Love Secrets #42

Jeanne Crayton has fled her hometown after becoming convinced she's a jinx to the men in her life—first Frank Denton abandoned his job and left town, then Bob Perry was struck by a truck after a painful confrontation with her. Starting over in the city under a new identity, she lands a job as a secretary to Barry Dodson at City Chemical Company, determined to keep romance at arm's length. But as Barry's attentions grow warmer and more genuine, Jeanne finds herself torn between her growing feelings for him and her paralyzing fear that loving him will bring him the same heartbreak and ruin she's inflicted on others.

In "Out of the Darkness," a young dancer named Rita finds her life upended when her fiancé Ron leaves her for Hollywood dreams. With steady support from her agent Hank Mills, Rita rebuilds her career as a solo performer, discovering strength and independence she never knew she had. When Ron returns, broken and seeking redemption, Rita must confront the shifting tides of her heart and the quiet loyalty that has always stood by her.

At the racetrack, Jill Anderson disguises herself as a stable boy to stay close to Marco, the horse she raised and was forced to sell to Brent Harding—only to discover that Harding is rigging races and holding Marco back for gambling advantage. Torn between her love for Brent and her loyalty to Marco, Jill uncovers the truth and takes matters into her own hands on race day.

In "Misguided Motive," Sally Stevens is caught between duty and desire—engaged to the steady but unexciting Don Ryan, yet drawn to the thrill-seeking Ted Wagner. When her mother’s life depends on a costly operation, Don hesitates to help, but Ted risks everything, mortgaging his race car in a high-stakes gamble to win the money she needs.