“Who’s Sean?”
“Oh, I forgot, you probably haven’t met him. He’s one of the teens in Zack’s driving club.”
“Zack has a driving club?” Faith had never heard of a driving club.
“Do you know who he is?”
“Joe’s brother,” she said.
“He’s also a grand prix racer who has won a ton of races in Europe. Sean was a kid who didn’t have a lot of direction or male influence when Zack sort of took him under his wing. We found a place for a driving track and now a bunch of the teens from church belong to this club, where they practice driving techniques and hang out together.”
“And Sean is one of them?”
He nodded. “The first. He’s all right. Picked him up once for underage drinking, but we got that straightened out. He’s doing great, thanks to Zack.”
“And what part do you play?” Faith asked, fascinated to learn another facet of Tate’s life.
“Not much. I meet with them from time to time. Let them go on ride-alongs when I expect it to be perfectly safe.”
“And play basketball,” she guessed.
“That, too. Want to come to the game Tuesday?”
She raised a brow. “Are you playing?”
“I’m 100 percent fit, so yeah, I’ll probably be playing.”
“Maybe.” It would be fun to see him play and watch him interact with the kids from church. Though, maybe she shouldn’t…
“I’m not going if it’s going to give rise to speculation that we are seeing each other,” she said, glancing around, already conscious of their talking together in front of the church. Would this fuel speculation?
Tate should have rejoiced that she felt the same way he did. But instead, he felt a twinge of disappointment. “Would that be so bad?” he asked.
“I don’t want to mislead anyone.” Her tone held exasperation.
“We know the truth and that’s all that’s important. Think of it as giving yourself a chance to get to know your neighbors better. Once the bad weather comes, everyone tends to stay inside and there are a few activities around town. Lots of people come to the games, not just parents.”
“If you’re sure.”
He reached out to touch her shoulder, wishing he could go to lunch with her, spend the afternoon together. Even if it would give rise to the speculation they wanted to avoid. A couple more weeks and he’d be back to weekends free. Then maybe they could do some things together.
“I’m sure. I’d offer to pick you up, but—”
“No, I’ll get there myself. I know where the high school is. What about the barbecue?”
“Come. You’ll have a good time.”
Faith considered it for a moment. She really wanted to go. “Okay. It’s on your head if gossip runs rampant. Tell me where your parents live.”
He gave her directions and then reluctantly said, “I’m going back to work. You enjoy lunch.”
“Thanks. See ya.”
He watched her walk away, before turning to head for the patrol car he’d left in the church parking lot. She was still too thin. But her color was good. Her skin was like peaches and cream. He knew now where that saying came from—women like Faith. She looked nothing like Mandy, but he was discovering a fondness for curly blond hair and a sun-kissed complexion.
Whoa, he thought, no point going down that road. He’d had his shot at love. It hadn’t come with guarantees.
Unceasing faith echoed in his head. Was that a message directed toward him? He wondered if the Lord planned to touch his heart a second time with a love that could lead to marriage and a shared life.
But was he strong enough to risk falling in love, knowing it might not last a lifetime?
Chapter Six
Tate made sure his drive through the town later that afternoon coincided with the time Faith usually walked Maggie. The sidewalks were crowded with tourists, some returning for a day on the water, others out for an early stroll. The ice-cream parlor was doing a booming business, as evidenced by those walking along window-shopping while licking cones.
He parked near the marina and got out. Paperwork and several sweeps of the town had occupied his day. It felt good to be on the grass, taking in the sea air. A moment later, he caught sight of Faith walking with Maggie. The dog bounded along, to the end of her leash, then dashed back to Faith, danced around her legs, then lurched forward again.
She was laughing. Tate watched her, knowing she hadn’t seen him yet. He smiled at the sound of her laughter. It was infectious.
Maggie saw him and barked, running directly to him, pulling Faith along. Her laughter rang out again.
“Goodness, she recognized you!” she exclaimed when she was close enough.
“Hey, girl,” Tate said, leaning over to pet the dog. “Out for a bit of freedom from the kids?”
“I think you’re right. She puts up with them for only so long, then jumps the barrier and stretches out in the living room.” She sighed. “They’re a handful now. Running around, skidding on the linoleum. You’ll have to come see them.”
“Maybe when I get off duty this evening. Around seven?” he said casually, still petting the dog.
“Sure, that’d be perfect.” Faith looked around, then back at Tate as he rose.
“Want to sit on a bench?” he asked.
“For a few minutes. We need all the exercise we can get while we’re out, you know,” she said, walking over and sitting while Maggie began sniffing every blade of grass within reach.
“This is nice,” she murmured. “In Portland, I was so caught up in work and things, I didn’t go out just to be outdoors. I was always going from one place to another. Maggie gets me out and I like it,” she said.
“Nice time of year, too. September’ll be good, though the nights will begin to cool off. But with most of the tourists gone, the town settles down. You’ll see a difference, one I hope you like. It can get pretty quiet.”
