The Heart of a Hero Read Online Free Page A

scoffing up the tips I spent all week earning.”
    “But I thought whoever cleans on your days off has to give you your share, because they can’t keep seven days’ worth of tips after working only two days.”
    Julia snorted. “Like they’d be honest about how much they find. And I don’t want them to realize I get tipped almost twice what the other housekeepers do.” She looked back at Trisha. “Can you hand me that heavy fleece you packed?”
    “They still haven’t found out you give the guests in your cabins your employee cell number?” Trisha asked, digging through the pack. She stood up to slip the fleece over Julia’s head. “Didn’t you say when you were given that little phone that they told you it was only for employees to communicate and for emergencies?”
    “That’s what I was told,” Julia said from inside the depths of the fleece. There was enough light coming from the flashlight sitting on the pew for Nicholas to see that she was smiling—rather smugly—when her head popped out. “But giving my guests a card with my name and number is what doubled my tips. And that’s another reason I have to go to work tomorrow. I need to collect all those cards before the Sunday housekeeper finds them. Come on, let’s toss some of these pew cushions on the front platform,” she said, her smile vanishing when she stood up and grabbed the back of her waist with a groan. “The last thing I need tonight is to roll off one of these narrow pews.”
    “What are we going to do, Jules?” Trisha asked, walking across the aisle and gathering up some of the long, thin cushions. “We need to move out of the house
now
.”
    “You’ve survived almost eighteen years of Dad’s binges,” Julia said. “You can make it a couple more months. Although up until a few years ago we both had mom running interference for us, and I had a reprieve while I lived in Orono.”
    “Some reprieve,” Trisha muttered. “You spent six years supporting Clay, and he divorced you the moment he graduated. Then the bastard told everyone you’d slept with half the guys in the fraternity house where you cooked to put
him
through school.”
    “Hey, no swearing. You want to be treated like a lady, then—”
    Trisha snorted, cutting her off. “Yeah, yeah. Then
talk
like one.” She dumped the cushions on the platform. “I hope you know Clay’s sister is even worse than he is. Remember my new friend Kimberly? Well, her mom says that whenever you stop at the bank, Vivian starts talking nasty about you just as soon as you leave. Forget that everyone thinks you’re a slut; she’s saying you’re also stupid for moving back home.”
    “I told you, all that matters is that you and I know the truth,” Julia said, walking to the platform. “As for Clay and Vivian, I refuse to stoop to their level. Because all that
really
matters,” she growled, clasping Trisha’s shoulders, “is that you’re going to college in September to become Maine’s prettiest, brightest marine biologist. And I’ll get that guest liaison position at Inglenook this spring, and together we’ll show all those idiots that the Campbell sisters don’t have one stupid bone in our bodies.”
    Trisha gently turned Julia around and started undoing her braid. “Do you really think Olivia will give you the job without a college degree?” She sighed. “Too bad they don’t give diplomas to people who sneak into classes and read whatever textbooks are lying around a frat house. Heck, you actually helped some of those guys with their papers. And Clay’s master’s degree should have
your
name on it, not his.”
    “Don’t forget I used to work summers for Olivia back when she ran Inglenook for her ex-in-laws,” Julia said. “So I’m hoping I can persuade her I’m as valuable as any applicant with an honest education.” Julia ran her fingers through the riot of curls that had erupted the moment they’d been set free, and turned to Trisha. “I have to get that