The Heart Remembers by Irene Hannon Page A

love it here.”
    â€œI can see why. What’s that over there?” He pointed to a small structure of weathered clapboard about a hundred yards from the house.
    â€œThat’s our cottage. It’s a little roomier and more private than the house. Some of our guests come back and stay there every year. I’ll give you a tour soon, if you’d like.”
    â€œThat would be nice. Something pleasant to look forward to.”
    She reached back then, and clasped his hand. “You take care now, okay?”
    He held on to her hand as if it was a lifeline, the strength of his grip surprising her. “Is that tour a promise, Maggie?”
    The plea in his eyes made her throat tighten, and her heart was filled with compassion and affection for this man she’d once loved like a father. Cutting her ties with Jake’s parents had been painful, but at the time it had seemed the best way to preserve her sanity and start a new life. She’d never stopped missing them, though. And she wasmore than willing to do what she could to ease the difficult transition for this man who had lost not only his wife, but his health, his home and now his independence.
    â€œOf course. Give me a call once you’re settled and we’ll have lunch.”
    â€œI’d like that.” When he at last released her hand, she reached for the door handle.
    â€œI’ll walk Maggie to the door, Dad.”
    â€œThat’s not necessary, Jake.”
    â€œI insist.”
    â€œAt least some of your good manners stuck with you.”
    A muscle in Jake’s jaw clenched at his father’s muttered comment, but he didn’t respond. Maggie stepped out of the car and met him at the path to the house, deciding not to protest when he took her arm. She wasn’t going to give him the cold shoulder, too.
    â€œIt’s pretty bad, isn’t it?” She kept her voice low as they walked toward the front door.
    â€œAnd not apt to get much better any time soon, I’m afraid.”
    He paused when they reached the porch and raked his fingers through his hair. “Thanks for going today, Maggie. I think it was good for Dad to see a friendly face, as he so diplomatically put it.”
    There was a touch of bitterness—and despair—in Jake’s voice, and though Maggie had her own unresolved issues with this man, she couldn’t help but feel compassion for his plight. Impulsively she reached over and laid a hand on his arm. “I’m sure things will improve in time.”
    â€œI wish I had your confidence. Goodbye, Maggie.”
    As he walked back to rejoin his father, Jake hoped Maggie was right. But he wasn’t sure he could ever make peace with the stony-faced man waiting in his car.
    The way it was looking, that would take a miracle.

Chapter Five
    J ake pried open his eyes, glanced at the bedside clock with a groan, then pulled the sheet back over his shoulder and turned on his side. Even after all his years in the navy, living by rigid timetables that often included unmercifully early reveille, he’d never adjusted to getting up at the crack of dawn. Okay, so maybe eight o’clock didn’t qualify as the crack of dawn. But it was still too early to get up on a Sunday morning.
    He had just drifted back to sleep when a loud clatter in the kitchen killed any hope of more shut-eye. As he’d discovered in the past couple of days, Howard was an early riser. But in general he tried to go about his business quietly until Jake appeared. Clearly, however, his father was in no mood to humor him this morning.
    With a resigned sigh Jake swung his feet to thefloor. He supposed he should look on the bright side. At least they hadn’t come to blows yet. On the other hand they’d barely spoken since Howard’s arrival. Jake had tried to engage his father in conversation, but the older man responded with monosyllables or grunts.
    Jake frowned as Howard dropped something onto