Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
November in Texas brought a gentle crispness to the air, the trees along Faith’s street displaying the last of their autumn glory before surrendering to winter.
Thanksgiving decorations had replaced Halloween’s spooky fare on neighboring porches—cornucopias, wreaths of dried wheat, and the occasional early Christmas light tester making an appearance.
Faith’s cab rolled to a stop in front of her Victorian, and she couldn’t suppress a gasp of wonder at the transformation. What had once been a dilapidated eyesore now stood proudly against the clear fall sky—a testament to Jake’s dedication and vision.
The house had been completely transformed.
The fresh sage-green paint with cream and burgundy trim highlighted the intricate gingerbread detailing along the eaves and porches.
The newly rebuilt wraparound porch with its ornate spindles and brackets gleamed with fresh varnish.
Tall, elegant windows—all replaced or meticulously restored—caught the afternoon light, their wavy antique glass sparkling behind polished mullions.
The towering turret that had once looked ready to collapse now stood sentinel at the corner, its conical roof capped with a gleaming weather vane.
Gone was the sagging, rotted disaster she’d purchased on impulse. In its place stood a Victorian masterpiece, brought back to its original grandeur through Jake’s hands.
Faith paid the driver, her gaze sweeping the property for any sign of Jake’s truck. The absence of it brought both relief and an unexpected pang of disappointment that slid under her ribs like a blade.
“Well, don’t just stand there like a lost tourist,” Ruth called from the porch steps, rising with the fluid grace that belied her ninety years. “I won’t bite. Unless provoked,” she added with a wink.
“Where’s Jake?” Faith asked, pulling her wheeled suitcase through the gravel. The question was casual, or so she told herself.
Ruth’s eyes, so like her grandson’s, sparkled with mischief. “Catastrophe at the Henderson project. Something about a ruptured water main and a flooded basement. He was quite put out about missing your grand return.”
Faith nodded, not quite trusting the older woman’s innocent tone. After the poker game, she’d learned that Ruth Murphy’s angelic face concealed the soul of a renegade.
“Edward, be a dear and put the doctor’s luggage inside,” Ruth instructed the silver-haired man who materialized beside a gleaming black sedan. “We won’t be needing it where we’re going.”
Faith’s head snapped up. “Going? Ruth, I just spent a week living out of suitcases. The only place I’m going is back to the trailer for a hot shower and some peace and quiet.”
“That trailer,” Ruth said with a dismissive wave of her hand, “is a temporary solution that’s outlived its usefulness. Besides, Jake has been working day and night on the house while you’ve been gallivanting across the country. You’ll want to see the progress.”
“I can see it tomorrow,” Faith countered, eyeing her suitcase longingly. “Right now, all I want is?—”
“A little adventure,” Ruth interrupted, linking her arm through Faith’s with surprising strength. “You’ve been cooped up in stuffy conference rooms all week. What you need is fresh air and stimulating company—namely, mine.”
Before Faith could form a coherent objection, she found herself guided to the waiting car, Ruth’s grip surprisingly firm for a woman who looked as if a strong breeze might carry her away.
“There’s a charming little lake about twenty minutes from here,” Ruth continued, sliding into the back seat beside Faith. “Perfect for…contemplation. And discussing certain grandsons who’ve been moping around like abandoned puppies.”
“Ruth—” Faith began, but the older woman raised one elegant hand.
“Edward, Lakeview Drive, if you please. And do take the scenic route.”
As they pulled away from the house, Faith caught a glimpse of her Victorian in the side mirror. Jake had worked miracles in her absence.
Jake. The man who’d proposed marriage after knowing her mere weeks. The man whose radio calls had become the highlight of her evenings, whose voice made her feel both unsettled and secure in equal measure. The man she’d been running from since the moment they met.
“I don’t know, Ruth. I don’t think this is such a good idea,” Faith said as Edward turned down a narrow lane shrouded by ancient oaks.
The car slowed to a stop near a small clearing that sloped gently toward what appeared to be a private lake, its surface glimmering silver in the evening light. Before Faith could protest further, Ruth had bounded from the car with surprising agility.
