“For now, but we can’t wait too long.”
“Let’s see how that retreat goes,” Voight said and Louis agreed.
* * * *
Faith refused to talk to Candice. She was so upset with her she wasn’t sure she could forgive her. She couldn’t understand why Candice did what she did. It had embarrassed Faith so much that she took the next weekend off and headed to Warriorville to be with her brother, cousin, and friends and help out. As she headed into the small town, the large welcoming sign appeared with the two big soldier statues and the fifty foot American flagpole. It was stunning, and such a grand entrance to the town. It even had a sitting area attached on the backside of the area and a crosswalk. The main part of the town was quaint. Two sides of the street with storefronts, old fashioned in design and very welcoming. The streets were done up in pavers, not blacktop, and were lined with cobblestone along the fancy paved walkways. There were benches to sit at and rest, shaded trees each surrounded by small black metal fencing to protect the trunks and lots of welcoming signs. Parking was in the back of the buildings in parking lots that bordered part of the large park area and man-made lakefront with waterfalls and fish ponds. It was breathtaking. She felt a sense of comfort and relief being here and truly couldn’t wait to see her brother, Toby, and cousin Randal.
As she made her way through town and then past some housing complexes, new construction and even a sports center with fields and gaming stadium, she traveled along the farmland and finally to the large ranch and retreat center. Her brother, cousin, and friends called it Warriors Way, and the name was done up in soldered out metal with the words in the center of a soldered out American flag. Before she even got to the barn where they parked the trucks and where her car would remain for the week, she caught sight of the men living on the ranch and getting things set up for the week-long retreat, as well as Toby and Randal as they headed out of the large house.
She turned off the engine after she parked, and got out. “My God, look at you,” Randal said and he looked her over, smiled then lifted her up into his big strong arms. She felt like crying. Like she was home, and safe and sound and nothing even mattered. She squeezed him tight and then he let her go and her brother smiled wide, picked her up and hugged her next. Then the others came out of the woodwork. Jester, Frank, Corey, and Jim. They all greeted her hello, flirted like crazy and got her brother and cousin mad.
“No hitting on Faith. She’s family and off limits. Let’s get back to work. We have twenty men coming this week, and that means a lot to get ready for,” he said and they ranked on him, calling him a pain in the ass with his orders and rules as they walked away. Randal and Toby laughed.
“I hope you’re ready to cook all week. That’s thirty-plus men, big appetites, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and baking, too,” he said to her.
“You’ll be helping some and I’m sure Aunt Gracy and Aunt May will be helping out a bunch. After all, they will be in the kitchen with me.”
“Yes, they will be, but you’re head chef when you come help out. You know everyone loves your cooking.”
“You are just buttering me up. Thirty plus men to feed? Hmmm, I think you’re going to owe me some nice aged bourbon.”
“You got it, honey. Starting tonight,” Randal said and hugged her again. “You look incredible.”
Faith smiled and hugged him right back. Instantly she felt better. This week she would put Cherry Hill and that whole situation with Candice and those men behind her as well as the revelation of her secret exposed to two men she had the hots for. Never going to happen now. Now Louis and Voight like other men would be after popping her cherry, not winning her heart.
* * * *
“This isn’t so bad, is it?” Hunt asked Worin as they all gathered around the outside of the cottages at Warriors Way.
“So far it isn’t bad. I was afraid they were going to make us sit by a fire and spill our guts out.” Hunt chuckled and so did a few guys who stood next to them.
“We thought the same thing. Weren’t looking forward to coming here, but our commander suggested it,” the other guy said to them.
“I’m Hunt and this is Worin,” Hunt introduced them.
“I’m Mike and this is Clay.” They shook hands and then decided what to do next. They had three options to choose from as the day went on. Another hour and lunch time.
“I have to say the food is awesome. I’ve never tasted anything so good. Kind of reminds me of my grandmother’s cooking,” Hunt said, making conversation.
