34. Faith
CHAPTER 34
Faith
“I’d go with the light pink,” Claire suggested.
We sat side-by-side in massage chairs, wrapping up our spa day with mani-pedis. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt so totally and completely relaxed. A ninety-minute hot stone massage and hour-long facial had that effect on me.
“I don’t know, Mom. Pink isn’t really my color.” So many choices. Maybe a different color for each toe? I considered a bottle of bright red. Little Red Riding Hood. Yep, this must be the one. I smiled to myself when I thought of dressing up as Red on Halloween.
Only two more days before I made it back to Newbridge and continued my “research” for my new book. I was looking forward to seeing Dante. Although, it wasn’t really the seeing I was excited about... more like getting to feel his mouth on mine and the perfect way he felt inside me.
“What are you smiling about?” My mother’s voice cut through the steamy recollection playing out in my mind.
I sat up in my chair. “Nothing.”
“Oh, I thought maybe you were thinking about Carter.” Claire lifted her eyebrows in an unspoken question.
“Mom, I told you already. Carter’s a nice guy, but I’m not interested.”
“He’s quite a catch, Faith. Why, Clem says he can pretty much dictate his own future.”
“That’s great, Mom. But the thing is, I’m not looking for a catch right now. I don’t have time.”
Claire put her hand on my arm. “Don’t get all upset. I’m just asking you to give him a chance.”
She had been talking up Carter all week. It’s not that I didn’t like him. He was nice. Cute too. Once I earned tenure, I’d be giving up my career writing erotic romance, so long-term that wouldn’t be an issue. On paper, we’d probably make a good match. But something was missing. I hadn’t quite figured out what yet. But why lead the poor guy on?
“I’m leaving in two days. Even if I wanted to give him a chance, I’m running out of time.”
“Nonsense.” Claire stood up, waving her hands to dry her nails. “We’d better get going. I told Clem we’d be back in time for an early dinner.”
I wiggled my feet into my flip-flops and followed her out of the salon. It had been a nice day. All week, all I’d wanted to do was spend some time with my mother. Finally, I’d had the chance.
We’d had lunch at a café we used to go to when I was little, then Mom had booked us for spa packages in the afternoon. She’d even splurged and arranged for a haircut, style, and makeup application for me. Having my mom to myself had been a real treat.
As we pulled up the hill and into the driveway, I noticed a black BMW parked in front of the third stall. Great, another one of Clem’s disciples was probably hanging out inside. I didn’t mind making small talk with Clem’s followers, but I was ready to get back to my small apartment where I could inhabit my own space and not have to worry about slipping up and saying something that would expose me.
We walked through the door into the house, and I heard Clem’s voice and then a man’s laughter. As I rounded the corner, I saw Carter sitting on one of the barstools at the kitchen island. He stood up when he saw us come in.
“Well, Carter. What a surprise.” Mom smiled and walked toward him, giving him a kiss on each cheek.
Carter turned to me. “Hi. Did you have a nice time today?”
I busied myself at the counter, reaching for a glass and filling it with water from the fridge. “Yeah, we had a great day. I didn’t know you were coming over.” I glanced at my mother, who stood next to Clem on the other side of the kitchen.
Carter smiled, then crossed his arms across his chest and leaned back against the counter. He looked pretty damn comfortable in my mother’s kitchen. “I was just in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop by and see if you wanted to grab some dinner.”
I shot a glance over at my mother. She smiled and shrugged her shoulders.
“Oh, I don’t know. I think Mom mentioned something about having an early dinner here with Clem.”
“Oh, you kids go on and have fun.” Claire grabbed Clem by the arm and led him from the kitchen. “I think Clem and I are going to go out. Just the two of us.”
Carter caught me rolling my eyes and laughed. “Looks like your mom just made other plans.”
“Yeah, how about that? It appears I’m suddenly free for the evening.” I didn’t appreciate being blindsided with a dinner date, but I’d be gone in just a few days. What was the harm in having dinner together? “Let me just go freshen up a bit. I’ll be back in a minute.”
“Sounds good. I’ll wait right here.” He moved back toward the stool and settled in.
I jogged upstairs and set my purse down on the bed. Rummaging through the clothes I’d brought with me, I pulled out a fresh pair of jeans and a cami, then grabbed a light cardigan to wear on top. I picked up my phone and shot off a quick text to Jess.
