Tomorrow's Promise (The Hawks Mountain Series) (13 page)

He shook his head. “Probably not. It’s just weird that the same car is parked here again.” He shrugged. “I’ll do a check on it when I get back to the office.” He stuck the pad back in his shirt pocket and smiled, relieving the tension that had suddenly filled the car. “Better safe than sorry.” Although he’d brushed it off as not important, it bothered Faith that he continued to study the car in the side view mirror after they’d passed it.

AFTER ONLY A week of driving lessons, Cole announced that Faith was ready to take her road test and that he’d made an appointment for her at the DMV in Charleston. He wasn’t sure if he was happy that she’d taken one more step toward her complete independence, or upset that his morning and afternoon meetings with her would come to an end. And did this giant step toward independence mean she wouldn’t need him anymore?

Although he’d tried to stick to his guns about not allowing his attraction to the beautiful young mother to get serious, his heart had other ideas. He’d gone to bed every night eager to see the dawn because it meant he’d soon have time with Faith. He’d gotten up every morning rife with anticipation for the moment when she’d climb into the car with him for the ride to the vet’s clinic.

The more he thought about leaving Carson, Lizzie, and Faith for the job in Atlanta, the more he began to dread the day of his departure. Was he about to make the biggest mistake of his life by leaving? Or was the mistake staying? Aside from the couple of kisses and one night they’d spent together, Faith hadn’t indicated that she wanted their relationship to go any farther. Added to all his other doubts was the gnawing suspicion that his attraction to Faith was based more than anything else on his deep-seated need for a family of his own.

He sorted through that question many times until he came to realize that most of his time was spent with Faith, and that Lizzie was rarely present. Although he adored the little girl, he knew if she hadn’t been there, his feelings for Faith would have been no different.

There was only one other answer for how he felt. He had fallen in love with Faith, probably from the first time he’d laid eyes on her in Doc Amos’s office.

SEVERAL DAYS AFTER her road test on Friday night, Faith opened her mailbox and removed the few items inside: a circular for the latest sale at Keeler’s Market, a flyer advertising a craft fair at the church, and a letter that looked very official from the West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. She glanced up at Cole, who had just completed his daily check of her house before allowing her to go inside. Her fingers tightened on the envelope. Her whole body quivered in anticipation of what was in the piece of mail clutched in her hands

“There’s a letter from the DMV.” She held the envelope out to Cole.

He glanced at the return address. “Well, are you gonna open it?”

Hesitantly, she turned the envelope over and slid her fingernail beneath the corner of the flap. She ran it across, and just before she reached the end, she stopped. So much hinged on this. Independence or continued reliance on Cole for transportation lay inside this envelope.

Her hand shook. “What if I didn’t pass?”

Cole’s large hand enclosed hers and gave it an encouraging squeeze. “You’ll practice some more and then take it again.” He released her and stepped back. “Open it.”

She pulled the flap loose. Slowly, she slipped the paper from the inside and unfolded it. She closed her eyes and said a little prayer, then looked down at the words. For a moment they swam before her eyes. She blinked and brought them into focus.

“Well?” Cole sounded as anxious as she felt.

“I passed,” she said, elation coloring her voice. “I passed.” She flung herself into Cole’s arms.

He picked her up and twirled her around. “Sweetheart, I am so very proud of you.”

He put her back on her feet, and she smiled up at him. “Now, I just have to find a car I can afford. Oh, Cole, thank you. I couldn’t have done it without your help.”

“Worry about a car later. Right now, you should be celebrating.” Cole took her shoulders in his hands and looked down into her eyes. He brushed her hair off her cheek. “And there’s no need to thank me. You’re a very strong woman, and you can stand on your own anytime. You don’t need me to do that.”

Don’t I?

Chapter 13

THE NEXT MORNING, Faith heard a car in the driveway. Lizzie ran to the window, pushed the curtain aside, and grinned. “Co!” she cried pointing out the window. “Co!”

Cole? On Saturday? Faith hurried to the door and swung it open. “Do you have your days mixed up? It’s Saturday. I don’t have to work.”

