Read Online Faith's Sheriff (Montgomery Family and Friends) by Iris Abbott - Free Book Online Page A

see her and Cole have a go at a relationship.  They often found themselves invited to the same social functions and they always attended alone, so they usually ended up paired together.  
    “That’s enough about Cole and all the unpleasantness of yesterday.”  Faith brought up the one thing sure to get her friend’s mind off of any matchmaking schemes she might be harboring.  “So tell me how everything went at the doctor yesterday.  I hope everything is going well with your pregnancy.” 
    It worked and Faith listened for several minutes while Caroline enthusiastically shared the latest progress and updates of her pregnancy. 
    Faith listened with nothing but happiness for the love that Caroline had found with Kyle.  And if her heart was just a little heavy, well that had nothing to do with her own loveless and childless state as she neared her thirtieth birthday.

FIVE
    Cole clutched a bouquet of daisies in his left hand and pressed the doorbell to the Wakefield house with his right hand.  The flowers had been an impulse buy.  He’d been in the grocery store looking for something quick to fix for dinner when the lovely pink, yellow, and white flowers caught his attention.  His mind had gone straight to thoughts of Faith.  Instead of buying food for dinner he bought the flowers and then found himself driving out to Kyle and Caroline’s place to see Faith.  Now he was standing on the Wakefield’s front porch like a nervous teenager waiting for his first date.
    He heard movement on the other side of the door and tensed in anticipation.  Even though it had only been a few hours since he’d last seen Faith he couldn’t wait to see her shy smile and those beautiful warm brown eyes.  He smiled at his friend Caroline when she finally opened the door. 
    “Well hello there Cole.  Those sure are some pretty flowers you’ve got there, but somehow I doubt they’re for me.”  She softened her teasing with a big welcoming smile.
    “Hello Caroline.  No I’m afraid not.  I would never tempt Kyle’s temper by bringing you flowers.  He still looks like a linebacker and I remember how hard he tackled the man that tried to kidnap you about three years ago.  I’m sure I could hold my own against Kyle, but why would I want to try!”
    Caroline winked at him.  “That’s probably a wise choice Cole.  I bet you’re here to see Faith.”  She opened the door wider.  “Come on in.  We’ve been enjoying a nice gossip session and cool iced tea on the back patio.”  She motioned him inside.  “You know where the patio is, go on out back and keep Faith company.   I will get another glass and more tea and join the two of you shortly.”
    “I’d love that, thanks Caroline.” 
    Cole had attended several dinners and barbeques at the Wakefield house, so he moved through the large home with the ease and confidence of someone familiar with his surroundings.   He was almost there when he came to a dead standstill.  He could see Faith through the glass of the French doors that led to the large covered patio and her image was enough to stop him in his tracks.  He fought to catch his breath and looked his fill.
    She’d removed her shoes and her feet were curled up under her on the chair.  Her head was tilted back to catch a ray of sunshine that was angled just right to enter the side of the covered patio.  Her eyes were closed and she looked so beautiful that Cole couldn’t do anything but stand there and stare at her in awed silence. 
    Faith felt the back of her neck tingle.  She had been relaxed, more than halfway asleep, but there was a new feel in the air.  Something had changed!  Unnerved by recent events Faith’s eyes popped open and her eyes darted around the room only to come to rest on a huge man standing nearby.  Faith opened her mouth to let out the instinctive scream, but she recognized Cole just in time and snapped her mouth shut.  Her hands flew to her chest to cover the heart