The Holiday Nanny by Lois Richer Page A

nodded.
    â€œOf what?” he demanded.
    â€œThat you might get hurt,” she said very quietly. “You lost your father and Danny and in a way, Amanda. Your family is broken. Only Silver is left, and if you let yourself be her father and someone claims her, or worse, she finds out about her history and leaves, you’re afraid of what will happen to you.”
    Wade kept mute, but his pained dark gaze never left hers.
    â€œThe thing is, Wade,” Connie said, touching his armas she spoke the hurtful words, “no matter whether you let yourself love her or not, Silver will leave you one day. Nobody stays forever. The only constant any of us have in our lives is God.”
    â€œAnd how do you propose I deal with that?” he demanded, his tone stinging her heart with its oozing pain.
    â€œYou enjoy today. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is an unknown. All you can guarantee with Silver is right now,” she insisted softly. “God is here with you, waiting for you to embrace her and enjoy each second of the life He gives you together.”
    â€œYou make it sound so easy,” he raged.
    Connie shook her head.
    â€œIt’s not easy. It’s terribly hard to live in the moment.” She swallowed. “Harder still to do the right thing even though you know it will break your heart,” she whispered, thinking of her father and whatever had prompted him to abandon her.
    â€œSo now you’re saying I should find her family?”
    â€œYou are Silver’s family,” Connie insisted. “And no matter what happens, that will never change. Unless you change it.”
    Wade pursed his lips.
    â€œBut if it will ease your mind, or if you feel it will enrich her life to know others she’s related to, why not seek them out? Not now because you need time to build a relationship with her yourself. But someday you could ask them to be part of her world on your terms,” Connie coaxed. “Not because you want to give her up, but because you want to make her life fuller, because you want to give your daughter every opportunity.”
    He still said nothing, but his eyes had darkened to almost black.
    â€œIncluding the choice of whether or not to leave you,” she whispered.
    He reared back, rage boiling in his eyes.
    Connie longed to reach out and rub away the deep grooves beside his eyes, to put her hands on his shoulders and massage away the fear so he could see the truth.
    â€œSomeone who truly loves another wants whatever is best for the other, no matter what the cost to them. That’s the very definition of love.”
    Some inner prompting told her to stop there, to let Wade think in peace. So Connie walked away from him, gathered Silver in her arms and carried the sleeping girl upstairs.
    Back in her own room, she sat on her window seat and noticed that Wade had left the backyard. To think about what she’d said?
    Connie squeezed her eyes closed. In her mind, she replayed the message with which that voice on the telephone had blown up her hopes and dreams.
    If I remember correctly, your father had cancer. He received treatment but it returned and progressed so far his legs were amputated. I doubt he survived.
    Eleven years Connie had spent searching for this man, hoping to hear the exact same words Silver yearned to hear. “I love you, daughter of mine.”
    Wade wouldn’t say it, and now it seemed as if her father couldn’t.
    Casting all your cares on Him, because He cares for you.
    â€œI’m really good at giving advice, Lord,” Connie whispered as tears stung her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.
    â€œBut I’m not very good at taking it. Please help me.”

Chapter Seven
    â€œA manda, can we please cease and desist from these constant wars?” On this Sunday morning, Wade dragged a hand through his hair, wearied by her harping.
    â€œConstant?” she fumed.
    â€œIt seems like it. I’m not trying to be nasty,