Novels by Marie Higgins

Fear kept Brooke’s feet frozen to the floor. Her mind screamed at her to move – to run – to hide. But her body wouldn’t listen.He’s going to catch me. And kill me!Closing her eyes, she held back the tears. She was a failure. As much as she had tried to not let her cousin’s degrading comments get to her these past several months, Brooke heard Robin’s voice ringing in her memory, telling her that she was nothing but trash – that she was a disgrace to the family.All Brooke had to do was sneak into the room, take a few pictures, and leave. Well, she’d done most of the things on her list.She listened to her uncle’s hurried footsteps coming her way. There was no place to hide in this room where he wouldn’t eventually find her. She might as well stay. Perhaps she could pretend to be asleep on his couch and tell him she’d taken too many migraine pills… since that’s what happened with Justin and the Jeep. And, her uncle did know she suffered from migraines.She glanced around the room until

Brooke’s whole body trembled as she walked alongside her sister toward Uncle Tony’s luxurious home. As a child she’d been in awe of him and his wealth. Now, she pitied the man who had to break the law just to provide for his spoiled daughter and stuffy, arrogant wife.During the drive here, Tiffany had chatted nonstop about Robin’s heartbreak, and the horrible man who’d broken Robin’s heart. Brooke tried to act sympathetic while listening to her sister, but she couldn’t stop the elation growing within her. Justin hadn’t been horrible when he dumped Robin. He’d been smart.Brooke and her sister stopped on the porch. Tiffany was a foot taller than Brooke, but just as slender. Flipping a lock of her chestnut colored hair over her shoulder, Tiffany gave Brooke a stern look.“Do not make Robin upset.” Brooke managed to hold back the laugh that threatened to escape from her mouth. She nodded. “I don’t plan on doing that, Tiff. I’m not the monster she has told people that I am.”

“Justin?”The sweet voice behind Justin pulled him from his conversation. He turned on the bed and faced Brooke, standing in the doorway, looking so beautiful. She clutched her hands to her stomach.“Hold on a moment, Brad,” Justin told his friend on the phone before smiling at Brooke. “What is it, angel?”Slowly she walked to him and stopped in front of him, touching his arm. “I think I can help you with Uncle Tony.”He arched an eyebrow. “You can?”“I know something that can put my uncle in prison.”“Really?”Nodding, she took a deep breath and slowly released it. “He smuggles illegal immigrants over the border, which is how Snakes came to work for him. He hires them, so he can get away with not paying them a full wage.”“Are you kidding me?” Justin’s heart hammered. He grasped her hands as excitement shot through him. There might be hope in getting Tony arrested after all.“And, there’s more.” Her smile widened. “He gives them fake ID’s and social security numbers.”“How do you kno

Brooke didn’t know what to believe anymore. Obviously, she couldn’t trust her own heart. Justin had made her trust him. He’d made her fall in love with him, too. True, he didn’t force her, but because of his actions and words, how could she not have become transfixed by his charm? How could she have gone unaffected?Now she didn’t know whether to trust him or not. But hearing Justin say he wouldn’t marry Robin made Brooke’s heart sway toward forgiving him. She wanted to believe Justin. He’d shown her a wonderful, kind and loving man these past twenty-four hours. He might have apologized to her, but it was difficult to know what to believe anymore.Sitting by the fire didn’t accomplish anything, especially when she could hear him on the phone. He’d made several calls. One of them was to his mother as he explained in a sharp voice why he would never marry Robin. He’d even told his mother not to interfere in his life ever again.Quietly, she snuck back down the hall and stopped in front

Justin sighed one long exasperated breath and ran his fingers through his hair. “Yes.”“You’re, Justin… Monroe? The same man engaged to my cousin?”“Correct again. I was engaged to Robin.”Tears swam in Brooke’s eyes, her lips quivering. “You – you – lied to me?”He squeezed his eyes closed and swore softly. Looking at her, he shook his head. “I didn’t lie to you. I just didn’t tell you my last name.”“Why?” her voice rose.“Because at first it didn’t matter, then once we got to talking, I didn’t want to tell you because then I knew you wouldn’t open up to me.”“That’s a stupid excuse, Justin.”Inwardly he growled and grasped her wrist, but she pulled it free again. “Brooke, will you just listen?”“Listen to a liar? No, I’m done listening to you. I’m done being fooled by all men!”“Brooke, please understand, I didn’t tell you the truth because I wanted you to get to know me. The real me – not the fiancé of a Robin Pierpont. Believe me, they are two different people.”“Believe you?” Sh

Justin hoped he’d proven his theory about good guys. Not once did Brooke seem uncomfortable around him, and he was willing to bet her feelings for him were also getting stronger. Although he hadn’t known her for a full day, he’d never forget Brooke or this weekend.She tempted him on many occasions, and he could tell she wanted to kiss him, but he held himself strong and tried to make their time together productive. They played every board game Brad had in the cabin, and when they ran out of games, they made up some of their own.They laughed so much, his sides hurt. But he enjoyed sharing this time with her. She made him feel alive, once again, and he’d missed that over the years.She didn’t ask him about his life, for which he was relieved. Brooke wouldn’t take the news about his engagement to Robin very well, so he avoided the subject. Thankfully, she didn’t ask what his last name was, either. He was certain Tiffany had mentioned it.For dinner, he scrounged through the cupboards a