Where There's Faith

by L. A. Remenicky

  “Yeah, I’ll see you then. Brent, sorry I have to take off.”

  “No problem.”

  Robbie fiddled with the glass of iced tea sitting in front of him. “You were there at Christmas, weren’t you? I remember meeting you and then you disappeared.”

  “To be honest, I don’t remember a lot about that night. My fiancée and I had hit a rough patch, and she was there with someone else. It wasn’t pretty.” Brent drained his glass and motioned to Mike for another soda. “Luckily, we were able to get past our issues, and she’s now living in Fairfield Corners full-time.”

  “That’s great. I’m happy for you. Adam mentioned that you might be interested in investing in an idea I have for a restaurant run by at-risk kids.”

  Forty minutes later, Robbie whistled as he walked toward the bookstore. He wanted to surprise Faith with the good news. Brent wanted to put up the money to open the restaurant. He felt like he was walking a couple of feet above the sidewalk. Ragan had screamed loud enough that the entire pub heard her through the phone.

  He spied Faith sitting on the bench in front of The Book Ends Here, glaring at the phone in her hand. “Hey beautiful, what’s wrong?”

  She shoved the phone in her pocket and smiled at him. “Nothing. Just a text from my agent. They want my next book four weeks earlier than we previously agreed upon. I’m just trying to decide if that’s enough time to get it done.”

  “Well, how about we take the boat out tonight and have a picnic over on the island? No cell phones, no texts, no work at all.” He kissed the frown lines between her eyebrows. “I don’t like it when you’re upset.”

  “Why are you in such a good mood?” After a moment, she beamed at him. “You talked to Mr. Halston today. Did he agree to invest?”

  “Yes, baby, he did,” he exclaimed. “We’re scheduled to look at some possible locations next week. Madison’s Café will be a reality.”

  “That’s wonderful. A picnic sounds like the perfect way to celebrate. Where is the island? I don’t think I’ve seen one out on the lake.”

  “It’s not really an island, more a peninsula that juts out into the lake. The island has always been the place out there to party or celebrate.”

  Robbie pulled her into his arms and kissed her, happy when he heard Cassie’s voice.

  “Geez, Robbie. Get a room already.”

  Letting go of Faith, he turned and pulled Cassie into a hug. “I’m in such a good mood, I’m not even going to respond to that.”

  “You got the funding, didn’t you? Congrats!”

  “Thanks, Cass. Now, I’m stealing my girl, and we’re headed for the island for a picnic. I know she agreed to help you out this afternoon, but you’ll just have to do without her.”

  “Go, have fun. I’ll manage,” she said with a chuckle.

  After collecting Faith’s purse and laptop, they drove back to the house. Faith skipped up the stairs to change as Robbie pulled fixings for sandwiches out of the fridge. Honey ham sandwiches with swiss cheese and mustard went into the cooler along with mandarin oranges and bottles of water. He found some sparkling grape juice on the back shelf and packed that in the cooler so they could toast his business agreement with Brent. He hoped he wasn’t making a huge mistake.

  Faith returned wearing jeans and a t-shirt and carrying her jacket. “Do you need any help?”

  “Nope, just need your cute behind on the pontoon.”

  She kissed him and strode out the door, skipping down to the pier. Jumping onto the boat, she untied the bowline after he hopped on and set the cooler down on the deck at the front. He pulled out the key and turned over the motor as she used the scarf from around her neck to tie her hair back. He piloted the boat out to the island. This piece of land was where the older kids and adults celebrated their summer accomplishments, held graduation parties, birthday parties, and even bon voyage parties when the kids grew up and left for college. Now, Robbie continued the tradition by celebrating his good news with Faith there.

  With his woman at the wheel, he strode out on the front deck of the pontoon, jumping off to tie up the boat when they maneuvered close to the shore. After shutting off the motor, Faith carried the basket to Robbie, squealing when he picked her up and carried her to dry land.

  “Thank you, Sir Galahad,” she said with a giggle. “Where do we want to make camp?”

