Into the Fire - Leslie Kelly [72]
"And Lacey?" Kelsey prompted.
"Of course, she's phenomenal," J.T. replied. Lacey heard the tenderness in his voice as his bluster faded. He sounded very sincere. "What can I say about Lacey? She's brilliant, gifted, a dream come true."
Lacey felt Nate's stare and glanced over to see him watching her closely. Feeling moisture in her eyes, she blinked rapidly. Kelsey obviously noticed, as well, because a sudden sweet and understanding smile crossed her face.
"I'm sure she is," Kelsey said. "Of course, you have to say that, don't you? As her proud father?"
There was no immediate response—not from J.T. who merely gasped on live radio. Not from Nate, whose eyes were wide with shock and whose mouth hung open in horror.
Certainly not from Lacey. She couldn't possibly speak with her heart in her throat, not to mention the world exploding all around her.
Nate watched her face crumble. "Lacey, wait," he said as she yanked her headphones off and jumped out of her chair. He had no idea what on earth had just happened in the studio, how his sister could possibly have known about J.T. and Lacey, but he had a pretty good idea what Lacey was thinking right now.
"Get out of my way," she snarled before rushing out.
He cast a glare that promised retribution at Kelsey, who, he had to admit, looked completely stunned by her guests' reaction. There was no time for explanations, however. Nate took off after the woman he loved—the woman who had just looked at him with pain and betrayal in her beautiful blue eyes.
She was running through the darkened office building, where only a few night workers and a security guard were visible. He finally caught up with her in the lobby. "Please, listen to me," he said, grabbing her arm.
She yanked away from his touch. "I don't want to hear it. You set me up. I can't believe you set me up. Why, Nate? Why'd you do it? To boost your sister's ratings? To get more readers for the articles?" She shoved at his chest with both hands. "Dammit, I trusted you!"
When she reached for the front door, Nate blocked her with his body. "I did not betray you, Lacey."
"What do you call it? A slip of the tongue? An accident?"
"No, you don't understand. I didn't tell Kelsey."
She snorted in disbelief. "Sure you didn't. That was the big secret she was talking about earlier." She turned and ran her hands through her hair. "What am I going to do? I have to go. I have to call my mother. That's if I can get into my apartment without being attacked by reporters. I'll bet they're tracking down my address right now."
"Lacey, this is not a catastrophe," he said, trying to calm her down. "Yes, it's awful that you have to deal with it now, rather than at the end of the year, but you've known this had to happen sooner or later."
"Get out of my way." She wouldn't look at him. "I've got to figure out what to do."
He didn't budge. "It is not your fault, Lacey. This situation started before you were born, and you're not the person who has to take care of it anymore."
"So you suggest I forget it? Just let my family fall apart? Ruin everything for my mother and grandparents?"
He mentally cursed. She'd been carrying this burden for years. If her parents were here right now, he would cheerfully tell them all to go straight to hell for what they'd done to her. "You're loving and loyal and caring, Lacey. I wouldn't change that about you for the world. But you've changed. You're stronger now, able to make your own choices."
Tears flowed freely down her cheeks. "Do you think I'd choose to have my scandalous family history revealed on live radio with no warning whatsoever?"
"No, but it's done," he said softly, reaching to her cheek to brush away a tear. She pulled back from his hand. He continued, "Everyone has to live with it. Your parents have to come to grips with choices they made before you were born. You can't go back to that place. You can't let them close you in again. You've come out of