Fighting Fate

by Louise Clark

  “I thought you’d realized that the computers were Cody Simpson’s responsibility?” Although Ava must be heading home for the evening she had planted herself firmly beside Faith’s chair and had apparently set down roots.

  “I did. I do,” Faith said. She stared at the screen. She’d just spent another half hour getting nowhere. Ava might be annoying and unreasonable, as she was now, hovering within Faith’s comfort zone, but this time she might be right. Computers were Cody’s specialty, so sorting out this glitch was his job. Still, he hadn’t responded to her voicemail and someone had to deal with the problem.

  Ava pulled a chair from one of the other desks. “This wasteful behavior has got to stop, Faith. You’re a valuable member of our team, but you are not using your time effectively trying to do work you know nothing about.”

  Good point, Faith thought. If you tossed in the added stress levels, you had a really good argument. Still, she had one better. “Someone had to repair the computer, Ava. Cody wasn’t at his desk and hasn’t picked up the voicemail I left.”

  “But you haven’t fixed it. What if you made the problem worse? You should have waited for Cody to come down.”

  Ava’s words stung but there was absolutely nothing Faith could say to defend herself. “Ava, I—”

  “I understand Cody asked you to go out with him at the picnic.”

  Faith shot Ava a cautious look. “Where did you hear that?”

  “You refused.”

  “That’s up to me.”

  Ava put her hand on the back of Faith’s. “If the invitation was issued as the beginning of a personal relationship, the decision would, of course, be yours. However, this was a business invitation, wasn’t it, Faith?”

  Faith looked at Ava’s hand where it rested on hers. The gesture should have been comforting, just as Ava’s gentle tone should have been. Neither was. “Look, Ava—”

  “What harm is there in going out with him?”

  Ava sounded so reasonable. How could Faith explain that dinner with Cody Simpson was much more likely to be personal than business related? Ava saw what she wanted, heard what she expected. “Ava, there’s no harm in my refusing to go out with him. I just don’t…”

  “Don’t is a negative word,” Ava said, sitting up and removing her hand so she could wave her forefinger at Faith. “If you think more positively the issues will resolve themselves.”

  Faith had a vision of Cody looking down at her, those blue eyes of his warm with amusement. Her insides melted at the memory. This was all so unfair! She wanted to go out with Cody. If she’d been a normal woman she’d have jumped at the chance to spend time with him.

  The problem was, she wasn’t a normal woman. She was a Beacon. Dates were out of the question. Frustration made her snap, “Great. Tell Cody that. In the meantime, I’m going to head home and leave this problem for him to solve tomorrow.”

  Ava stood when Faith did. Instead of leaving she followed Faith to her office. Her annoyance was clear in her voice as she continued to press her point. “Think about what I’ve said, Faith. Accept his invitation.”

  Faith logged off her computer and locked her desk. “As to that, Ava, I can’t. He asked and I refused.” She threw her purse over her shoulder and headed for the door.

  “Then you must ask him out,” Ava said, hovering beside Faith and getting in her way.

  Her hand on the light switch, Faith stared at Ava. “You want me to invite him out?”

  Ava nodded.

  The main door to the suite slammed. Both women froze.

  Ava frowned. “The cleaners come every other day. This is not one of their scheduled nights.”

  Quiet footsteps sounded in the bullpen. Faith’s heart pounded a fast, heavy beat. Gathering up her courage, she walked out of her office to accost whoever had entered after hours. Ava stayed in her doorway, near her phone, offering support and little else.

  The footsteps neared. A large male form appeared out of the gloom of the interior office lit by little other than the reflected glow from the windows in Faith’s open office.

  Faith’s heart slammed into overdrive. “Who is it?”

  The shadowy form coalesced into a good-looking male in jeans and a t-shirt. “Hi,” Cody Simpson said. “I just picked up your e-mail. Which unit has the problem?”

  Faith felt her knees go weak with relief. “That one,” she said a little shakily. She pointed out the one she’d been working on a few minutes before.

  He frowned. “What’s up?”

