After he left the kitchen, Faith fixed herself something to drink and then went to the foyer to retrieve her duffle bag. At the top of the stairs, built into one of the dormers, was a cozy nook lined with bookshelves. She’d been too tired last night to do anything other than register its existence. That wasn’t the case now. She sat her bag on the comfortable-looking chair resting near the window and inspected the spines of the books. It was always interesting to see what other people found worthy of reading.
This was the perfect place to come if she couldn’t sleep. She might just as well have said when she couldn’t sleep. How could something so simple – so natural – be so difficult to do? It didn’t matter how tired she was, the thoughts she managed to subdue during the day came alive in the quiet hours of night.
As she walked in the direction of the guestrooms, the sound of whistling reached her ears. Not many people whistled anymore. It was something of a lost art. She could remember her grandfather doing it when they worked together in the garden. From the time she was eight until she turned fifteen, Faith spent every summer with her grandparents. As a little girl, she liked hearing him whistle because it meant he was close by even when she couldn’t see him. She’d never liked being alone. That’s why she shared a bedroom with her sister instead of having one of her own. Felicity had been replaced by Ian. When he died, there wasn’t anyone else.
One of the hardest things for her to get used to was the absence of sound. Faith missed waking up in the morning to the splash of water in the bathroom and Ian’s slightly off-key voice singing his favorite country song. She missed listening for the click of his key in the front door when he came home at night. But most of all, she missed falling asleep to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
Chapter Two
The mantle clock in the living room was approaching three-fifteen when Landris heard a car outside. He looked up with relief from the magazine he’d been pretending to read ever since Faith joined him. An article about exercise supplements wasn’t nearly interesting enough to keep him unaware of the woman sitting across from him.
In between his attempts to read, he noticed that she had a habit of pulling the ends of her ponytail across her cheek and lips while she read. When she caught herself doing it, she’d let the hair drop and her fingers would close around the silver heart pendant hanging around her neck. He surmised it was a gift from her late husband.
His comment to her in the car about this situation being something of a novelty was truer than she realized. He hadn’t spent this much time with a woman who wasn’t related to him since his divorce. The fact that he found Faith’s company enjoyable didn’t come as any great surprise.
Landris was honest enough to admit that there were many times when he missed seeing a woman’s smile and feeling a woman’s touch. But that need wasn’t sufficient to make him forget the past. He’d experienced the dark side of marriage, the ugliness hidden underneath the beautiful façade. Because of the way things had gone between him and Bristol, he had little confidence in his ability to achieve happiness with anyone else. The emotions and longings that Faith’s presence inadvertently evoked would leave with her tomorrow when she disappeared out of his life. At least that’s what he’d been telling himself for the last few hours.
He closed the magazine and tossed it on the table. “It sounds like our chaperones have arrived.”
She put down the book in her hand, a Civil War novel that just happened to be one of his. That discovery set up a train of thought in his mind he didn’t want to pursue. He didn’t need another reason to like her. There were too many of those already.
“Would you rather I wait inside?”
He laughed as he rose to his feet and stretched. “Why would I do that? You’re not a secret I’m trying to hide.”
“I thought you might want to explain what happened without me around.”
“That’s already been taken care of.”
She slipped her feet into sandals. They weren’t much larger than Olivia’s. On the second toe of her right foot was a silver ring. He hadn’t noticed it before. Then again, he didn’t go around staring at people’s feet. As much as he’d traveled and as many women as he’d dated, he’d never seen a toe ring before. It suited Faith somehow though he couldn’t have said why. If Olivia saw it, she’d be begging for one. Taryn had recently introduced his daughter to nail polish. Landris had spent hours since painting tiny fingernails. There was something he’d never imagined himself doing.
Once they got outside, his eyes sought the golden head just visible through the space in the seats of his sister’s car. Her features were the mirror image of her mother, who in spite of her devious nature, had been a beautiful woman. Olivia had the same light brown eyes, thick lashes, and pert nose. She was also showing signs of having Bristol’s height. Thankfully, that seemed to be the extent of their similarities.
When Olivia saw him, her whole face lit with happiness. A familiar tightness settled into his chest and then as if a spring had been released, he walked swiftly to the car, oblivious to everything else. He opened the door and reached inside to free her from the car seat.
“Daddy! Daddy! You’re here.”
He dropped a kiss on her head, the fruity scent of her favorite shampoo tickling his nose as he pulled her into his arms. “I told you I’d be here.”
She giggled. “Your face is all scratchy.”
“And yours is sticky. What have you been eating?”
“A lollipop.”
“I hope you brought me one.”
“I did. Aunt Taryn bought a big bag.”
“That was nice of Aunt Taryn.”
“Yes, it was,” his sister agreed from behind him. Her glance went to where Faith stood waiting on the porch. Lowering her voice, she went on, “You didn’t tell me she was so pretty.”
Pretty didn’t really do her justice. “It wasn’t important.”
A groan was her answer.
Olivia cupped her hand over his ear. “Is that my new mommy?”
His heart ached at the note of hopefulness in her voice. “No, cupcake. She’s our guest.”
“Does she like to play go fish?”
