92 Pacific Boulevard - Debbie Macomber [114]
His daughter didn’t hesitate. “Of course. I love Faith.” Then, frowning slightly, Megan said, “She can’t stay with her son?”
“Scott’s kids are on spring break and he took the family to Disneyland.”
“Oh, heavens, you know Faith’s always welcome.”
This would be more than a simple visit. “Is the bed in your spare room made up?”
Megan nodded. “I hope you don’t mind me asking why.”
“I want her safe.”
His daughter, who’d been stirring spaghetti sauce, instantly looked up. “Safe from what?”
Safe from whom was more accurate. “I’m going to spend the night at her house. I have cause to believe the intruder may come back tonight—if it’s the person I think it is.” He’d been giving the pattern of the break-ins a lot of thought. The man he’d become convinced was the intruder had been spotted in town by one of his deputies that afternoon. On at least one other occasion—the day Faith’s tires were slashed—he’d been sighted at the biker bar on the edge of town.
“It’s a long story.”
“I’ve got time.” Her eyes, so like Sandy’s, sparkled with interest.
“Unfortunately, I don’t. I’ll explain everything later, okay?”
From the way she compressed her lips, Troy knew his daughter didn’t like being kept in the dark, but there was nothing he could do about it now.
“Dad, I know you mean well, but I’m pretty sure Faith will insist on staying at her own home. Like I said, she’s welcome at our place, but maybe it makes more sense if you stay there. With her.”
Troy deliberated for a moment and decided Megan was probably right. “I haven’t discussed this with Faith yet.”
“Oh, Daddy, you should know better. No woman likes a man making decisions for her. Faith has a mind of her own.” She shook her head. “I’m betting she won’t agree to this. If I were her, I wouldn’t.”
He nodded slowly. What his daughter said made sense.
As they headed back into the living room and toward the front door, Troy heard her mutter something else under her breath.
“What?” he asked impatiently.
“Daddy,” she said, “when are you going to ask Faith to marry you?”
“I—”
“You love her, don’t you?”
“Well, yes, and I have every intention of—”
“What are you waiting for?”
Troy grinned. After all these months, his relationship with Faith was finally back on an even keel, and at last there was hope, real hope.
Once again, he acknowledged that Megan was right. He’d be a fool to squander this opportunity. Faith had been his first love, and while he’d loved Sandy with an intensity that couldn’t be equaled, he’d never forgotten Faith. A man didn’t forget his first love.
“Soon,” he said. “I’ll ask her soon.”
“Good.” His daughter hugged him as he left.
Once he got to Faith’s house, Troy suggested she spend the night with Megan, and as his daughter had predicted, she was having none of it.
“I’m not leaving my home, Troy, so save your breath.”
Troy shook his head wryly. “Megan told me as much. But the truth is, you’re more of a distraction than a help.”
“Am I now?” The information appeared to please her.
“I don’t want to put you in danger’s way,” he explained.
“Any more danger than I’ve already been in?”
Troy could only shrug.
“You can spend the night here,” Faith said.
“The two of us, alone together?”
She raised her eyebrows. “Don’t worry about being distracted. I’m not inviting you into my bed.”
He chuckled. “That’s a shame.”
She smiled and looked away. “I can’t say I’m not tempted, though.”
“You’re going to make this impossible,” Troy groaned.
“I won’t, I promise,” she said in a serious voice.
“More’s the pity.”
“You won’t even know I’m here,” Faith told him. “You can settle in and make yourself at home. I’ll go about my nightly routine, which is probably what this…person will be watching for. Agreed?”
Troy nodded. “Agreed.”
“Good.”
Troy leaned forward and kissed her with all the hunger and pent-up frustration that had plagued him since she’d moved back to Cedar Cove.
He couldn’t speak for Faith, but Troy felt that kiss in every single cell. When they broke