His Heart for the Trusting by Lisa Mondello Page A

towel.  “I am.  I thought you were
leaving.  For good.”
    Abruptly,
Sara's expression changed and Mitch didn't want to go where he knew this
conversation was going to take them.
    “I'm going home
eventually, Mitch.  I thought you understood that when I agreed to help you
take care of Jonathan.”
    “I know.  You
did.”  Not that they talked about it much or that he liked the idea.  But Sara
had made her intentions clear.
    “Have you had
any luck finding a replacement for me?”
    “No.”  He
wasn't being fair, he knew.  He hadn't even begun looking for another nanny. 
When did he have time?  Besides, after Sara, no one would be able to live up to
his expectations.
    He needed
exactly her.  He wanted her.  In more ways than he cared to admit.
    “Would you like
me to ask around?  People on the rez are always looking for good jobs.  Mom
might even know of a few girls that may be interested.”
    His head jerked
to her and he saw immediate alarm sharpen her features.  She quickly pulled a
chair away from the table and sat down next to him.
    “I wouldn't
make any offers of employment.  Anyone I thought was right for the job I'd
merely refer to you.  You'd be able to meet them and make your own decision
about who is a right fit for you and Jonathan.”
    You're the
right fit for us, Sara.  He didn't say the words, knowing he’d be completely
backing out of their arrangement if he did.
    He didn't want
someone else moving into his house.  Someone with different ways, different
likes, different pictures to hang on the wall.  It was hard enough for him to
admit he needed Sara.  He'd finally gotten used to the idea and now she was
talking about leaving.  Sure, she'd always talked about her plans of being a
storyteller.  But somehow, he couldn't imagine her really leaving him.  Them,
he corrected himself, silently.
    “I just figure
I could make it easier for you by helping things along since you have so little
time.”
    “Sure,” he
said, a little harsher than he intended.
    He walked to
the refrigerator and yanked the door open.  A pitcher of formula was already
made and chilling.  He had to move it to reach the milk.
    She glanced at
the cereal bowl on the table.  “Do you want something else to eat?  A bowl of
cereal is not that much.”
    “You don't have
to feed me.  I can take care of myself.”
    Sara looked at
him thoughtfully, lingering to see what emotion was behind this sudden coolness
that had filled the air around them.  “I know I don't have to.  Pass me the
pitcher of formula please?”
    He did so, and
grabbed the carton of milk for himself.
    “Since I
obviously missed our conversation last night, why don't you fill me in?  Are
you going to be gone the whole day?”
    “I made you a
lunch.”
    His shoulders
sagged slightly.  “That's not why I'm asking.  Corrine cooks for the whole
crew.  I’ll never starve here on the ranch.  I’m just asking.”
    She was going
to find a replacement.  For her.  Mitch knew it was coming.  He'd known all
along this was just a temporary arrangement.  But the thought of having someone
else here in Sara's place just didn't settle well with him.  He glanced around
the kitchen.  She'd be gone and everything about her would go with her.  He
didn't like the thought of that.  He only hoped that her sudden push to leave
wasn't because he'd been an idiot the other night when he’d kissed her.  
    “I suspect
we’ll be gone most of the day.  I'll probably be back later this evening, if
you don’t mind.”
    Why would he
mind?  It was the first time in a long time he'd have his house to himself
again.  No crying.  No cares about waking up the baby.
    “Are you sure
it’s okay with you?” she asked when he didn't respond.
    He glanced at
her then and realized his mind had drifted.
    “Sure.  In fact
it may work out nice.  I can paint the walls in Jonathan's bedroom and set up
the crib.  Get it ready to move him out of your