“I’m sorry I allowed Kevin to come between us. I was wrong to end our friendship before. I didn’t want to listen because I thought I was in love and I didn’t want anyone to talk me out of it, not even you. That’s why I lashed out at you and stopped speaking to you. I didn’t want to face the truth about Kevin. Unfortunately, when I figured things out, it was much too late. I should have listened to you.”
Michael lifted her chin. “Babe, I’ll never hurt you.”
“I know that and when I told you I wasn’t ready, that wasn’t true. I was allowing what happened to me in the past guide me. I shouldn’t be afraid of being with you. I could never find another man that encourages and supports me the way you do. I can trust you, no matter what. You are so important to my life.”
Michael got up from the sofa and picked up his jacket.
“Where are you going?”
“I’ll be right back,” he said, and headed out of the apartment.
He was going to wait until after they’d eaten to give it to her, but he changed his mind, feeling now was as good a time as any. Even though he had no idea how things were going to play out, he needed to do it.
Barely able to catch his breath, Michael lifted Faith and sat her down on the sofa beside him. He got up and retrieved his jacket, rummaging until he found the foil-wrapped box. He knew she loved opening presents, so he’d made sure the jeweler wrapped it for him.
Michael saw Faith bending her body forward, trying to see what he was doing.
“What are you doing?”
“I have something for you,” Michael said, bringing the silver-foil box over to her. “I had this the day I asked you to marry me. Things got out of hand, so I didn’t pull it out. But today I want you to have it.”
He watched Faith’s eyes widen once she noticed the box he held in his hand.
She pointed to it. “Is that for me?”
He heard the excitement in her voice and the change in her body language. She sat straight up on the couch, gathering her robe together tighter. He could tell that move was her nerves.
Michael handed her the small, exquisitely wrapped package, and laughed when she snatched it from him. She was anxious to open it and see what was inside.
Faith tore the foil wrapper off the box, exposing a blue-velvet square. She looked up at him again.
“Go on, babe, open it.”
Michael watched as Faith slowly lifted the lid on the box and there, nestled on a bed of blue velvet, was the two-and-a-half-carat solitaire-with-a-wrap ring. The center stone was surrounded by a series of baguettes.
Michael got down on one knee. “Whenever you’re ready to put it on, I’m ready to marry you because I want you to be Mrs. Michael Montgomery.”
With tears in her eyes, Faith stared quietly at the ring, which she still kept in the box.
Michael tried not to read anything negative in her silence, but wondered if he should get up from the floor. He didn’t want to make her think he was rushing her after he’d promised that he wouldn’t.
When Michael stood up, Faith grabbed his hand. “Wait,” she said, guiding him to the sofa.
Michael sat down next to her and Faith scooted closer, removing the ring from its cushion and then handing it to him. “Will you put it on for me?”
Michael’s eyes widened in surprise because he had been sure she was going to turn him down again. He concentrated on the sparkle in her eyes as he gazed into them, trying to read her thoughts. “Are you saying yes?”
He witnessed a tear escape, running down her rosy cheek.
Faith tried to quickly wipe it away.
“Yes, yes, yes, I’ll marry you,” she said with such emotion as she held out her left hand.
Michael slid the ring on her finger, watching it glisten under the light. “Faith Denise McClendon, you will be mine forever?”
“Yes, I will be yours forever.”
“I can’t wait to say that in front of everybody.”
“Me neither,” she said before giving him a soul-stirring kiss.
He broke the kiss, then pressed one to her temple, then her eyes, nose and again her mouth. Pulling her closer, Michael eased Faith down, with her back resting on the soft sofa. He stretched out, as best he could, beside her on the narrow piece of furniture, with his eyes closed as he hugged her. His mouth sought hers for mere seconds before he broke the kiss.
Staring at the folds of Faith’s robe, Michael then gazed into her eyes as he pulled at the tie holding the two sides together. “I’ve wanted to see what you have on under here since I got back.”
Michael’s eyes darkened with a lusty look as he revealed her skimpy white-lace camisole. His stare went from the barely there piece of fabric to her eyes. “Baby, what is this? Are you trying to drive me crazy?” He could feel his body harden.
Happiness flowed through his heart with supreme delight. He had been blessed with the woman of his dreams. They would finally be one, sharing their hopes, dreams and lives.
Faith wanted this, needed this, especially tonight, for she was finally putting her past behind her. She could live a good life with Michael, a person she could trust.
She would just enjoy making love to her now fiancé tonight, and many more nights to come. She was looking forward to planning her wedding.
The next morning Faith awakened to breakfast in bed. She and Michael had spent most of the night making love, first on the couch, then in her bed. She stretched like a cat, sated and satisfied, as she looked down at the sausage-and-vegetable omelet Michael had prepared.
“Babe, thanks so much for breakfast.” Faith looked over at the clock. “I’m going to get up so I can get to the shop a little early.” She cut into the omelet. “I meant to call your mother last night and tell her that she didn’t need to come in today. Yesterday might have been too much for her.”
Michael sat down at the end of the bed. “I’m sure that if she was overwhelmed, she would have told you last night.”
