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Only as they were rushing out the door did it hit him just how happy he was. It was the feeling of family. He mulled it over all the way to the church, and as he pulled into the parking lot, he figured it out. Family. This feeling of being surrounded by people who loved each other. It was something that had been sorely missing in his and his daughter’s lives.
He just hoped he and J.J. wouldn’t get too used to it.
6
Holden owed Faith a peppermint latte. That much was clear as soon as they walked through the door of the biggest church in Misty Mountain.
Not that there was a doubt in her mind. She knew this town. She had full faith that they’d be the center of attention at the Christmas Eve service.
“Faith, I didn’t know you were home.”
“Who’s this handsome man?”
“Is this the fiancé we’ve been hearing about?”
And those were only the questions from the people immediately surrounding them after they chose a pew toward the back. They didn’t even have to walk up the aisle to draw the attention of those seated in the front three-fourths of the church.
She breathed a sigh of relief when Pastor Murray appeared in front of the congregation. But she only fully relaxed once everyone was absorbed in his words.
“I guess I owe you a latte,” Holden whispered in her ear as they sat down after the second hymn.
She looked over at him with the intention of flashing him a victorious smile. Instead, their eyes met, and her breath caught. Yes, she was attracted to him. That was a given. But was it possible he felt the same?
No, a guy like him would never be interested in an average person like her. He might date a small-town woman, but when it came to marriage, super-successful guys married super-successful women. Or at least women who felt at home at fancy dinners and expensive charity fundraisers.
“Dad,” J.J. said when the service ended and everyone was standing. “Can I go say hi to Mrs. Murray?”
“Of course,” Holden said. “We’ll just go grab some hot chocolate. Meet us in the lobby.”
The lobby was packed, and the line for hot chocolate stretched halfway across the room. That didn’t deter Holden, though. He headed straight for it, and Nic joined him.
“Talk to me,” Charity said once they were alone. “You really fell in love with this guy that quickly?”
She hated lying to my sister, but somehow it didn’t feel like that much of a lie. Faith wasn’t in love with him, but she could see how it could easily happen if she stood even the remotest chance of winning over a guy like him.
“We just clicked,” Faith said. “I can’t explain it beyond that.”
Charity smiled and glanced over at Nic. “I can relate. Obviously, I didn’t just meet Nic for the first time, but we definitely clicked in a way we didn’t as kids in high school.”
Faith shrugged. “There’s something about the life experience that you bring to a relationship when you’re older.”
“I think some call that baggage.” Charity laughed. “Are you sure you’re okay with the other engagement falling through?”
Faith nodded again. She was surprised how easily the lie came, and how much it felt like truth.
“It was never right between us. Deep down, I knew that. He was charming and handsome, and I was over there alone. I think I was just looking for some security.”
Charity’s eyes widened. “It’s a good thing it fell through, then. Can you imagine if you’d ended up married to him and realized all this too late?”
Everything had happened so quickly, Faith hadn’t had time to process it all, but Charity’s words hit home. What if she’d actually married Dan? She would have uprooted her entire life to move over there permanently, only to realize later that he was all wrong for her.
Or, far more likely, what if they’d gotten married, only for him to realize he was in love with his lifelong friend? Faith would’ve had to rush home, tail between her legs, with a failed marriage behind her.
“Yes, I definitely dodged a bullet,” Faith said.
“I hope this means you’re moving back for good,” Charity said. “It would be awesome to have my big sister back. Especially if we could talk Ana into it too.”
Those words brought a tidal wave of emotions. Faith wanted to be here in Misty Mountain. She wanted the comforts of home, being surrounded by people she loved.
