Once they were home, Gus headed for the stairs. “I’m going to take a shower and get the steaks prepared. Meet you in the backyard in thirty?”
“You bet.” She watched him until he disappeared and then knocked on Candy’s door. Taco was waiting excitedly for her.
“You’re early.” Candy wiped chocolate from her face.
“Cassidy took my evening shift.”
Candy handed her the leash. “I just had him outside.”
“Thank you.”
“My pleasure.” The woman smiled widely. “Never thought I’d like a dog so much, but I swear he’s almost human.”
Faith rushed upstairs and had a quick body shower. She slathered lotion over every inch of her body and took some time to add more makeup than she generally wore. Her eyes popped, and her mouth glistened a soft pink. She left her hair down and slipped into a soft, creamy strapless dress that floated around her knees. She’d thrifted it the week before and had been dying to wear it. With one last mist of body spray, she was done. She grabbed a bottle of wine on her way out, and Taco followed her downstairs and out to the backyard.
Gus looked over his shoulder when she walked onto the back deck and whistled when he spied her. “Damn. You’re looking almost as good as these steaks.”
“Almost?” she teased, opening the wine so it could breathe. “Not sure I like that.”
“I won’t know for sure until I taste you.”
She poured a glass of red and walked it over to him. “I hope you’re hungry.”
His dark eyes flashed, and her heart turned over. He leaned down, his breath warm against her neck.
“Fucking starving.” He took the wine and flashed a grin. “We’ll be twenty minutes or so.”
Faith walked on air as she made her way back to the table. She poured herself a glass of wine and wandered back to him. She couldn’t physically stop herself. The need to be close to Gus was that strong.
They shared the details of their day. While Gus’s hadn’t been any different than the one before, Faith told him about the elderly woman who had lunch on her own but asked for a second-place setting. It was the woman’s anniversary, but her husband, the man she said was the love of her life, had passed the year before. She had a glass of champagne, and nibbled onchicken tenders, and asked for a pint of Guinness and cheese and bacon burger, which sat untouched.
“It was the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen.”
Gus set her plate down on the table, and the two of them tucked into their food. It was delicious. The steaks were perfect, the sides tasty, and the company outstanding. Whatever weird vibe she’d felt earlier was gone. Gus was charming and sexy, and she couldn’t wait to get him upstairs.
They finished eating and took Taco for a walk, enjoying the night air and their neighbors. It was funny. Faith had lived the last five years of her life in an exclusive gated community. In that time, she’d only managed to know a few of her neighbors — Jane, the publishing exec who lived beside her parent’s house and the Landers, who lived a few doors down.
In the short time she’d been in Fire Lake, Faith had met many folks who were lovely and genuine, and more importantly, she knew them by name. Not one of whom had made her feel like she didn’t belong.
They waved at Mr. Swarts, who offered them another basket of apples. Faith didn’t have the heart to say no.
“I might have to learn to make a pie,” she said with a chuckle. By the time they got back to the house, it was dark, and the moon had made an appearance. Their routine had become so familiar — so automatic — that she was surprised when Gus didn’t follow Faith into her apartment.
She’d unlocked the door and glanced over her shoulder. “Are you coming in?” That doubt that had plagued her earlier was back.
“Yeah. I just need to grab something first.”
“Okay.” She let herself inside and topped up Taco’s water before lighting a few candles for ambience. She was jittery and felt silly about it, so she opened another bottle of wine and tooka gulp from the bottle before pouring two glasses, which she left on the counter.
She caught sight of herself in the mirror and froze. Who was this woman staring back at her? She was flushed. Her skin glowed, tanned and healthy. Her eyes were huge — luminous. Slowly, she brought her fingers to her face and ran them over her lips before gently touching the erratic pulse at her neck as an unfamiliar feeling washed over her. It was part fear and anticipation, with a little bit of excitement sprinkled in.
There was a knock, and then Gus appeared with a small gift bag in his hand. He cleared his throat, shuffled his feet a bit, and offered it to Faith. “It’s nothing big but I ah . . .” A boyish smile crept over his face. “Well, I got something for you.”
That unfamiliar feeling expanded until it became a big lump at the back of her throat. She accepted the pink and silver bag and gently moved aside the white tissue paper. It was a book. The third in the series she’d started. The one she’d been talking about nonstop.
“Where did you . . .” She had to stop because of the damn lump and took a moment. “It’s sold out.” She looked at him and hoped like hell the tears she felt stinging the corners of her eyes stayed there. She was a mess.Over a book.
“They got another shipment in today.”