“There ain’t no grandma in that back kitchen, I can tell you guys that much,” Mike said and winked at Clay.
“No way, it’s a sexy, good looking blonde. She was sweet as could be when I asked for thirds,” Clay said and they chuckled. Then the guy, Toby, who knew Charlie, Sheriff Kane’s sister, called out that he was starting the horseback riding trip out to the lake and some fishing. They picked that event to do and said good-bye to Clay and Mike and headed off. Thirty minutes later, Hunt thought it was pretty peaceful just riding off across acres and acres of land, and not having a care in the world. He thought about Louis and Voight and how they had their own ranch set up in Cherry Hill. They would like this place, and it seemed it brought along a lot of guys in need of some recouping after serving. A glance around at a few of the men who chose to come along on this expedition, and two seemed a bit intense. They kept glancing around, as if waiting for someone or something to sneak up on them. He and Worin weren’t that bad, surprisingly, all things considered. Hunt felt uneasy but also felt guilty. Like maybe he got off easy where other soldiers suffered after serving.
He tried clearing his head and his thoughts went to Worin, and the episode he had in town a week ago and another one the night before they got here. He didn’t sleep well in the bunkhouse last night. It was just him and Worin, but they did hear some commotion next door. One of the soldiers was having a hard time. He hoped this helped Worin and maybe even him, too. They both felt so out of sorts and like they had no direction in life. Nothing to look forward to and it was starting to depress him big time.
* * * *
Worin walked through the main doorway to the large house and toward the dining area. Hunt was right behind him and talking to Toby when they heard something crash to the floor and an older woman, Gracy, screamed. It had taken a moment to realize that there was a situation, and Toby went running, and then the blonde was there comforting some guy. When she turned to look over her shoulder Worin realized it was Faith. He stared at her body. The tight jeans, the red T-shirt, her blonde hair pulled back low to her neck and back and then the man just holding on to her. “No. Don’t,” she said firmly to Toby.
“Faith?” Toby questioned.
She shook her head and held the man’s hands. “Come on now, Brian. Come with me.” He shook his head and Toby mumbled something as Aunt Gracy picked up the plate and food that fell onto the floor. Everyone else started to come inside, not knowing what was going on.
“Will Faith be okay?” Hunt asked Toby.
He squinted at him. Eyed him and Worin over.
“You know my sister?” he asked, on the defensive.
“Yes, we do.”
“She’ll be just fine. She knows what she’s doing.”
“You should maybe follow them,” Worin said. Toby looked at him and seemed offended.
“She’s my sister and she’s priority. Why don’t you guys join the others and enjoy lunch,” he said and then walked away. Worin looked at Hunt.
“What is she doing here?”
“I think you got your answer as to how she knew what to do when you had that episode in town,” he replied and Worin scrunched his eyes and headed to the table to grab a plate and some food. All while he worried about Faith’s well-being.
* * * *
“You’re fine now. It wasn’t a big deal,” Faith said to Brian as she sat next to him on the bench outside.
“I lost it. A fucking flashback while I’m grabbing a plate o
f food.”
“No, you heard the metal hit the floor, it reminded you of something, triggered it, these things happen.” He shook his head. He was in his thirties, a nice guy who had come out to the retreat center before. Toby and Randal told her about him. How nice he was but still had these episodes out of nowhere.
“So how do you know my brother Toby and my cousin Randal anyway?” she asked, crossed her legs and leaned back. She was feeling kind of tired from cooking, and it was a gorgeous day out.
“I did basic with Randal. Was in, well, I guess it would be your cousin, too, Eric’s troop for a tour a few years back.” She swallowed hard. She nodded. “I’m sorry. It has to be tough to think about him.”
“It is, but Eric was stubborn as shit and then some. He could have used a place like this,” she said and looked around them.
“He sure could have. Don’t worry about me though. This is my second time here. I’m also seeing a counselor and I even started dating someone so I really want things to work out.”
