The Heart Knows What the Heart Wants Read Online Free PDF Page B

caused her to become uncharacteristically self-conscious -- no makeup and hair that made her look like Medusa... Way to make a lasting impression on the hot guy.
    "Help yourself to the coffee, that is if the freeloader hasn't drained the pot already," Neona offered. She winked at Star to let her know she was only trying to get a rise out of Shane.
    " Freeloader ? After all I do for you, and that's the thanks I get?" he complained.
    "Relax, kid, I'm just messing with you." Neona grinned at him and roughed up his hair. "You might want to think about having Ami fit you in for a haircut before you come into work tonight."
    Shane scowled and shook his head. "Not feeling it, Aunt Neona."
    Their banter was amusing, and Star felt the warm, loving energy flowing between the two of them. She bit her lip to keep from grinning like a fool and poured herself a cup of coffee. She treated herself to a glazed donut from the tray of assorted pastries before taking a seat across the table from Shane.
    Neona pulled out a chair and joined the two of them. "So, what are your plans today?" she addressed Star.
    "I want to check with the garage to see if he's had a chance to look at my car, to find out where things are with that. I guess it really depends on his answer as to what the rest of my day will be like," Star admitted. "I'll probably need the room another night."
    Shane spit out the big gulp of coffee in his mouth. "Pfft. Don't plan on going anywhere before January if you're waiting for Hank to get your car fixed."
    Star's eyebrows squished together , and she asked, "What's that supposed to mean?"
    Shane shook his head and pushed away from the table to grab some napkins to sop up the coffee. "Hank Galen is a lot of things, but speedy isn't one of them."
    Star looked to Neona for confirmation and determined from the expression on her face that Shane was, unfortunately, not exaggerating. "Well, I don't suppose I have much of a choice, really," she said, sighing.
    "Who knows? It might be something simple, and he could have it done by the end of the day," Neona said. Shane popped his mouth open to add another snide comment, but snapped it shut when Neona glared at him from across the table. "Either way, you're welcome to stay here as long as you need. Though I suppose with Thanksgiving coming, your family in Iowa will be expecting you."
    Star didn't want to admit that no one in Iowa even knew she was coming. She doubted they'd care very much, even if they did. "It was a spur of the moment visit, really," she said quietly.
    "Good morning," Michael said as he strolled into the room.
    Star jolted from her chair at the sound of his voice. She hadn't heard him come in, and his sudden appearance startled her. Her hand flew to her chest, "Saturn, Pluto, and Mars, you nearly scared me to death," she said.
    "I'm sorry, Estelle, I thought you knew I was here," Michael apologized.
    Neona and Shane exchanged a curious glance. She slowly shook her head from side to side. "That's okay, Sheriff."
    "Michael, please," he reminded her.
    "I'll make you a deal: you call me Star, and I'll call you Michael, okay?" She gave him an easy smile and sat back down. That's when she noticed Shane's eyes boring into her. She frowned at him and mouthed, "What?"
    "Saturn, Pluto, and Mars?" he asked.
    She nodded. "Haven't you ever heard someone shout 'Jesus, Mary, and Joseph'?" she asked him. When he gave her a bewildered look, she sighed. "No, I don't suppose you have. It's something my granny used to say whenever she was startled, mad, or disgusted. Beings I'm not a 'Jesus, Mary, and Joseph' type of woman, I made up my own version."
    "Okaaaay," Shane said. He leaned back and clasped his hands behind his head, observing her with new interest. He wanted to know her, but wasn't sure it would be easy or even if he should try -- a woman like Star was way out of his league these days. Compared to some of the other girls he knew, she came across as actually possessing brains and