The Secret She Kept
Harlequin Superromance
January 2009
ISBN-13: 978-0373715374
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Sometimes secrets have a life of their own.
She never ever thought Jake Barnes would know the truth. When he left town without any warning, Savannah couldn’t tell him she was pregnant. He didn’t give her the chance. So now—years later—because he’s back and finds out he has a child, suddenly she’s the villain…. How is that fair?
Savannah Salinger raised her daughter and she knows what’s best for her own kid. But she can’t seem to push Jake away, and having the infuriating man so close…so close to her…stirs up all those feelings she thought were buried as deep as the secret she swore she’d never tell.
Reviews
Her characters are real and engaging and the plot is interesting; encouraging readers to want to know more. For an entertaining read filled with emotion; THE SECRET SHE KEPT is the book for you.
—Donna Zapf, cataromance.com, 4 stars
"Knupp’s engaging story...will make readers smile."
—Romantic Times Magazine, 4 stars
Excerpt
As Jake got on his Harley, helmet in his hands, someone came out the door of Heartland. Savannah. He was parked along the side of the street about two doors down from her and couldn’t help watching as she moved quickly, single-mindedly, not paying attention to anything around her.
She headed toward the beat-up blue mini van parked in front of him, her reddish-brown waves flying behind her, and was about to climb in the driver’s side when she stopped in her tracks. Those brown eyes of hers focused directly on him.
She tossed her purse into the van, then stared at her feet for a moment, as if either gaining control of her temper or gathering her nerve. She’d never been the type who needed to bolster her courage. Never worried much if she lost her temper, either, come to think of it. He watched her curiously from behind his dark glasses.
He saw her shoulders rise before she turned toward him and approached. Strange. Atypical for this normally confident, watch-out-world-I’ve-got-something-to-say woman.
She had plenty to be confident about, too. Dressed in slender black pants that showed off her long legs and a sweater that fell midway down her thighs and was clasped by a single tie across her chest, she somehow managed to appear sexy and professional at once. It would’ve been better for him if she’d aged ungracefully. He didn’t want to be attracted to her.
She was just as appealing as she had been as a teenager. More so, actually, because now she had filled out her curves completely and had a look about her that said she’d lived life and had an inner strength to deal with whatever it threw at her. And yet, as she moved toward him, he saw a hint of...uncertainty.
“Hi,” she said softly as she came to a stop right next to him.
“Hey. What’s up?”
She chewed the inside of her mouth briefly. “Zach’s plan is the best you’re going to find.”
“I want to make sure of that.”
“How can you argue with a place where people want to raise their kids?”
“I can argue anything with you.”
She scowled at him then glanced over her shoulder. She took a deep breath and put her hand on his bike. He eyed her, waiting for her to remove it.
“I never pictured you on a motorcycle.”
“You pictured me, though, huh?” He shot a lopsided grin at her.
That was all it took to get her to drop her hand. “I didn’t say that...” She crossed her arms. “Still just as cocky as ever, I see.”
“That’s the way you always liked me.”
“I never liked you.”
“That’s not exactly true the way I remember it...”
She swallowed and pierced him with those eyes. “Back to the land. Are you going to sell it to us or are you just going to play games?”
“You really think I’m going to tell you my plans?”
Fire flashed in her eyes, which was a much more familiar Savannah than the one who pleaded a man’s case. Then a thought occurred to him. “Is there something between Rundle and you?”
Savannah laughed for the first time, and he was taken back to the days when they ran in the same crowd and that laugh had always caught his attention, made him want to hear it over and over.
“Me and Zach?” she said. “Seriously?”
“You can’t expect me to believe there’s not a man in your life.” He didn’t allow himself to consider why he wanted to know.
“There’s not. And if there was, I can tell you with total certainty it wouldn’t be Zach. He’s my brother-in-law.”
Jake felt the tightness in his neck lessen. “Seems like your interests are pretty wrapped up in this company. Your livelihood, your brother-in-law’s, sister’s...”
“Of course they are. That’s why I’m standing here in the street talking to you.”
“Wouldn’t be caught dead with me otherwise, would you?” Anger from the past seeped into his voice.
Savannah’s knuckle cracked and Jake remembered that’d always been the telltale sign she was pissed or frustrated, liable to tear someone’s head off. Getting a reaction from her satisfied some twisted part of him deep inside.
“Hard to be caught dead or alive with someone who disappears for almost twelve years.”
“If I recall correctly, I disappeared after you told me to get lost.”
She hesitated then. “Are you saying you left because of me?”
Jake couldn’t help chuckling as he shook his head. “Don’t flatter yourself, sweetheart.”
He’d never admit the impact her big blow-off had had on him. But it had only been one part of what had convinced him to leave.
Savannah frowned and he could swear just her thoughts turned the air blue around them. But instead of letting loose on him, as she once would have, she turned on her heel and stalked to the driver’s side of the van.
Jake watched her retreat, wanting like crazy to hate her. The fact was, though, she still got his blood pumping and his brain fantasizing, after all these years.