Chapter Two
Faith O’Connell let out a huge sigh. Her nerves were absolutely fried. She’d lost count at the number of time she had looked herself over in the full-length mirror in her bedroom. The red lace dress was gorgeous and it brought out the blue in her eyes. Even though it was May she’d selected a dress with long sleeves, as she usually did. Thankfully the material was light so she wouldn’t be sweltering in the warm Florida weather. The nude-colored sling back heels were the perfect accessory for her ensemble.
She was walking out on a limb of faith by attending her cousin’s engagement party this evening. She let out a giggle. Faith. Her parents—Deb and Byron—had named her Faith because of the many years they’d tried to conceive a child. Countless treatments mixed with endless prayers had resulted in a successful pregnancy and delivery. If they were still living, Faith was certain they would be happily attending this celebration this evening alongside her.
Faith wasn’t particularly close to Pamela, but lately they had been trying to reconnect. Pamela had let her know how important her presence was at the party this evening. Faith had a hunch that it was because her parents and brother were out of the country and Pamela wanted to portray herself as family-oriented. After the death of her own parents, Faith had gone to live with Pamela, her cousin, Stewart, Aunt Millie and Uncle Ed. She had been sixteen and recovering from the worst tragedy a person could endure. Although her Aunt and Uncle had been great, as well as cousin Stewart, Pamela had always treated her like an unwelcome guest. And she’d made it clear to Faith that her burns were hideous. Pamela had always been so perfect, so serenely beautiful. Faith had paled in comparison.
Faith knew she was pretty. She’d been told so dozens of times. Her parents had filled her head and heart with self-esteem but not an ego. But in the aftermath of the fire, Faith had struggled to find herself attractive. To have twenty percent of your body marred by brutal scars was a lot to deal with on an emotional level. Ten years later she was still struggling to view herself as appealing. It wasn’t easy going out on dates or to social gatherings such as engagement parties.
There was no way she could wriggle out at this juncture. Pamela had been insistent.
As usual, her cousin was determined to get her way. That was how she always was. She wouldn’t rest until Faith had agreed to attend the party. Truthfully, she should have told Pamela to take a flying leap. She couldn’t think of a single time her cousin had been supportive of her.
Although Faith was reluctant to attend, she was curious about the man her cousin was engaged to marry. Pamela was a bit high-maintenance. It would be interesting to see the man who wanted to spend the rest of his life with Pamela. She didn’t know much about this Rafferty Fitzgerald, but Pamela had told her he was a fireman. A noble profession. And one that was very meaningful to her due to her past.
Faith took one last look in the mirror. She raised her collar up on her neck, making sure none of her scars were showing. No matter how many times she examined them, they were still raised and thick, like twisted vines. For so much of her life, Faith had felt defined by the burns. She’d endured dozens of surgeries, all in the hopes of making her situation better. Granted, the scars weren’t as bad as when the fire first happened, but she would forever be branded by the flames. The whole thing had been her fault—and that too would never change. There was so much guilt and shame.
The burns were nothing compared to losing her parents in the deadly house fire. Each and every day, Faith asked God why He had taken them from her world. Debra and Byron O’Connell has been the best parents a girl could ever ask for and yet their lives had been snuffed out by a vicious fire. When Faith had been recovering in the burn unit, she had asked God to take her to heaven so she could reside with Him and her parents. But that wish hadn’t been granted. Faith had been forced to endure painful treatments that left her crying out with pain. Looking in the mirror at her burned skin had been shocking and brutal. She had utilized every ounce of strength she possessed to make it through the ordeal. And Faith had endured. She had survived. And even though her life was far from perfect, she’d reached a point where she was happy.
Faith was a second-grade teacher and she loved her job. Ever since she’d been a little girl Faith had dreamt of becoming a teacher. She also had a part-time job as a choir instructor which helped supplement her teaching income. Faith loved singing and it was an honor to lead such a wonderful group of singers at church. Now, if she could only get her love life in order. It had been a long time since Faith had gone out on a date. Not that she wasn’t asked from time to time. Men were attracted to her, although things always got awkward when her scars were revealed. It was hard to wear turtlenecks year-round. And even when she strategically tried to dress in a way in which her scars weren’t visible, it was nearly impossible.
