The acid in Faith’s words could eat through solid marble.
“When you tell me stories about Thad Baker and Michael Weaver—men who loved their wives, were there for their kids, worked hard in their careers but didn’t leave their families behind while they did it, I struggle to wrap my mind around it. Partly because I’m not sure I believe men like that are real. But if they are, then how can a good God tolerate their violent departures from this earth while scumbags like the guy who donated some genetic material to make me are still cruising through life like some sort of favored child?”
She looked at Luke and a couple of decades worth of pain shimmered behind her lashes. “Can you explain that? If there are good guys, why don’t they get to live out their lives, loving their wives and throwing birthday parties for their kids? Why can’t they live to walk their daughters down the aisle? Why does a guy who doesn’t even care about his wife or his two daughters get to move on and have Wife and Family 2.0, with no repercussions? He is strong, healthy, and has plenty of cash while Thad Baker is in the ground and Michael Weaver is in the morgue. How is that right?”
She set the bottle on the table and dropped her head.
Luke closed his eyes.Lord. A little help?
He opened his eyes, and Faith was staring at him.“I don’t expect an answer. I guess this is my day for outbursts and drama. I should go home and swing by here tomorrow morning.” She hopped off the desk and walked around the table opposite from where Luke stood. “Is eight thirty okay? I’ll bring coffee and a better attitude.”
“Faith. Don’t go.”
She gave him the saddest smile. “It’s okay, Luke. Tomorrow.” She walked out the door, and he could hear her footsteps as she made her way down the quiet hall.
Follow her? Stop her? Let her go?
He ran around the table and raced down the hall. Well, he tried to race down the hall, but it was more like a wounded lope. He caught up to her as she got to the security guard. “Faith, wait.”
She turned. “Luke, I don’t want—”
“I know. And we don’t have to. I just wanted to say thank you.”
Her brow wrinkled. “For what?”
“For staying in the game. For not letting your doubts stop you from believing the best in people.” He paused. “For trusting me with huge issues. I can’t promise you I have all the answers, but I can promise you I’m a safe place to wrestle with the questions.”
She nodded.
“And I like Americanos with heavy cream.”
She smiled then. A real one. “I know. Good night.”
He let her go then. But he didn’t leave the foyer until the security guard had checked under her car and her headlights had disappeared from the parking lot. And he prayed the whole way back to the conference room.
Faith Malone was a hot mess.
And he was about to get burned.
17
LUKE HAD RETURNEDto the hotel for the evening and hung out with Zane and Tessa. Faith had insisted on staying in her own home, either because she was confident she wasn’t in danger or because she couldn’t bear to be around other people so much that it was a risk she was willing to take.
He and Zane had been ready for bed by ten and Tessa had hassled them about being old, even though she was older than both of them. He didn’t care. The sleep had been restorative, both to his body and mind, and he woke up the most clearheaded he had felt since Monday.
Tessa gave him and Zane a ride to the office around seven thirty, and they all gathered in Jacob’s office.
Jacob glared at Zane. “What are you doing here?”
“Where else am I supposed to be?” Zane shot back. “My house is a pile of ash. My bed. My pillow. My car. All gone.”
Jacob’s glare lost some of its ferocity. “I meant you don’t have to be here. I’m sure there are things to do about your house.”
“You’d think that, but no. My house is still a crime scene. My insurance agent is on it. Luke’s offered to let me hang with himuntil I find a new place. Tessa helped me order a bunch of clothes online, and we had it all shipped here.”
“You needed help ordering clothes?” Luke couldn’t resist the jab.
“No. I didn’t.” Zane didn’t add “idiot,” but his tone suggested it. “But Tess nearly lost her mind when I tried to order some khakis from the wrong store without using any discounts or coupons.”