  He led her down the beach to a fire ring. “This is the place to celebrate. We partied here for any reason in the past, so I wanted to keep the tradition alive and celebrate Madison’s Café becoming a reality.”

  “I bet you all had some fun times out here. And the view is stupendous.”

  “It was far enough from our parents that we felt we could let loose but close enough that they could keep us from getting too far out of control.” He rooted around in the tree line until he found the tarp-covered pile of firewood. “I’m glad someone replaced the logs. We can cozy up to a nice bonfire. Once the sun goes down, it will cool off quickly.”

  Faith spread out the blanket and opened the cooler, anxious to see what Robbie packed. “Yum, ham and cheese, and you even brought chocolate.” She kissed him on the cheek. “But what are the marshmallows and graham crackers for?”

  “You’ve never had s’mores? Oh, you are in for a treat. There’s nothing like them.”

  “Ooh, can’t wait. I’ve heard of them, but I don’t think I’ve ever had one.”

  The sun dropped below the horizon as Faith gathered up the garbage from their feast and stowed it in the cooler in a bag. The fire’s heat was welcome as the warmth of the sun disappeared. “Is it time for the s’mores yet? I’m dying to try one.”

  “Hang on, I need to find a couple of suitable branches so we can roast the marshmallows.” He trooped through the trees, cutting off a couple of small limbs that would be perfect. “Let me get rid of the bark on the end and then we can begin.”

  Once he had the sticks ready, he speared the white confections on the ends and handed one to Faith. “Now, no one agrees on the best way to toast your marshmallow. Me, I love them burnt, while Ragan would spend ten minutes getting hers the perfect shade of brown.” He stuck his in the fire and waited a moment for it to catch. “When burning your marshmallow, the trick is to pull it out of the fire before it melts and falls off the stick.” He pulled his out of the fire and blew on it to put out the flames. “Once it is to your desired doneness, you slap it between two graham crackers with a piece of Hershey’s chocolate.”

  “Sounds easy enough.” She took her time and toasted her marshmallow to a golden brown and made her s’more.

  He grinned when she took a bite and groaned, “Oh my God, this is so good.” Only looking up when Robbie took her hand in his.

  “Let me get rid of the chocolate for you.” He sucked the sweetness from her fingers, finishing by licking a smear of marshmallow off her cheek.

  Their lips met, tongues probing as hands wandered. Thoughts of Madison snuck in as he tried to lose himself in the kiss.

  Faith looked at him in surprise. “What’s wrong? Usually, I’m the one distracted.”

  “Just some memories from the past sneaking up on me. It’s getting late. We should probably head back.”

  “Okay. Is there, um, a bathroom out here?” She looked at him, her cheeks red with embarrassment.

  “There is an old outhouse over that way, you can just see the roof from here. I’ll show you.”

  “I guess it will be something to mark off my bucket list.”

  “It’s not that terrible. We all take turns making sure it’s in good condition each spring. Might as well check if it needs any repairs.”

  Her hand in his, he led her to the clearing away from the lake where the outhouse stood, the outline of a cabin on the opposite side of the clearing. “Let me check for spiders and other critters.”

  Faith shuddered. “I’m not too fond of spiders.”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure it’s safe.” He opened the door and used a stick to cl
ear out the accumulation of cobwebs. “I don’t see anything crawling around in there, you’ll be just fine. Here’s the toilet paper.”

  She took the roll of tissue out of his hand and marched up to the door, peeking around it to check for herself. “Looks okay. Robbie, go back to the boat, I’ll be done in a few minutes.”

  Strolling back to the shore, he stared out across the water. Thoughts of Madison didn’t calm his mind as they normally did. Looking down at the wedding ring on his finger, he pulled it off and held it in his hand. The indentation in his skin from the ring made him sad, but he knew it was time to say goodbye. Bringing the round band up to his lips, he kissed it and put it in his pocket. “I’ll always love you, Maddy, but it’s time for me to move on.” He stared out across the lake, feeling lighter than he had for years.

  “You okay, Robbie?”

