interested in him, Faith," Angela replied, "I'll take him."
"I'm fine, thank you very much."
Angela trudged out, and Grace watched her go. She thought of both girls as her daughters, but she'd never understood either one. She'd often pondered the old argument about nature versus nurture. They were so different, and biology had to be the determining factor in their personalities. She'd certainly like to meet their mothers!
As Angela's footsteps faded, Faith plopped down in her chair again. She appeared dazed and bewildered.
"What's wrong, honey?" Grace asked. "Don't you like him?"
"I like him very much. Too much, probably."
"Then why worry so much? You fuss over everything; you always have. For once, throw caution to the wind."
"I'm afraid, Gracie."
"Of what?"
"Of getting my heart broken."
"With him, it will be a one-night stand. There won't be time for your heart to be involved."
"You don't know what he's like. It wouldn't be for only one night."
"So much the better. Live a little. Have a fling. What's stopping you?"
"It's not that easy."
"Why isn't it? He's generous with his lovers. Maybe you'd score a trip to Rio or Maui out of the deal. You've never been anywhere. Maybe he'd take you. Imagine how much fun you'd have."
Faith shook her head. "I'm not like you, Gracie. I couldn't sleep with him a few times and call myself lucky."
"Why couldn't you?"
"I might begin to like him more than I should. Then it would be over, and I'd be all alone."
It was Faith's constant lament: she'd be alone. Did she recollect being a tiny baby, being left at that fire station? The poignant event had to be buried somewhere deep in her psyche, because it frequently haunted her.
"Everybody's alone in the end," Grace murmured. "You'd get through it, and you'd have a great memory of him after it was over."
"I don't want a memory . I want a flesh and blood man."
"They don't come any more 'flesh and blood' than him. Go after him! Let him use and pamper you for as long as you can persuade him to have you."
"I'm disgusted to admit that I'd like that very much. I must be the gold digger he accuses me of being."
"Hey, there's nothing wrong with reaching out and taking what you want."
"Spoken like a true mercenary."
"I never claimed to be a saint," Grace said, "and I never tried to be. It was always more enjoyable to be a 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
"I'm fine, thank you very much."
Angela trudged out, and Grace watched her go. She thought of both girls as her daughters, but she'd never understood either one. She'd often pondered the old argument about nature versus nurture. They were so different, and biology had to be the determining factor in their personalities. She'd certainly like to meet their mothers!
As Angela's footsteps faded, Faith plopped down in her chair again. She appeared dazed and bewildered.
"What's wrong, honey?" Grace asked. "Don't you like him?"
"I like him very much. Too much, probably."
"Then why worry so much? You fuss over everything; you always have. For once, throw caution to the wind."
"I'm afraid, Gracie."
"Of what?"
"Of getting my heart broken."
"With him, it will be a one-night stand. There won't be time for your heart to be involved."
"You don't know what he's like. It wouldn't be for only one night."
"So much the better. Live a little. Have a fling. What's stopping you?"
"It's not that easy."
"Why isn't it? He's generous with his lovers. Maybe you'd score a trip to Rio or Maui out of the deal. You've never been anywhere. Maybe he'd take you. Imagine how much fun you'd have."
Faith shook her head. "I'm not like you, Gracie. I couldn't sleep with him a few times and call myself lucky."
"Why couldn't you?"
"I might begin to like him more than I should. Then it would be over, and I'd be all alone."
It was Faith's constant lament: she'd be alone. Did she recollect being a tiny baby, being left at that fire station? The poignant event had to be buried somewhere deep in her psyche, because it frequently haunted her.
"Everybody's alone in the end," Grace murmured. "You'd get through it, and you'd have a great memory of him after it was over."
"I don't want a memory . I want a flesh and blood man."
"They don't come any more 'flesh and blood' than him. Go after him! Let him use and pamper you for as long as you can persuade him to have you."
"I'm disgusted to admit that I'd like that very much. I must be the gold digger he accuses me of being."
"Hey, there's nothing wrong with reaching out and taking what you want."
"Spoken like a true mercenary."
"I never claimed to be a saint," Grace said, "and I never tried to be. It was always more enjoyable to be a 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
Similar Books
