by Deanna Chase
“Faith?” her sister said after the first ring. “Are you okay? Did you talk to her?”
“No. Are you busy?” Faith asked, trying to ignore the nausea terrorizing her gut.
“Not too busy for you. What do you need?”
“Can you come over and just… I don’t know. Hold my hand through this? I thought I could do this on my own, but I’m so nervous I’m ready to vomit.”
“Way to sell it, little sis,” Abby gently teased. “Just what I wanted to do today—hold your hair back while you talk to the mother who ditched us.”
Faith knew she’d meant for the words to be lighthearted, but they’d ended up coming out flat with a tinge of resentment.
“I’m sorry, Faith,” Abby said quickly. “That didn’t come out the way I intended. I’ll be right over. Need me to bring anything? Chocolate? Wine? A voodoo doll?”
Tears stung Faith’s eyes even as she laughed. “Just you. We can walk over to the brewery after.”
“I’m on my way.”
They ended the call, and Faith slumped down in her chair. She put her head down on her desk and tried to think of nothing other than the holiday Chocolate Stout she knew was on tap at the Townsend brewery. She didn’t have any scheduled appointments that afternoon. If she wanted to drown herself in beer, she was free to do so.
There was a knock on the door, followed by Lena’s nervous voice. “Faith? There’s someone asking for you.”
Of course there was. Being a business owner meant there was no time for self-indulgent pity parties. “Coming.” She opened the door to find her receptionist standing there wringing her hands. “What is it, Lena?”
“Are you… um, making staffing changes?” Lena asked.
“Huh?” Faith stared at her in confusion. “No. What made you ask that?”
“So you aren’t hiring?”
Faith frowned. “Not officially. We will need another therapist if business keeps growing, but other than that, I hadn’t planned on it. Not yet.”
Lena let out a long, relieved breath and smiled at Faith. “Good. I dunno what’s going on, but the woman waiting for you in the reception room is going on and on about how she’s going to transform this place and by the time she’s done, you’ll be kissing her feet in gratitude. I thought maybe you were hiring a new front-end manager or something.”
That was the job Faith had promised Lena once they were big enough to warrant a full staff. “Definitely not.” She gave Lena a reassuring smile. “I’m not letting you get out of our agreement that easily. I meant it when I said that was your job as soon as this place is up to speed.”
“Thanks,” Lena said, relief flashing in her dark eyes. “She just seemed so sure of herself, I guess it made me paranoid.”
Faith slipped her arm through Lena’s and said, “Come on. Let’s go see what this is all about.”
“Her name is Vivian,” Lena said. “She came by the other day, remember? But you were uh… too busy with Hunter to meet with her.
“Vivian?” The Vivian? Hunter’s Vivian?
“Yeah, she recently moved here from Las Vegas, I think she said.”
Oh gods. It was Hunter’s Vivian. What was she doing at the spa? Faith was dying of curiosity as she strode through the door to the reception area.
Vivian was dressed in chic black pants, stylish leather boots, and a flowy silk blouse that hung off one shoulder. Her sleek dark hair had been straightened, making her look like a runway model.
Jeez, she’s gorgeous, Faith thought, and she felt a rush of jealousy as she walked over to the woman, her hand out in greeting. “Vivian, hi. What a surprise to see you again.”
Vivian took Faith’s hand in both of hers and said, “Your spa is gorgeous. Congratulations. I understand you just opened this summer.”
Faith dropped Vivian’s hand and nodded. “We did. It’s been a challenge but rewarding nonetheless.”
“No doubt.” She glanced around and focused on the hand-carved pentacle that hung over the gas fireplace. “I can see touches of Hunter all over the place. He drew that piece for the artist to replicate, didn’t he?”
Faith’s mouth dropped open in surprise. It was a representation of the one that hung in the Townsend household, and Hunter had sketched it out for the artist who’d brought it to life. “Yes, he did. How did you know that?”