  He turned to find Faith staring at him, a worried expression on her face. “Yeah. Just saying goodbye to Madison.”

  “You took off your ring. Are you sure?”

  “It’s past time. I’ll always lover her, but I’m ready to move forward instead of looking back.” He brushed her hair back and kissed her forehead. “You ready to go?”

  “Let’s head home.”

  Kicking sand into the fire pit to douse the flames, he smiled. “Yes, let’s head home.”

  Chapter 16

  The rain drummed on the roof and dripped from the gutters as Faith shut down her laptop for the day. It had been a couple of weeks since her muse had made an appearance but you wouldn’t know it from her word count. She was pleased with her progress. The book would be done by the end of the month if she continued writing as she was. Once she had reached an understanding with Robbie, the words seemed to flow so much easier, as if her mixed up emotions about him had been hindering her progress.

  Yoyo’s dance at the door and the slam of a car door had her scrambling to put on her boots and raincoat. Robbie was back from town with videos and groceries. She hoped he remembered the popcorn.

  Skipping down the stairs, she noticed the way his face brightened when he saw her. Skirting puddles, she hurried to the car and grabbed a couple of bags. “Finally. I thought maybe you got lost on your way back. What did you get for dinner? I’m starving.”

  Pushing her wet hair off her face, he kissed her forehead and said, “I bought everything we need to make tacos. I know how you like Mexican food.”

  “What? I told you how I could eat nachos every day, but you didn’t believe me.”

  Their playful banter continued until they loaded the last plate in the dishwasher. Robbie pulled a bag out from the closet where he had hidden it when she went into the pantry to put some items away. He looked through the DVDs he’d rented, hoping she would enjoy the ones he picked out other than the movie she requested.

  After salting the bowl of popcorn, he carried it out to the living room and set it on the table in front of the couch. Yoyo’s head popped up at the smell of the snack, earning her a look from Robbie. “Don’t you even think about it, little girl.” She put her head back on her paws with a sigh and gave him her pitiful dog face. “Oh, all right,” he said as he tossed a piece her way.

  When Faith sat next to him on the couch, he cuddled her close and plopped the bowl of popcorn in her lap. “Now, save some for me. Maybe I should have put this in two separate bowls.”

  “Ha ha, funny guy. Start the show already.”

  Hugging her, he hit “play” on the remote and kissed her, tasting the salt from the popcorn on her lips. He sat back, and she fed him a piece of popcorn. “So, you’re going to share with me?”

  “There’s no one else who I’d rather share my popcorn with,” she replied.

  When the music for the cartoon started playing, she screeched in his ear. “Oh my God, I love Looney Tunes. How did you know?”

  “I didn’t. I hoped you wouldn’t mind some Bugs and friends before we watch your movie.”

  Sitting in the dark watching decades-old cartoons with Robbie felt right. “I bet you and Nikki used to watch these together. She’s the only other person I know who is a huge Looney Tunes fan.” Faith remarked.

  “Of course. Ragan and Cassie and James would be out swimming, but Nikki and I would be in here glued to the television.”

  They laughed at the antics of the beloved characters, talking about their favorite episodes. Robbie’s hands moved down her legs, finding the ticklish spots behind her knees. “Robbie Newlin, what are you doing?” she asked as she tried not to laugh.

  “Shhh, I’m hunting wabbits,” he said in an Elmer Fudd voice before he laid her back on the couch and slid on top of her, his weight on his elbows.

  “Oooh, my own personal Fudd Muffin,” she said before lifting her head to capture his lips in a kiss.

  “Fudd Muffin? What?”

  “You’ve heard the term stud muffin, I’m sure. Your Elmer Fudd imitation made me think Fudd muffin.”

  “Hmmm…Fudd muffin, I like it,” he said with a grin before settling his lips over hers for another passionate kiss.

  Her mind whirled with all the sensations his kisses stirred up. They had worked their way up to oral sex last week, and she was ready to take it up another level. When he looked at her face to gauge her willingness, she nodded, letting him know she was ready.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. Can you get on with it please?”