Grinning broadly, Cole strode up on the porch and through the open door. “I know exactly what day it is.” He scooped Lizzie up off the floor, kissed her soundly on the cheek, and then cradled her against his broad chest. “I have two reasons for being here today. I brought my car for you to use. I’ll use the squad car for now. You can drop me off at my house later today. But before that, I’m taking my two favorite ladies on a picnic to celebrate Mommy passing her driver’s test.” He tickled Lizzie’s tummy, and she giggled. “You want to go on a picnic, sweetie?”

“Go, go, go,” Lizzie chanted and pointed at the front door. Then she squirmed until Cole put her down. When her feet hit the floor, she dashed off to her room and came back moments later carrying Fuzzy. “Go.” She headed for the door, but Cole intercepted her before she could make her getaway.

Faith wasn’t comfortable with this. A picnic just seemed too . . . too intimate. However, if she said no, then Lizzie would go into one of her screaming fits. Faith searched for an excuse to say no and then she’d contend with Lizzie’s disappointment afterwards.

“I’m afraid I don’t have anything in the house for a picnic.” Faith cast a frantic look toward the kitchen. That wasn’t really a lie. Her refrigerator was nearly as bare as the cabinets. She’d planned on going grocery shopping today.

“No problem. I have a basket in the car filled with all kinds of goodies from Terri’s Tearoom. I even stopped by my sister’s and borrowed her Pack ’N Play for this little girl, in case she gets sleepy, and a good supply of red lollipops.” He gave Faith an I’m-not-taking-no-for-an-answer look. “Now, if you grab whatever we need for this little lady, we can go.”

“Go! Go! Go!”

Lizzie’s chanting and Cole’s unwavering stare left Faith with no choice. Her argument obviously fell on deaf ears, and no matter what excuse she could devise, neither of them were about to cry
uncle
. Reluctantly, she gathered the items she’d need for her daughter, stuffed them in a diaper bag, and then looked at Cole. “Let’s go.”

A SHORT TIME later, Cole stopped the car in a place Faith hadn’t seen since she was a teenager—Honeymoon Falls, aptly named by Josephine and Earl Hawks after they’d spent their wedding night there years ago. Faith had always loved the falls. It had been her place to escape her mother’s strict rules, a place to meet friends and be herself. But even when she had come here alone, it had brought her peace and contentment, a place to dream of a better life far from Carson and her mother.

Faith got Lizzie out of her car seat while Cole unloaded a blanket and the Pack ’N Play. After spreading the blanket, he set up the portable playpen and placed Lizzie and her pal Fuzzy in it. When she pushed out her bottom lip in preparation for a protest, he chucked her under the chin and kissed her cheek.

“Sorry, sweetie, but it’s way too dangerous for you to be running around here loose. If you just wait a bit, we’ll have lunch ready, and we’ll get you out of there. Then later on, your mom and I will take you for a swim.”

To Faith’s amazement, the pouty lip disappeared, and Lizzie’s adoring smile blossomed in its stead. The man definitely had a way with the female sex. But then, Faith already knew that. As hard as she’d tried not to let it happen, she’d gotten caught up in Cole’s net of charm, generosity, thoughtfulness, and compassion. However, that didn’t mean he had to know that she was as vulnerable to him as any other woman. Nor did it mean she would give in to another night of lovemaking. It had taken most of her life, but she’d finally begun learning from her mistakes, and one of the things she’d learned that was foremost in her mind was no matter how charming he came across, don’t jump blindly into a relationship.

Not being able to find someone special brought a wrenching sadness to Faith’s soul. She’d always dreamed of having a family and living the happily-ever-after dream that every woman wanted. However, it didn’t seem to be in her destiny. Cole had come closer than anyone else in a long time . . . then he’d deceived her when he’d deliberately lied about needing a housekeeper. His deception had been a small thing, but when you’ve lived a life of being let down and believing lies, a small deception could seem to be the size of Hawks Mountain.

Lizzie laughed and roused Faith from her dismal memories. It was a beautiful day in one of her most cherished places in the world, and they were celebrating another big step toward her independence. She should be enjoying it, not raking up the heartbreaks of her life.

