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“He’s my stepfather. One of many I’ve had.” She shrugged. “There’s no point in liking him. Within another year or two he’ll have found someone new and my mother will become involved with someone else that she’ll likely go on to marry, and he’ll do the same. It’s the way life is.”
Just how many times had Faith’s mother been married?
He would have asked, but the front door flung open and his cousin bounded down the steps, flinging herself at him full force, practically knocking Faith out of his arms.
“Vale!”
Faith squared her shoulders, stood her ground, as if bracing herself for an unpleasant experience. Immediately that unwanted protectiveness came forth in Vale. Did she think his family wouldn’t accept her?
“Meet my cousin Sharon.” He set his cousin on the ground next to him, placed his hand low on Faith’s back. “Don’t mind her antics. She’s been throwing herself at men since she was three.”
Sharon slapped his arm. “Behave. You’ll give your friend the impression I’m wild.”
“You are wild,” he replied, smiling indulgently at the blonde beauty he’d spent most of his youth exploring with, despite being two years older than her. In addition to their Wakefield blue eye color, they’d shared an adventurous spirit.
“Not any more.” She flashed her ring finger in front of his face. A large, multi-faceted diamond twinkled in the sunshine.
“If Steve thinks a rock is going to make you settle down, he’s in for it.”
She grinned. “What makes you think Steve wants me to settle down?”
Vale threw his head back and laughed. “Brave man.”
“Smart, scrumptious man.” Sharon turned to Faith and hugged her as enthusiastically as she’d leapt into Vale’s arms.
He should have known his cousin would make Faith feel welcome. Sharon might be renowned for her outer beauty, but her real beauty came from within.
“It’s so good to meet the woman Vale deems worthy of attending my wedding as his date.” Sharon plopped a kiss on Faith’s pale cheek. “You must be special.”
“I’m more of a friend than date,” she immediately corrected, her posture so perfect the sternest school matron would have applauded.
He stepped forward. “What Faith is trying to say is that we’re co-workers and she doesn’t want anyone to think she’s trying to sleep her way to the top. Particularly me.”
Red splotched her cheeks. Her gaze snapped to his and she outright glared.
Sharon burst out laughing, pulling a stiff Faith into another hug. “Oh, I like her, Vale. She’s not a doormat like most of the women you hang out with. Keep her around, okay?”
Grinning, Vale followed the two women into the house.
He had every intention of keeping Faith around.
Vale’s mother looked more like an older sister than a woman of more than fifty years. Actually, she looked like grown-up Barbie come to life, buzzing in and out of the main living area of the biggest house Faith had ever set foot in.
The Wakefields’ beach home. Their second home. Or would it be their third home as they had a west coast home, too? Hadn’t she read something about an estate on the coast of Italy, too? The whole idea of having multiple homes of this magnitude made Faith’s head spin.
She’d never had a single-unit home, had always lived in an apartment building or college dorm, had always lived in New York. How boring Vale must find her compared to the well-traveled women he usually spent his non-working time with.
But she wasn’t going to let him push her around, or push her into a physical relationship just because she was convenient. Not when her career was at stake. Otherwise she’d be leaping into his arms with just as much exuberance as his cousin had—only Faith’s motives would have been much less pure.
His mother had rushed them inside, thrust drinks into their hands, and directed them to the living room that was double the size of Faith’s entire apartment. Long rectangular windows along every wall boasted panoramic views of the sun going down over the Atlantic. Absolutely breathtaking. Absolutely terrifying. She was so out of her league.
“We’re so glad Vale brought you this weekend, Faith.” His mother leaned in to give her a quick air kiss. Diamonds the size of Texas sparkled on Virginia Wakefield’s manicured fingers. “Be sure to let me know if you need another drink. Or if you forgot anything from home. I always keep extra bare essentials.”
Guilt swam through her at the warm reception Vale’s family greeted her with since she was there under what she considered false pretenses. She’d been so leery of their wealth and figured her lack thereof would be an insurmountable barrier, but they’d been nothing but kind to her from the moment Vale’s exuberant cousin had jumped him.
“I had your luggage put in your room. Faith’s, too.”
“Yes, Mom,” Vale intoned as his mother flitted toward Sharon’s younger sister, Angela.
