Jake's Biggest Risk (Those Hollister Boys) by Julianna Morris Page A

McGraw and Dr. Shiffman, the nerve specialist, had both said it would take at least a year. Nerves recovered slowly, and no amount of strength of will or faithful exercising could change that.
    With a sigh, he tossed the book aside and got up. He stripped and stepped onto the private deck, turning on the hot tub’s jets before sinking into the warm water. The swirling currents moved him back and forth, soothing his aches as he rested his head on the edge. All at once he chuckled, recalling Brendan Townsend’s expression when Hannah was invited to use the hot tub. It would have been even funnier if the words
clothing optional
had been included in the invitation.

CHAPTER SIX
    L ATE ON M ONDAY eveningHannah and Barbi were sitting on Silver Cottage’s deck, enjoying the summer sunset as they discussed the types of questions that would come up on the GED exam.
    “I should have told you, I’m never gonna pass,” Barbi said, sounding discouraged. “It’s so stupid. My head goes blank when I see a list of questions and I can’t remember anything. You might as well stop wasting time on me.”
    “Blocking on tests is a common problem,” Hannah assured her. “We’ll do practice exams to help get you more comfortable. You’re too smart to let this beat you.”
    The color brightened in Barbi’s cheeks. “Smart?”
    “Smart,”
Hannah repeated firmly. She was impressed with how much knowledge her friend had retained from her abbreviated school years, and she was picking up even more since she’d been studying. “And everyone admires how hard you work.”
    A shadow seemed to cross Barbi’s face. “That’s nice to know. Um, how was the family night out with Brendan?”
    “Not bad, though Danny isn’t wild about him, and it’s even worse now that Jake Hollister is here.”
    “Why’s that?”
    “Well, neither of them is kid oriented, except Jake tells thrilling stories about exotic places he’s actually seen, not just read about.”
    “Tough competition.”
    Hannah nodded. “And get this—Jake was telling Danny a story about photographing crocodiles on Friday afternoon, then at the theater that night, they were showing a preview for
Crocodile Dundee
. Now Danny wants to see it.”
    “Ooh, I love the scene where the crocodile tries to drag that blond woman into the water.”
    Hannah shot a quick glance into the house. She’d put Danny to bed at eight-thirty, but there was no guarantee he hadn’t gotten up to ask for something.
    “That’s exactly the scene I don’t want him to see,” she said. “By the way, I was wondering if you’re available to sell tickets at the ice cream social fund-raiser on Sunday.”
    “Sure, I don’t have to be at Luigi’s until 4:00 p.m., and I love your huckleberry ice cream. But I thought Kim Barnes usually sold tickets.”
    “She does, but Mark’s grandmother broke her leg waterskiing, so they both flew back to Florida yesterday.”
    “Luigi is right—retirement is dangerous.”
    Hannah grinned. “Hey, I hope
I
can go waterskiing when I’m seventy-four.”
    “Me, too.” Barbi looked down at the book on her lap, her expression growing more serious. “Do you really think I can pass the test?”
    “I’m
sure
you can,” Hannah assured her gently.
    She couldn’t imagine what it must have been like for Barbi, losing her mother so young and having her father disintegrate into the town drunk. There were even rumors that Vic Paulson still knocked her around; he certainly got disruptive at the roadside bar on the edge of town. But whenever Hannah had tried to find out if there was a problem, Barbi shrugged it off.
    She wouldn’t have asked for her help at the ice cream social, except Barbi usually attended the town events, and however busy she was, it didn’t seem right to assume she wouldn’t want to be involved.
    “I still wish you’d let me pay you for tutoring,” Barbi said for the zillionth time since they’d started working together.
    “Forget it. I’m