A Cherry on Top (Cupid's Cafe Where love is on the menu Book 7)

by Ashley Lauren

  “Not a lot of people do.”

  “From the looks of it, you could’ve gone professional.”

  Faith chuckled. “I’m not nearly as good as you think I am.”

  “Seriously.” Tasha insisted.

  “Kissing up to me won’t make me lessen your workload for the week.”

  “That’s not what I was trying –”

  “I know. I’m just kidding.”

  Tasha blinked a couple of times, wondering if an alien had replaced her boss. In all the time she had worked for the professor, she had never once seen her tease anyone. It was like the family BBQ had exposed a side of Faith she had never witnessed.

  “So…”

  “So?” Faith cocked her head to the side in question, pinning her hair behind her ear. Her star-spangled tank was covered in grass stains from the game, but she didn’t care.

  “That Travis guy seems really nice.”

  “He is really nice.”

  “How’d you two meet?”

  “Take a wild guess.”

  “Katy?”

  “Bingo.”

  Tasha giggled. “I don’t know how she does it, but she’s amazing.”

  “It’s just a coincidence.” Faith responded. She knew about the stories, gossip, and rumors, but she just didn’t want to accept that Katy Cupid had a knack for bringing people together. If she accepted that, then she’d had to believe Travis was the one meant for her. Her one true love and that was too much pressure for her to deal with now. Travis was just a date to get her mother off her back.

  “How can you say that? She’s the reason Emmitt and I are together.”

  “I’m sure you two would’ve met each other without Katy.”

  “Still, she’s the one that pushed us to start dating. She was the catalyst in the equation.”

  “I suppose… but I still don’t buy it.”

  “Trust me. If she set you up with Travis, there’s a good reason for it.”

  “Yeah, that I needed a date for this BBQ, nothing more,” Faith stated, hoping she sounded convincing.

  Tasha was about to say something when they heard someone approaching. Faith turned around to see Travis coming their way. He had changed into a pair of blue shorts and a white tank top with the American flag on the breast pocket. He had his camera bag slung over his shoulder.

  “Do you mind if I join you ladies?”

  “I’m just about to leave. She’s all yours.” Tasha winked in his direction before disappearing.

  Travis sat down on the edge of the lake, crossing his legs. “Sorry I took so long.”

  “It’s fine.” Faith smiled faintly, but she couldn’t ignore the fact that she had actually missed him. “Ready for the bonfire?”

  “Sounds fun. If you don’t mind, I’ll just go set up my camera and get a feel for the area.”

  “Sure.” Faith thought this might be a suitable time to find out a bit more about photography. That way when she started her class she’d have some knowledge on the subject. “Do you mind if I follow you around and watch.”

  Travis blinked at her.

  Faith worried she offended him somehow. “If that would be too much trouble or if it bothers you, I don’t—”

  “No, it’s fine. Most people just aren’t interested in the process. They like the finished effect, but the how isn’t as interesting.”

  “I like to learn new things. It’s one of the best parts about teaching. You learn more about a subject if you teach it.”

  “That’s what they say.” Travis grinned. “Alright, I’ll explain what I’m doing, and we’ll see if I learn something.”

  “Deal.”

  As Travis set up his camera, he explained about the workings of a camera, what types of lens did what, and how he liked to use light and angles to create a dramatic effect. Travis found that his explanations probably lacked a good amount of detail, and though he knew his craft, teaching it was something else entirely different.

  Faith was a good student though, even if he wasn’t the best teacher. She asked intelligent questions and several that he couldn’t find the right words to answer. A lot of his skill came by taking hundreds of thousands of pictures. He developed an instinct for it and had a tough time putting it into words.

  While they talked, a crew of people worked on the bonfire. They carried wood to the pit, piling it up into a pyramid before lighting the tinder underneath. The wood caught quickly and started to burn, creating a hypnotic fire that danced in the dying daylight.

