The Patriot Girl by Toni Lynn Cloutier Page B

‘guy.’” MaKayla couldn’t talk about Dustin right now. She was still trying to comprehend the fact that her mother cried, and that the skin on her mother’s hand was so soft.
    Peggy squeezed MaKayla’s fingers. “Why are you nervous talking about him?”
    “What do you mean?”
    Peggy placed MaKayla’s hand on her cheek. “You take after me. Our hands get cold when we’re nervous. So why does this young man make you nervous?”
    “His name is Dustin James. Or at least that’s what I was led to believe.” This conversation wasn’t going to be easy. Her body began to tremble and the sting behind her eyes intensified. She rubbed her hands together for warmth, and a distraction.
    “Honey, what is it?” Her mother rubbed her back.
    There was no ignoring the situation now. She had to let her family know who Dustin was. Even they had been worried about him, after hearing he’d been in a coma. Notwithstanding all this, she was glad to know he’d pulled through the ordeal.
    “He’s actually Harold Dustin James, Mother.” She looked at her father. “The other driver involved in Paul’s accident.”
    “Oh, sweetheart.” Peggy held MaKayla’s chin.
    “Oh, Mackey.” David came and sat beside her.
    “I knew he was too good to be true, Daddy. Why did his one flaw have to be this?” She handed her father the letter from the insurance company. “This came in the mail yesterday.”
    “You know, Mackey, there’s no one to blame for what happened. You need to stop beating yourself up over this.” David read the paper. “Good. It’s over. Now you can put this behind you.”
    Her eyes filled with tears and her throat closed. Of course this was what she had wanted. But now she needed to know why he had done this—out of pity, or because he was attracted to her?
    “Let me read the letter, Dave.” MaKayla handed her mother the paper.
    “What does he have to say about the whole thing?” her father asked.
    “I haven’t talked to him since Friday night.”
    “Now what does this mean?” Peggy pointed to the letter.
    “It means our little girl isn’t going to lose everything she and Paul worked so hard for. Mackey only has to pay for his medical bills, which the insurance company is going to take care of.”
    “Oh, honey. That’s wonderful news.”
    MaKayla shrugged. Of course it was good news. But now she felt as if she owed him something. And that wasn’t good. This would have been easier and more exciting news had she not known the other driver. She didn’t want Dustin doing her any favors.
    Peggy put her hand on MaKayla’s knee. “Honey, are you in love with him?”
    “No.” The minute the word passed over her lips she waited for the bolt of lightning to strike her for telling the biggest lie of her life. Her head was asking how she could be in love with him. She barely knew him. But her heart had thoughts of its own. Whatever attraction existed between them was certainly different than anything she’d experienced in the presence of any other man. But love? Don’t deny something you can’t explain. “I don’t know what I feel for him.”
    “I suggest you march over to his place and talk this out.” David pointed a finger at her. “He’s willing to help get your business going, right? There’s a reason for all this, Mackey. Take him up on the offer. Then see what the good Lord has planned for the two of you afterward.”
    “How would Paul’s parents react if they found out I was working for the person who killed their son?”
    Peggy’s voice heightened. “Since when does MaKayla Elizabeth care about what other people think?”
    “This is different, Mother. I have Alex’s feelings to consider too.” Of all the people to lecture her about others, her mother should understand how she felt. “Aren’t you the one who used to ask, ‘Won’t you be worried about what the neighbors think? This is a small town. People are going to talk.’”
    “I learned to stop worrying about the