Magic in Our Hearts Read online

  “Come on baby, you know we could have some fun,” Tracey whispered, sliding her voluptuous body against Brett’s.

  “I don’t want you! Now get out!” Brett pushed Tracey out of her room and grabbed her cell phone. She frantically dialed Taylor’s number.

  “Hello.” Taylor’s voice was hoarse from crying.

  “Taylor, did you just call?” Brett could have died when she heard the anger and hurt in Taylor’s voice.

  “Yes, I’m sorry I bothered you.”

  “You didn’t bother me, honey. I always want to talk to you. The woman who answered was Tracey Hernandez, an old acquaintance of mine. She’s gone.”

  “I just called to see how the benefit went.” Taylor wasn’t sure what to think.

  Why would Brett have a woman in her room at that hour?

  “Come on Brett, get off the phone and play with me.” Tracey quietly slipped back into the room using the key card Brett had left on the desk and spoke loudly enough to be heard on the telephone. She didn’t like rejection, and if Brett thought she could push Tracey away so easily, she was sadly mistaken.

  “Tracey, get the hell out of here!” Brett turned and snarled at her, furious that she was interrupting her conversation with Taylor.

  Taylor heard the conversation clearly and Tracey was making sure of that.

  “No baby, I’m going to make you very happy tonight.”

  “I don’t want you here!”

  “You always say that, but you don’t mean it.”

  “Taylor, believe me this isn’t what it seems. I’m going to get Tracey out of my room and call you right back.” Brett was becoming frantic trying to get Tracey out of her room while explaining everything to Taylor. She had to make Taylor understand. She had done nothing to encourage Tracey. Their relationship was over long before Brett had met Taylor, and she wasn’t about to let Tracey inter-fere with that.

  “Brett, don’t call, please.” Taylor was too mixed up and hurt to talk to Brett anymore. Brett’s usual behavior and reputation were rearing their ugly heads.

  Taylor couldn’t deal with knowing Brett was with another woman, she just couldn’t. There could be no other reason for bringing the woman up to her room.

  “Taylor, please believe me, I only want to be with you,” Brett cried, as she tried to make Taylor understand. And Taylor wanted so badly to believe Brett, but she couldn’t get past her reputation as a playgirl. Taylor’s silence was deafen-ing to Brett. “You don’t believe me?”

  “I want to.”

  “But you don’t. You don’t know my true feelings?”

  “I thought I did.”

  “You do. You’re the only one who does.” Brett had lost her heart to Taylor, and she desperately wanted her to believe in her. She had sensed Taylor felt the same way. Why was this happening?

  “Goodbye, Brett.” Taylor’s throat all but closed up when she uttered her words. She loved Brett, but she couldn’t trust her. They couldn’t be together.

  “Taylor, wait, listen to me, please! I can explain. It’s not what you think.” Brett heard only the dial tone after Taylor hung up.

  Frantically, Brett tried to call her back but Taylor wouldn’t answer her telephone or her cell phone. Brett would have to wait to talk to her in person. She could make Taylor understand. She had to. Brett was so depressed. She never quite felt she deserved to be as happy as she had been over the past few weeks, and Taylor’s rejection was just what she had expected. A woman like Taylor couldn’t love her. She didn’t have anything to offer. She tried to rationalize taking Tracey up on her offer, what would it hurt? But she couldn’t. Her heart wouldn’t let her.

  Brett crawled into bed and cried herself to sleep, unable to do anything but ache over the mess that she found herself in. Taylor would understand, Brett would explain everything to her and she would believe her.

  CHAPTER 4

  Brett tried for almost a week to get Taylor to talk to her so she could attempt to explain what had happened. Taylor was hurt and very angry, and she refused to speak to Brett at all. Brett finally gave up and left town for a month of training.

  She could not understand Taylor’s total rejection of her. It was as if they had never been together. Taylor cut her off completely, refusing to spend even one minute with Brett.