Her eyes glinted as she leaned in and whispered, “It’s the tree right in the middle. He’s drawn it before. I think it’s a replica of a tree that was in Hunter’s backyard as a kid. He and Craig built a treehouse and then spent much of their adolescent years using it as a hideout from the parental figures.”
Faith stared at it and felt a rush of humble gratitude. It was the same tree that Hunter had used when he’d helped her with her store logo. It made her feel closer to him, special in some way. “Wow, I had no idea.”
“It’s such a Hunter thing to do,” Vivian said with a quiet smile. Then she straightened her shoulders and transformed into a brighter, more animated version of herself as she picked up a bottle of Abby’s handmade lotion and nodded her approval. “Great products on the shelf. Did your sister tell you I’m a sales rep for her now?”
“You are?” Faith asked, surprised. “When did that happen?”
“It’s only been twenty-four hours, and I’ve already secured her a new account in Eureka.”
“Wow, impressive,” Faith said, wondering where this was going.
She didn’t have to wait long to find out. Vivian walked over to the front desk, leaned one elbow on the counter, and said, “If you give me a chance, I can do the same for you.”
Faith frowned. “But we don’t sell products. Not our own products anyway. We sell services.”
“Exactly.” Vivian glanced around. “This place is gorgeous and high-end, but it looks like you could use some more foot traffic.”
Being that it was the middle of the week during that time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, tourism was down in Keating Hollow, which meant the spa was quiet. They’d had a few clients come through in the morning, but that afternoon the place was a ghost town. And Faith had to admit to herself that if December didn’t pick up she was going to have a hard time paying some bills come January.
“We are definitely trying to find ways to build our local clientele,” Faith said.
“Great.” Vivian beamed at her. “That’s where I come in. If you’re willing, I’d like to see what I can do about bringing you clients from Eureka and the other surrounding towns, regulars as well as tourists. Ones that don’t necessarily get to Keating Hollow all the time and either don’t know you’re here or just haven’t tried you out yet. I’d work on commission of course, but it would be a win-win for you since you only pay if I deliver.”
Faith had been fully prepared to turn Vivian down for whatever job she’d been proposing. There just wasn’t room in the budget. But with a commission-based position, she found herself unable to say no. There was no denying that they needed traffic in the spa to keep it open. Faith would be a fool to turn her down.
“How would we know the clients booking with us were a direct result of your marketing efforts?” Faith asked.
“Is that a yes?” Vivian asked, her grin widening.
“I think so. We’ll need to work out some details, like your commission terms and how to make sure you get credit, but at first glance, it sounds like it’s worth a shot.”
“Excellent!” Vivian clapped her hands together. “Should we go into your office and work out the details?”
“Absolutely.” Faith opened the door to the back rooms for Vivian and turned to Lena. “Abby’s on her way. Just send her back when she gets here.”
“No problem, boss,” Lena said, sliding back behind the reception desk. “Hey, sales reps don’t turn into front-end managers, do they?”
Faith barked out a laugh. “Not at A Touch of Magic, they don’t. Don’t worry. With any luck, now that we have Vivian on board, you’ll be moving up sooner than you think.”
Chapter 12
It didn’t take any time at all to hammer out a contract, and just as Vivian was leaving the office, Abby showed up with two steaming mocha lattes from Incantation Café.
“Here,” Abby said, handing her the cup. “Drink this first. It will help.”
“Abby, I don’t think caffeine is going to help calm me down,” Faith said, waving goodbye to Vivian as she took off down the street.
“No, but the brandy will.” Abby winked and nodded toward Vivian. “Did she treat herself to a massage?”
Faith shook her head. “Nope. She’s going to be a sales rep for us and find us clients while she’s out hawking your wares.”
“Really? That’s fantastic.” Abby’s eyes lit up. “She already landed me an impressive account. I think you’re really going to like her.”
Faith already did. She appreciated Vivian’s drive for building her sales business and loved that she was outgoing, a trait Faith felt she herself lacked. The only thing that made her slightly uncomfortable was the way Vivian talked about Hunter. There was admiration and wistfulness in her tone that made Faith sure Vivian had feelings for him. It could be really awkward to date Hunter and work with the woman who might be in love with him.
