Read Online Family Wanted (Willow's Haven Book 1) by Renee Andrews - Free Book Online Page B

she’d rarely walked with her head up, much less run ahead of the twins in her eagerness to get anywhere. But she’d run now, not to see Titus but to be near Isabella.
    “Miss Isabella, did you bring it?” she asked excitedly.
    Isabella gave his daughter a full smile, all hints of sadness disappearing in her desire to care for his daughter. She opened her purse and withdrew three bottles of fingernail polish. “I brought a few colors, so you all can choose what you like the best.”
    Savannah, Rose and Daisy clapped their enthusiasm, while Titus heard his mother’s words from earlier.
    It sounds as though this Miss Isabella person is filling a void in Savannah’s life.
    And then...
    Maybe this Isabella could fill a void in your life, too.

Chapter Six
    And I didn’t want to lie.
    S parkly pink nail polish.
That’s
what finally got Savannah to ease onto the top step in the pool.
    Titus watched as Isabella, sitting beside Savannah, placed her hand back in the water. “See if yours looks like this, too,” she said to Savannah.
    Savannah peered at her mentor’s hand and then placed her own fingers next to Isabella’s beneath the water’s surface. “It does sparkle more in the water.” She lifted her foot to see her toes shimmering, too, thanks to Isabella painting all toes and fingers this morning. Smiling brighter than Titus had seen her smile in weeks, maybe even years, she turned to him. “Daddy, come look at it sparkle!”
    Titus moved toward the pair in the pool and decided he wasn’t sure who was smiling brighter, Savannah or Isabella.
    Savannah put both hands in the water and tilted them back and forth to allow the glittery polish to catch the sunlight. “See? Isn’t it pretty?”
    “Beautiful,” he said, but he wasn’t merely talking about the sparkling nails. The image of Savannah happy, combined with the undeniable compassion glowing on Isabella’s face, warmed his heart in places that, until the past couple of days, had been iced over for three years.
    “So what do you think? Would you want to go out a little way from the step, if you were holding on to me?” Isabella asked, her voice filled with tenderness.
    Savannah’s smile slipped a little. “I don’t know. Can I touch the bottom there?”
    “We would stay in the shallow part, where you can touch,” Isabella promised. “But we don’t have to move from the step today if you don’t want to. We can wait.”
    Savannah glanced toward Titus. “I want to, but I want Daddy to come in the water, too.”
    Titus should’ve considered that, but he honestly hadn’t anticipated her getting in the pool today. “Oh, honey, I didn’t bring a swimsuit.” He’d changed out of his long-sleeved work shirt into a T-shirt, but still wore old jeans and boots. Not exactly swimming attire.
    “You could sit on the side and watch me. And maybe put your feet in,” Savannah said. “It isn’t too scary.”
    Until today, she’d seen everything about this pool as scary, but thanks to Isabella—and a bottle of sparkly fingernail polish—that fear was slowly but surely evaporating. “That’s a good idea.” He sat on the concrete near the girls, removed one boot and then the other while they watched, and then followed suit with his socks. He stuffed the socks in the boots and rolled up his jeans to his calves, while Savannah clapped her approval and Isabella smiled hers.
    Sliding his feet into the water, he made a show of hissing as if it were too cold. Savannah giggled and Isabella winked at him. Titus laughed, the surprising gesture from Isabella making him feel as happy as the unrestrained giggle from his little girl.
    Isabella eased away from the step. She dipped to her shoulders, then stood and moved her hands around in the water. “See,” she said to Savannah. “It isn’t deep at all here.”
    Savannah nodded but made no effort to move off of the step. Titus could tell Isabella was intent on taking this slow, encouraging Savannah without