Wandering Heart by Rita Hestand Read Free Book Online

kitchen.
    "I guess."
    "What time are
you coming home tomorrow?"
    "In the
morning, unless you need me tonight."
    "No, I'm fine.
I'll see you in the morning." Angela said, as she was about to hang
up.
    "Mom, I—is
everything okay?"
    "Of course,
why?"
    "You just sound
kinda funny."
    "Of course I
do, honey. I've been asleep. I guess the storm woke me. I thought
I'd have a cup of hot chocolate and go back to bed."
    "Mom, I'll come
home if you want me to. I know how worried you are about things. If
I were old enough to work you wouldn't have to be worried. I mean
you are going to quit your job in town, aren't you?"
    "I was thinking
about it, I'll admit. But things are going to work out. And stop
worrying so much about me."
    "But you're
alone."
    "Uh, no, Josh,
not exactly. You see I bumped into an old friend the other day and
we've been talking. And, well, it seems he's going to be working
for us."
    "An old friend?
Who?"
    "His name is
Cooper Johnson, and you'll meet him tomorrow."
    "I will? Is he
there now?"
    Angela paused
wondering what Josh might be thinking. "Yes, he's here. He's
staying in the guest room until we can get the bungalow fixed
up."
    "Maybe I better
come home."
    "Don't be
silly."
    "Why don't you
put him in the barn?"
    "Josh! It's a
little cold to be sleeping in a barn. Besides, Elmerine is in the
barn, and you know how she smells. He's really an old friend. Why,
he even knew your father." She knew that would stop him for a
minute.
    "Elmerine's a
pig, Mom, pigs are supposed to smell. Wait a minute, you said he
knew Dad?"
    "Yes."
    "Really, Mom?
Did you hire him? Will he be there in the morning?"
    Angela glanced
at the phone. Since when did her son sound so grown up? Or hadn't
she been paying attention? But in reality he had grown up much
faster than most boys. Without a father he had to.
    "Yes, I did.
And he will."
    "Great. I bet
this will make Greg mad. I'll be home early. And Mom, I…I love
you."
    Once again
Angela looked at the phone in amazement. Josh wasn't often mushy,
even though he kissed her goodbye in the mornings before she drove
him to school. Naturally, he wouldn't kiss her in the truck; what
would his friends think?
    "I love you
too, dear. Now, get some sleep." Had she made a big deal of his
slight confession he would never say another word to her about it.
It was a treasured moment for a mother.
    She scuffled
back to the kitchen, her mind wandering to the reprimand Greg would
no doubt have for her actions. She was startled when she walked
straight into Cooper. More startling was the fact that he was naked
from the waist up, and her hand landed right in the middle of a
rock-hard chest. Her fingers recoiled as if she had touched a hot
stove. A lazy smile stole across his face as she looked up at
him.
    "I'm sorry. I
didn't know you were awake." She pulled herself away from him.
    As though he
had read her mind, or perhaps heard her phone conversation, he
filled a mug with hot chocolate and handed it to her. It was warm
and delicious, and she took a sip before saying anything to
him.
    "Thanks. I was
about to make some myself, when..."
    "I know. I
heard you talking on the phone. When you mentioned hot chocolate, I
thought it a great idea, and helped myself. This kind of storm
usually wakes me, too. Sometimes the stock gets nervous. I like to
be prepared. Old habit, I guess."
    "It was Josh on
the phone. He was worried about me."
    "Sounds like a
pretty nice kid. You've obviously done a good job with him. It's
until hard to believe you had to raise him alone. What's wrong with
your folks? What's wrong with the Sullivan's?"
    Angela moved
backwards just a hair. The man was just too virile for words. Her
hand was until warm. Why he was affecting her so, she wasn't sure.
She wasn't a starry eyed teen ager anymore. But it had
been a while since she had a man around the house. Or a man
anywhere for that matter. Especially a half clad man, with such
soul-searching eyes. "I can't answer for the Sullivan's, but as