By the time she’d pulled herself from her thoughts, Cole had started to unload the goodies from the wicker basket he’d gotten out of the trunk of the car. As she watched, she was once more reminded of his thoughtfulness. He’d remembered from their many conversations while she was learning to drive that her favorite foods were fried chicken and coleslaw. She’d been lucky if Sloan recalled her name, let alone what she preferred to eat.

Lord but it made her sound so stupid to have remained with such a thoughtless, self-centered man. But she knew why she’d done it . . . fear of being on her own. When Lizzie came along, the fear intensified. With her daughter’s birth, Faith had another life to be responsible for. But when Sloan was no longer in the picture, she’d been left with no choice. Now, since she’d come back to Carson, she knew that she could make it.

“Okay, sweetie.” Cole lifted Lizzie from the playpen and seated her between them on the blanket. “Here ya go.” He set a paper plate with small pieces of chicken, a few chips, and several carrot sticks in front of her. “Dig in.”

Lizzie didn’t need a second invitation. She immediately began shoving food in her mouth.

Her mother watched in amazement. “She never eats for me without a lot of coaxing. I should keep you around all the time.” The second the words passed her lips, Faith realized how they sounded.

“Is that an invitation?” Cole smiled. From his smug grin, she had a feeling he was enjoying watching her squirm for a bit before he took pity on her and changed the subject. “Want some chicken?”

She eyed him suspiciously, then took the plate he held out, picked up a chicken leg and began eating it without looking at him. She chewed for a while, swallowed, and then looked around. “I always loved this place. I’d forgotten how beautiful and peaceful it is here.”

“You’ve been here before?”

She laughed. “This wasn’t just for your older group. It was a favorite place for my crowd to come when I was in high school. If my mother had known how many times I sneaked out of my bedroom window and came here, she would have grounded me for life.”

Faith gazed off toward the falls, recalling how strict her mother had been about her daughter enjoying the life of a teenager. Maybe, if Celia Chambers had been a little more flexible, Faith’s life would have been drastically different. But then she wouldn’t have gotten the greatest gift in the world—Lizzie. She glanced at her daughter and smiled.

“I take it you and your mother didn’t get along.”

This time, Faith’s laughter came out stiff and forced. “You could say that. If it didn’t say it was permissible in black and white in her Bible, it was a sin. That tends to put a real kink in a teen’s life.” She touched the locket beneath her blouse and tried not to think about her mother’s visit a few days ago.

“Well, your mother’s not here, and we are. We’re supposed to be celebrating, so let’s forget about anything unpleasant and just have a good day.” He smiled. “Deal?”

Faith’s heart did a funny little double-time beat. He always knew how to pull her out of her self-pity. She returned his smile. “Deal.” She took another bite of the chicken. “Cole, did you ever find out who that car belonged to that was parked on my road?” He shrugged. “Nothing suspicious. Just a Georgia tourist. Probably somebody staying at the lodge and doing some local sightseeing.”

“Fower.” Both of them turned toward Lizzie, who had lost interest in the food and gotten to her feet. She pointed at a daisy blooming near a large rock, and made a beeline for it. She grabbed the flower’s head and pulled on it. “Mine fower.”

Cole grinned over Faith’s shoulder at the toddler’s attempt to pick the flower. Then his face went white. “Lizzie!” Before Faith could turn to see what her daughter was doing, Cole vaulted to his feet. Like an Olympic athlete, he jumped over the food and pushed Faith aside.

The terror in his voice stirred cold chills in Faith. She quickly swiveled on the blanket just in time to see Cole thrust Lizzie aside and fall to the ground. Near his foot, something long and brown streaked off into the nearby bushes. She’d lived in these mountains long enough to recognize the hourglass markings and the pale yellow tail of a copperhead. A chill raced down her spine as she recalled hearing about a small boy being bitten by a copperhead and that he had died from the infected bite.

Not Cole! Please, God. Not Cole!

Lizzie ran to Faith and threw herself into her mother’s arms. Faith hugged her close and stared at Cole in frozen terror. He was still lying on the ground clutching his leg and moaning. His audible pain mobilized her. The fear for her daughter, then of the snake, evaporated, and her mind centered on the man writhing on the ground. Quickly, she put Lizzie in the car, and then raced back to Cole.