The Hero’s Sin by Darlene Gardner Page A

any more questions.
    Realistically, what more could she say? Just because she couldn’t envision the Michael of today as a reckless driver didn’t mean his nineteen-year-old self was innocent.
    People made mistakes, but they grew and changed as the years went by. Take Sara as an example. If she hadn’t decided to take a chance on a new life, she’dstill be researching case law at that boring law office in Washington, D.C.
    I’m warning you. Stay away from Michael Donahue.
    She heard Quincy Coleman’s voice in her head as she took the copies of her letter from the machine.
    You don’t know anything about me.
    This time she heard Michael’s voice, but the flesh-and-blood man was silent, his back to her as he sanded the wall.
    She shut both voices out of her mind, focusing instead on the workday ahead. Once Laurie arrived for her first full day, they could start addressing envelopes and calling the phonebook companies to place ads.
    First, Sara needed to make sure they had enough caffeine to get through the day.
    The coffee was brewing when Laurie knocked on her upstairs door ten minutes past the time they agreed upon. Her color was high, her shirt had come partially loose from her slacks and her hair was even crazier than usual.
    “I know I’m late, but I assure you I’m usually very prompt and it won’t happen again.” Laurie spoke so quickly that her words ran together, blurring the explanation, but she kept talking. “I even forgot what you said about taking that outside staircase to your deck instead of coming in through the office. And I know you mentioned the office was being painted so I should have—”
    “Laurie, stop.” Sara couldn’t let her finish, especially because she suspected the man painting her office was responsible for Laurie’s agitation. “Just tell me what’s wrong.”
    Laurie’s shoulders sagged and she dropped into the kitchen chair nearest the stairs. “Is it that obvious?”
    Sara sat at an angle to her. “Yes. So spill.”
    “I shouldn’t tell you,” Laurie said. “You’ll think I’m a high-maintenance employee. You might figure I’m too much trouble and fire me before I’ve even worked here a day.”
    “I wouldn’t have hired you if I was planning to turn around and fire you, so just tell me what happened.” Sara braced herself, expecting to hear the name Michael Donahue, the way she had all week.
    “You must not have seen today’s newspaper,” Laurie said.
    Had somebody announced Michael’s return?
    “Kenny took out an ad asking for another chance,” Laurie continued.
    “Kenny?” Sara repeated the name while her mind switched gears. “This isn’t about Michael?”
    Laurie frowned. “Why would this be about Mike?”
    Sara suddenly found it easier to draw air into her lungs. “Never mind. What was in the ad?”
    “A broken heart. Can you believe it? When I saw that thing, I got so mad I went tearing out of the house to confront him.”
    Sara wrinkled her nose. “Not the best way to convince a man you’re not interested.”
    Laurie laid her folded arms on the table and let her head drop onto them. “That’s what Kenny said. The problem is I think he’s right.”
    Sara gently placed a hand on the other woman’s back. “Then why not give him another chance?”
    Laurie’s head jolted up, the color returning to her face. “Another chance? Why the hell should I give him another chance?” She let loose with an unladylike snort, thencovered her mouth. “I’m sorry, that was unprofessional of me. You won’t hear that kind of outburst from me again.”
    “Stop apologizing! I want you to be yourself around me. If that includes the occasional rant at your ex-husband, I’ll live with it.”
    “You really won’t care if I gather up all the newspapers in town and build a bonfire on Kenny’s front lawn?” Laurie railed. “Or call him an ingrate who didn’t know a good thing when he had it? Because nobody loved that man like I did, and that sure as