“I don’t know. Let’s go ask her.” He carried Olivia over to join Faith. “Olivia, this is Miss Faith. Faith, this is my daughter Olivia, otherwise known as cupcake.”
Faith held out her hand. “Hello, Olivia. It’s nice to meet you.”
Olivia took her hand and laughed. “Hello. Do you know how to play go fish?”
“Yes, I do.”
“I usually play with Daddy, but sometimes he cheats.”
“I can vouch for that,” Taryn put in. “Hi, Faith. I’m Taryn, this overgrown kid’s sister.”
“Hi, Taryn. Can I help you carry anything?”
“Sure. Just let me put my purse in the house.”
“You could both go inside, and let me get the stuff out of the car,” Landris offered.
Taryn patted his shoulder. “I loaded the bags in the car; I’m more than capable of getting them out.”
“Then do so, by all means. I wouldn’t want to step on your very feminine toes.”
“Since when?”
“I’ve missed you, too, sis.” He gave her a quick peck on the cheek and took Olivia into the house.
* * * * *
Faith had been close enough to see the way Landris’s expression changed when he saw Olivia. His eyes had blazed with emotion; the prevailing one being love, but there had been a quality of wistfulness as well. The place his only child held in his life couldn’t be doubted. Sentiment stirred in Faith’s heart even as guilt washed over her. She had no business being here, intruding on his private moments like this.
Taryn returned from inside the house. Looking at her more closely, Faith could find no resemblance between her and Landris. The short, wavy hair on Taryn’s head was as dark as Faith’s, and her eyes more hazel than blue.
“What was it like to wake up and see Lan in your room?” Ta
ryn asked as she led the way to the car.
“Surreal is probably the best word for it.”
“I bet so. Did you know who he was?”
“Not at first. Google was very helpful.”
“So you tried to leave, and your car broke down.”
Faith took the piece of Hello Kitty luggage being held out to her. “Nothing about this weekend has gone the way I planned it.”
“Sometimes the best things in life are the ones we didn’t plan for.”
“I don’t mind it for myself, but I do feel bad for your brother. He came here expecting to be alone with his daughter, not have some stranger thrown into the mix.”
“Believe it or not, this is good for him. Lan’s become something of a recluse. That’s not healthy or even normal. He’s too young to shut himself off from the world.”
Faith could understand wanting to do that. She’d been doing it for years. “He must have his reasons.”
“He thinks he does, but they sound more like excuses to me.” Taryn grabbed the other suitcase and a large tote bag before closing the trunk. After checking the inside of the car, she said, “I think that’s all of it.”
Faith followed her into the house, up the stairs, and into the master bedroom. She remembered Landris’s remark about being careful who he let around his daughter. Not only was he a devoted father, he was also a protective one.
“Just put that case on the bed,” Taryn told her. “I’ll come up later and get everything sorted out. Right now I need something cold to drink. I hope Lan remembered to get soda. He thinks the world runs on coffee and energy drinks. Some us like the fizzy stuff.”
When they reached the kitchen, Faith spied the other two out on the deck. Olivia had one arm wrapped around her father’s leg; the other clutched a black and white stuffed cat with a very long tail. Landris was refilling the hummingbird feeder, an amused smile on his face as he listened to whatever she was telling him.
Snatches of conversations Faith had with Ian in the months leading up to his last deployment floated through her mind. They hadn’t actually argued, but she’d been disappointed that he didn’t want to start a family until he got back. While she understood that he wanted to be there for the doctor’s visits, the ultrasound, and ultimately the delivery, she regretted not pursuing the matter more forcefully. A child would have given her a part of him, someone to care for and love. She wouldn’t have felt so alone. Now it was too late. A sigh escaped her lips as she turned away from the window.
“Olivia’s holding on to Landris for dear life. Has it been a while since she’s seen him?”
Taryn looked up from pouring soda into a glass. “A little over a week. He tries to get home every couple days, but this is his busiest time. I don’t envy him. It’s hard raising a child alone. I help out when I can, but even that will be limited after I get married.”
Why would Landris have to do it alone? Where was Olivia’s mother? “When is that?”
“The third week of October. Olivia’s going to be our flower girl. There’s so much to do. I hope I get everything done in time.”
Faith laughed. “I remember that feeling.”
“I didn’t realize you were married.”
“My husband was an Army Ranger. He died in Iraq.”
Taryn’s smile faltered. “I’m sorry to hear that. We’ve lost so many men and women over there.”
The door opened from the deck, and Landris stepped inside. “We worked up a thirst out there, didn’t we, cupcake?” Olivia was in her daddy’s arms once again looking as if she’d been transported to heaven.
Taryn moved to the refrigerator. “I can take care of that.”
Landris sat Olivia on the counter and retied the ribbon in her hair with a dexterity that spoke of practice. As she watched them together, Faith felt a lump grow in her throat. It was a shame he had to be away from her so much. That’s where a mother would have made such a difference. She walked over to Olivia.
“What’s your kitty cat’s name?”
“Simon Says. He’s not real. Daddy says that someday I can have a real cat.”
“Here’s your juice, Olivia,” Taryn said from behind them. “Be careful; I already put the straw in. You don’t want to squirt anyone.”