  A Cheshire cat-like grin spread across his face as he dealt with a condom. His fingers gauged her readiness as he stared down into her eyes.

  She waited expectantly, frowning when he sat up and scrubbed his face.

  “What? Why did you stop?”

  “You’re not ready for this yet.”

  “What do you mean? I told you I was okay.” Her mind whirled with questions. Did he see something he didn’t like about her body? Was he rethinking his decision to be with her?”

  “You were holding your breath as if you thought it was going to hurt. Until you’re one hundred percent sure, I won’t take this any farther.”

  “I’m sorry. I thought I was prepared.”

  He tugged her onto his lap and kissed her. “I can wait. Yes, I want to make love to you, but you are more to me than just some meaningless sex.”

  “At least, let me take care of your little problem that is poking me.” She knelt in front of him on the couch and removed the condom.

  “You don’t have to do that.” His breath hitched when she put her hands on him.

  Chapter 17

  The weeks flew by as the weather warmed and late spring took a firm hold of the Midwest. Robbie stared out the kitchen window at Faith sitting at the table on the deck, shaded by the umbrella and typing away on her manuscript with Yoyo at her feet. He knew she would work for an hour or two and then take a break for lunch before returning to her book.

  He couldn’t remember being this happy since Madison’s death. The feelings he had for Faith grew stronger, the ice around his heart melting a bit more each day until he felt whole again. Contemplating the effect Faith had had on his life, he jumped when his cell phone buzzed and broke the silence of the kitchen.

  Reading the text from his real estate agent, his grin morphed into a full-fledged smile as he practically danced around the kitchen. His bid on a storefront in downtown Fort Wayne had been accepted, and closing could happen as soon as the loan paperwork was finalized. His idea for a restaurant concept that taught youth in jeopardy how to run a restaurant was actually coming to life. After sending off a quick text to Brent about the bid acceptance, he pulled the iced tea out of the fridge and poured a couple of glasses. It gave him the perfect excuse to interrupt Faith and tell her the good news.

  Yoyo raised her head at his approach, giving a short bark as if to alert Faith to his presence.

  Looking up, my girl smiled at the glasses of tea. “How did you know I was about to get up and get a glass for myself?”

  After giving her a quick kiss on the cheek, he set the drinks on the tabl
e and pulled over a chair. “Guess what?”

  “You heard about the bid, didn’t you? You look excited, so it must have been good news.”

  “They accepted the offer, and we could actually close on the storefront next week.”

  “That’s wonderful,” she exclaimed as she jumped up and wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. “I have a surprise for you. I’ve been waiting for the right moment to give it to you, and that moment is now.” She opened a file on her laptop and turned it so he could see it. “I had my cover designer do a logo for you. If it’s not right, we just need to let her know, and she can come up with something else. You had mentioned that you wanted it to be Madison’s Café.”

  He reached out and touched the screen. “I can’t believe you did this. It’s perfect. This calls for a celebration. Let’s go get a pizza. I’ll call and get it ordered, so it’ll be ready when we get there.”

  “That sounds good,” she said before kissing him on the cheek. “I just need to grab my shoes.”

  Watching her walk out of the room, he turned his attention to his phone and dialed the number for the restaurant. When Faith walked back in, he turned off the device and drew her into his arms for a kiss.

  “What was that for?” she asked as she dug through her purse trying to find her car keys.

  “For being you. Do you realize how much I love you?”

  She looked down at her feet as a blush crept up her neck. “I love you more,” she said to the floor.

  “Say that again. To my face this time.”

  “Sorry, you know I’m trying. I. Love. You. More,” she replied as she looked him in the eye.

  “That’s better.” He bent his head down and captured her lips with his.

  After what felt like years, she pulled away, her eyes soft as she ran her hand along his jaw. “We better get going, or our pizza will be cold.”

  “What?”

  “Pizza, babe. We have to go.”

  “Oh, right.”

  She snickered, glad he was the one feeling just a bit off kilter this time. “Come on, Romeo, let’s go.”