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Back Hearts on Hold Save as PDF
Chapters (50)
  1. Cover
  2. Back Cover Text
  3. Also by Charish Reid
  4. Dedication
  5. Chapter One
  6. Chapter Two
  7. Chapter Three
  8. Chapter Four
  9. Chapter Five
  10. Chapter Six
  11. Chapter Seven
  12. Chapter Eight
  13. Chapter Nine
  14. Chapter Ten
  15. Chapter Eleven
  16. Chapter Twelve
  17. Chapter Thirteen
  18. Chapter Fourteen
  19. Chapter Fifteen
  20. Chapter Sixteen
  21. Chapter Seventeen
  22. Chapter Eighteen
  23. Chapter Nineteen
  24. Chapter Twenty
  25. Chapter Twenty-One
  26. Chapter Twenty-Two
  27. Chapter Twenty-Three
  28. Chapter Twenty-Four
  29. Chapter Twenty-Five
  30. Chapter Twenty-Six
  31. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  32. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  33. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  34. Chapter Thirty
  35. Chapter Thirty-One
  36. Chapter Thirty-Two
  37. Chapter Thirty-Three
  38. Chapter Thirty-Four
  39. Chapter Thirty-Five
  40. Chapter Thirty-Six
  41. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  42. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  43. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  44. Chapter Forty
  45. Epilogue
  46. Acknowledgements
  47. About the Author
  48. Carina Press Romance Promise
  49. Writing for Carina
  50. Carina eNewsletter

He tried to remain passive as he shook his head. “Nope.” His phone vibrated against his chest and he pulled it from his jacket. It was a local phone number that he didn’t recognize, so he reluctantly answered it. “Hello?”

“Mr. Donovan, Becca Richards’s guardian?” asked a woman.

“This is he?”

“I’m the principal of Hollingsworth Academy and I have Becca in my office.”

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Becca was in an incident with another student. Both students are fine, just a little rattled.”

“What kind of incident?” John’s mind and heart began to race with terrible images of an injured or traumatized Becca.

“Let’s just say that Becca got into a scuffle with another female student. No one is injured, per se.”

“She got into a fight?” John demanded. Victoria’s eyes were on him with piercing intensity. “Is she okay? Is she hurt?”

“No one is injured,” the principle repeated. “I’d appreciate it if you would come to the school so we could discuss the next step of this conflict.”

“Yes, fine,” John said in a terse voice and hung up. He faced Victoria with a resigned expression. “I’m sorry to do this to you, but Becca...”

“Let’s go,” she said, hitching her purse on her shoulder. She moved to open the passenger’s side of the pickup.

He watched her, bewildered by her swift movements. “I’m taking you back to your office, right?”

“No,” Victoria said as she climbed into her seat. “We’re going to the school. You need to see about this now.”

“But this...” John paused. He was close to saying this wasn’t part of their first-date plans. “You don’t have to do this. I can drop you off at your office and get her.”

“Hollingsworth is just a couple blocks away. Let’s go see what’s wrong.” Victoria slammed her door shut.

John took a deep breath and made his way around the front of his truck to the driver’s side. When he sat behind the wheel, he snuck a covert glance at Victoria, who sat staring straight on with a determined look on her face. His irritation was replaced by a sense of relief. She didn’t have to do this, but she was accompanying him to something he had no preparation for. John was thankful.

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

Principal Karen Schmidt, who looked to be Victoria’s age, glanced at her before addressing John. She lowered her voice. “This is really a matter for Becca’s parent or guardian.”