  Travis lifted the camera to his face and looked through the lens. He pressed the shutter, and the camera clicked as he took a few shots. He zoomed in, the telescopic lens moving slowly as he adjusted it to the perfect setting. He took a few more pictures, his face painted in pure concentration.

  Faith watched him, completely mesmerized. He seemed completely comfortable in his element. He leaned forward, edging toward the lake, trying to capture the heart of the fire.

  “Careful!” Faith called out, holding out her hand to keep him from falling in. Her hand rested on his chest, and she could feel the faint beating of his heart against her fingertips.

  He pulled his camera away from his face. “Oh jeez, thanks. I would die if my camera fell into the water.”

  “Then why don’t we move somewhere else?” Faith got up and walked barefoot across the grass. She headed toward a hammock tied to some of the trees, and she sat down.

  “Do you mind if I join you?”

  In response, she scooted over. He sat down, realizing this was the perfect height for him to set up his tripod.

  Faith watched as he connected all the pieces together. “What do you do with all these pictures?”

  “Well, I post them on my website, and then people can buy them. Some people want them as prints that they can hang on their walls. Others want them for their own websites.”

  “And that’s been a success for you?”

  “Very much so. I’m actually surprised how well I’m doing.”

  “You’re a very skilled photographer.” Faith said, giving her honest opinion. Even from the few pictures she had seen at the Cupid’s, it was clear that he had a knack for it. He knew exactly how to capture an image to make all the elements work together in harmony. “And an okay teacher.”

  Travis chuckled, satisfied he’d finished setting up. “Not so much. They’d never hire me as a professor. I’m not technical enough and can’t describe what about a scene captures my attention. I just know it when I see it.”

  Faith bumped his shoulder with hers. “Not a bad skill for a photographer to have.”

  Before Travis could answer, a firecracker flew into the air and exploded with a pop. Their eyes had gravitated toward the sky as another exploded with color.

  “It’s starting,” Faith said, laying down on the large hammock, her feet against Travis’s hip. She watched the sky, her green eyes full of wonder and awe. No matter how old she got, she always loved 4th of July fireworks. There was just something about them that captured the imagination.

  Travis turned his head in her direction, admiring how the light from the distant fire played off her skin, giving her an almost angelic look. Her blonde hair worked as a halo, and he had the urge to take a picture of her, but he didn’t want to be creepy. Instead, he angled his camera toward the sky and waited for the perfect moment.

  As the fireworks flashed across the nighttime sky, it was easy for him to get the pictures he wanted. He also tried getting fireworks and their reflections on the water. The pictures might be interesting and definitely fun to edit. He took picture after picture. Eventually, the sky fogged up with smoky residue, ruining any chance of getting a clean picture. Travis packed up his camera, and then looked up at the fireworks while rocking the hammock slightly. Knowing it was a risk, he laid down beside Faith, wondering how she would react.

  Slowly, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, resting his hand on her arm. “Is this okay?” he asked to make sure he wasn’t overstepping an
y boundaries.

  Faith shrugged and felt a bit stiff at first, but then she settled in next to him. The light hint of her vanilla perfume wrapped itself around his senses. Faith felt warm and comfortable snuggled up next to Travis, and that surprised him. When he had first agreed to go on this date for Katy’s sake, he’d been wary. Blind dates never turned out, but Katy had pulled off the impossible. The entire day and evening was going better than some of his best-planned dates. He wanted to see where things would go. He liked Faith, and he wasn’t ready to say goodbye to her just yet.

  Faith stared at the sky, trying to ignore the rush of electricity that surged through her body at Travis’s touch. “Looks like they’re starting the grand finale.” It was a lame comment, but she needed to break up the intimacy of the moment. Any sort of conversation might help her keep her mind off how his arms felt around her—like they were meant to be around her. It was too much, too soon.

  “It seems so.”

  Travis remained quiet after that and Faith couldn’t think of anything else to keep the conversation going. Finally, she decided to relax into the moment and just not worry about it. She was making too big of a deal about nothing.

