She shook her head. “It’s a bit cold for me. Go on and get in. Don’t wait for me.” She waved him on into the water.
“Last one in is a rotten egg!” Micah called out as he ran at full-tilt toward the ocean and dove in. Faith let out a scream as Micah’s plunge into the ocean doused her with water. When he resurfaced he sent her a mischievous look then began to swim towards her, kicking his legs and making a big splash. Faith winced as the water drenched her. With a sigh of resignation, she dove into the water, knowing it was only a matter of time before Micah dragged her in. At least this would be on her own terms.
When she surfaced from the water, Micah was swimming right beside her, looking as comfortable in the ocean as a fish. Faith floated on her back and looked up at the brilliant blue sky. It was a gorgeous afternoon with nary a cloud in the sky. It felt like paradise. She felt as carefree as a child as she swam with Micah. No conversation was needed between them. It was enough for Faith to simply frolic in the water like she’d done as a child. Something had shifted in her over the last few weeks. Swimming in the ocean was a metaphor for how she felt—light and almost weightless. If it wasn’t for the drama with her cousin, life would be sheer perfection.
After their dip in the ocean, Faith and Micah laid out on their towels and let the sun dry off their bodies.
“Hungry?” Micah asked, rolling over on to his stomach.
“A bit,” she admitted. “It’s funny how swimming and sunshine always make me hungry.”
“Me too. I’ve got just the place we can head to for lunch.”
Faith touched her swimsuit. It was completely dry. “I brought a sundress but it’s fairly casual.”
“No worries,” Micah said, his tone all-knowing. “This place isn’t fancy, but it’s just right for a day like today.”
Faith helped Micah pack up the chairs and shake out the towels. Once they were all packed up they headed back to the car. Micah drove the scenic route along the beach that lead toward the harbor. These roads were some of Faith’s favorites in Pelican Bay since they offered breathtaking views of the water and some of the most beautiful homes in town. Being in Micah’s convertible allowed them to breathe in the salty sea air and let the wind whip through their hair.
When Micah drove down a small dirt road adjacent to the harbor, Faith felt a complete sense of unfamiliarity. Wherever Micah was taking her to eat, she knew she’d never been to this particular restaurant before. As they reached the end of the road, a small harborside restaurant came into view. The restaurant looked fairly unassuming with a clapboard façade and grey shingles. A big sign above the window read “Tugboats.”
Micah put the car in Park and hopped out, opening her door for her with a flourish. Faith stepped out of the car, sniffing the air around her as delectable odors wafted under her nose. Micah smiled at her and said, “Have you ever smelled anything so wonderful in your life?”
“Honestly, no,” Faith said. “My mouth is watering. Is that garlic shrimp I smell?”
“You have no idea what kind of treat you’re in for. Tugboats has been around since the 1920’s. It’s one of the hidden culinary gems of Pelican Bay.”
“That’s an understatement. I’ve never heard of this place!”
He put a finger to his lips. “Don’t tell Charlie that. Charlie prides herself on being the owner of a world famous seafood joint.”
“Who’s Charlie?” she asked as Micah opened the door for her and ushered her inside.
“That would be me!” A booming voice served as a welcome to Tugboats. Charlie—tall and broad with bright red lipstick, platinum blonde hair and a warm smile—moved forward and enveloped Micah in a warm hug.
“Welcome back, handsome. I missed seeing your gorgeous face around here,” Charlie said, smiling devilishly. She turned toward Faith. “And who do we have here? She must be someone special if you’re bringing her to your old stomping grounds.”
“This is Faith O’Connell,” he said. “Faith, this is Charlie Lincoln, the esteemed owner of Tugboats.”
Charlie sized her up in once glance and Faith couldn’t help but wonder if she’d passed muster. “Any friend of Micah’s is a friend of mine,” Charlie said in a boisterous voice before she pulled Faith against her in a crushing embrace.
Micah’s lips twitched with mirth as he watched their interaction.