She cringed at the memory of how several of her boyfriends had looked when they’d laid eyes on her scars. Their expressions had been filled with horror. And even though a few of them had been jerks, some had truly been nice guys. They just hadn’t been able to deal with her reality. Faith couldn’t really say that she blamed them. What man wanted to see his significant other marred by burns?
Faith shook off the negative thoughts and focused on the matter at hand. She needed to get in the car and drive to the engagement party. With a labored sigh, Faith left her house and headed toward her car, putting the top down on her convertible so she could enjoy the balmy air. The wind would probably make her hair look like a disheveled mess, but she really didn’t care at the moment. Life was for living and racing down the coastal road with the wind whipping her hair around made Faith feel alive and vital. She really couldn’t ask for more.
At six-thirty sharp, Faith arrived at the stunning ocean-front home on Bay Shore Drive. The house was located at the top of a cliff. As she made her way along the winding coastal road, she was treated to incredible views of the ocean and a vast array of gorgeous homes. Her eyes nearly bulged out of her head when she viewed the breathtaking views visible from the driveway. After parking her car, Faith couldn’t help but walk over to the fence and take a peek at the view. She felt almost as if she was on top of the world.
“Pretty nice spread on a fireman’s salary,” she said, looking around her with a feeling of awe. She turned back toward the house. Several cars sat in the driveway. Thankfully she wasn’t the first to arrive at the celebration. That was never fun.
The home was all white, with large windows that no doubt gave one the feeling of living right on the beach. You could probably see forever from those windows! The place looked serene, as if one could really unwind at this little slice of heaven.
Faith followed the stone path leading to the front door, admiring the flowers along the way. Tulips. Roses. Snapdragons. Some of her favorites!
Other cars began turning into the driveway as more guests arrived. She pressed the doorbell, willing herself not to get tongue-tied or nervous.
“You are a child of God. You are a child of God,” she murmured, reminding herself that God’s love would sustain her through all adversities, even socially awkward situations such as this one. She just had to get herself together.
The moment the door opened, Faith sucked in a deep, steadying breath. The man standing before her was gorgeous. Simply stunning. He was the type of man one might have trouble looking away from. She couldn’t remember every having seen such a great looking man in her entire life. Goodness!
It just figured that he was Pamela’s fiancé. She had to admit, her cousin had picked well. With his azure blue eyes and dark, thick head of hair, he was gorgeous. His facial features were perfectly symmetrical. He had a strong jawline. He had a gaze that would melt even the most hardened of hearts. And he looked vaguely familiar. She’d seen him somewhere before but she couldn’t place him. It’s not as if Pamela had ever shown her his picture or anything. Matter of fact, Pamela had barely talked about Rafferty until she’d invited Faith to the engagement party. Humph! Typica
l Pamela.
“Welcome!” he greeted her with an easy smile that made him even more handsome if it was at all humanly possible.
She inhaled a deep breath. “Hello. You must be Rafferty.” She stuck out her hand by way of greeting. “I’m Faith O’Connell, Pamela’s cousin. It’s nice to meet you.”
He shook his head and grinned. “I’m happy to meet you, but I’m not Rafferty. I’m Micah Donahue, Rafferty’s friend, and the official party host. Welcome to my abode.”
Faith’s cheeks burned. She shifted from one foot to another. How in the world had she misunderstood things so badly? She could have sworn Pamela had told her that her fiancé was hosting the party at his home. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I totally misunderstood. It’s nice to meet you, Micah.”
He ushered her inside, making her feel immediately like an honored guest. “Come on in and help yourself to hors d’oeuvres and something to drink. Pamela and Rafferty are fashionably late. I’m sure you must know some of their friends.”