“Yeah, she seems great,” Faith said and took a long swig of the spiked mocha. The liquid warmed her all the way to her toes. She held up the cup in a mock salute. “This was inspired.”
“You’re welcome,” Abby said, taking a seat in front of the desk. “Okay. Do it. Just rip the Band Aid off. Call her and see what she wants.”
Faith groaned, wishing she’d just tossed the letter without telling anyone. Then she wouldn’t have to deal with this. But she knew deep down she would’ve regretted that decision. She took another sip of her mocha and tapped in her mother’s number. She’d spent so much time staring at the letter she’d memorized it.
The phone started to ring, and panic welled up in Faith’s chest. Her heart hammered against her ribcage, and if Abby hadn’t been there squeezing her hand, she was sure she’d have thrown the phone across the room. Why was she doing this again?
“Hello?” The voice on the other end of the connection was both familiar and foreign. It had been so long since Faith had heard her soft, tinkling voice she was almost sure she’d imagined it. “Hello?” she said again, this time with a faint rasp.
“Mom?” Faith squeaked out. “Is that you?”
Silence.
Faith stared at Abby, barely able to breathe. Maybe her mother had changed her mind and didn’t want to hear from her. Had she sent the letter in a moment of weakness? Did she want—
“Faith?” Gabrielle asked in the faintest whisper. “Faith, baby, is that really you?”
“Yes, Mom. It’s me. I got your letter.” She didn’t know what else to say.
“Oh, goddess.” There were tears in Gabby’s voice, followed by a tiny sob. “You called. I can’t believe you called. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome?” she said, making the words sound more like a question.
Her mother continued to sob quietly while Faith pointed at the phone and mouthed to Abby, She’s crying.
“Good. She should be,” Abby said with more venom than Faith knew she was capable of.
“Is someone there with you, sweetheart?” Gabrielle asked.
“Yes. Abby is here.” She didn’t explain why. As far as she was concerned, their mother didn’t deserve an explanation.
“Oh. I see.” The tears in her voice were gone, but Faith heard her suck in a fortifying breath. “Do Yvette and Noel know I wrote you, too?”
“Yes.”
More silence.
All of Faith’s nervousness fled as anger took over. She clutched the phone so tight she was surprised she didn’t crack the case. Then she blurted, “What do you want from me? Why did you write to me now and not to my sisters?”
“Nothing… I—”
“You must want something. Otherwise you would've just stayed away.” Faith pushed off the desk and started pacing her office. “It’s been over twenty years. What is it? Do you need money? Did you just wake up from a coma? Are you sick?”
Cancer. The word flashed in Faith’s mind, and she clamped her mouth shut, not wanting to know the answer. They already had one parent battling the terrible disease.
“No, no. Nothing like that. I just… I want to see you,” she said, her voice fading out as if the wind were carrying the sound away.
“Why?” It was an honest question. Faith had no idea what she could want now after all these years.
“Because I miss my girls,” she said, the tears thick in her voice again. “I messed up, Faith. I messed up everything. I just want to see you… to see if there is any way you and your sisters can forgive me.”
Tears sprang to Faith’s eyes, not because her heart ached for the mother who’d abandoned them, but because it didn’t. The sound of her tears wasn’t moving at all. They didn’t touch her heart. All she felt was numb.
“Let me talk to her,” Abby said.
Faith nodded and told her mother, “I’m putting Abby on the phone.”
“Abby,” their mother said, the wistfulness unmistakable.
Faith scoffed and thrust the phone into Abby’s hand. She needed air, needed to breathe. The office was too stifling. She had to get out of there.
“Mom?” she heard Abby say.
It was too much. If she didn’t get out of there, she was going to lose it. Without saying a word, Faith tore from the room, slamming the door behind her. She headed outside, needing the cold air to keep her head from exploding.