  A moment ago he’d sounded all business, but now his voice offered the promise of protection and the warmth of concern. Though Faith had been thinking of ways of carving him up into little pieces a mere half hour before, now she found herself softening as she made haste to reassure him. “It’s late. I didn’t know there was anyone else left in the building.”

  Relaxing, he smiled that sexy little half-smile that darkened the blue of his eyes and made every look a caress. “Neither did I. Usually I’m on my own by this time.” Footsteps dragged his gaze from Faith’s. His eyes iced as he looked over her shoulder. “Hello, Ava.”

  “You gave us quite a start, Cody.” The expression on Ava’s face was decidedly unfriendly.

  Faith was reminded of her sister’s description of the two of them being tyrannosaurs doing battle and she had to resist a very strong urge to scuttle back to the safety of her office.

  The feeling only intensified as Ava hitched her purse higher on her shoulder and shifted the coat more comfortably on her arm. “Remember what we were talking about, Faith. I’d like a report in the morning.” She nodded to both of them, then said good night and marched away, her head tilted in a defiant manner.

  Cody watched her for a minute before he sat down at the ailing computer. “That woman constantly amazes me.” He shook his head. “Okay, remind me what went wrong and any details you can think of.”

  As Faith filled him in on the problem he set to work. She perched on the chair Ava had recently vacated and watched him. She liked the way his thick dark lashes framed those vivid blue eyes, the quiet intensity with which he worked. Her gaze traveled lower. His fingers were blunt, the nails pared short. They moved over the keyboard with the ease of a pianist. She could imagine those hands on her skin, stroking her. The caress would be gentle, but sure, just as his touch on the keyboard was sure. A prickle of heat burned across her skin and she had to look away.

  “Okay, I think I’ve got it,” Cody said.

  He leaned back and stretched. It had taken him ten minutes to solve the problem. Maybe Ava was right. Waiting for Cody to help was a more effective use of the company’s time, even if he didn’t show up until three hours later.

  As he logged off, he said, “Call me tomorrow if there are any more problems.”

  Faith looked at him dubiously. “What’s your schedule look like?”

  He shrugged. “The usual.” Amusement gleamed in his eyes. “Are you trying to tell me diplomatically that you don’t believe that I’ll be around to troubleshoot?”

  She laughed. “Now that you mention it…”

  He rubbed his chin. “Unfortunately, you’re right. I only check my messages from time to time.” He looked at her, then apparently came to a decision. “If you need me and I’m not in my office, try two-oh-seven. That’s where I hang out when I need quiet.”

  “Two-oh-seven.” Two-oh-seven was located on the inside of the building and had no windows. Originally, it had been used as a storage space, then, as NIT grew, it had become a small workspace area for casual staff. Come to think of it, she hadn’t heard of anyone putting a temp in that room in a while. Cody must have taken over the workspace for his own use. She realized that he was giving her the key to his privacy and that he trusted her not to abuse it. “Cody, about the picnic…”

  He leaned back in the chair. “Changed your mind?”

  “Well, you see…” She wanted to say yes, but she knew, for her peace of mind, she should say no. Then there was the
pressure Ava had put on her tonight. She didn’t want to say yes to a date with Cody because Ava had told her she must. She wanted to say yes because he was a thoroughly attractive man. Which was why she had to say no.

  His gaze caught her. It burned into her, hopeful, encouraging. Good sense told her she should retreat and say, no she hadn’t changed her mind. The trouble was, when he smiled at her like that, she couldn’t do it. “Yeah, I have.”

  “Good.” He caught her hand and held it between his. His thumb caressed her palm, sending shivers down her spine. “I’ll pick you up at seven on Friday.”

  Faith almost said sure, fine, any time. She knew she was in deep trouble when a man’s simple touch was enough to make her forget who she was and the spectacular secret she could never tell. Seven was when Uncle Andrew usually showed up. That was just what she needed, to have Uncle Andrew materialize in front of Cody. “No! Friday doesn’t work for me. How about Thursday at seven?”

  Cody flashed her a wicked smile. “All the better. Okay, it’s a date.”