Faith wanted to make a snarky comment about her cousin but she held her tongue. She and Pamela didn’t hang out nor did Pamela ever include her in any of her social activities. It was almost laughable that she’d invited her here tonight. Faith wasn’t stupid. She knew Pamela had only insisted on Faith attending the party so she could have a family member present. Stewart was doing humanitarian work in Africa while Aunt Millie and Uncle Ed were working with the Red Cross in Haiti.
“I-I might know a few of them,” she mumbled, already feeling silly for bowing under the pressure to attend the party. Most likely, she wouldn’t know a single soul. Micah led her into a large room with soft music streaming as guests mingled and nibbled on the appetizers being served by black and white clad servers.
Micah turned toward her. “Would you like a glass of wine or some sparkling cider?” he asked.
“Yes, please. Sparkling cider,” she said, grateful for Micah being a gentleman. She watched as he took a flute from the server and handed it to her. His actions were graceful. Faith reached out and took the sparkling cider, murmuring a thank you to Micah. She raised the glass to her lips and looked around the room. She couldn’t remember a time when she’d been in the presence of such a beautiful group of people. Across the room a beautiful woman with auburn hair and sparkling eyes stood next to a man in his late fifties who resembled Micah. Were those his parents?
“They’re here!” shouted a stunning African American woman who was practically jumping up and down with excitement. At her side was an equally attractive brown skinned man who was looking down at her with adoration. He took her by the hand and pulled her close to him. They shared a tender look that made Faith’s heart flutter. Oh to be so in love, she thought. Wonderfully, faithfully, tenderly in love.
“Thanks, Addie,” Micah said, sending her a thumbs up. A few moments later, Pamela came walking into the room with an attractive man by her side. Pamela was decked out in a pink silk jumpsuit and white high-heeled shoes. She wore a gold choker at her neck. As always, she looked incredible. Faith wished she had an ounce of Pamela’s confidence.
Although not as striking as Micah, Rafferty Fitzgerald was a very handsome, rugged-looking man. With light brown hair, green eyes and a contagious smile, he had a laid-back air. He radiated pure charm. She could totally see him being a fireman. And she imagined many a female in Pelican Bay wouldn’t complain about being rescued by him.
Pamela walked by her fiancé’s side, her eyes wide with pleasure as she looked around her at the food and the festivities and the people.
Faith tried her best to tamp down her irritation. Ever since they were little, Pamela had always craved attention. With her raven-colored hair and green eyes, she was stunning. At least on the outside! There was no place she was more comfortable being in than the spotlight. Clearly, nothing had changed. Faith watched as she reached for Micah’s arm and grabbed hold of his bicep, squeezing it lightly. Although the gesture in itself wasn’t over-the-top, all of Faith’s senses came to life. Her cousin was looking at Micah with a little too much interest. And Micah didn’t seem very comfortable with her close proximity.
No, she must be imagining it. Her cousin was engaged to Rafferty, Micah’s best friend.
Micah backed away from Pamela, almost as if he didn’t want her to touch him.
She frowned. Something was going on, Faith realized, although no one else seemed to notice the tension. Perhaps her being an outsider made the situation more obvious to her. Or maybe she possessed a cynical mind. When it came to her cousin, anything was possible. She’d shown Faith her true nature on many occasions.
“Thank you so much for coming here tonight,” Pamela said in a sugary sweet voice. She looped her arm through Rafferty’s and pulled him close. “It means the world to us.”
Rafferty grinned as he looked around the room. “Thanks everyone for celebrating with us. I didn’t know we knew so many people,” he joked, drawing laughter from the crowd. He turned in Micah’s direction. “I especially want to thank Micah for hosting this engagement party. And I want to thank all of the Donahue’s for always being in my corner.”
A cry went up in the room, and much to Faith’s surprise, about six or seven men, including Micah, raised their fists in the air and shouted out “Donahue strong!” A pretty blonde woman joined in on the chant. Faith thought she looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t place her. Perhaps by the end of the evening she would figure it out. Otherwise, it might drive her crazy. And it was also bugging her that Micah looked familiar. Was he a sports celebrity? An actor? It would explain this gorgeous home.