The minute she burst from the door, the scream came ripping from her lungs, a scream she hadn’t known she’d been holding in. The sound was gut-wrenching, even to her own ears. She bent over and let out twenty years of pain, heartbreak, and confusion.
When the scream finally faded away, she fell to her knees and sobbed.
“Faith?” The low, soothing male voice registered in her consciousness, but she was too far gone to acknowledge him.
She knew Hunter was behind her, one hand on her back, the other gently holding her hand.
“It’s all right, Faith,” he soothed. “Let it out.”
The tears came fast and hard and her body was racked by sobs. “She… left us.”
“Who left you?” He brushed her hair over her shoulder, his movements deliberate and careful.
“Our… mom. She left and… never came back.” She turned and looked at him, her heart raw with pain and pure emotion. “She. Left. Us. Now…” Shaking her head, she squeezed her eyes shut and wanted to scream again. But she knew the only way she’d get through this was to say the words. Say them out loud. Let them go. “She didn’t love us enough to stay. Now she wants to be forgiven, and I—I can’t. I don’t know how.”
His eyes widened. “You heard from your mother?”
She nodded and leaned into him, needing to feel something other than pain.
Hunter’s arms came around her, and he pulled her into his lap. Pressing a rough palm to her cheek, he stared her in the eyes and said, “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. You know that, right?”
“Yes. Intellectually, I know that. But in here,” she pointed to her chest, “my broken-hearted little girl wants her mother.”
With his arms still wrapped tightly around her, he slowly rocked her back and forth as the tears streamed silently down her face. “Want to talk about what happened?”
“When?” She let out a sad bark of laughter. “Then or now?”
“Either. Neither. Whatever you want.” He pressed his lips to her head and gave her a soft kiss.
His tenderness, the way he was making her feel loved and safe, calmed her, and the tears stopped. The contrast of his heat to the chill in the air suddenly made her feel alive and hyperaware of him and the fact she wanted him to touch her everywhere.
Faith cleared her throat, gently pushed away from him, and got to her feet.
Her face started to heat with embarrassment, and she stared past him as she said, “I’m sorry, Hunter. I shouldn’t have screamed like that.” She let out a nervous laugh. “It’s a good thing we didn’t have any clients, right?”
He stood, too, and studied her with a strange look on his face. “Faith, what happened?”
She sighed, resigned to the fact that he needed some sort of explanation. He wouldn’t just let her stroll back into the spa as if nothing had happened. She wouldn’t if she’d witnessed him having a break down. “My mom, whom I haven’t seen or heard from in twenty years or so, sent me a letter and wanted me to contact her. After talking to my dad and my sisters, I decided to call her today. And when she said all she wanted was forgiveness, I couldn’t take it. I basically lost it. Major meltdown.”
“That’s a lot to deal with, your mother disappearing at such a young age,” he said, shoving his hands in his pockets. “What did you say?”
“Nothing. I handed the phone to Abby and came out here to… I don’t know, purge, I guess.”
“Nothing wrong with that,” he said. When she didn’t respond, he added, “It’s not the same, but I lost my mom, too. I was eight.”
“She left?” Faith asked, relieved to be talking about someone else’s experience. She didn’t know how to process her feelings about her mom; she just knew there had been a storm brewing inside of her, and she had to get it out.
“She died… along with my dad. There was snowstorm and a big rig.”
“I’m so sorry,” she said, meaning it. “That must’ve been devastating.” While her mother had just disappeared on them, they’d at least had their dad, who they all swore was the best dad who ever lived. Without him, it was hard to imagine where they’d be now.
“It was.” He gently tugged her across the patio and pulled her down to sit on a bench—a bench that hadn’t been there before.
She glanced around, finally taking in her surroundings. The patio had been laid with large, warm beige tiles, while the fire pit had been constructed of red and orange tiles. He’d also installed a matching curved bench off to the left from where they were now. The design was stunning. The colors fit in perfectly with the redwoods lining the property and were eye-catching all on their own. “Hunter,” she said in a hushed tone. “This is gorgeous. I can’t believe you got this much done already.”