Me: Surprise... Mom scheduled a date night for me with the pretty pastor.
Jess: Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.
Me: Yeah, right.
Jess: What about Dante?
Me: Dante who? ;)
I was totally teasing. Carter was just a friend and Dante was… I wasn’t sure exactly what to call him, but he’d definitely skipped way past the friend zone.
Jess: If you’re done with him, I’ll take your sloppy seconds!
Me: Hands off, girl.
I almost followed that up by telling her he was mine. That wasn’t entirely true, though. Our arrangement didn’t include words like mine , or ours , and that was exactly how it needed to be.
I hadn’t thought about him for at least two hours. When would I be done with him? I closed my eyes and remembered the last time we’d been together. Not in the near future. He’d been the perfect solution for writer’s block, but I hadn’t been able to type a single word since I’d arrived in California. I needed to get back to my muse.
Grumbling, I got up off the bed and entered the enormous bathroom. What did I want out of the evening ahead with Carter? He was easy on the eyes. Great at conversation. And I did enjoy his company. Secure future... stable family life. He was from the Midwest, for crying out loud. Plus, my mom loved him.
Sure, there wasn’t the intense, overwhelming chemistry, but that never happened in real life. At least not with someone who seemed like such a logical match. I wasn’t sure I’d ever warm up to the idea of being with a pastor, but he’d also have that law degree to fall back on. He was almost perfect on paper. Why couldn’t I make my mom happy and give him a real chance?
He wasn’t Dante.
Dante. With his piercing blue eyes and permanent five o’clock shadow. His talented fingers and wicked tongue. No, there was no way in hell Carter was anything like Dante.
I fanned my face and chest. I couldn’t deal with another Dante right now. I wasn’t even doing a good job dealing with just one. What exactly was going on between us, anyway?
The sex was inspiring. I had half of a completed manuscript to prove it. But was there something more to him than the incredible “O’s” I’d grown so fond of? I pushed all thoughts of him aside for the night. I’d have a friends-only, G-rated good time with the safe, pretty pastor and save all thoughts of Dante for later...when I was alone and had time to do something about it.
Carter made small talk as he navigated the BMW through the stoplights and slow traffic on the PCH. I half-listened as I rested my arm by the open window and let the cool late afternoon breeze flow over me. Back in Indiana, everyone would be tucked away indoors. If they had to go out, they’d have to bundle up in layers—long underwear, flannel shirts, wool socks, mittens, scarves, and gaiters.
A teen on a skateboard darted in front of the car.
Carter slammed on the brakes and laid on the horn. “He’s lucky I had a chance to stop.”
“So do you enjoy driving around the LA area?” I glanced over at him, his hands still clenched on the steering wheel.
He took in a deep breath and pressed on the gas. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the traffic. How can there be twelve lanes on the highway and all of them at a halt?”
“Yeah, you don’t see that much in Newbridge. Think you’ll ever move back to the Midwest?”
Carter reached over and squeezed my hand then put his own back on the wheel. “Once I’m finished with law school, I’ll be looking for a place to build my congregation,”—he glanced over and met my gaze—“and my family.”
I closed my eyes and let my head fall back against the headrest. What exactly had my mom and Clem told him about me?
A few minutes later, the car stopped, and I opened my eyes.
Carter got out of his side and walked around to open my door. “It’s probably been a while since you had fresh seafood. I thought you might enjoy dining down on the pier.”
“Sounds great.” I linked my arm through his and let him lead me out onto the dock as the sun dipped low on the horizon.
Shades of pink, purple, and orange blazed across the sky. I sighed. I could do without the traffic or the crowds of southern California, but I definitely missed the sunsets. We walked to the iconic restaurant at the end of the pier, and I leaned up against the wooden railing. “Can we finish watching the sunset before we go in?”
“Whatever your heart desires.” Carter put an arm on either side of me and nestled up against me, his clean-shaven cheek pressed against mine. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
I nodded, drawing my cardigan tighter around me.
“Are you cold?” He rubbed his hands up and down my arms.
“I’m fine. I always forget how much it cools off once the sun starts to set.”
“Let’s get you inside.” He grabbed hold of my hand and gently tugged me toward the door.