Page 26 of The Deputy's Secret Double

She didn’t mean to, but the finishing thought slipped out while looking into those eyes.

“It’s my shampoo,” she said. “Not hers.”

Then it was over for JJ.

She placed her head back against his chest and closed her eyes. She was crying next.

“It’s okay,” Price said. “You’re okay. You’re okay.”

JJ’s head swam. She felt nauseous.

The sun overhead bothered her.

She turned her head into Price’s shirt and balled her fist into the fabric next to her eye.

He didn’t talk to her for a long time or, maybe, it wasn’t that long at all. The world felt fuzzy. She felt hungover. She felt drained.

It wasn’t until sometime later that Price notably lowered his voice.

“The ambulance is here,” he said. “You need to go in it. Who do you want me to call to meet you at the hospital?”

JJ didn’t open her eyes. She answered honestly. Her voice had a rasp to it.

“There’s no one to call,” she said. “I can go alone.”

Price made a noise of confirmation. She was about to tell him to let her down, but he started walking.

It wasn’t until the ambulance siren was closer that JJ started to come back to the world around them.

“Where’s Jamie?” she asked with a start. “Is he okay?”

JJ opened her eyes and found Price’s gaze was back on hers.

He searched her expression.

He didn’t avoid the question, but his answer was tight.

“He’s fine.”

JJ’s eyebrow rose at the way he said it. The small movement made the pain in her head flare. She winced.

“You worry about getting seen to,” he added. “Let me worry about everything else.”

JJ hadn’t known Price long at all.

Yet, for the first time in ages she felt something surprising.

Relief.

Maybe it was because her head was pounding, her elbow hurt something good or she had a sneaking suspicion her back was already black-and-blue, but JJ simply accepted his words.

For now, at least.

Once she found out if Jamie Bell was her brother, then the real work would start for her. And bright eyes or not, she wasn’t going to let Price Collins come near the chaos that would come after that.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Jamie Bell didn’t sustain any injuries from the fire.