ALMOST LIKE BEING IN LOVE by Christina Dodd
Free Excerpt

The second book in the Lost Texas Hearts series tells the story of Pepper, the wild middle child of the Prescott family. When tragedy tore her away from her parents, her home and her siblings, she fought everyone who tried to help her and only now, as an adult, has come to a kind of peace with her loss and her past. But fate has plans for her. . . .

Jackie Porter hoped she didn’t embarrass herself by falling to her knees before her idol and kissing her hem. It was a distinct possibility, but what was she to do? General Jennifer Napier was what Jackie wanted to be in twenty years — a woman successful in her own right.

For Jackie would succeed in her own right, also. As she inched forward in the line that wound through the trendy Georgetown bookstore, she clutched her well-read copy of the general’s autobiography and a copy of the new release, a book which clearly delineated and explained the principles by which General Napier had become a success. All the while, Jackie cherished the bright spark of hope General Jennifer Napier had created in her.

General Napier had lost her parents in horrible circumstances — just like Jackie. She had been raised in a series of foster homes — just like Jackie. She had made mistakes in her youth, mistakes so dreadful she didn’t believe she could ever recover from the disgrace and the shame — just like Jackie. Yet she had turned her life around, gone to West Point, joined the military, and was now the highest ranking female general in the U. S. Army.

Jackie looked up at the huge photo hanging over the table where General Napier was signing books. General Jennifer Napier was an attractive woman with dark, graying hair swept up and under her military hat. She exercised every morning, sternly regimenting her body to the peak of health. She was an acknowledged sharpshooter. She lived by the tenets of discipline which she outlined in her book.

Now Jackie lived by them, too. She exercised every day. She practiced shooting and self-defense. She kept her eyes fixed to her goal and let nothing — not friendship, fun or romance — get in her way.

General Napier had never married, dedicating her life to her career, and although Jackie had chosen a different career — horticulture — she dedicated her life to building a successful landscaping business. She was doing well for a poor, orphan girl from Texas. And if sometimes at night she ached with loneliness, and remembered her one, dreadful mistake with a little too much fondness … well, in the daylight she had the life she had made for herself, and that was enough.

Now Jackie waited in line to thank General Napier for her guidance. The line inched forward and Jackie's heart thumped as she came closer. When she stepped up to the general’s table, all of her prepared speech flew right out of her head. Her fingers trembled as she handed over the books.

General Jennifer Napier fixed her in her gaze. "What’s your name?"

"Pep …" She caught herself. "Jackie. Jackie Porter." She must be really rattled — she’d almost given the general her real name. "J-a-c-k-i-e P-o-r-t-e-r. And I just wanted to say —" Oh, dear, she was going to fall on her knees and kiss the general’s hem.

General Napier opened the new book and started signing. "Yes?"

"I just … just …" — come on, Jackie, spit it out — "I wanted to tell you thatyou inspired me. I just … I messed up a lot, and when I read your autobiography I felt as if we were soul sisters."

The general was nodding, listening as she signed her name with a flourish, then went on to the autobiography and signed her name again. "I’m glad I could help. That’s why I wrote the books." Once again she fixed her gaze on Jackie, and folded her hands on the table before her. "It’s important that no matter what the obstacles before you, that you never give up."

"I know!" Speech was becoming easier. "When you said in your book, ‘I’ve disappointed people who believed in me, and I’ve disappointed myself, and I owe it to them and to myself to become a success,’ that struck a chord in me."

"Really!" General Napier's gaze warmed as she listened to Jackie. "I’m so flattered that you’ve memorized my words."

"I’ve memorized all of your tenets for living. You see, my father was a minister, and I was eight when the police came and said he and my mother had been killed after embezzling funds from their church. The authorities separated me from my sisters and my foster brother, and I was so angry I wanted to make the rest of the world pay." The people in the line behind Jackie were getting restive, so Jackie talked faster. "I threw tantrums, I got tattoos, I shoplifted. I had one foster mother who tried to straighten me out, but I was too far gone."

The general nodded. "You had to straighten yourself out."

"Exactly! And I did, and I have, but one day when I got lonely and discouraged, I found your book and it was as if you were speaking to me."

General Napier's bodyguard stood on her left — Jackie recognized him from his picture in the book, he’d been with the general for five years, his name was Otto Bjerke — and he looked grim, as if he’d heard too many tales like hers.