“I’m not exactly a party girl,” she said, watching the dog. “Do you get bored in the winter—I mean, after Boston, this has to be pretty tame.”
“Not bored. I have plenty to do with the house. And there’s enough going on to satisfy me. If I want to do something special, I can always visit.” He glanced her way. “I’m thinking of going to New York in the fall. Maybe stay with my sister for a week or so.”
“Umm, that sounds nice. I went there once—it was amazing. Lots to see, so many different neighborhoods. I didn’t begin to see it all,” she said.
“What did you like best?”
“The food and the shopping,” she replied without hesitation.
“I’m not much on shopping, but I like to eat.”
She laughed. Tate was struck again with how much he liked hearing her laugh. Her eyes sparkled. The sound was sweet. He liked knowing that she had come back from adversity and illness to be the vibrant, healthy woman he now saw.
“So, want me to pick you up for the singles meeting this week, rain or shine?” he asked.
She looked at him, then caught her lip between her teeth and looked away. “I’m not sure,” she said. Throwing him a glance, she shrugged. “I think some people are pairing us up. I’ve had more than one person suggest that I talk to you about something, as if I have better access to you than they do.”
Tate reached out and took her free hand in his, liking the touch of her skin, the warm softness. “Hey, let people talk. We know we’re friends.”
She took a breath and looked at him. “We are friends. I cherish that. But you’re very special and I’m afraid if we spend a lot of time together, gossip will get out of hand. And neither of us wants that.”
“No, but we can’t live our lives based on other people’s gossip,” he
said, suddenly worried that she was going to suggest they stop seeing each other. “Neither of us wants the complications of a romantic relationship, right?” he asked, wanting that reaffirmed.
“Not the complications, but I did like being part of a couple. I thought I had found a man to build a life with. I liked that. You’re much more than Allen can ever hope to be.” She looked away for a moment. Then took a deep breath. “What if I fall for you?”
Tate watched her as she stared at the water. That took guts to say. “Why not see where being together leads us?” He raised her hand and kissed the back of her fingers. “Unceasing faith—wasn’t that today’s message? If we both have that, we’ll go where the Lord leads. Together or not, He’ll show us the way.”
She gazed into his eyes and Tate saw the confusion in hers. Then she smiled. “I need to practice that unceasing-faith part. I know the Lord has me in His hands. He brought me through the cancer and I didn’t die of a broken heart, either. So I’ll do my part,” she said softly. “But no romance for a while. Let’s just see what happens as friends.”
“No romance.” The minute he said the words, he wanted to take them back. He wanted to kiss her, bring her flowers and watch her smile. Spend evenings with her when work was over and they could spend the time together without interruption.
He’d honor the promise. “For now,” he added.
“Okay, for now.” She rose and tugged gently until he released her hand.
“I need to get Mama Dog home to the kids. See you around seven.”
Tate sat a little longer on the bench, wondering when he’d opened his heart to the possibility of change. When he first lost his wife, he’d vowed he’d never put himself at risk for heartbreak again. Yet, now he was chafing at the restriction of no romance with a woman he’d only met a couple of weeks ago.
He wasn’t in love with Faith. But if love came, would he turn from it? Could he be strong enough to risk his heart a second time?
He rose. He wasn’t going anywhere and it seemed as if Faith was settling in and would be around for the long haul. Time enough to see what the Lord had in store. He glanced at his watch. Only a little over ninety minutes until he’d see her again. He wanted to go home and change when his shift ended. Tonight he was not the sheriff. Just a friend visiting a friend.
Faith was smiling when she entered the clinic the next morning. The evening with Tate had been fun. They’d made popcorn and watched an old movie on TV. Talking during the commercials, watching the show and commenting on scenes that seemed a bit over the top had been fun. He had gone out with her and Maggie for their evening walk. They had strolled to the marina park, which she was starting to think of as their place.
Which wasn’t so wise.
He’d left after the walk, citing work the next morning. She thought he’d been going to kiss her, but he’d paused a moment near the bottom of the steps and then wished her good-night.
Faith was a little disappointed, yet hadn’t she said no romance? Even if he had wanted to kiss her, he was too much of a gentleman to go against her wishes.
Now she wished she’d kept her mouth shut!
She agreed to attend the singles meeting with him. Before that was the basketball game. And there was next weekend’s barbecue to look forward to.
“We have a busy schedule today—I hope you’re ready to work,” Marjorie greeted her a moment later. The older woman looked more cross than usual and Faith sighed softly.
Lord, please help me find a way to work with her in harmony…
The day was hectic, with two emergencies in the morning and a full load of kids getting final checkups and shots before school started. The teenagers the doctor saw needed forms filled out for athletics. The younger kids needed booster shots. They were running behind schedule from ten o’clock on, so Faith had a short lunch and left the clinic almost forty minutes after closing.
She took Maggie for a walk and then put on old clothes, fixed dinner and checked the mail. The reminder notice for her semiannual checkup had come. She rarely got any mail except bills and junk mail. Her friends from Portland called, rather than wrote. She saw people in Rocky Point almost on a daily basis.
