02_The Hero Next Door by Irene Hannon

But she needed all the bolstering she could get.
    “I was going to. I even called Susan to tell her that. In the end, though, I couldn’t.” She explained why.
    “I see your problem.” Creases appeared on J.C.’s brow. “If the group he’s hanging around with is starting to dabble in drugs, he’s on dangerous ground.” He stopped and gesturedtoward the side of the ticket office. “He’s at the rear. I’ll stay close but out of sight while you talk to him.”
    Psyching herself up for the coming exchange, she nodded and stepped forward.
    Her soft-soled shoes were noiseless on the pavement, giving Heather a chance to observe Brian without being noticed as she drew close. He was sitting on the concrete, his back against the wall of the building, arms wrapped around his drawn-up legs, chin resting on his knees. He’d put on a hooded jacket and pulled his backpack and suitcase close beside him.
    Gone was the defiant glare. Gone was the palpable anger. Gone was the bravado. His shoulders were slumped, and he looked scared. And much more like the little boy she’d once known, who had loved to tag along with his aunt during family visits.
    Her hope soared. Perhaps she’d be able to reach him after all.
    Crossing her fingers, she stepped into his line of sight.
    “Hi, Brian.”
    His head jerked toward her, and an instant later he sprang to his feet, his body rigid as he glared at her. “How did you find me?”
    Her hope plummeted. In the space of a few heartbeats, the rebellious teen had returned.
    “You can’t run away, Brian.” She avoided his question. “You’re only thirteen.”
    “Right. I’m still a kid. I don’t get any say in what happens in my life.” Bitterness and frustration twisted his features. “Well, you know what? I’m tired of people telling me what to do. Watching over my shoulder. First mom, now you. Why can’t everyone just leave me alone?”
    His voice broke on the last word, and Heather felt the pressure of tears in her throat as he shifted away from her and dipped his head, his bangs falling into his eyes. She knew what it felt like to have your world turned upside down. To feeladrift. She’d reacted differently than Brian when her parents separated, coped in a different way. But the driving emotion behind her behavior had been the same.
    “I’m sorry you feel that way, Brian. I know how hard it is to…”
    “You don’t know anything about what my life is like! Neither does Mom. Or that dumb counselor at school she made me talk to!”
    His words came out muffled and choked. Heather stepped closer, her heart aching. “Please, Brian, don’t shut us out. We all want what’s best for you. Getting involved with the wrong crowd can have repercussions that last a lifetime.” She laid a hand on his arm. “Why don’t you let…”
    Swinging toward her, Brian shook off her touch. “Just leave me alone!”
    Then he shoved her away.
    Hard.
    Caught off guard, Heather stumbled back a step. Her heel snagged on an uneven piece of concrete, and she struggled to maintain her balance as J.C.’s jacket slipped off her shoulders. Failing, she braced for the impact.
    Instead of a hard landing on the unforgiving concrete, however, she found herself caught in a pair of strong arms and supported against a solid chest, the rapid thud of a heart pounding beneath her ear.
    “Are you okay?”
    As the husky words registered, she managed a shaky nod. “Yes.”
    J.C. settled her on her feet and gave her a quick inspection, then turned his attention to the teen standing a few feet away. Putting himself between Heather and her nephew, he planted his fists on his hips as he assessed the boy.
    Though he was two years younger than Nathan had been when J.C. inherited responsibility for his younger brother,Brian exuded the same explosive anger. The same sense that the world hadn’t treated him fairly. The same sullen attitude.
    But this kid’s veneer of defiance hadn’t yet hardened into an impenetrable