  Thursday came with a flutter of nerves and pleasurable anticipation. Faith wasn’t sure what she expected from the evening. She’d been playing out possibilities in her mind ever since Monday and her ideas fluctuated wildly between co-workers talking politely about work to a flirtatious conversation that led to sexually charged kisses on her doorstep. She figured Ava would definitely go for the polite co-worker scenario and, while part of her liked the security of that image, another part, the part that was turned on by Cody Simpson, much preferred the evening that ended in a hot, passionate kiss.

  She was running late on Thursday afternoon, but she figured she had enough time to shower and change and still be ready before Cody reached her doorstep. Heavens knew why he wanted to pick her up at home, instead of meeting her somewhere after work. Or better yet, working late and going somewhere straight from the office. However, since he was picking her up, she also had to straighten the living room so she could ask him in when he arrived.

  Glancing at her watch as she raced in the door she noted that it was five-forty-five. Still time to manage all the things she had to do and be ready on time. She dumped her purse on the table in the hall, slipped out of her shoes and ran into the living room. She was organizing the week’s newspapers into a pile when a male voice said, “It’s about time! Where the devil have you been?”

  Faith screamed and jumped. The papers went flying, then floated majestically down to land strewn across the living room floor. Her hand clamped to her mouth, she turned.

  She knew whom she’d see. “Uncle Andrew, what are you doing here? It’s only Thursday.”

  Andrew stood with his hands on his hips, temper flaring in his eyes. “George Strand is to come from Boston town for the week’s end so tomorrow evening Mary Elizabeth will have to dance attendance upon her papa, instead of walking out with me. If I am to see her this week it will have to be tonight.”

  Faith looked at the scattered newspapers in some despair. “Yeah, well, okay.” As she began to gather up the sections realization dawned. “You want to use my shower!”

  “Aye, that I do.”

  “Andrew, you can’t! I have a date tonight. I need to use the shower.”

  His gray eyes narrowed. “A date? With a man?”

  “No, with a horse,” Faith said somewhat irritably. She dumped the papers into a magazine basket. “Of course with a man and he’s coming to get me at seven. That’s not much time, so go away.”

  “I will not!”

  “What? You have to!”

  “I do not.”

  Faith stared at Andrew. She was frustrated and very, very worried that he was going to mess up her evening with Cody. “For the love of Pete, Andrew, I have a date! Go away!”

  Andrew shrugged and headed for the stairs. “I’ll be quick, lass, see if I’m not.”

  Groaning, Faith scuttled after him. “Andrew, don’t you dare go up those stairs! I want you to go home. Now!”

  “That I will not do, lass.” He took the stairs two at a time with Faith hurrying after him.

  “I’ll leave!” she shrieked, desperate. “I’ll walk out of this house and go to my mother’s.” Though Chloe’s house was only a few blocks from Faith’s, it was far enough that Andrew would be in deep trouble if Faith did go there. For if Faith stepped out of the house, leaving Andrew behind, he would disappear back into the past, in whatever state of dress—or undress—he happened to be wearing.

  At the top of the staircase he turned slowly. “You would not do that to me, Faith.”

  Faith admitted to herself that he was right, she wouldn’t do that to him, but she raised her chin and said, “Try me.”

  Andrew gritted his teeth and said, “Fifteen minutes is all I need. Fifteen minutes!”

  “You’ve never showered and shaved in less than an hour,” Faith retorted, following him to the bathroom door.

  “That’s because I always stop for a visit with you! Fifteen minutes, Faith. That’s all I ask.”

  He was looking woebegone now, his expression so like that of a hopeful puppy that Faith almost laughed. She managed to keep her expression disapproving though, as she said, “Okay. I’ll finish sorting out the living room and get my outfit ready. But when I knock on the door, Andrew, the bathroom is mine. Understood?”

  He shut the door at the same time as he said, “Aye!”

  Faith headed down to the living room to the sound of running water and Andrew singing.

  It was twenty after six when Andrew sauntered into her bedroom, a towel around his hips. “What did you do with my clothes, then lass?”

  “I put them in the spare bedroom,” Faith said. She’d changed out of the slacks and tailored shirt she’d worn to work and was clad in a dressing gown. “Andrew, don’t take forever to dress. I don’t want you here when Cody arrives.”