Next Wednesday. She checked her calendar and saw that she had it down. Had she asked Dr. Mallory for the afternoon off? She’d better double-check. She knew she’d mentioned it at her initial interview, but he might not have noted it.
She finished the mystery book right before going to sleep. She wondered if Tate read mysteries or would find too much fabrication about the way the sheriff’s department ran things to enjoy them. The few mysteries that she’d read that centered around a hospital had so many errors they annoyed her no end.
It rained again on Tuesday, but she and Maggie braved the elements long enough for the dog to take care of business. Then Faith headed for the high-school gym.
There were more people on hand than she expected. Faith parked close to the gym, so she didn’t get too wet running inside. She looked around. Bleachers had been extended on both sides of the court and were already filling up. She tried to see if it mattered which side she sat on, but both sides had room and were about equally filled. She crossed to sit on the far side, walking up and then smiling as she sat in an empty space about halfway up. Those already seated scooted over to make more room.
Boys were practicing their throws. A line of players sat on the lowest bench, watching the others and listening to a man who was probably the coach. It was noisy and festive.
Then a referee blew his whistle long and loud. Silence descended. Everyone looked at him as he took a mike from his back pocket.
“Good evening, everyone. We’re back.”
Everyone laughed. Excitement seemed to fill the air.
“Team A from Trinity consists of Brian, Mark, AJ, Thom and Seth. Team B starters are Peter, Tate, Jerry, Phil and Scooter. May the best team win!”
The game was fast and Faith soon was caught up in cheering them all on. Both teams had two men and three boys, with others on the sidelines. Team A wore blue jerseys and Team B wore red. She spotted Tate as soon as the game began. He moved out onto the court, taller than the others on his team. That had to be good. As the game progressed, it seemed as if everyone rotated in and out in some random fashion.
When he took the floor a second time, her cheers became louder. First Team A was ahead, then Team B. As the first half ended, the two were still close in score, with Tate’s Team B in the lead by two points.
“Great game, huh?” the woman next to her said, her eyes still on the players now milling around at the center of the court.
“Yes,” Faith agreed, straining to see if she could spot Tate.
“It’s a short halftime, not worth fighting the crowd to go get refreshments,” the woman said.
Faith nodded, then saw Tate at the same moment he was scanning the crowd. For her?
When he seemed to be looking her way, she waved. He smiled and waved back.
“Friend of yours?” the woman asked.
“Yes.”
“Nice of the men to rally with the boys,” she said. “I’m Erma Decker. My grandson is playing on Team A. Who’re you rooting for?”
“I’m Faith Stewart and my friend is Tate Johnson. He’s on Team B.”
The woman leaned toward her. “I don’t go to Trinity—we live in Monkesville. But I recognize the players week after week. This is a fun outing for us.” She tapped her husband on the shoulder and he turned to her, interrupting his chat with his neighbor.
“Meet Faith, Aaron. She has a player on Team B.”
“Pleasure,” Aaron said with a grin, then turned back to his neighbor.
“This is my first game,” Faith confided.
“Oh, they’re so much fun. Rocky Point’s sheriff started them, though
t the kids needed an outlet in summer. He’s got some smart ideas, I say.”
“That’s the sheriff I waved to,” Faith said, startled to learn that this activity had been Tate’s idea.
“Nice-looking young man,” Erma said, smiling down at Tate and waving. “I didn’t know he was the sheriff. I like that—practice what he preaches.”
“The entire Trinity congregation seems really involved with the kids in the church.”
“Good…gives them values and standards. Oh, the halftime is over. See, not worth the effort to fight the crowd. Sorry I can’t root for your team. Have to support my grandson’s, right?”
“Right.” The second half went even faster. Faith and Erma exchanged comments when plays were good or missed. Neither seemed that concerned about winning. Faith was just as likely to cheer on a Team A player who was going for a basket as she was Tate’s team.
When the game ended, Team A had won by a mere four points. Each Team B member congratulated the winners in the midst of the cheering from all fans.
Faith walked down the bleachers slowly, looking for Tate. He waited at the bottom and reached out for her when she got to the floor, pulling her away from the crowd now heading for the exit.
“You came,” he said. “How’d you like it?”
“That was great. I heard this whole thing was your idea. Fabulous. The kids and guys all seemed to be having fun.” When she was jostled by someone behind her, Tate reached out to steady her.
“Just an idea that took off. Glad to hear that you enjoyed yourself.”
“Hey, great game, Sheriff,” a fan called.
“Sorry your team didn’t win,” Faith said, moving so she wasn’t bumped by another couple rushing by.
“Team B won last week. Sometimes we do, sometimes we don’t. Everyone’s a winner, however, just from the fun and activity.”
“Nice shot you made from center court.” A man stopped to slap Tate on the back. He grinned at Faith and moved on.
Rocky Point Promise Page 12