“Okay, let her go Charlie before she needs oxygen.”
Charlie let go of her and threw her head back with laughter. “Go on and sit down. There’s a great little spot by the window. You’ll get a great view of the harbor as you eat.”
“Thanks, Charlie. That sounds good. Is it all right with you, Faith?” he asked.
“It sounds perfect,” she said with a nod.
Micah reached for Faith’s hand and he led her to a table with a breathtaking view of the harbor. Micah pulled her chair out for her and she sat down, letting out an admiring breath as she cast her gaze out toward the water. There were pleasure boats sailing across the water, fishing boats heading out to sea as well as people enjoying the lovely spring weather.
“See anything you like?” Micah asked as she perused the menu.
“Too many things,” she said with a chuckle. “This menu is amazing. I love seafood. It’s my weakness.”
“Well this place is one of a kind,” Micah said. “I recommend the shrimp and grits or the fried scallops. But you can’t go wrong.”
Faith leaned across the table, a gesture that felt intimate. “Are you a foodie or something? I feel that our entire relationship has involved food.” She let out a giggle, then stopped. Had she said relationship? Oh goodness. She’d made it sound as if they were dating, when in actuality this was their first official date. She bit her lip. “Not that we’re in a relationship or anything.”
Micah frowned. “We’re not?” He placed his hand over his heart and made a pained face. “You’ve really wounded me.”
Faith found herself laughing again. There was something about Micah that lightened her mood and her outlook. She didn’t feel quite as foolish now for her random comment about their relationship. He had a way of making everything feel as if it was going to be all right. She hadn’t even realized she needed that type of comfort until this very moment.
“Seriously, I do enjoy food. I have to watch it so I don’t overeat. My profession depends on my looking a certain way.” He made a face. “I think having restauranteurs as parents had me hooked on food at an early age. The taste of it, the way certain flavors hit your tongue…it never gets old.”
Just then Charlie came over and personally took their orders. They both ordered lemonades and Faith ordered shrimp and grits while Micah selected the salmon croquettes. Faith could tell the feisty restaurant owner was crazy about Micah just by the way she was looking at him as if he’d hung the moon. “I’m sending over some appetizers on the house. Cajun crab cakes. Enjoy them.”
Once Charlie left their table, Faith took the opportunity to ask Micah a question she’d been thinking about all week.
“So, I’ve been meaning to ask you, have you spoken to Rafferty?”
Micah winced. “No, I haven’t. I figured we both needed some time to cool down.” He shrugged. “The situation feels pretty hopeless. He’s about to marry a woman I don’t like or trust. How do I reconcile that? And he’s dealing with the same issues. He’s in a love with a woman his best friend can’t stand. How are we ever going to sort this out? I’ve prayed about it and actually spoke to our pastor who I’ve known my entire life. There’s no easy solution.”
“He’s your best friend. Shayla said you’ve been best friends for most of your lives. Friendships like that shouldn’t end over something like this.”
Micah fiddled with his fingers. “I want to tell you something, but it’s kind of awkward since Pamela is your cousin.”
Faith sputtered. “Don’t worry about that. As you’ve seen we’re not close. She only asked me to be a bridesmaid so Rafferty wouldn’t wonder about her lack of
family ties. You got a chance to see what she thinks of me.”
Micah reached across the table and squeezed her hand in a comforting gesture. “I’m sorry she treated you like that, Faith. No one deserves that, especially not someone as wonderful as you. A person like Pamela really needs our prayers because there’s something inside her that’s a bit twisted.”
Faith frowned. “Twisted? What do you mean?”
A red-headed waitress came over with their drinks and placed them on the table. “Your crab cakes will be out shortly.” Faith couldn’t help but notice she couldn’t take her eyes off Micah. Faith didn’t hold it against her. Her guy was pretty adorable. Her guy? She was jumping the gun a bit, although it felt nice to pair herself with someone as special as Micah Donahue.