  Andrew leaned against the doorjamb making it impossible for Faith to leave her room without brushing past him. “Is that the name of the fellow you’re walking out with tonight?”

  “It is,” Faith said, somewhat impatiently.

  Andrew crossed his arms over his chest. “What’s he like then?”

  “He’s taller than you are and he packs a lethal left hook.” Andrew’s brows climbed up toward his dark hair. “Andrew, I don’t have time to chat. Not tonight. Come back tomorrow and we can compare dates.”

  “I might just do that, Faith my girl,” he said. But he straightened and cleared out of the doorway. Faith dove past him, heading for the shower.

  Twenty minutes later she was putting on her makeup when there was a tap on the bathroom door. “Faith, I’ll be going now. You’d best hurry, though. Your young man is waiting for you in the front parlor.”

  Oh, no! Shock held her immobile. She stared into the mirror, seeing a wild-eyed young woman with pale skin and long blond hair framing her face and spilling over her shoulders. As her eyes grappled with an image she couldn’t comprehend, her mind scurried around like a trapped and very frightened rat.

  Cody Simpson was here, in the living room? Cody had met Andrew? She began to move. If Cody was in the living room he would see Andrew disappear as he stepped back into the past. “Andrew, wait!” she shrieked.

  There was no answer. She flung on her robe and charged out the door. Only to find Andrew lounging against the banister, silently laughing so hard he was holding his sides.

  She stopped in her tracks. “Cody’s not here, is he?”

  Andrew took a deep breath and collected himself. Still he didn’t attempt to talk. He simply nodded agreement.

  He was dressed in his best clothes, all ready for his date with Mary Elizabeth, while Faith was still in her dressing gown, her makeup half-done, her nerves fried, all because of him. Faith made a growling sound in her throat and flew at him. Andrew, his face still alight with mischief, dove down the stairs and into the living room. Faith was close behind him, yelling that she would make him pay for this. He reached his magical spot and—poof!—he was
gone.

  Faith stood for a moment, panting, then the clock on the mantle bonged the quarter hour and she realized with horror that Cody would be here in fifteen minutes and she wasn’t dressed, her hair wasn’t brushed and her makeup needed finishing. She raced back up to the bathroom.

  She had completed her makeup and flung on a green knit dress that accented her dark blond hair when the doorbell rang at precisely seven o’clock. Faith groaned. She still needed to add stockings and do something with her hair.

  She ran down the stairs and jerked open the door. And stared.

  Now she knew why Cody had insisted that he pick her up, rather than have them leave from the office. He was dressed in a suit. A gray suit that fit his long, lean body very nicely indeed. Beneath the tailored jacket was a white shirt and a tie. A tie? If she wasn’t looking at it right now, she’d never have imagined that Cody Simpson would own a tie, let alone wear one. A tie. Who’d believe it?

  “Hi,” he said, his gaze sweeping the length of her.

  Faith swallowed. “Where are my manners? Cody, come on in.” She took a quick, nervous look at the living room. “Into the kitchen. I’m running a bit late. Make yourself at home. I won’t be more than a minute or two.”

  Chapter 10

  She walked with a definite swing to her step. He liked that about her, the way she moved, the way she handled her body. As Cody followed Faith across the hall to the kitchen he watched the sweep of her long blond hair as it cascaded over her shoulders and halfway down her back. He shouldn’t be thinking about running his fingers through that thick golden mass—it was way too soon in the relationship for that—but he couldn’t resist letting his imagination run riot. It was probably the most wicked he’d be all evening.

  She left him in the kitchen to look after himself as she rushed off to finish her prep for the evening. That surprised him. Faith Hamilton had a fearsome reputation at NIT for her organizational skills. If you wanted something sorted out, if you were looking to get something pulled together from nothing in no time at all, you went to Faith. He’d assumed she’d be waiting for him when he arrived tonight, perfectly groomed with not a hair out of place. He certainly hadn’t anticipated a flustered woman eyeing him sideways as if she wasn’t sure what to expect next.