What the Heart Knows by Margaret Daley Page A

he would pay me to. And I bet I could get someone to let me weed their garden.”
    â€œActually you could do mine if you want,” Kathleen interjected.
    â€œI can! Great. My first job!” Hannah jumped up and down, her blue eyes sparkling, her ponytail swinging from side to side in her excitement.
    At the Greasy Spoon Hannah ran ahead to get a booth in the corner. Jared made his way at a much more subdued pace.
    â€œI’m sorry, Jared. I should have asked you about that first.”
    Jared shook his head. “No, I think it’s a great idea. It’ll give her a goal to work toward. I appreciate the offer.”
    The grin he sent Kathleen made her heart flip over. She swallowed hard and returned his smile. “And I’ll have someone to weed the beds out front. Usually Mark does it, but he hasn’t shown any interest this summer, and I hate yard work, so this is a win/win solution.”
    â€œSince your problem is solved,” Jared slid into the booth across from Hannah, “maybe you could help me out with a problem.”
    â€œWhat?” Kathleen sat next to Hannah.
    â€œI need another chaperone for the hiking trip this Saturday with the youth group. Phil has to work and can’t make it. Are you game?”
    â€œHiking?
    â€œYou said you like to do that with your family. Here’s another opportunity to get Mark involved in the youth group and enjoy what I think will be a gorgeous day. The weatherman promises sunshine and mild temperatures.”
    â€œAnd you believe him?”
    â€œCall me naive, but yes, I do.”
    Hannah giggled. “Dad always believes the man on the radio in the morning. Last week he took his umbrella to work and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky all day.”
    â€œMike Morgan goes to our church. Someone has to support him.”
    â€œYou’re a friend no matter what.” That was what Kathleen liked about Jared the most. She hadn’t known him long, but she knew she could depend on him, and right now in her life that was important because of her son.
    â€œI like to think so.”
    â€œDad, wait till you see the outfit I picked out for church. Kathleen says I look good in it. It’s a yellow-and-orange dress with no icky flowers on it.”
    â€œIt’s a dress? The last time you went shopping you told me you didn’t want any dresses.”
    â€œNot for school, but I need one for church. The one I wear is too small. I’m growing up.”
    The look of surprise on Jared’s face at Hannah’sdeclaration brought a chuckle from Kathleen. She didn’t think he was quite prepared for his daughter to turn into a young lady. Her transformation would prove to be interesting to watch. From their conversation today Kathleen didn’t think Hannah was as much a tomboy as Jared thought.
    â€œWhat else did you find?” Jared flipped open the menu.
    Hannah blushed. “Just girl things.” She slipped from the booth, saying, “I’ll be back in a sec,” then headed for the restroom.
    â€œA dress! I’m amazed you got her to agree even to try one on,” Jared said, observing his daughter disappear into the ladies’ room.
    â€œWe talked a little bit about how she would change over the next few years and what that meant. We got the sports bra and then a regular one. I stopped to admire some of the dresses and she gravitated toward the yellow-and-orange one. When I suggested she try it on, she did.”
    â€œHow come it sounds so simple with you, but when I go shopping with her, it never is that simple?”
    â€œYou’re a man.”
    â€œThanks for noticing,” he said with a wink and a grin.
    Now it was Kathleen’s turn to blush. She definitely had noticed. The heat flaming her cheeks went all the way down her neck. She could tell he took pride in keeping himself in good physical shape. With his dark hair and startling blue eyes, women must gravitate toward