LITMIR.BIZ

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no idea her friend had left her husband with a note. “A note? She just left a note and then walked out?”

      Savvy placed a square of cheese on each slice of bread and then Isabella topped them with another piece of bread. “I probably shouldn’t have said that, since I didn’t hear it from him, but it’s fairly common knowledge around town. So sad.”

      And so unlike the Nan that Isabella had known, so caring and kind. So still in love with her ex-husband. Correction...husband.

      The trailer door opened, and she turned to see the object of her thoughts stepping inside. Savvy also turned and quickly asked, “Titus, do you want some lunch? We’re making grilled cheese sandwiches, and I can easily make a couple more.”

      “No thanks,” he said, his brow furrowed and his jaw tense, as though he were debating what to say.

      “Is everything okay?” Savvy asked. “Did you need to talk to Brodie about the land? He and Dylan went to the college for the baseball team’s practice, but I might be able to get him on the phone if you have a question.”

      “No, I don’t have any questions,” he said. “Everything is going fine with the clearing. I should make it to the third cabin’s site by tomorrow.”

      Isabella noticed that, though he answered Savvy’s question, he never took his eyes off of Isabella. Her skin prickled under his gaze. During the handful of times he’d come to the trailer each day, Isabella fought the impulse to stare. He was such a mesmerizing man, with his long dark hair, the tan skin of a guy who worked outdoors, hazel eyes that only seemed to emphasize the depth of the pain he felt at his wife’s abandonment and then her death.

      Isabella was drawn to him in spite of their limited conversations, and she found herself staring again. But this time, his attention seemed as focused on her as hers was on him.

      “I do have a question, though, for Isabella,” he said, then looked toward the hallway that led to the playroom. “I’m also going to take the rest of the day off and spend some time with Savannah, if that’s okay.”

      “That’s fine. You’ve been working much longer days than Brodie and I ever intended,” she said, grabbing a spatula and flipping the sandwiches.

      Isabella’s pulse had skittered when he said he had a question for her. The fact that he still hadn’t asked it made her wonder if he’d learned the truth. Did he know that she’d befriended Nan? And that she hadn’t been honest with any of them about her reason for showing up in Claremont? Was he going to ask her to stay away from him? Stay away from Savannah? Because she couldn’t think of a thing that would hurt her heart more.

      “You want to ask me something?” she finally managed.

      “Can we talk outside?” His voice seemed even deeper, full of emotion, and her skin prickled again.

       God, please, let him forgive me.

      Isabella followed him outside, her shoulders dropping and feet dragging in much the same manner as Savannah’s.

      * * *

      Fighting his attraction to Isabella was going to prove more difficult than he thought. Even now, with the way her green eyes studied him as he led her to the small table on the deck, Titus found himself wondering what those eyes looked like when she was blissfully happy. Maybe even what they looked like when she was in love.

      He swallowed past that thought. He had no business thinking anything of the sort, and he’d get a grip on it right now. He’d just lost his wife, and he needed to concentrate on helping his daughter.

      She took a seat across from him at the table but had barely sat down before she asked, “Are you okay? Did I—do something wrong?”

      He should’ve realized she might think that, should’ve thought about her feelings, but it’d been three long years since he’d been around a woman enough to truly remember how sensitive their feelings are. Something else God had allowed: Titus had grown numb to observations of the opposite sex that should come naturally.

      “I’m sorry,” he said, at least remembering that apologizing was always a good start to rectifying acting like a typical male. “You didn’t do anything wrong. In fact, you’ve been the most right thing about the past week. Savannah looks forward to getting here each day so she can spend time with you.”

      “I’m glad for that.” Her soft smile, which did reach her eyes and happened to show him how pretty she was when she smiled, lifted his spirits and gave him the push to go forward with this conversation.

      “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” he said. “Before I learned what had happened to Nan, you mentioned teaching her to swim. She hasn’t said anything else about it, but I think that’s because I’ve been...well... I haven’t been as approachable for her over the past few days. I’m sure she can sense that I’m dealing with a lot, because she finally asked me if she’d made me sad last night, and so I had to tell her the truth.” The memory of her question, delivered quietly before bed, stabbed his heart. His brooding had caused her to feel she’d done something wrong.

      “She told us that her mommy went to heaven,” Isabella said, her voice barely above a whisper, as though she knew how sensitive this topic was for Titus.

      He appreciated her even more for that. “Is that all she said?” he asked, wanting to know everything going on in his little girl’s mind after learning her mommy had died.

      Isabella’s hands were folded, resting on the wooden table, and she looked at them instead of Titus. “She also said that you’re sad.”

      He closed his eyes and considered praying but canned that idea. Chances were, he’d end up telling God how he really felt about all of this, and there wouldn’t be anything good to come from that. “Six years old and she’s lost her mom, yet she’s worried about me.”

      Isabella looked at him again, her mouth lifting a little. “That’s what girls do.”

      Another reminder that he’d become clueless when it came to females. For his daughter’s sake, he’d do his best to remember. “About the swimming...”

      “I still want to teach her,” she said, and she sounded almost excited about the idea, which touched an even deeper spot in Titus’s heart. She really wanted to help Savannah. “When do you want to start?”

      He wouldn’t wait any longer. “How about today?”

       Chapter Four

       I’ve met someone...

      “Can I just go see Abi and her horse again?” Savannah’s eyes, as wide with fear as a spooked stallion, locked onto Isabella’s, probably to keep from looking at the water. It was the same look she’d given her the past three days each time Isabella entered the pool...and Savannah remained firmly on the concrete.

      Though Isabella had worked with children who were afraid of the water in Atlanta, she’d never encountered a child as terrified as Savannah. And she’d never seen a parent so tormented by his daughter’s fear. Titus looked to Isabella and nodded, letting her know he agreed that they didn’t need to push his little girl. “Sure,” Isabella said. “But I’ll stay here by the pool, in case you change your mind.”

      Savannah shot a wary glance toward the blue water and then turned toward Titus. “I’ll swim tomorrow,” she said quietly, identical to the way she’d made the statement the past three days.

      He forced a smile. “Are you sure you want to try again tomorrow? We don’t have to come back if you don’t want to.”

      And, like the other times, she nodded. “Yes, please.”

      “All right then.” He handed her the pink T-shirt and shorts she’d worn over her swimsuit. She put them on and slipped her feet into her shoes before heading toward

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