She smiled. “That’s a good thing. So, are you hungry now? Ready to go back inside?”
“I don’t know about eating with everyone now.”
“There were only two other guys in there when that happened and I know them. They live in a town I come from. They’ll be cool.”
“Okay.”
She smiled and accompanied him back inside. She was trying to process the fact that Hunt and Worin were there, and obviously taking advantage of the retreat. That was a good thing, she was sure, but she wondered if Louis and Voight mentioned what happened at the bar the other night and about her lack of experience. As she thought about that she got pissed off, put that guard of hers up over her heart and faced them. She hadn’t expected the scowl and certainly not Hunt to stand up and ask her if she was okay.
“I’m perfectly fine. Did you need anything? Ready for coffee? It should be ready. I’m going to go check on that,” she said, needing to get away from him fast. She locked gazes with Toby, then Randal, who definitely knew something was up, and of course Aunt Gracy.
“How do you know them? They are very good looking,” Aunt Gracy said to her as she checked the urn of coffee.
“Who?” Aunt May asked.
“They’re just men from Cherry Hill.”
“Well, you look a bit shocked, and I saw you practically running away from the blond,” Aunt Gracy said and then popped a cherry tomato into her mouth.
“No I didn’t.”
They both chuckled. “Interesting isn’t it, and right here where we can witness it,” Gracy said.
“Cut it out, Aunt Gracy. Nothing is going on, and there won’t be anything to witness,” she said to her, and gave her the evil eye before she lifted the urn and carried it out to the long tables they had set up like a buffet.
“Faith, what’s for dinner? This lunch was awesome and I can’t wait to eat. It’s becoming my focus,” Mike said to her.
She laughed. “Country fried chicken, sweet potato pie with pecan topping, some vegetable medley right from the garden, and mashed potatoes in a cheesy garlic sauce,” she told them and they all started cheering. She laughed and one look at Hunt and Worin and they seemed angry.
Toby walked over to her and hugged her shoulders. “You did good with Brian. You have a knack for these things, Faith. You’re always able to stay calm, and say the right things.”
“It’s not a big deal. He just got a little jumpy over the sound of the tray falling,” she replied.
“It could have been worse.”
“It wasn’t, though, so not a big deal. So, are you still planning the outdoor fire tonight?”
“I think so. Are you going to join us or hit the bed early? I know it’s a lot of cooking and cleaning for you to do.”
“I enjoy it. You know I don’t get to cook like this in Cherry Hill. Living alone, I wind up meal prepping.”
“We should talk about this some more. Maybe tonight by the fire? We worry about you, Faith,” Toby said and gently pressed a loose strand of hair away from her cheek.
“There’s no need to worry. I can take care of myself and have been for a while.”
He stared at her and looked unsure. “We’ll talk later.” He headed out with a few of the guys and Worin and Hunt got up to grab coffee. She started to head back into the kitchen when Worin grabbed her hand, stopping her. She froze in place. Nearly gasped at the feel of his large, calloused hand holding hers. She glanced up at him and of course he towered over her.
“You should be careful. Not every soldier will react the way Brian did or that I did to you. You could get hurt,” he whispered and held her gaze. He slid his palm from her wrist to her hip.
She bumped the table. “I was fine, and I knew it would be okay.”
“You didn’t know that with me,” he said to her, still holding her gaze with those deep, dark, brown eyes of his.
“I guess I just reacted that day, Worin. I knew something was up. Knew you were panicking by the way you gripped the truck, and kept your head down. I figured before it got worse, maybe I could help make it better. It worked, so there’s no need to overthink it,” she replied. She went to move but he squeezed her hip gently. She was shocked at the attraction she felt as well as how much she was affected by his touch. Hunt remained just as close and watched her as he kept a hand on the table next to her other hip. They had her caged in, but she wasn’t scared or unsure. She was intimidated though and they knew it.