Olivia held out Simons Says to Faith. “Could you hold him for me?”
“Certainly.” Faith took the stuffed animal in her arms. “I’ve been thinking about getting a kitten. Should I get a black and white one like Simon Says?”
“That would be nice. My friend Amy has an orange cat.”
Faith stroked the soft fur of the cat. “When I was a little girl, I had a cat that was black, orange and white. It was called a calico. I named her Callie.”
“Did you hear that, Daddy? Maybe I could get a calico cat.”
“Maybe. Right now, you need to drink your juice, and I need to answer my phone.”
“Got a hot date tonight?” Taryn asked with a smirk as she took his place in front of Olivia.
“You know what they say about curiosity,” he remarked as he walked down the hall into the foyer.
* * * * *
Landris accepted that his family didn’t understand his reluctance to have a relationship. Their misreading of the situation with Bristol was his own fault. Even now, years after his world splintered into pieces, he couldn’t bring himself to tell them the truth. He didn’t want anyone to know the depth of his ex-wife’s duplicity or how horribly he failed as a husband. The burden he carried was his alone.
“How’s New York?”
“Hot and crowded,” his brother replied in a tired voice. “I’ll never complain about Atlanta traffic again. Don’t even get me started on what I had to pay for a taxi or the Broadway show I have to attend tonight. I got your message about the cabin. Ron has no idea how that happened.”
“Don’t worry about it. It all worked out in the end.”
“At least with Taryn and Olivia there, this woman can’t cause you any trouble. The last thing you need is your name in the tabloids. You can’t afford to pay off another female.”
“That works both ways, Trent. I can’t cause her any trouble, either.”
“Like that was going to be an issue. You’ve been out of circulation so long you probably don’t remember what to do.”
“I’m sure it will come back to me if the situation arises,” he replied dryly, his glance going to the two figures standing so close together in the kitchen. It hadn’t taken long for Olivia to latch on to Faith. He remembered her comment about a new mommy. Too bad it wasn’t possible to get a mommy without getting a wife. Mommies came with baggage that Landris didn’t want.
Trent laughed. “You hope so, anyway. You’ll be at Mom and Dad’s next weekend, right?”
“I know better than to miss my mother’s birthday. Got any ideas on what I should get her?”
“You never have to get her anything again. You possess the only grandchild.”
“Only because you have an aversion to commitment.”
“Can’t help it. There are too many fish in the sea to settle for just one. I’m not ready for the house in the suburbs with the minivan parked in the driveway.”
“You’ve made that obvious. Enjoy your time in the Big Apple.”
“I’ll be up all night crunching numbers for the meeting tomorrow.”
“That’s why they pay you the big bucks. See you on Friday.”
When Landris returned to the kitchen, the girls had moved into the living room. Olivia called him over. “We’re doing a puzzle, Daddy. Wanna help us put it together?”
He sat down on the couch next to Taryn and gave a cursory glance at the network of pieces spread out on the table. “You don’t appear to need any help. You’re almost finished.”
“Miss Faith is really good at puzzles, Daddy.”
He glanced in Faith’s direction, a teasing smile pulling at his mouth. “I don’t doubt it. She knows her way around a grocery store, too.”
Taryn chuckled. �
�I think GPS was invented just for you, Lan. You’re the only man I know who has absolutely no sense of direction. You would have lost your way to first base if it hadn’t been marked with a white line.”
He shook his head. “Do you really want to go there? After what you did in the Dallas airport?”
She grabbed his arm. “You promised never to tell that to a living soul.”
“I promised never to tell Clint,” he reminded her.
“I won’t say another word about your lack of directional skills.”
“Your secret is safe. For now.” He turned to Olivia. “Did you have fun at the fire station yesterday, cupcake?”
She nodded vigorously. “They gave us a red hat to wear. It blew off my head, and Aunt Taryn had to run after it.”
Landris laughed. “I bet that was fun to watch.”
Taryn slapped his arm playfully.
Olivia went on. “Then they let us get inside the big truck and blow the horn.”
“Really? I would’ve liked to do that. When I was your age, I wanted to be a fireman.”
“We’re going to the zoo soon. I can’t wait to see the monkeys.”
“Me, too. I’m coming with you.”
“Oh, goodie! I like it when you come.”
“So do all the other mothers,” added Taryn.
Landris smiled faintly as he leaned down to pick up a piece that had fallen off the table. “Did you remember to bring your swimsuit for the hot tub?”
“Yes, Daddy. Aunt Taryn got me a new one. It’s blue with yellow flowers.”
“I can’t wait to see it. I should have told her to get me one, too.”
Olivia laughed loudly at that. “It won’t fit you, Daddy. It’s for little girls.”
“I guess I’ll have to make do with the one I bought last year.”
Once the puzzle was finished, Taryn stood up. “I’m going upstairs to unpack.”
“I assume by the number of bags you brought in that you’re planning to stay.”
“I might as well. Clint won’t be back until Tuesday. See you guys later.”
Love of a Lifetime: A Sweet Contemporary Romance (Finding Love Book 3) Page 3