Micah took a swig of his lemonade. “I could be really wrong about this, but I think she came on to me a few times.” He fidgeted with his glass and broke eye contact. “I know I’m not wrong, but it just sounds so ridiculous. She has the best guy in the world as her fiancé. Why would she want me?”
Faith wasn’t even shocked by Micah’s confession. It was classic Pamela. She always wanted what she couldn’t have. And Faith feared she always would.
“You don’t look surprised?” Micah asked.
“I’m not,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone. “When she was in high school Pamela’s favorite game was how to break up all the couples in school. I didn’t have a boyfriend she could snag, but I remember how often she would do it to her friends.” Faith made a tutting sound. “It was as if she enjoyed the challenge of it.” Faith locked gazes with Micah. “Whether you want to admit it or not, you’re a catch, Micah. You’re handsome and well-connected. You have a wonderful family.”
Micah grinned at her. “I could listen to these compliments all day.”
“I’m serious. Even though Rafferty is amazing, Pamela is the type who will never be satisfied with what she has. She’s always going to be looking for the next best thing on the horizon. And trust me, that’s going to be a very sad state of affairs for Rafferty.”
He made a grunting sound. “That’s what I figured. I haven’t mustered the courage to tell Rafferty about her come-ons.”
“I know it will be awkward to say something, but don’t you think it has to be done? They’re not just dating anymore. They’re planning to get married. That’s a lifelong commitment.”
“Faith, the bond between Rafferty and me is tight. I can’t imagine life without him, but I also wonder if he’d believe me. You see how rattled he got the other day. Pamela has him bamboozled in the worst way. He hangs on her every word. He thinks she’s the best thing that ever happened to him.”
“He loves her,” she said in a soft voice. “And that’s powerful. It can blind a person to reality. Love is the strongest force in the universe.”
“So they say,” Micah said, his tone wistful.
“You’ve never been in love?”
“Nope. Not even once. You?” A look of curiosity was etched on his face.
She smiled at him. “Not even once.”
Micah’s expression was suddenly inscrutable. It was impossible for her to figure out what he was thinking.
Just then the waitress returned with their appetizers which allowed Faith an opportunity to recover from Micah’s statement. She was a bit bowled over. He’d never been in love? It was kind of a shocker since he’d dated around quite a bit according to Shayla. Not that she was judging him for it. Faith hadn’t dated much due to her insecurities, so it wasn’t a big surprise that she hadn’t ever fallen in love.
Here they were, as different as night and day, yet they shared something this major in common. As she bit into a crab cake, Faith said a prayer of thanks for this very special moment she was sharing with Micah.
This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad.
“I always knew the moment my boys were falling in love. There was this look of pure joy radiating from their faces, as well as a hint of apprehension. Falling in love is beautiful and scary at the same time. It’s like jumping off a cliff into the ocean.” Penelope Donahue
Chapter Seven
As June arrived, Micah and Faith continued to build their relationship one day at a time. He loved choir practices because it allowed him an opportunity to see Faith in all her glory. Her love of singing radiated like the sun. Micah didn’t mind taking things slowly. For so many of his relationships things had burned out before they’d even gotten started. He’d always had a short attention span for relationships, yet with Faith it was completely different.
She’s different.
Faith grounded him. She motivated him. And even though she had no knowledge of the modeling world, she encouraged him to push past his limits. The day she had accompanied him to his commercial shoot was the day Micah knew he was falling hard for her. She’d insisted on picking him up at his house so he could relax while she drove them to the location for the shoot. Once he got in her car a special green protein smoothie awaited him. No one had ever done that for him before. Most people assumed his job was easy and that he’d been born into the role simply because of his looks. Faith seemed to understand that modeling took expertise, discipline and a bit of talent.
When they arrived at the shoot it was complete bedlam with orders being barked out and dozens of people scurrying around. Faith sat with Micah in his dressing room and played calming music for him from her phone. Micah had never had anyone provide such emotional support to him during a professional gig. It felt nice to be pampered.