“Don’t be so willing to step in and help so much, okay? You could get hurt,” Hunt told her.
She swallowed hard from his tone, the way they were both so close to her. When Worin caressed her hip bone with the pad of his thumb, she tightened up. “I appreciate the concern. I need to get back to the kitchen to start on dinner preparation,” she said and glanced that way and saw both her aunts smiling and peeking from the doorway. She pursed her lips.
“You’re a great cook. Everything has been delicious,” Hunt said but as he said the words, he stared at her lips. She was filled with mixed emotions. She damned herself for feeling an attraction to two older men who were only interested in her because she was inexperienced. Louis and Voight must have told them. How embarrassing.
She turned away. “I would head out if I were you. There’s only a few days left and you’ll want to get all the activities in.” She walked away, shooing her aunts as they giggled and then started asking her a thousand questions. She felt embarrassed, and like such a loser. She couldn’t tell her aunts what happened. How her friend blurted out that she was a virgin and their two buddies heard it and now they wanted action. She shook her head and submerged the tears. She had no good luck when it came to men. They all seemed to be the same. After a piece of ass, or in this case, a virgin to use. Thinking of having sex with them didn’t shock her as much as her willingness to get it over with. Would it be so bad to lose it with such hot, older men? She shook her head. She was losing her mind. Candice made her feel like such a prude, and a turn off to guys. She was still feeling angry with her. She hoped that Candice didn’t go out with those guys Lance and Benny. She could get herself into some serious trouble. Hopefully she heeded Faith’s advice and took her time. Faith had a lot to think about.
Chapter 3
“What do you mean, a break-in? Was anyone hurt?” Hunt asked Louis over the phone. He was standing outside on the porch at the ranch, looking out toward the fire they had all worked on building as they bullshitted about their careers in the military. Surprisingly it had turned into a pretty good conversation where they shared their fears and the difficulties transitioning back to regular activities. He watched Worin as he stood by Faith and Toby talking.
“We told the Sheriff that Faith was at her brother’s and cousin’s place where you were doing the retreat. Apparently he was concerned because another young woman living alone had been home when someone attempted to break into the back bedroom. She didn’t see anything, but of course everyone is on high alert.”
&nb
sp; “We need to talk to Faith. Make her aware before she heads back.”
“When is she heading back?” Louis asked.
“Not until Thursday when she starts work at Harper’s.”
“Damn, well, I’m sure she’ll hear from her friends besides the Sheriff. Everyone is talking about this. Kane is working with Titus and coming up with extra patrols. They have no leads.”
“Well, we’ll tell Faith about it so she knows when she goes home to take precautions,” he told him. They talked a few more minutes before Hunt ended the call. He walked over toward Worin, who had his hand on Faith’s lower back.
“What’s going on? Everything okay?” Worin asked him.
Hunt looked at Faith and then Toby. “That was Louis. He said they’ve had an attempted break-in at a house where a woman lives alone.”
“What?” Worin asked.
“What’s going on?” Toby asked and stood next to his sister, appearing concerned.
Hunt explained what Louis told him. “So you need to take precautions when you get back. Until they find the ones responsible, you’re not to take any unnecessary chances,” Hunt told her.
She swallowed hard.
“Another reason why you should move back here, Faith. There isn’t anything for you there. Warriorville, this place, can use someone like you who cares. Plus Randal and I can watch over you and protect you.”
“Toby, don’t. If I decide to move, it isn’t going to be because of the fear of some break-ins. It would be a big decision,” she said and avoided looking at them.
“You would consider that? Moving out of Cherry Hill?” Worin asked her.
She pursed her lips and gave her brother an annoyed expression.
“She should live out here with us. We worry about her a lot. We could use the help. In fact, as we expand and start trying to build additional cottages, we’re going to be hiring people on to work and maintain things. You know, help run the program,” Toby told them and she smiled.
Have a Little Faith Page 3