“Edward, wait here. We won’t be long,” Ruth called over her shoulder, already making her way toward the water’s edge.
Faith reluctantly followed, glancing nervously at the elegant home visible through the trees. “Ruth, this is private property. We can’t just?—”
“Buck up, girl. If you’re going to be my granddaughter-in-law I want to see what you’re made of. Now strip those clothes off before someone drives by.”
“That’s the thing, Ruth. I don’t think I’m going to be your granddaughter-in-law.”
“Why the heck not?”
“Because I’ve been married before. It wasn’t an experience I care to repeat.
I spent the entire two years of my marriage watching my husband rub other women in my face.
I’m sure I’m presenting a great challenge to Jake, but in the end, when I’m no longer a challenge, he’s going to go look for the next one.
A woman like me doesn’t hold the attention of a man like Jake for very long. ”
“Well, that’s just plain stupid,” Ruth said, her attention suddenly caught by distant headlights. “Quick. Duck!”
Faith hit the ground with a jarring thud and hoped Ruth hadn’t broken anything in her quest to be invisible.
She’d hate to have to explain why they were sneaking around on private property.
She groaned as she sat up gently, small pebbles pressed into her knees and grass stuck to the palms of her hands.
“Come on. Let’s get this done with,” Ruth said, shedding her clothes in a heap on the ground.
“Ohmigod!” The sight of Ruth Murphy naked was something she’d never be able to scrub from her memory. She looked like a ninety-pound soup chicken, papery skin and bony knees and elbows. Faith had never been more grateful for a night without stars.
“It’s going to rain. We’ll both catch a cold swimming in a freezing lake while the rain hammers at us from the other end,” Faith protested, eyeing the dark clouds gathering on the horizon.
“Nonsense. The rain won’t be here for a while yet. Are you a fraidy cat?”
Faith heard the splash as Ruth jumped into the lake. She wasn’t afraid. Well, maybe a little because it probably wouldn’t be good for her career if she was caught, but she put her fears aside and stripped down. She was going skinny-dipping with a woman who wanted her to love her grandson.
“This water is freezing,” Faith screamed.
“Of course it is. It’s November. Just because we still have the occasional seventy-degree day doesn’t mean the water is going to cooperate,” Ruth called back, seemingly unfazed by the cold.
She swam closer to Faith with surprising agility.
“Now tell me what your plan is regarding my grandson. I know you have one.”
“Well, since I turned down his proposal, I’ve been…
keeping my distance,” Faith admitted, the cold water suddenly less uncomfortable than this conversation.
“That’s why I took all these business trips.
We haven’t really seen each other in person since that night.
He calls into my show every evening, and we talk, but it’s different when there’s a radio audience between us. ”
She pushed her wet hair back from her face, staring up at the darkening sky.
“It’s like he’s accepted my rejection but isn’t giving up.
He’s patient, getting to know me through those calls, sharing little pieces of himself each time.
But a part of me has to wonder if he worked this hard with all his other…
interests. Now I’m confused because I don’t know if he still wants me that way or if he’s just determined to win what he couldn’t have.
The problem is, Ruth, I could fall in love with him if I let myself. ”
“There’s no let about it. You either are or you aren’t.
And if you weren’t in love with him already, you wouldn’t be worrying so much about all this nonsense.
And Jake definitely wouldn’t be spending all this time with you if he just wanted to be your friend.
It’s you he wants. My goodness, half of this country is following your relationship with Jake on your show every night.
I tune in now just so I can hear him make a fool of himself. ”
Ruth was right. Her ratings had skyrocketed since Jake began calling into the show.
Things seemed easier, safer, when they talked over the airwaves.
He was a good man. A sensitive, caring, patient man.
And honorable. It was a bitter pill to swallow that she was running out of excuses to keep him at a distance.
The anticipation of his nightly calls had become both a comfort and a torment.
His voice in her ear, the thoughtful questions, the careful steps toward deeper understanding—all without the physical distraction of his presence.
She’d found herself listening to the recorded shows afterward, analyzing his tone, searching for hidden meanings.
But though there was a sliver of hope somewhere beneath the surface, she knew that there couldn’t be a future for them.