bit naughty.”
Faith stood and went over to the window. For an eternity, she stared into the backyard, her gaze on the mountains off in the distance.
Finally, she glanced over her shoulder. “If I jumped into this with him, would you think less of me?”
“I’d think less of you if you didn’t.”
“I want this, Gracie.”
“Good for you.”
“He just makes me feel so…so…” She threw up her hands, unable to explain. “I can’t describe it.”
“Which tells me it will be wonderful.” Grace tamped down a sly grin. “You remember how carefully Harold kept tabs on Lucas.”
“He was obsessed about it.”
“He thought you and Lucas had a lot in common, that you might get along.”
“Harold said that?”
“He’d be happy to know you were with Lucas—even if it was for a short affair.”
Grace was playing dirty. Faith had loved Harold very much. He’d been the grandfather she’d never had. He’d taken them in during a rough period when they’d had nowhere to go, and they’d never had to leave. He’d given her Peanut and Bryce to watch over forever. If Harold decided that a certain path was appropriate for Faith, she’d decide it was too.
In fact, Harold had always had designs on Faith and Lucas. He felt that much was possible between the two youngsters—if he could figure out how to bring them together. Faith’s inheritance had been calculated to lure Lucas into her orbit, with Harold being positive that once Lucas met Faith, he’d be intrigued.
Lucas had grown up with a vicious father and cruel mother. His childhood had been as lonely as Faith’s but for different reasons. In many ways, he’d been as much of an orphan as she was.
Faith could give him the home and family he’d never had, could provide things he didn’t realize he needed.
“Should I call him?” Faith asked.
“Absolutely.”
“What would I say?”
“Thank him for the earrings and flowers, then suggest another date. Dinner or something.”
“What if I went away with him for a few days? Would you mind?”
“Sneak off for a year if you want. If you can keep him in bed that long, have at it.”
Faith frowned. “I don’t know if he’ll agree.”
Grace’s gaze started at the top of Faith’s head and wandered down, taking in the pretty face, the curvaceous body.
“He’ll agree, Faith. Don’t you worry.”
Faith smiled. “You always make everything seem so easy.”
“And you always make everything too hard. Getting Lucas Merriweather into the sack will be a piece of cake.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“Trust me on this one: you invite him away for the weekend, and he’ll go. You won’t have to convince him.”
“I’m sure he’ll be putty in my hands.”
“Yes, he will be. The poor guy doesn’t stand a chance.”
Faith chuckled and walked out.
Grace sat, contemplating the strangeness of life—Harold, the Merriweather family, Lucas and where his relationship with Faith might lead them.
Shortly, Angela stumbled back in. She poured another cup of coffee, then she grabbed Faith’s earrings and stood in front of the mirror on the fridge as Grace had a bit earlier.
She took off the clasps and stuck the posts in her ears, and she tipped from side to side, watching the swing of the diamond clusters against her neck.
“Do they look good on me?” she asked Grace.
“Fabulous,” Grace lied. Angela had no class, and the most expensive diamonds couldn’t give her any.
“I wish I had a man who’d shower me with stuff like this.”
“You gotta find somebody rich. That’s the tricky part.”
“Faith found Harold.” Angela’s eyes narrowed. “And now she found Harold’s grandson. It’s not fair.”
She removed the earrings and set them on the counter, then she strolled out. As she reached the stairs, Grace heard her mutter again, “It’s just so not fair.”
CHAPTER FIVE
“Why aren’t you wearing
Faith stood and went over to the window. For an eternity, she stared into the backyard, her gaze on the mountains off in the distance.
Finally, she glanced over her shoulder. “If I jumped into this with him, would you think less of me?”
“I’d think less of you if you didn’t.”
“I want this, Gracie.”
“Good for you.”
“He just makes me feel so…so…” She threw up her hands, unable to explain. “I can’t describe it.”
“Which tells me it will be wonderful.” Grace tamped down a sly grin. “You remember how carefully Harold kept tabs on Lucas.”
“He was obsessed about it.”
“He thought you and Lucas had a lot in common, that you might get along.”
“Harold said that?”
“He’d be happy to know you were with Lucas—even if it was for a short affair.”
Grace was playing dirty. Faith had loved Harold very much. He’d been the grandfather she’d never had. He’d taken them in during a rough period when they’d had nowhere to go, and they’d never had to leave. He’d given her Peanut and Bryce to watch over forever. If Harold decided that a certain path was appropriate for Faith, she’d decide it was too.
In fact, Harold had always had designs on Faith and Lucas. He felt that much was possible between the two youngsters—if he could figure out how to bring them together. Faith’s inheritance had been calculated to lure Lucas into her orbit, with Harold being positive that once Lucas met Faith, he’d be intrigued.
Lucas had grown up with a vicious father and cruel mother. His childhood had been as lonely as Faith’s but for different reasons. In many ways, he’d been as much of an orphan as she was.
Faith could give him the home and family he’d never had, could provide things he didn’t realize he needed.
“Should I call him?” Faith asked.
“Absolutely.”
“What would I say?”
“Thank him for the earrings and flowers, then suggest another date. Dinner or something.”
“What if I went away with him for a few days? Would you mind?”
“Sneak off for a year if you want. If you can keep him in bed that long, have at it.”
Faith frowned. “I don’t know if he’ll agree.”
Grace’s gaze started at the top of Faith’s head and wandered down, taking in the pretty face, the curvaceous body.
“He’ll agree, Faith. Don’t you worry.”
Faith smiled. “You always make everything seem so easy.”
“And you always make everything too hard. Getting Lucas Merriweather into the sack will be a piece of cake.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“Trust me on this one: you invite him away for the weekend, and he’ll go. You won’t have to convince him.”
“I’m sure he’ll be putty in my hands.”
“Yes, he will be. The poor guy doesn’t stand a chance.”
Faith chuckled and walked out.
Grace sat, contemplating the strangeness of life—Harold, the Merriweather family, Lucas and where his relationship with Faith might lead them.
Shortly, Angela stumbled back in. She poured another cup of coffee, then she grabbed Faith’s earrings and stood in front of the mirror on the fridge as Grace had a bit earlier.
She took off the clasps and stuck the posts in her ears, and she tipped from side to side, watching the swing of the diamond clusters against her neck.
“Do they look good on me?” she asked Grace.
“Fabulous,” Grace lied. Angela had no class, and the most expensive diamonds couldn’t give her any.
“I wish I had a man who’d shower me with stuff like this.”
“You gotta find somebody rich. That’s the tricky part.”
“Faith found Harold.” Angela’s eyes narrowed. “And now she found Harold’s grandson. It’s not fair.”
She removed the earrings and set them on the counter, then she strolled out. As she reached the stairs, Grace heard her mutter again, “It’s just so not fair.”
CHAPTER FIVE
“Why aren’t you wearing
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