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CHAPTER 2

Houston had five minutes before he had to be live on air again. And something was going on out there. He had seen Dwight say something. And he had seen the terror that crossed her face in that instant.

Something was wrong . Houston wasn’t stupid.

He knew Dwight could be an asshole sometimes. But the man was decent at his job, and he worked cheap. The previous station owner had kept the man on for that very reason. It was just a matter of time before Dwight was fired, though. And someone better put in his place. Wade Jacobs did typically pay his people a lot better than the previous owners, Houston would give the man that. And much better benefits, for the handful of full-time employees.

He motioned Dwight to continue playing repeats of the weather service bulletin for the next five.

He followed Brooke into her office.

“Brooke?” He said her name quietly.

But she still screamed and jumped. When she looked at him, there were tears on her cheeks. The expression she gave him shot straight into his gut. “Houston!”

“Who did you think it would be?” She shot a look at the door. Telling him all he needed to know. “You’re afraid of him. Why? Tell me right now. What did he say to you?”

She just looked at him from big, soul-stealing green eyes. For the longest time. There were memories in those eyes. “You’d better get back in there. The city is counting on you in the storm.”

“You are coming in with me. You can sit there in the chair right next to me.” He made the decision whether she wanted him to, or not. Technically, she was the one in charge, not him. “I’m not letting you out of my sight until I know what is going on between you and Hoby.”

Why did he get the feeling his words had been exactly what she’d wanted him to say?

He had a younger sister, who was three years older than Brooke. If that look had ever been in A.J.’s eyes, Houston would want to find the man responsible. And beat him to within an inch of his life. No hesitation.

He surprised himself—and probably her—when he wove his fingers through hers. She clung. Houston pulled her closer. “It’ll be ok, you know. Everything usually ends up that way in the end.”

To his shock, those small, girly hands of hers wrapped up in his shirt and she just clung.

Changing his view of her forever.

He’d thought Brooke Jacobs was never afraid of anything. But the woman shaking in his arms was absolutely terrified. He didn’t think she feared the storm tonight. No. Her nightmare was much closer.