Jackie didn’t care. The general was interested, her eyes sparkling as she listened. "I have to thank you for more support and inspiration."

General Napier offered her hand, and when Jackie took it, the general pressed it between both of hers. Tears sparkled on her lashes as she said, "It’s stories like yours that make the writing worthwhile. Thank you for telling me."

Tears sparkled in Jackie's eyes, too. "No, thank you." General Napier released her hand. Jackie picked up her book. And her moment was over.

The meeting had been everything she’d hoped. As she walked through the bookstore, she eyed the stack of General Napier's new release — and realized she should have bought a copy for Mrs. Dreiss. Those two women — Mrs. Dreiss, who had taken in a rebellious foster child, and General Napier — reminded her of each other in their strict moral code and their common sense sayings.

More important, she needed to send Mrs. Dreiss a gift. She hadn’t gone back to see her. She couldn’t face the memories, or the chance she might meet him there, so she told herself that next year she would go and visit.

Grabbing a copy of the general’s book, she whirled and started back toward the table — and stopped. General Napier was speaking to someone else, signing for someone else. The line wound around the entire bookstore, and there was no way Jackie could start at the back and make it through before her appointment with Mrs. Maile to discuss her landscaping.

Catching one of the clerks as he hurried past, Jackie asked, "How long will General Napier be here?"

"Until everyone’s had their books autographed." He studied the line. "Two hours at least."

She glanced at her watch. Mrs. Maile’s Georgetown yard was tiny and exclusive, and if Jackie bought the new book now and hurried through her consultation, she could make it back for another autograph from General Napier. Grabbing a book, she thrust it at him. "Ring this up. I’ll come back as soon as I can."

#

Mrs. Maile insisted on looking at every yard design magazine she owned, and the hour Jackie imagined turned into two. She arrived back at the bookstore in time to see the clerk flip the "Closed" sign on the door. She held the three books and stared in frozen despair. Then she remembered — obstacles were there to be overcome. General Napier said so. This wasn’t a disaster, it was an obstacle, and Jackie could overcome it with a little intelligence. God knew she’d had to do some quick thinking at other times. Times when quick thinking had probably saved her life.

Turning, she strode toward the parking garage under the building. General Napier's car might still be parked there. Jackie would hand her a pen and Mrs. Dreiss's book, the general could sign it, and Jackie would be on her way with autographed books and a happy heart.

The garage was gray concrete and reinforced steel, half-full of cars and SUVs, including one long black car with government plates. The general hadn’t left yet.

Feeling suddenly silly, Jackie stopped behind a pillar. Was she being too pushy?

The elevator doors opened. She heard footsteps, and heard General Napier's voice saying, "That went well."

Jackie knew if she didn’t at least try to get that signature, she’d never forgive herself. She started to step out from behind the pillar, when Otto’s footsteps stopped, and in a low, serious voice, he said, "Look, General, I’ve been trying to get up the nerve to say this for a week. I know what you’re doing."

Jackie froze. She had inadvertently stepped into a tense moment.

"What are you talking about?" General Napier's voice became clipped. "What do you mean, you know what I’ve been doing?"

"I was working late. I heard you talking on your private line."

Most of Jackie's early years had been spent with the scent of danger in her nostrils. She smelled its acrid odor now.

"You’re selling information to the terrorists." Otto Bjerke sounded calm as he made the dreadful accusation. "General Napier, I’m going to have to turn you in."

A heavy silence followed. Jackie held her breath as she waited to hear General Napier deny it, explain …

"I don’t suppose it would be any use telling you I’m part of counter-intelligence," she said softly.

He sounded sad. "No, General, it wouldn’t."

"Or to offer you a cut of the profits. It is a very tidy sum."

Jackie's heart stopped. Her idol had just admitted her guilt.

"General, I’ve admired you every day I’ve worked for you," Otto said. "That’s the only reason I’m giving you warning. I owe you so much."

She sounded ice-cold when she said, "And I owe you."

"General! Ma’am!" Panic sounded in his voice. "Don’t —"

The gunshot crashed against Jackie's eardrums.

When the sound had cleared, she heard General Napier murmur, "You never should have given me warning."

Numb and stupid with terror, Jackie dropped the books.

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