What the Heart Knows by Margaret Daley

seemed fine for a while, but a few months after Terry was born, she started drinking again and was killed in a drunk driving accident.”
    Tears stung Kathleen’s eyes, a lump lodged in her throat. “I’m sorry.”
    Jared blinked, slipping his hand from hers. He straightened, a flush to his face. “I didn’t mean to tell you that. It’s not something I like to relive.”
    â€œMaybe you should. It’s important to work through our feelings in order to get beyond them.”
    â€œThat life is behind me.”
    The look of doubt in his eyes belied the force of his words. “Is it?”
    He held her gaze for a few seconds, then glanced away. “Yes. Living through it once was enough.” He rose in one fluid motion. “I’d better be going. Tomorrow will be a long day.”
    Kathleen walked Jared to the door and watched him descend the steps out front. The droop to his shoulders attested to his weariness. The tight grin he gave her as he waved good-bye emphasized he wasn’t over what he had gone through with his wife. He might think it was behind him, but Kathleen knew it wasn’t.

Chapter Four
    â€œC an I see what you have in that package?” Jared asked as Hannah and Kathleen approached him in the mall.
    His daughter’s eyes grew round. She quickly hid the bag behind her back. “No.”
    Jared took in her rosy cheeks and knew he had stepped into territory best left to the women. “Did you spend all my money?” That wasn’t a safe question for a man to ask, either, he realized after he’d said it.
    â€œNot yet,” Kathleen said with a laugh. “But if you like what Hannah wants to buy, yes.”
    â€œYou want my opinion?”
    â€œSince you’re paying, Kathleen thought so.”
    â€œLet’s eat first, then I’ll take a look at it. Where do you want to have lunch?”
    â€œThe Greasy Spoon,” Hannah said, her face lit with a huge grin.
    â€œWhat’s that?” asked Kathleen. “I thought I knew most of the restaurants in Crystal Springs. Of course, I’m not sure any place called the Greasy Spoon should be considered a restaurant.”
    â€œIt’s fairly new,” Jared answered, starting to walk. “It’s at the other end of the mall. Not bad, if you like fried food. Hence the name Greasy. ”
    Kathleen fell into step next to Jared with Hannah on her other side. As they made their way to the restaurant, Hannah veered off to the left, pulling her father over to the display window of the toy store.
    She tapped the glass near an electronic game station, saying, “I want that for my birthday.”
    â€œThat’s not for another six months.”
    â€œOh, yeah.” Hannah’s shoulders sagged. “You know it might be something you could get both Terry and I for the summer when it’s too hot to play outside.”
    Jared pressed his lips together, his eyes dancing with merriment. “You’ve never had trouble finding something to do during the summer before. Why should this summer be any different?”
    Hannah opened her mouth to say something, but instead snapped it closed, her expression screwing up into a thoughtful look.
    â€œYou could always save your allowance and buy it for yourself.”
    The girl brightened for a moment, but the eagerness evaporated when she saw the price. “That’ll take at least six months.”
    Jared placed his hand on Hannah’s shoulder and began walking toward the other end of the mall.“Think how much it will mean to you when you finally get it. You could always earn some money. I weeded gardens for my neighbors at your age, which is where I learned to love yard work. I would dust for the Lunds. I walked Mrs. Wilson’s dog for her because she couldn’t. Now that, I loved doing.”
    â€œI could do that. I know Mr. Batchlear can’t take his dog to the park like he used to. Maybe