Her Heart for the Asking (Book 1 - TEXAS HEARTS) by Lisa Mondello Page B

hand.
    "Please leave them.  I need some busy
work to do and if I don't have any to keep me occupied, I'll go
crazy.  As it is, I'll probably be tearing at this house until
morning sun."
    "Okay," Mandy said, understanding. 
"I'm going to check on Uncle Hank before I turn in."
    She kissed her Aunt's cheek and left the
kitchen, listening to her heart beating and the loud thrum of blood
rushing through her veins.  As she crossed the living room to
the stairway, she paused and angled back to the fireplace mantle
where the pictures of her and Uncle Hank and Aunt Corrine were
carefully placed. 
    Walking over to the mantel, she chose the
picture of her sitting on her uncle's lap when they visited his
mother on the reservation.  The day she'd met Alice's daughter
Sara.  There was something about that picture that had given
her pause when she'd seen it the other day.  If she looked at
it quick enough...
    We didn't need to adopt.  We were
blessed with you.
    With trembling hands, she took the picture
from the mantel and stared at it again.  Then she climbed the
stairs to the second floor.  When she reached Hank's bedroom,
she knocked lightly on the door.
    "Are you up for company?" she asked when she
poked her head in.
    "Always for you," Hank said, lifting his arm
up in invitation for her to join him on the bed.  He was
sitting up, his face ghostly white and his breathing better now
that he'd had a little rest.  The doctor said it would get
better as long as he didn't overdo it.
    "I need you, you big ninny," she said, tears
blurring her vision.  She settled into his arms, resting her
head on his broad shoulders like she used to when she was a young
girl.  He enfolded her in his arms and gave her a
squeeze.  He always gave her the hugs she craved, always made
her feel accepted, gave his approval willingly, endlessly. 
She had the feeling she could do no wrong in her uncle's eyes.
    "You don't need me, darlin'.  You're
all grown up and taking the world by the ears and making them
listen to you now.  You've got your momma brains."
    Her eyes fell to the photo in her
hand.  And my grandmother's eyes.  She gazed up at Hank
and saw the first time with the eyes of a woman what she would
never see-- could never see--as a child.
    She swallowed hard before daring to speak,
felt her bottom lip tremble.  But it was too important to
ignore.  "How come you never told me you're my real father?"
she asked, her voice low and thick with emotion.
    She took a deep breath and waited with
trepidation for his reply.
    Hank's arm tightened just a fraction around
her and his body tensed.  His eyes suddenly filled with
moisture and she saw what looked to her like regret. 
"How..."
    Her voice was shaky when she spoke and she
fought mightily to keep it steady.  "I guess it's always been
there.  Mom and Dad fighting endlessly, always just before I
came to Texas.  You and Aunt Corrine were supposed to be such
good family friends except you and my parents never spend any time
together, only when it has to do with me.  All the clues were
there when I was growing up, except if you aren't looking for
something, you won't find it.  And if you don't want to see
it, you'll just push any evidence of it aside."
    She paused, swallowing hard after the words
rushed out of her mouth.  He hadn't denied it.  It could
only mean one thing.  She fought to keep from bursting out
into tears and making what was already difficult for both of them
even harder.
    "I'm all grown up, Uncle Hank.  I can
read things differently and I can handle what I may not have been
able to accept when I was seven."  She smiled, handing him the
picture she'd brought to the room.  "I have my grandmother's
eyes."
    His eyebrows knitted. 
    "Remember that first day we met at my
recital?"
    "How could I ever forget?"
    "You told me your name was Hank Promise and
I told you my name was Promise, too.  Mandy Promise
Morgan.  You smiled and said I had my grandmother's
eyes.  The only