  The last boom of the firework faded away, and Faith sighed. She really did love fireworks.

  The hammock squeaked as Travis shifted his weight. “Thanks for a wonderful day today,” he whispered, his breath caressing the side of her neck. “I had a lot of fun.”

  Tingles ran down Faith’s spine, but she managed to compose a response. “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself, but I bet you would’ve preferred to spend the holiday with your own family. Don’t you ever go back to New Hampshire to celebrate with them?”

  Travis went quiet for a couple of moments. “Actually, I don’t really have a family anymore.”

  “What do you mean?” Faith turned to look at him.

  Travis seemed troubled, his dark eyes clouded over with sadness. “When I was in college, here in California, my parents got in a pretty bad car accident. They were hit by a drunk driver on New Year’s Eve.”

  Faith forced back a gasp. How horrible for him.

  “It was devastating. I tried to go back home, but I couldn’t stand being there without my parents. It felt wrong. So, I decided to settle down in California. The only things I have left to remind me of them are this ring and necklace.” He pulled a necklace from under his shirt. “My father was Irish. A great man. Taught me everything I know.” He played with the Celtic knot medallion then shifted his hand to an engraved silver ring that hung on the chain as well. “My mom’s wedding ring. She never wore it because she was a baker and it kept getting lost in her pastries. She eventually got her wedding band tattooed on her finger. I put it on the chain so that I could have something from both next to my heart.”

  Faith looked up at Travis, their eyes locking. She had no idea he had gone through so much. Most people would end up bitter and mean after such a trauma, but Travis somehow managed to keep facing the world with a constant smile on his face. Faith knew that if she’d lost her family, she’d lose herself. Her work and her family were the only things she held dear.

  Travis tucked the necklace back under his shirt. “It’s just a shame they never got to see my photography career take off. They were always so supportive.”

  “I’m sure they would’ve been very proud of you.”

  “I believe that too,” he said, his face moving closer to hers. His eyes searched Faith’s, and he found himself falling for her, her compassion, intelligence, and independent nature. Travis knew he didn’t want this to end here. It couldn’t.

  He reached out to touch her face, but as he did, there was a voice yelling for an escaped child to come back. Faith flinched away from Travis. As she did, the hammock swayed dramatically, and they were just about to flip over when Travis pulled her into his arms to keep them steady. With their bodies pressed together, and his heartbeat surging out of control, Travis couldn’t help himself.

  He leaned forward and kissed her.

  Chapter 11

  He entwined his fingers in her soft hair and pulled her closer. Their lips moved together, like two pieces of a puzzle that were always meant to fit together. With his eyes closed, he lost himself in the moment, her lips the sweetest thing he had tasted in a long time. Sweeter than vanilla ice cream.

  Suddenly, Faith pulled away, her hands on his chest. “Travis… I can’t…” Her breath was ragged, and she shook her head. Her lips tingled in the aftermath of the kiss, and she had the deep urge to lean forward and kiss him again, but she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t let this happen.

  “Why not?” he asked, his hands on her arms, his fingers tightening around her. “What am I doing wrong?”

  “You’re not doing anything wrong.” Faith refused to make eye contact with him.

  “Then what is it?”

  “I just can’t do this. I’m not ready.”

  Travis frowned, eventually letting her go. She got up quickly, rushing back inside. Emmitt noticed Faith’s frantic expression and followed her in. “What happened?”

  “Just leave me alone.” Faith rushed up the stairs toward her childhood bedroom.

  “Come on, Faith. What happened? Did he say something to upset you?” Emmitt climbed the stairs two at a time, trying to catch up to her. Before he could reach her bedroom, however, she slammed the door in his face.

  “I already told you to leave me alone.”

  “Faith, you can’t keep running away like this. You have to open up to someone. Closing yourself off like this isn’t going to help.” He rested his hand on the door, waiting for her to let him in. “You can talk to me. We’ve always told each other everything so talk to me now. What’s going on? This can’t all be a result of Logan.”

