A Hopeful Heart by Lois Richer

Author:Lois Richer [Lois Richer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781459264519
Publisher: Harlequin

Chapter Eight

“Oh, Father, I need Your help.”

Melanie prayed desperately for the floor to cave in. Since it didn’t, she decided to brazen it out. If this was God’s answer, it was a pretty clear one. She felt disoriented, confused. She’d been on cloud nine. Now she slammed into old terra firma with a vengeance. She should have known better than to expect someone who looked like Mitch to be free and available, and indisputably she should have known he wouldn’t be interested in her, plain, boring Melanie.

Melanie felt exposed, her desire for this man revealed for this interloper to see. It was humiliating to realize how much she had wanted him to be Mr. Right, and now to see how little she obviously meant to him.

Although she knew her lips bore the imprint of his kisses, Melanie decided to leave the room with as much dignity as she could muster. She also decided to get out of her outfit. Maybe some of the embarrassment would fall away with a change of clothes.

“I’ll leave you two alone, then,” she murmured, moving toward her bedroom. “Good night.” The quiet words took every ounce of pride she had left.

“Sara,” Mitch exploded as soon as Melanie had closed the door. “What in the world are you doing here?” His tone was not welcoming.

“Breaking up a cozy little tête-à-tête, by the looks of it.” Sara grinned unrepentantly. She shook one finger at him. “Living together? Mitchel Stewart, I am aghast and dismayed that you’ve dropped your standards.”

Mitchel could have cheerfully strangled her, but he sighed deeply and decided instead to find out what had made this visit so necessary. Sara’s surprises were well-known. But first things first, he resolved.

He’d watched Melanie’s face when Sara had dropped her bombshell, and Mitch knew he would have to talk to her. He had no intention of letting Melanie go that easily. Why, he wasn’t sure, but it was somehow important that she know he hadn’t been lying to her, that she was the woman he’d wanted to be with this evening.

After settling Sara with a cup of coffee at the kitchen counter, he knocked loudly on Melanie’s door and then, when he heard her tell him to go away, disobeyed and opened it.

She was standing in front of her closet arranging the black dress on a padded hanger. Her makeup had been removed, and her long hair hung in loose waves down her back. He noticed she was swathed head to toe in flannelette. The sight had a ridiculously unsettling effect on him. It was her face that caught his attention, however. It was pinched and white. Her huge green eyes stared at him, pools of color in her wan complexion.

“I don’t think this is a good idea—”

He cut her off. “Well, tough, because I do.” In two strides he reached her. Gently he fastened a hand around her arm. “Sit down for a minute, Melanie. I want to talk to you about Sara.”

“None of this is any of my business,” she murmured, trying to pull away.

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