  Angry and hurt, Brett reverted to her usual behavior of hard drinking and frivolous one-night stands with the numerous women who were attracted to the wild and talented athlete. Taylor heard about her exploits, and she became even more adamant than ever that the brief time she and Brett had spent together had meant nothing to Brett. She buried her broken heart and became even more resolved to never let another woman that close again. She locked her feelings away and never spoke to anyone about Brett again. It was as if they had never been together, except for the deep-seated pain in both women’s hearts.

  “Taylor, Brett looks terrible. She’s lost a lot of weight, and she can barely walk without crutches. She’s also drinking quite heavily, especially since her mother told her about the cancer.” Jeb spoke softly, his eyes on Taylor as she absorbed the information.

  Taylor listened closely and tried to imagine what Brett was going through. She was such a proud woman, and she had been in superb physical shape. The injuries must have devastated her. “She must be terribly angry about her mother’s illness. They were extremely close.”

  Jeb remained quiet, as Taylor grew contemplative, her eyes closed in thought.

  He hadn’t been sure he was going to tell Taylor about the request until the moment he had come out with it. He knew that Taylor still loved Brett. He also knew it would take that deep love to help Brett recuperate. He was hoping that he had done the right thing. There was no question that Taylor would honor the request. Her heart had already decided. She just needed to hear herself say it out loud.

  “I couldn’t be away from work that long.”

  “Taylor, your staff is very well trained, you know that. We could make do without you for a while.”

  “I don’t know if I could work with her.” Taylor looked up into Jeb’s understanding eyes.

  “She needs you, Taylor. You know her better than anyone. She needs your talents to help her heal. You’re probably the only one that can help her. She’s hurting so deeply right now that you may be her only chance.”

  “She might not want me to help her.”

  “Her mother is hiring you, not Brett.”

  Taylor sighed and her eyes filled with tears. She spoke so softly that Jeb had to lean down to hear her. “What if I can’t help her?”

  “But you can. More than anything Brett needs to believe in herself again.

  She’ll need a strong will to be able to deal with her mother’s death and her own injuries. You more than anyone know what it takes to come back from such hor-rific physical damage.”

  And Taylor did. Jeb was the only other person who knew how badly injured Taylor had been her freshman year of high school. She had been riding in the car with her parents on their way to a gymnastics match when a speeding truck had sideswiped their car forcing it into a cement divider in the middle of the highway.

  Both of Taylor’s parents had been killed instantly, and Taylor had incurred multiple back and pelvis injuries that kept her in the hospital for almost two months.

  She had spent another six months in painful rehabilitation at a rehab center. If not for the attentions of a talented and wise physical therapist, Taylor believed she wouldn’t have survived. It was also where Taylor’s dream of becoming a physical therapist took root. Ruth Sloan had taught her well, and had taken the orphaned, vulnerable young woman into her home. Ruth and her husband, Seth, had opened their hearts to Taylor and offered her safe haven. Childless, they had accepted Taylor as their own, forging a new family. They had never formally adopted Taylor but had considered her their true child. She had returned their love and had treated them as a second set of parents.

  Ruth and Seth had long passed the age where they could have ch
ildren and had resigned themselves to that fact. Taylor was a blessing to the couple. She needed a family that would love her and protect her. Taylor had found them to be generous and loving and they helped her to survive. She stayed with them all through high school, and with their kind and loving natures they had allowed her to heal both emotionally and physically. It had taken Taylor almost two full years to completely recover from her injuries, both mental and physical, and then she focused on keeping her body in excellent physical shape. She had a goal, and nothing would deter her from being the best rehabilitation physical therapist she could be. Ruth and Seth had been her rock and family until three years earlier when they had passed away within months of each other. Taylor knew in her heart that one could not live without the other. She missed both sets of parents deeply. “I want to see the file before I decide.”

  “It’s in my briefcase.”

  “You have it with you?” Taylor looked up at Jeb quickly.

  “I wasn’t sure I was going to tell you about it.” Jeb stood up and walked over to where his briefcase sat on the counter. Jeb never went anywhere without his briefcase.