  There was a heavy sigh from the other side of the door. The knob rattled, and the door swung open. Faith was standing there, tears in her eyes. “I…” Unable to say anything else, she collapsed into her brother’s arms, sobbing into his chest.

  Holding her tight, he ran his hands through her hair, trying to soothe her. “It’s okay. Let it out…” he cooed. Faith was a strong girl, but she had the tendency to hold in all her emotions until they exploded, overwhelming her. “It’s okay to cry…”

  Faith felt ashamed that she was breaking down like this, but she couldn’t help it. It felt like Logan had taken a piece of her life with him. Ever since that day on the beach and finding him with her best friend, she felt hollow inside – incomplete. Things just weren’t the same once her trust was shattered.

  “Tell me the truth, you like Travis, don’t you?” Emmitt asked, looking down at his older sister.

  She nodded slowly. There was no point denying it. “I do…” she said in a choked voice. “A lot… but I’m scared.”

  “Scared of what?”

  “Scared that he’s going to do what Logan did. I’m afraid to trust him…”

  “Faith…” Emmitt stepped back so he could look at her. Gently, he took her face into his hands and looked into her eyes. “Just because that scumbag did that to you, doesn’t mean that every man will. Travis seems like a nice guy, and if Katy trusts him, then so do I. There’s no harm in giving him a chance, is there? If you find that there isn’t anything between you two, then you can call it off, but don’t just dismiss him.”

  Faith didn’t know what to do. Deep down, she wanted to overcome her fear, but she just couldn’t let go of the thought that he would hurt her – that her heart would break once more. “I… I don’t know.”

  Outside, the sound of a car starting echoed through the night. Faith’s eyes widened, recognizing the sound. Even after the short ride to her mother’s house, she had grown accustomed to Travis’s muscle car and the deep rumble of its engine.

  The sound spurred her into action, she bounded down the stairs and out the front door, but by the time she made it onto the street, he was gone.

  ***

  Katy was cleaning up a table when someone came barrel
ing into the diner. She looked up to see Faith standing there, dressed in a dark blue blazer and matching pants. No doubt she had spent most of her afternoon giving lectures at the university. “Faith, what a surprise to see you here.

  “I need your help.”

  It was the second time Faith Mason had asked for help. Katy raised her eyebrow in surprise. “Of course, what can I do for you?”

  “Travis,” she said breathlessly.

  “What about him?”

  Faith stepped forward, her shoes clicking against the checkerboard tile floor. “I messed up. I pushed him away. It wasn’t about him as much as it was about me, but I didn’t get a chance to explain.”

  Katy tilted her head and waited for the professor go on, but she never did. Realizing that she might need some coaxing, Katy took the dirty dishes to the back and then reemerged, carrying a tub of vanilla ice cream.

  “Please… don’t bother. I’m not in the mood.”

  Nonetheless, Katy started making a milkshake.

  Faith sighed and settled herself on one of the stools, trying to organize her thoughts. It wasn’t like her to ask for help, but she didn’t have any other choice. She had no idea what to do to make things right.

  It had been three days since the BBQ, and she was starting to feel guilty. Travis didn’t deserve to be pushed away like that. She wanted to apologize, but she didn’t know how to get in touch with him. A few times she had tried to look him up on the internet, but all she could find was an e-mail address. She wasn’t about to apologize over e-mail.

  Katy finished making the milkshake and placed it in front of Faith. “So, how can I help?”

  Faith pulled the drink closer and took a sip, enjoying the sweetness. Somehow, it managed to calm her down. Taking a deep breath, she looked up at Katy, her green eyes desperate. “At the 4th of July party… Travis and I… we kissed.”

  The corners of Katy’s lips twitched in relief. She’d been worried about this match. Her internal gift had never been wrong before, but there was always a chance. She’d heard that her grandmother had gotten a few matches wrong.