When a knock had sounded on his dressing room door, his friend Lorelei had been standing there, with a smile plastered on her stunning face.
Lorelei James was without a doubt one of the most beautiful women in the world. With her red hair, green eyes and porcelain skin, she looked as if she’d walked straight out of a fairytale. There was something otherworldly about her beauty. Some said it was unapproachable. Micah had worked with Lorelei many times in the past, and he knew a bit of her story—the stuff she kept hidden. Her jaw-dropping beauty masked a tragic past and many emotional scars. She was quiet and reserved, which people viewed as snobby and stuck up. In truth, Lorelei didn’t always feel comfortable in her own skin. But that was her story to tell. Micah would never betray her confidence by repeating anything she’d ever told him.
“Faith, this is Lorelei James. She’s shooting the commercial with me today.”
Faith smiled at her warmly and stuck out her hand. Lorelei reached out and shook it. “Hi, Lorelei. I recognize you from some magazines. You take lovely photos.”
“Thank you, Faith. That’s sweet of you to say.” She looked at Micah. “When you work with someone as talented as Micah, it raises your game.”
Micah shook his head and told Faith, “She’s being very modest. Lorelei is the best in the business. And she’s a kind soul as well.”
Lorelei ducked her head. Micah knew Lorelei well enough to know she didn’t take compliments too well. It was what endeared her the most to Micah. She didn’t seem to take her stunning looks too seriously. In the modeling business, it was a rare thing indeed.
“Micah, I just came by to tell you they’ve switched up the dialogue for the commercial,” Lorelei told him.
Micah felt as if he couldn’t breathe for a moment. “W-what are you talking about? They gave us the final script days ago. I’ve been memorizing it ever since.”
Lorelei bit her lip. “I’m sorry, Micah. The director just pulled me aside and told me. I told him I’d pass it on to you as well as the new script.” Lorelei handed Micah the script. “I can practice with you if you want.”
Micah shook his head. He couldn’t believe this was happening to him on such an important day. The pressure was intense. “I’ll need to read it over a few times first. Can we meet up in a bit?”
With his dyslexia it would take him a little while to run over everything for accuracy. He might struggle with some of the words and he wasn’t sure if he had ti
me to get it all straight. Then he would have to go over it a few more times in order to memorize it. Suddenly, he felt beads of sweat pooling on his forehead.
“I’ll come back in a little bit just to check in on you,” Lorelei said, her face showing her compassion.
“Thanks, Lorelei,” he murmured, running a weary hand over his face. He let out a ragged sigh. If he couldn’t figure this all out, the client would replace him in an instant.
As soon as Lorelei exited, Faith moved closer toward him. “Okay, Micah. You don’t need to panic. Let’s do this. We’re going to go over the script and you’re going to rock this commercial.”
“I appreciate your faith in me, but there are no guarantees.”
“There are never any guarantees. And you know that. There’s hard work and perseverance and talent. You have all of that, Micah Donahue.”
“Faith, I can’t pretend that I’m not sick to my stomach about this.” He felt nausea rise up in his throat. He felt embarrassed to be falling apart in front of Faith.
“It’s okay to be scared, Micah. You’re talking to someone who feels fear on a daily basis. I know what it’s like. But what you’ve shown me is to face those fears head-on. I’m going to deliver that message right back to you. You can do this! When I’m scared I pray. I gather strength from the one who sustains me. So let’s join hands and pray about this before we dig in to the script.”
Micah clasped hands with Faith, closed his eyes and bowed his head.
“Lord, please grant Micah favor with this endeavor. May you instill in him the confidence he needs to put his best foot forward and use all of his many strengths to make this commercial a success. Amen.”
“Amen,” he said, raising his head up. “Thank you for praying for me.”
“Of course. Anytime. Prayer is such an important part of my life.”
“I feel kind of selfish asking for God’s favor when there are so many more important issues out there for Him to deal with.”
Tenderly (Seven Brides Seven Brothers Pelican Bay) Page 11