Even Danny’s back looked scared, Nat thought.
He watched from behind as Danny opened up to accept his mouth guard from Mike.
Then he watched as Danny nodded. And nodded. And nodded.
What could Mike possibly have to say to him that hadn’t been said a hundred times before?
A few seconds later, Danny broke the rules. He glanced over his shoulder and made eye contact with Nat.
Nat winked at him, and smiled. Then he pointed back to Mike. To say, “Back to your focus.”
Danny’s head and eyes shifted forward again.
Nat pulled his wallet out of his front pocket. He always kept it in his front pocket at any sort of boxing event. Not the most dependable crowd in the world. If he lost a few bucks, that wouldn’t have been the end of the world. And he didn’t have a driver’s license anyway.
But the good-luck charm. That was one of a kind. And it was not about to go anywhere, if he could help it.
He pulled the photo out of the wallet. He’d had it laminated, so he could run his thumb over the face in the picture without fading or smearing it. Even if his hands were sweating just a little bit.
Like they were tonight.
He felt a presence behind him and whipped his head around. Vick was looking over his shoulder.
“Who’s that, your grandfather?”
“Something like that, yeah.” When Vick didn’t comment further, Nat said, “It’s my good-luck charm. I’ve had it with me at every single match Danny ever fought. Amateur and pro both.”
“Yeah? Well, generally speaking I don’t put much stock in luck. But if it got the kid this far, I say have at it.”
He moved away again. Which was good.
It allowed Nat to say what he always said before one of Danny’s fights. Quietly. Under his breath. But always out loud.
“If you’ve got any kind of influence where you are, Nathan, this would be a good moment to use it.”
He slid the photo back into his pocket when the bell rang.
THE END
Second Hand Heart
by Catherine Ryan Hyde
“A fascinating premise and a lovely book. Highly recommended.” – Chicklittings
“Heartwarming and Heartbreaking…Plan to read Second Hand Heart when you’re ready to stay awake all night (with a box of Kleenex) – you’ll want to read it straight through to the end.” – Catherine Gallegos, reader review
“A compelling, thoughtful read.” – Choice Magazine
“A first-rate read!…Second Hand Heart is a great book about surviving despite the odds” – Leah Graham, Chick Lit Reviews and News
Can a heart remember the people it once loved?
By Catherine Ryan Hyde, the bestselling author of PAY IT FORWARD and 18 published and forthcoming books, SECOND HAND HEART is a warm and wonderful novel of love, unexpected chances, and inconceivable loss—of learning to live for the first time, and learning to live all over again.
Vida is 19 and has a life-threatening heart condition. Richard is 36 and has just lost his beloved wife in a car accident. When Richard is invited to the hospital to meet the young woman who received his wife’s donor heart, Vida takes one look at him and feels she’s loved him all her life. Is Vida just a sheltered and confused young woman? Or is there truth behind the theory of cellular memory? Can a heart remember, at least for a time, on its own?
An unusual and surprising love story, SECOND HAND HEART is a compelling page-turner that will appeal to fans of Jodi Picoult and Nicholas Sparks, and to anyone who has ever been curious about the limits of love and death.
“Everything about this book is unexpected. You think you’re in for one thing, but you get quite another. The characters don’t behave the way I thought they would, the story unfolds in a landscape utterly different to where it begins and instead of being pleasantly entertained by a sweet story…I found a moving lesson about living as oppose to just existing.” – Catherine, Caffeinated
“A Compelling Novel From A Wonderful Writer. If you haven’t read any of her novels, then WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR TIME??? You’re missing out on a lot and I highly suggest you hurry and pick one up. And why not start with her latest, Second Hand Heart?” – Brent Taylor, reader review
BUY IT TODAY!
About the Author
Catherine Ryan Hyde is the author of several highly acclaimed novels including Pay It Forward (which was made into a feature film starring Kevin Spacey and Helen Hunt), Love in the Present Tense, Chasing Windmills, and Second Hand Heart.
Catherine lives in a very small town in California. She also writes novels for young adults.
For more information on Catherine Ryan Hyde and her books, please visit her website. If you'd like news and updates on Catherine’s latest books, fun giveaways, and more, visit Catherine’s author page on Facebook or follow Catherine on Twitter.