that was like solitary confinement. Isolation. He was powerless. Useless.
Lost.
Glancing to his left, he caught Faith on the other side of the beach, walking toward the water. Her arms were crossed in front of her and, just as she’d done before, she watched the ocean with still composure. Everything about her resonated serenity. If not for the loneliness and longing in her eyes, he’d swear she had no emotions. He wondered how long it took her to train herself not to desire. To want. Because Faith, for some ungodly reason, appeared satisfied with being invisible. Where others pushed and fought for more—more money, more friends, more status—Faith was content, just as she was, in her little corner of the world.
Or so it seemed to him. He knew he was right, though. He’d watched people his entire life, could read them.
She pulled a phone from her pocket and stared at the screen. After several long moments, her arms fell to her sides and she plopped her butt on the sand. Still holding the phone, she brought the heels of her palms to her eyes and rocked.
He was halfway down the beach before he realized what he was doing and stopped. She hadn’t come out here forcomfort or company. She’d come out to be alone. Obviously something had her in tears. Tears in general he could handle. Faith in tears? Probably not.
And he was the last person who could make someone feel better. He’d proven that over and over again.
Backtracking, although he really wanted to move forward, he made his way to the guesthouse to leave her to it.
* * *
“What can I get you to drink?”
Faith looked at the glasses of champagne Mia and Lacey held, and then up at the spa attendant. Should she ask for water? Would it be rude to refuse a drink? She never indulged in alcohol, not even wine. But as long as she didn’t do it in excess, one glass wouldn’t hurt.
“Whatever they have is fine. Thank you.”
“So.” Lacey leaned back in her pedicure chair. “Alec wants to get everyone together for a night out.”
Mia wiggled her toes in the footbath. “What’s he have in mind?”
“Clubbing or dinner was mentioned. What do you think?”
Faith didn’t realize Lacey was talking to her until no one answered. “Oh. Sure. I can watch Ginny for you while you guys go out.”
Lacey laughed. “We meant for you to join us.”
Her chest swelled a little at the offer, but . . . “Oh, well . . . I’m not sure.”
Alec was a bigwig author from New York, used to brushing elbows with the rich and famous. Clubbing was probably a nightly thing for him. Lacey and Cole were upper-crust elite. Martinis and caviar kind of people. Mia, though from an impoverished childhood, had settled into her new, comfortable life here. But Faith would never fit in.
“Faith’s got a point. We’d have no one to watch Ginny.”
Lacey mulled that over. “Would Bea do it? Ginny knows her.”
Faith didn’t know how long the Covingtons had employed Bea as their housekeeper, but Ginny did seem very comfortable with the young woman. She was also a hard worker and very responsible.
Mia tipped her head to the side. “Perhaps. I’d hate to ask her to stay after she’s worked all day. Plus, if Cole and I are going to take that trip, I don’t want to upset Ginny by leaving her with a sitter, even for just a few hours.”
“I’ll stay with Ginny,” Faith said again, hoping they’d take her up on the offer.
“No, no.” Lacey took a sip of champagne. “You have to come. We’ll just have to do something Ginny can participate in.”
The attendants came back and towel-dried their feet. Awkwardness caused Faith to squirm in her seat. She had never had a pedicure before. Seemed like a waste of money. But then the attendant started rubbing lotion into her feet, massaging her soles, and she had to bite back a moan. Okay, this wasn’t so bad.
“We could do the pier,” Mia suggested.
“Good idea. They have games and the Ferris wheel.” Lacey
Lost.
Glancing to his left, he caught Faith on the other side of the beach, walking toward the water. Her arms were crossed in front of her and, just as she’d done before, she watched the ocean with still composure. Everything about her resonated serenity. If not for the loneliness and longing in her eyes, he’d swear she had no emotions. He wondered how long it took her to train herself not to desire. To want. Because Faith, for some ungodly reason, appeared satisfied with being invisible. Where others pushed and fought for more—more money, more friends, more status—Faith was content, just as she was, in her little corner of the world.
Or so it seemed to him. He knew he was right, though. He’d watched people his entire life, could read them.
She pulled a phone from her pocket and stared at the screen. After several long moments, her arms fell to her sides and she plopped her butt on the sand. Still holding the phone, she brought the heels of her palms to her eyes and rocked.
He was halfway down the beach before he realized what he was doing and stopped. She hadn’t come out here forcomfort or company. She’d come out to be alone. Obviously something had her in tears. Tears in general he could handle. Faith in tears? Probably not.
And he was the last person who could make someone feel better. He’d proven that over and over again.
Backtracking, although he really wanted to move forward, he made his way to the guesthouse to leave her to it.
* * *
“What can I get you to drink?”
Faith looked at the glasses of champagne Mia and Lacey held, and then up at the spa attendant. Should she ask for water? Would it be rude to refuse a drink? She never indulged in alcohol, not even wine. But as long as she didn’t do it in excess, one glass wouldn’t hurt.
“Whatever they have is fine. Thank you.”
“So.” Lacey leaned back in her pedicure chair. “Alec wants to get everyone together for a night out.”
Mia wiggled her toes in the footbath. “What’s he have in mind?”
“Clubbing or dinner was mentioned. What do you think?”
Faith didn’t realize Lacey was talking to her until no one answered. “Oh. Sure. I can watch Ginny for you while you guys go out.”
Lacey laughed. “We meant for you to join us.”
Her chest swelled a little at the offer, but . . . “Oh, well . . . I’m not sure.”
Alec was a bigwig author from New York, used to brushing elbows with the rich and famous. Clubbing was probably a nightly thing for him. Lacey and Cole were upper-crust elite. Martinis and caviar kind of people. Mia, though from an impoverished childhood, had settled into her new, comfortable life here. But Faith would never fit in.
“Faith’s got a point. We’d have no one to watch Ginny.”
Lacey mulled that over. “Would Bea do it? Ginny knows her.”
Faith didn’t know how long the Covingtons had employed Bea as their housekeeper, but Ginny did seem very comfortable with the young woman. She was also a hard worker and very responsible.
Mia tipped her head to the side. “Perhaps. I’d hate to ask her to stay after she’s worked all day. Plus, if Cole and I are going to take that trip, I don’t want to upset Ginny by leaving her with a sitter, even for just a few hours.”
“I’ll stay with Ginny,” Faith said again, hoping they’d take her up on the offer.
“No, no.” Lacey took a sip of champagne. “You have to come. We’ll just have to do something Ginny can participate in.”
The attendants came back and towel-dried their feet. Awkwardness caused Faith to squirm in her seat. She had never had a pedicure before. Seemed like a waste of money. But then the attendant started rubbing lotion into her feet, massaging her soles, and she had to bite back a moan. Okay, this wasn’t so bad.
“We could do the pier,” Mia suggested.
“Good idea. They have games and the Ferris wheel.” Lacey
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