. “Do you want me to go with you and hold your hand?”

    “The girls will love that,” Nell said sarcastically. “You’ll be such a comfort to them!”

    “Nell!” J.B. fumed.

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    “She’s right, I’d be a comfort, like she said,” Bella agreed, missing the sarcasm altogether. “You need me, J.B.”

    “I hope he gets what he really needs one day,” Nell said, turning on her heel.

    “You’re fired!” he yelled after her.

    “Too late, I already quit,” Nell said pleasantly. “I’m sure Bella can cook you some supper and wash your clothes.” She closed the kitchen door behind her with a snap.

    “Now, you know I can’t cook, J.B.,” Bella said irritably. “And I’ve never washed clothes—I send mine to the laundry. What’s the matter with her? It’s that silly girl who was here, isn’t it? I don’t like her at all…”

    J.B. reached into his pocket and pulled out two large bills. “Call a cab and go home,” he said shortly. “I have to get to the hospital.”

    “But I should go with you,” she argued.

    He looked down at her with bridled fury. “Go home.”

    She shifted restlessly. “Well, all right, J.B., you don’t need to yell. Honestly, you’re in such a bad mood!”

    “My sister has had a heart attack,” he repeated.

    “Yes, I know, but those things happen, don’t they? You can’t do anything about it,” she added blankly.

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    It was like talking to a wall, he thought with exasperation. He tucked in his shirt, checked to make sure his car keys were in his pocket, jerked his raincoat and hat from the hall coat rack and went out the