Wandering Heart Read Online Free Page B

never told my old man. Why
should I? I was the adopted son. It would never be mine. But, I did
love working with my hands. Watching things grow that you plant
from seed. It was exciting."
    Angela listened
to the anguish in his voice, realizing the sadness that this man
had lived with all his life, wanting to know more, and yet not
wanting to pry.
    "Look, I'm not
asking for the same dedication you gave them. I just want an honest
day's work. I'd offer you the first option to buy the place later,
if you're interested. I wouldn't want to sell to a stranger."
    When had that
happened? She'd never thought of offering the farm up for sale,
until Greg suggested it. But at least if Cooper bought it, she knew
he'd take pride in it. That in itself might give her the courage to
give it up.
    "You're
selling?"
    "Eventually,
yes."
    "Then why
bother to take care of it at all?"
    "Because it's
my home, my son's home."
    Cooper nodded
his understanding, his eyes meeting and searching hers. He got to
his feet, picked up the ticket and paid for their coffee.
    When he
returned to her side, he touched her arm lightly. Awareness shot
through Angela like a bolt of summer lightening. Their eyes met
again, and for a moment, she thought she saw the same thing in his
eyes—surprise!
    They walked in
silence, out of the cafe, down the deserted street, and back toward
the neon lights of the theatre.
    A couple of
blocks from the theatre, she stopped abruptly. "My truck's over
there."
    "You go to a
lot of lengths, don't you? Until driving your uncle's old beat up
Ford, I see."
    "Why not? It
until runs." She smiled back at him for the first time.
    "Just for your
little escapes or all the time?"
    "All the time,
I haven't invested in a car."
    "Well, Angel,
I'll think about the offer. I'll give it some serious consideration
and let you know."
    Angela couldn't
stop the let-down she felt. Why hadn't he grabbed the opportunity
by the horns, for his own sake as well as hers? Obviously, he
needed a job.
    "Okay, but I'll
be placing an ad in the paper soon if I don't hear from you."
    He walked her
to her truck then slouched against the hood and bent his head. "Any
other time I'd probably jump at the chance. But my buddy is
depending on my help too, and I'm not one to turn my back on a
friend."
    Frustrated,
Angela started to open the door. "Look, Coop," she said eying him
carefully, then walked over to him and put a hand on his arm, "I'm
not asking or expecting a lifetime commitment. I'm not asking you
to forget your buddy. But it makes sense, if you think about it. I
mean it's too cold to go to the Northwest on a bike, right now.
Couldn't you postpone it until spring or summer?"
    His expression
sobered, seeing the distress on her face. Then his eyes fell on her
hand, and the famous Cooper Johnson smile spread across his
handsome face. "I'll think about it, I promise."
    Angela sighed
heavily, shook her head and got into the truck.
     
    *****
     
    She was backing
out of the parking lot as Cooper stood watching after her. It had
begun to rain again, but he was unmindful. His gaze never left her
truck.
    "And I'll think
about you too, Angel!" he called when she was well out of hearing
range.

CHAPTER
THREE
     
    Angela stared
out the living room window in a daze. Her mind was a million miles
away. She wasn't admiring the huge, magnificent oak and pecan trees
that dwarfed the hundred-year-old frame farmhouse, nor the
well-laid fields of rich Texas farmland. Not today at least. No,
today she was too busy worrying about who was going to take care of
it.
    "Dammit, there
has got to be an answer!"
    In the seven
years she had lived here, she and Josh had come to think of it as
their home. Now that home was in jeopardy. Naturally, for Josh's
sake the home had to come first. She could give up her job. It
wouldn't be easy, but it looked as though she had no recourse.
    For a solid
week she and Greg had interviewed the men who had answered the ad.
Only one out of ten seemed capable of