  He quickly removed a file folder from the slim black case, returned to Taylor, and handed it to her. He turned away from her and went up to the large picture window that faced out on the city. He knew Taylor would be deeply affected by the contents. Taylor took a deep breath and then slowly opened the file and studied the medical description of Brett’s body. She read of the multiple breaks of both femurs, complete knee replacements, six ribs and three vertebrae fractured, a massive concussion due to a severe fracture of the skull, and a crushed left forearm. The diagram of the body showing locations of all the injuries didn’t bother Taylor. She was used to seeing this type of information, though she hadn’t worked with anyone quite this badly injured before. She turned the paper over and her breath was slammed out of her chest when she saw the photograph of Brett. Gone was the woman whose eyes sparkled with humor and intelligence.

  She saw a woman with eyes dark and full of pain. It broke her heart to see the complete devastation.

  “Oh my God!” Tears began to spill from Taylor’s eyes. The proud and arrogant athlete was gone. In her place was a broken, haunted woman, whose skin hung on her bones. Deep, dark circles were under her eyes, and there was no sign of the superbly beautiful body that Taylor remembered. “Jeb …” Jeb reached the couch in two strides and sat down quickly gathering Taylor in his arms while she wept unashamedly—crying for the woman she had loved and who now looked as though she was hanging on by a thread. Taylor was shocked and angry that no one had been able to help her all this time. Someone needed to help Brett heal, and that someone would be Taylor.

  “I’m going.”

  “I know.”

  “Does she know that her mother contacted us?”

  “No, but her mother asked for you specifically.”

  “Why?”

  “She didn’t say, but she said that if you had any questions, she would fly here and speak directly to you.”

  “Why can’t she call me?”

  “She wanted to speak to you in person. When she first called, you weren’t in the office, so I spoke with her. When she told me her request, I told her I wasn’t sure you’d agree to take on the job. Taylor, I wasn’t sure I even wanted you to know.”

  “Jeb, you can’t protect me from everything.” Taylor reached up and placed her hand against his cheek.

  “I know that, but I know how deeply Brett hurt you, and I didn’t want to see you hurt again. Her mother is a nice woman who’s terrified that she will pass away before her daughter recovers enough to be able to take care of herself, and I knew if she asked you to help Brett, you would agree.”

  “What made you change your mind and tell me?”

  “She needs you, honey. She has a chance if you can let your love for her help her heal. She’s already lost so very much. I liked Brett very much and it breaks my own heart that she is in such bad shape. I know you of all people can help her.”

  “She may not want to work with me.”

  “She won’t. You need to know that before you see her. She’ll hate that it’s you.

  She’ll fight you every step of the way. You have to put aside all your hurt and anger with Brett and just help her.”

  “It’s going to be the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”

  “I know.” Jeb gathered his best friend close. He hoped he was doing the right thing. He alone knew how much Taylor had loved Brett. And he was betting on that love to help heal the badly broken woman.

  CHAPTER 5

  The following week Taylor followed up with a telephone call to Mrs. Camden and after a brief conversation she agreed to meet with her. Mrs. Camden had flown to Los Angeles the very next day.

  Mrs. Camden, I’m Taylor Aronson.” Taylor watched as the tiny, well-dressed woman entered her office. Her hair was black with streaks of silver throughout. It was swept up into an elegant bun on the back of her head. Her suit was understated and elegant, slate blue in color. She wore matching high heels. Her jewelry was limited to a large diamond-covered gold band on her left hand and diamond posts sparkled in her ears. She was a softer, more feminine version of Brett. Taylor caught her breath when Brett’s eyes looked back at her. The woman gracefully sat down in a chair across from Taylor’s spotless desk.

