The captain of her heart

      Dashing and valiantly wounded, Captain John Gallows could have stepped straight out of a navy recruitment poster. Leanne Sample can’t help being impressed—although the lovely Red Cross volunteer tries to hide it. She knows better than to get attached to the daring captain who is only home to heal and help rally support for the war’s final push. As soon as he’s well enough, he’ll rush back to Europe, back to war—and far away from South Carolina and Leanne. But when an epidemic strikes the university campus, John comes to realize what it truly means to be a hero—Leanne’s hero.

      “You gave a stunning presentation, Captain. Yours is a harrowing tale.”

      A flicker of a shadow came over his eyes at her use of the word. It was instantly replaced by the cavalier expression. “Ah, but so heroic and inspiring.”

      “It makes it unfair that your leg pains you so much.”

      She expected him to give some dashing dismissal of the judgment, but he paused. He looked at her as if she were the first person ever to say such a thing, which couldn’t possibly be true. “Why?” It was said in the oddest tone.

      “I…” She fumbled, not knowing the answer herself. “I should think it a terrible shame. It seems a very brave thing you’ve done.”

      “Wars need heroes,” he said, “and those of us in the wrong place at the wrong time find ourselves drafted into that need. I don’t ponder whether I limp from justice or bravery, Nurse Sample. I just try to walk.”

      His smile had a dark edge to it as he walked away. With an odd little catch under her chest, Leanne noted that while he hid it extremely well, he still limped.

      ALLIE PLEITER

      Enthusiastic but slightly untidy mother of two and RITA® Award finalist Allie Pleiter writes both fiction and nonfiction. An avid knitter and unreformed chocoholic, she spends her days writing books, drinking coffee and finding new ways to avoid housework. Allie grew up in Connecticut, holds a B.S. in speech from Northwestern University and spent fifteen years in the field of professional fundraising. She lives with her husband, children and a Havanese dog named Bella in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois.

      Homefront Hero

      Allie Pleiter