“You’re right. Do you think it will be crowded again today?” She wouldn’t have as much help as she did for the grand opening. She hadn’t found the right people to assist her during the day, so it would be just her and Margaret.
“How do you feel about having a dinner party to celebrate our engagement?” she asked Michael.
“When and where would we have it?”
“I was thinking Sunday night and we could go to Shaw’s Crab House. It’s one of my favorite places, outside of Gibsons.”
“Sure, I’m all for it,” Michael said.
Faith looked over at him and he didn’t have a plate or tray. “Where’s your food?”
“I made this meal especially for you. I want you to enjoy it,” he said, getting up from the bed. “I’m going to clean up the mess I made and leave so I can get home, shower and to the studio by ten o’clock.”
Faith finished her meal and got up to take her tray to the kitchen and get herself ready for work. The way she felt, nothing could bring her down. She liked flying high.
Later that morning, bumper-to-bumper traffic had Faith glancing at the dashboard every chance she got. She hadn’t gone more than a mile in the last twenty minutes. Frustrated, she pressed a button on the steering wheel, connecting the Bluetooth feature. She wanted to talk to her mother about the plans for her engagement dinner on Sunday evening.
Myra wanted to host a lavish formal engagement affair, but Faith didn’t want a repeat or reminder of her first marriage. She liked the fact that only her immediate family and Michael’s mother would attend the celebratory event.
Traffic had begun moving again once Faith and her mother went over the final details for Sunday’s festivities. A quarter of an hour later she maneuvered up to the front of the shop.
As she shut off the engine, Faith glanced up at the rearview mirror and spied Jennifer sitting in her minivan acr
oss the street. Jennifer had been a no-show at yesterday’s event and Faith knew she had to have a good reason for why she hadn’t come. She got out of her car, at the same time Jennifer got out of the van and walked across the street. The two women embraced each other.
“What happened to you yesterday?” Faith asked.
“I was on my way, but decided to stop at Macy’s because I needed to pick up something for Mariah,” Jennifer explained.
Faith noticed the wind had picked up with the sudden drop in temperature. Zipping up her fur jacket, she then pulled her hat down to cover her ears. “Why didn’t you come afterwards?”
Jennifer looped an arm through Faith’s. “You’re not going to believe who I ran in to.”
Reaching into the pocket of her jacket, Faith took out her keys to the boutique. “Let’s go inside and then you can tell me everything.”
Once inside, she deactivated the security alarm, locked the door again and flicked on several lights at the rear of the shop before turning on the computerized cash register. Faith hadn’t bothered to turn on the OPEN sign.
“Let’s sit back here,” she said, pointing to the love seat in a corner.
They both sat. “So…who did you run in to?”
Jennifer stared at her hands sandwiched between her knees. “My children’s father.”
Faith went completely still. She couldn’t remember the last time her sister had mentioned Micah and Mariah’s dad. A man her sister met while on vacation in the Caribbean. “That must have been awkward,” she said once she recovered her voice.
Jennifer’s head popped up. “I couldn’t believe he was standing there in front of me, holding our daughter.”
Faith covered her mouth with her hand as she reached out with the free one to thread her fingers through Jennifer’s. “Oh my God! Do you think he realized it?”
A wry smile flitted over Jennifer’s mouth. “I have no idea. I took my baby from him, turned and hightailed it out of the store as fast as my feet would take me.”
“Talk about a blast from the past,” Faith whispered.
Jennifer had met her children’s father on an exotic vacation, and when she came back, she found out she was pregnant. She hadn’t seen or heard from the father since then.
Faith studied her sister’s expression. “Are you okay? Did he at least try to stop you?”
Jennifer expelled an audible breath. “I think I heard him calling my name, but I just kept walking until I got to the parking lot. I didn’t bother to look back even once.”
Faith wrapped both arms around her sister’s shoulders as Jennifer reciprocated; they sat in silence, offering and accepting comfort. Faith understood how difficult that situation must have been for Jennifer. She dropped her arms. “What happened next?”
Jennifer stared at Faith. Then her gaze went to Faith’s left hand. “Is this what I think it is?”
Faith couldn’t stop the rush of heat spreading up from her chest to her hairline. She smiled brightly. “Yes. Michael and I are engaged.”
“It’s about time,” Jennifer said, reaching for Faith’s hand as she admired the sparkling piece of jewelry.
Letting go of Faith’s hand, she pushed to her feet and walked around the shop. “The boutique looks fabulous.” She paused to look at the tabletop jewelry display next to the register.
Faith smiled. “Thanks. Everything turned out perfectly yesterday.”
She knew Jennifer’s comments, although sincere, indicated she didn’t want to talk about the incident with her children’s father anymore. Her run-in with him probably had affected her more than she was willing to admit. As far as Faith was concerned, there wasn’t anything left for her to talk about. Drawing from her own experience, she knew Jennifer would have to face that situation one day. And it may be coming sooner rather than later.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
For most of the morning Faith had a steady stream of customers.