“Everyone please help yourselves to the appetizers. Dinner will be served shortly out on the terrace,” Micah announced.
Pamela locked gazes with Faith from across the room and her eyes widened in surprise. Her cousin made a bee-line in her direction, pulling Rafferty along with her.
“Faith! I’m so glad you came!” Pamela said, opening her arms wide and pulling Faith into a tight embrace. For the life of her, Faith couldn’t remember her cousin ever hugging her. Not even when her parents had died.
“Of course,” she answered. “You said it was really important to have me in attendance.”
Pamela’s eyes hardened for a moment as she stared at Faith. It served as a reminder that nothing had changed with her cousin. She was just putting on a great act for Rafferty. Pamela was probably upset with Faith for saying Pamela had stressed the importance of her being here tonight, which only added to Faith’s questions about why her cousin had been so insistent.
“Well,” Pamela said in a light tone, “you know how deeply I value family.” Faith almost sputtered at the comment. Pamela was always at odds with her parents, barely had a relationship with her brother and had scorned Faith for most of her life. If she mentioned having a relationship with the Lord, Faith might not be able to hold her tongue. Pamela hadn’t walked through the doors of a church in years. It wasn’t Faith’s job to judge, but she wasn’t going to be co-signing on any of her cousin’s lies.
Pamela turned toward her fiancé and said, “Rafferty, I’d like you to meet my dear cousin, Faith. She came to live with my family after her parents died in a horrific fire.” Faith winced at the way in which Pamela matter-of-factly delivered the news about her parent’s deaths. Her cousin lacked empathy.
Rafferty smiled down at her. She stuck out her hand to shake it, eliciting laughter from Rafferty. “No handshakes here. We’re almost family.” Rafferty leaned in and pulled her in for a hug. Faith stiffened for a moment, not used to such affection from a stranger. She relaxed a bit and hugged him back, sensing that Rafferty Fitzgerald was a good guy. It shone straight from inside him.
“Okay, Rafferty,” Pamela said, tugging him back to her side. “We really should mingle with the guests.”
Rafferty nodded and winked at Faith. “I look forward to talking to you later. I want to find out all about Pamela’s exploits as a child.”
Faith smiled back at h
im, unsure as to what she could say about Pamela that would portray her cousin in a complimentary light. There honestly wasn’t much. She watched as Pamela and Rafferty walked away, hand in hand. For a moment she felt envy piercing her insides. Rafferty seemed so protective of Pamela. Faith had seen love shimmering from his eyes. What must it feel like to be showered with so much love? She wondered.
Faith felt someone touching her arm. She turned toward the woman in red she’d noticed earlier in the crowd of guests.
“Hey! I know you, don’t I?” Faith stared into the beautiful eyes of the woman standing before her. She radiated a warm, friendly vibe which made her less intimidating. It was hard to be in a room filled with so many gorgeous women. She always felt less than in comparison, which she knew was the root of her insecurities. Somehow she had to learn to move past her physical imperfections. She had to value her life more than constantly second guessing her scars.
Faith felt a strong sense of recognition, but she couldn’t quite place her.
The woman continued. “I think I’ve seen you at some conferences. You’re a teacher, right?”
“Yes, I am,” Faith said as the lightbulb went off in her head. She’d seen the woman before in a professional capacity. They were both teachers!
The woman introduced herself. “I’m Shayla Donahue. Nice to put a name to your face. We seem to be running in the same circles,” she said with a chuckle.
“I’m Faith O’Connell. Any relation to Micah?”
“Yep. I’m his sister. Matter of fact, I’m the sister of seven Donahue men. And they’re all scattered about this party.”
Faith gasped. “Seven?” she asked.
Shayla giggled. “That’s the usual reaction we get. Total shock and awe. My parents are pretty much saints. Hey Micah,” she called out. “Come and explain to Faith the dynamics of our family.”
Tenderly (Seven Brides Seven Brothers Pelican Bay) Page 3
