Read Online Tomorrow's Promise (The Hawks Mountain Series) by Elizabeth Sinclair - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Elizabeth Sinclair
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PD, and I was more than ready for a change of scenery, so I agreed.” He held out his hands. “And here I am.”
Faith stared at him silently for a moment. “Why don’t I believe that’s all there was to it? Why were you ready for a change?”
Cole didn’t answer immediately. Talking about his breakup with Diane still irritated some tender nerves. But the pain had more to do with his injured pride than with the loss of a loved one. He’d come to realize that he’d loved the idea of starting a family a lot more than he had loved Diane. He’d also come to understand that his incredibly urgent need for a family was in hope of assuaging the horrible effect his job as a homicide detective had on his emotions.
He’d seen too much of the darker side of life. Memories of the wonderful life he’d had as a child had lulled him into believing that a family of his own could erase the images of the horrendous things he’d seen in the line of duty. It was only after Diane left that he’d decided to cut himself off from law enforcement and go into teaching. Unfortunately, his father’s health put that plan on the back burner for a while.
“Cole?”
Faith’s voice roused him from his memories. He looked into her eyes and saw understanding there, but he still couldn’t bring himself to say more. Then she covered his hand with hers and before he knew it, he started talking, and a few minutes later, the entire story was out there in the open.
“And that’s my story.”
Faith couldn’t speak. Her heart ached for this strong, honorable man. Why was life so unfair? All she could think of was how desperately Cole wanted a family while Sloan had thought of her and Lizzie as a burden he had to shoulder, but found easy to ignore. Finally, all she could bring herself to say was, “I’m so sorry.”
He shrugged off her sympathy. Then he turned his hand to enclose hers and looked deep into her eyes. “Your turn.”
Chapter 7
FAITH STILL WASN’T sure she wanted to bare her past to Cole, but he’d been up front about his, so she took a deep breath and searched for the words to start. “When I graduated from high school, I had lots of dreams that didn’t include staying in Carson. As far as I was concerned, this town held nothing but stagnation for me. So, the day after I got my diploma, I packed my bags and bought a bus ticket. I didn’t have much money, so I bought one for the largest city I could afford to travel to—Atlanta, Georgia.”
Cole nodded. “You’re not the first young person who felt that way.”
“I’m also not the first young person who made that mistake.” Faith smiled ruefully.
“Mistake? How so?”
Cole’s prodding niggled Faith, but she also knew that without him pushing her into talking, her story would have ended here. While gathering her thoughts, she brushed the cookie crumbs on Lizzie’s highchair tray into a pile. Lizzie immediately swept the pile onto the floor.
“Lizzie!” Faith got up and snatched the broom and dustpan from the broom closet. She swept the crumbs up and deposited them in the trash. “Okay, little girl, it’s time for you to get down.” She lifted her daughter from the chair and set her and her teddy bear on the floor, then gave her some blocks to play with.
Retaking her seat at the table, she avoided Cole’s gaze and sipped at her coffee.
But it didn’t deter him. “You were saying?”
The man was relentless. “Where was I?” she asked, stalling again.
“You’d moved to Atlanta,” he supplied with a knowing smile.
“Oh, yes. Atlanta.” She set the cup down and wrapped her suddenly cold hands around it to absorb the warmth. “I hadn’t really thought any of it through, and when I got off the bus in Atlanta, I realized I was almost out of money, with no job prospects, and nowhere to live.” Lord, but that sounded so stupid now. No one with half a brain left home without a plan. “I went to a small coffee shop to think about what I’d do
Faith stared at him silently for a moment. “Why don’t I believe that’s all there was to it? Why were you ready for a change?”
Cole didn’t answer immediately. Talking about his breakup with Diane still irritated some tender nerves. But the pain had more to do with his injured pride than with the loss of a loved one. He’d come to realize that he’d loved the idea of starting a family a lot more than he had loved Diane. He’d also come to understand that his incredibly urgent need for a family was in hope of assuaging the horrible effect his job as a homicide detective had on his emotions.
He’d seen too much of the darker side of life. Memories of the wonderful life he’d had as a child had lulled him into believing that a family of his own could erase the images of the horrendous things he’d seen in the line of duty. It was only after Diane left that he’d decided to cut himself off from law enforcement and go into teaching. Unfortunately, his father’s health put that plan on the back burner for a while.
“Cole?”
Faith’s voice roused him from his memories. He looked into her eyes and saw understanding there, but he still couldn’t bring himself to say more. Then she covered his hand with hers and before he knew it, he started talking, and a few minutes later, the entire story was out there in the open.
“And that’s my story.”
Faith couldn’t speak. Her heart ached for this strong, honorable man. Why was life so unfair? All she could think of was how desperately Cole wanted a family while Sloan had thought of her and Lizzie as a burden he had to shoulder, but found easy to ignore. Finally, all she could bring herself to say was, “I’m so sorry.”
He shrugged off her sympathy. Then he turned his hand to enclose hers and looked deep into her eyes. “Your turn.”
Chapter 7
FAITH STILL WASN’T sure she wanted to bare her past to Cole, but he’d been up front about his, so she took a deep breath and searched for the words to start. “When I graduated from high school, I had lots of dreams that didn’t include staying in Carson. As far as I was concerned, this town held nothing but stagnation for me. So, the day after I got my diploma, I packed my bags and bought a bus ticket. I didn’t have much money, so I bought one for the largest city I could afford to travel to—Atlanta, Georgia.”
Cole nodded. “You’re not the first young person who felt that way.”
“I’m also not the first young person who made that mistake.” Faith smiled ruefully.
“Mistake? How so?”
Cole’s prodding niggled Faith, but she also knew that without him pushing her into talking, her story would have ended here. While gathering her thoughts, she brushed the cookie crumbs on Lizzie’s highchair tray into a pile. Lizzie immediately swept the pile onto the floor.
“Lizzie!” Faith got up and snatched the broom and dustpan from the broom closet. She swept the crumbs up and deposited them in the trash. “Okay, little girl, it’s time for you to get down.” She lifted her daughter from the chair and set her and her teddy bear on the floor, then gave her some blocks to play with.
Retaking her seat at the table, she avoided Cole’s gaze and sipped at her coffee.
But it didn’t deter him. “You were saying?”
The man was relentless. “Where was I?” she asked, stalling again.
“You’d moved to Atlanta,” he supplied with a knowing smile.
“Oh, yes. Atlanta.” She set the cup down and wrapped her suddenly cold hands around it to absorb the warmth. “I hadn’t really thought any of it through, and when I got off the bus in Atlanta, I realized I was almost out of money, with no job prospects, and nowhere to live.” Lord, but that sounded so stupid now. No one with half a brain left home without a plan. “I went to a small coffee shop to think about what I’d do
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