  “Hello, Ms. Aronson. I appreciate your taking the time to see me.” Mrs. Camden reached out a dainty hand to shake Taylor’s. Her observant gaze took in the large office space with the sleek black glass-topped desk with a streamlined computer monitor sitting on the left side. It was a professional and stylish office, with photographs of well-known athletes attractively arranged on three golden yellow walls. Behind Taylor was a wide window overlooking the business district of downtown Los Angeles. The view acted as a frame for the beautiful woman who sat in the high backed black leather office chair. Brett had described Taylor in detail to Roselin, and she was stunning indeed. Her pale blue business suit was professional, stylish, and sexy. She was everything that Brett had said she was.

  “It’s no problem. Please have seat, and call me Taylor. Can I get you anything to drink—water, latte …?”

  “Taylor, then, and I don’t need anything, thank you. My name is Roselin. I imagine you are curious as to why I asked for your help.”

  “Yes, I am.”

  With no preamble, Roselin began. “I’ve known about your relationship with Brett for quite a while. Brett was in love with you. She described you perfectly to me, and we had many long conversations about you. If there’s anyone who can reach my daughter, it’s you. To be quite honest, I think you are the only person who can help her.” Taylor hadn’t been expecting the blunt, to-the-point explana-tion. She sat back in her chair thinking about her response.

  “I, I … it was several years ago, and we saw each other for such a short time,” Taylor stammered, somewhat shocked at this revelation.

  “My daughter has never forgotten you. She has photographs of the two of you in her room.” Mrs. Camden looked directly at Taylor as she spoke. “Taylor, I know my daughter better than just about anyone. She has never kept a thing from me. She doesn’t lie to me. I know how much you meant to her because she told me she would only love one woman in her life. That woman was you.”

  “We saw each other for just a little over a month.” Taylor’s hands shook as she folded them in her lap. She wasn’t expecting such brutal honesty from Brett’s mother.

  “I know. I also know that you refused to see her after you thought she was unfaithful. Taylor, I know how Brett behaved. She was wild, uncontrolled, and drank way too much. She treated the women in her life as passing toys. That is, until she met you. I always knew that when Brett met the right woman she would settle down.”

  “I don’t know what to say to you.” Taylor’s hand trembled as she pushed her hair back from her face.

  Mrs. Camden smiled at Taylor’s confusion. “The day you and Brett went to the zoo she call
ed me and told me she had met the woman she was going to marry. Taylor, I’ve always known my daughter. She reminds me so much of her father. He was a wild and impetuous man who lived life to the fullest, but he loved me with a single-minded intensity. My daughter is exactly like him. One thing I know about Brett is that she would never tell me she loved someone unless she meant it. She told me she loved you. Another way she’s just like her father is that when they love, they love completely and deeply for the rest of their lives.”

  “But she had another woman in her hotel room.”

  “Yes, but I believe my daughter. She’s never lied to me. She told me she didn’t sleep with her that night. She did say that they had slept together months earlier. But after she met you, Brett said she didn’t sleep with anyone else. I know what her reputation has been. She didn’t hide anything from me. I believed my daughter absolutely when she said that she was in love with you.”

  “I can’t do anything about that now.”

  “No, but I know you loved my daughter very much. Brett shared her photographs of you with me and I could see it in your eyes in every one. I’m hoping that those feelings aren’t completely gone and that you can help her.”

  “What if she doesn’t want my help?” Taylor’s eyes were glassy with emotion.

  Mrs. Camden relaxed in her chair now that she knew Taylor was going to try to heal her daughter. Taylor’s face was so expressive that she was able to hide nothing. Taylor still cared deeply for Brett. “Oh, my daughter is going to make you miserable. She’s going to do everything in her power to make you hate her.

  She’s going to fight you every step of the way.”

  “Why would she want to do that, and why would I subject myself to that kind of abuse?” Taylor was charmed by Mrs. Camden’s smile. It was just like Brett’s.

  “Because if she was indifferent to you, you couldn’t help her, and you need to teach her how to channel her anger into energy. Her anger and frustration are not really about you. She has lost so much since her accident. Her whole life Brett dreamed about skiing on the World Cup Circuit and going to the Olympics.