The Bracelet by Mary Jane Clark Read Free Book Online Page A

taken its place in the living room. She watched as her father worked on the shoe.
    â€œGuess what?” she asked.
    â€œWhat?” Vin was busy rubbing the black leather with a soft cloth.
    â€œSomebody wants me to make another wedding cake.” Piper looked at her father for his reaction.
    â€œOh, yeah?” His eyes remained trained on the toe of the pump.
    â€œThe bride saw the cake I made for Glenna and was really into it, so she wants to hire me to make hers.” Piper pulled a long blond hair from the shoulder of her sweater.
    â€œThat’s nice, lovey.” Vin turned the shoe and began working on it from another angle.
    â€œShe’ll pay for me to go out to California.”
    Vin lowered the shoe and turned to look at his daughter. “You’re kidding me.”
    Piper nodded, her green eyes sparkling. “Not bad, huh?”
    â€œWhat are you going to say?” asked Vin. “Do you want to do it?”
    Piper shrugged. “Yeah, I think I do. I mean, I don’t have anything going on here right now. And with a little luck, my agent might be able to send me on some go-sees while I’m there. You know there are, like, four or five acting jobs out there for every one in New York.”
    â€œAnd where would you stay?” asked Vin.
    â€œThat’s the best part,” said Piper. “The bride is the director of Elysium, which is this legendary Hollywood spa. I can stay there all week. I’ll have to check, but I assume I’ll be able to use their kitchen.”
    Vin’s eyes narrowed. “I know about Elysium.”
    â€œYou do?” asked Piper.
    Vin handed the shoe to his daughter. All traces of Emmett’s bite had been erased.
    â€œYes,” said Vin. “And I think I know about your bride, too.”
    â€œJillian Abernathy? How would you know about her?”
    â€œBecause I watch the news, Piper,” said Vin, in a tone that made it clear that he thought Piper should, too. “Jillian Abernathy is one lucky gal. She wasn’t home when some nutjob showed up at her front door. The poor cleaning woman answered the bell and got a cupful of acid, smack in the face.”

 
    C HAPTER T WO
    J illian Abernathy braced herself, as she always did, before entering Cottage 7. She’d been tempted to skip today’s visit. She still had to stop at the market for something to grill, and she also wanted to pick up a bottle of champagne. She and Ben were going to stay in and spend a quiet evening together.
    She had no desire to go to some noisy party or club. The last thing she wanted was to mingle with a New Year’s Eve crowd. Not only because she didn’t think it was appropriate to be out celebrating, but because she was scared that somebody could get close and hurt her.
    In the months since the acid attack on Esperanza, Jillian had been afraid to go to work each morning, in spite of the security service her father had hired to keep watch outside her home. She found herself constantly checking to make sure that the doors and windows were locked. Sudden noises made her jump. Though Jillian hadn’t been the one harmed, the police seemed certain that the attack had been meant for her. The thought left her terrified.
    The assault had changed everything. The wedding had been postponed. It just didn’t seem right to go on with it until things settled down. Esperanza was suffering so much pain, physically and emotionally. It was best to concentrate on restoring her to health.
    After Esperanza’s stay in the hospital and the preliminary surgeries, Jillian’s father had insisted that she recuperate in one of the private cottages at Elysium. He was also doing further cosmetic surgeries to repair her face, at no charge. If there was anything to be grateful for, it was that while the acid had burned the bottom half of Esperanza’s face, it had missed her eyes.
    The media attention had been suffocating. The story of the