She was excited about a custom-gown order that she took for Jordane, one of her models from the opening. Her mother ordered her the dress she’d modeled, but with a longer skirt. She expressed how much it flattered Jordane’s figure since she was more of a plus-sized girl. The scoop-neck- and cap-sleeve-styled dress was very age appropriate, not revealing too much. They ordered it in white satin with a tiny royal-blue bow around the empire bodice.
Faith had just completed the measurements and was restocking the accessories wall when she heard the door chime, but she didn’t turn around. She heard the person’s footsteps hit heavily on the tiled floor.
“I could use some help over here,” the person said with a loud voice.
Faith’s eyes grew as big as saucers. Her body stiffened and a little quiver tightened her belly. She knew whom that deep, dark masculine voice belonged to, but figured she might have been hearing things. Why would her ex-husband be in her shop? How did he even know where to find her? Had someone been following her all this time at his request? If so, why?
All those questions swarmed her mind, so much so that she still hadn’t moved from where she was standing. She knew she needed to turn around, but when she did, she hoped against hope that it wasn’t him, just someone who sounded like him.
“Well, are you going to help me?”
Faith slowly turned around, thinking that everything would be fine. She swallowed twice, trusting that the uneasiness she felt in her belly didn’t show in her voice.
“What are you doing here, Kevin?”
Kevin Harrington was a tall, attractive brown-skinned man with dark hair that he wore close to his head, and his lips were framed with a neatly thin mustache. Exuding power and wealth, he was impeccably dressed in a dark tailored suit, the jacket hugging his broad shoulders. He commanded attention in a conceited manner everywhere he went.
Faith didn’t want to look him in the eye, but she had to prove that he didn’t intimidate her. He’d heard her question the first time, but since he’d chosen to ignore her, she said it again, “Kevin, I’ll ask you again—what are you doing here?”
She finally tilted her head upward and her gaze met his greenish-gray eyes. She remembered a long time ago, when she’d looked into those eyes she was always fascinated by their sparkle and determination, but today all she saw was evil. She wanted that evil person out of her boutique, and fast, because he would be nothing but trouble for her.
He liked to play mind games, but Faith was sick of them and him. “How did you know I was here?”
Kevin replied with a shrug of the broad shoulders on his six-foot-three-inch frame. He strode slowly around the shop, picking things up haphazardly. “News gets around,” he said, strolling over to the shoe section.
He lifted a black patent-leather strappy shoe, dangling it from his fingertips. “I needed to come see this for myself.” His comment was filled with sarcasm as he let the shoe drop back into its spot on the display.
Faith didn’t appreciate his blatant disrespect. In angry frustration, she raked her hand over her curls, trying to calm down. “If you want to buy Ms. Lady some shoes, you’re in the wrong place. I don’t sell size 14.”
Kevin threw his head back and laughed out loud. “You always had a way with words…that’s what I liked about you.”
He took a couple of steps closer to where she stood near the shoe display and leaned forward, so close she could smell his breath. “Watch your mouth. I do mean watch your mouth,” he repeated through clenched teeth.
Faith wasn’t going to allow him to terrorize her in her own store. She’d gotten rid of him for a reason, and had even left the state when he finally signed the divorce papers after making her wait for a year. She wanted him to stay gone forever.
“Look, Kevin, I’m just trying to move on with my life. If you really want to purchase something, just pick it out and go.” All she wanted was for him to stay the hell away from her. Hadn’t h
e caused enough trouble in her life?
Kevin reached out to her and she dodged him by moving her head. There was no way she wanted that man to ever touch her again.
“Don’t touch me!” she yelled.
A wry smile appeared on his face at her reaction. “Still as beautiful as ever, my Faith.”
Hearing him say “my Faith” made her cringe because when he talked about her to his colleagues it was always “my Faith” this, “my Faith” that. It truly got on her nerves.
Kevin continued to stare at her clothes. Today, she’d worn one of her creations in a sleeveless navy color with a sweetheart neckline, and a crocheted white bolero jacket, paired with navy-blue platform pumps. She’d curled her hair around her face and worn diamond teardrop earrings.
“Why don’t we go to dinner tonight?”
Faith shook her head because she couldn’t believe he had the audacity to ask her to go to dinner with him. He had to have fallen and bumped his head.
Kevin walked around the shop, picking up things, swinging purses on the rack, dragging the dress hangers across the racks, deliberately making noise.
He finally turned and looked at her. “In time, I’m sure you’ll get a more upscale boutique than this.” He turned on his heel and walked toward the door, but stopped midway. “I’ll see you later.”
Faith rushed over to the display window and watched him as he walked to his fancy BMW 7 Series automobile.
Just as the tears stung the back of her eyes, a customer walked into the store. She blinked several times, determined to maintain her composure. She had a business to run. She’d finally gotten rid of the devil, but the question that plagued her was…had he gone for good?
Unfortunately, the day didn’t get any better. When Margaret came in, Faith told her she was going to take a break, but really she needed some air and time to think. It felt like the walls were closing in on her. She just couldn’t seem to get the image of Kevin standing in the middle of her shop, demanding they go out to dinner, out of her mind.
A McClendon Thanksgiving Page 24