Page 64 of Crazy in Love

They spent the rest of the evening pretending they weren’t together and fighting the urge to touch each other. They’d driven separately, which forced them to say goodbye in a parking lot full of teens.

“See you tomorrow at the festival?” he asked.

“I’ll be there.”

They chanced a stealthy, quick kiss before getting into different cars and leaving. On her way home, she stopped by her dad’s to pick up her things and see if Hope had returned. She hadn’t, but Faith didn’t worry. They’d probably gone for ice cream or something.

Coming in the back door, she caught the lingering scent of onions and garlic. She opened the refrigerator and peeked inside a container of leftovers. He’d cooked chicken!

She tiptoed into the living room and found her dad snoring softly on the couch, a book laid across his chest. When she picked it up, he stirred. “Hey, honey.”

“Hey, Dad. It’s late. Why don’t you head to bed?”

“Oh.” He rubbed his eyes. “I was trying to wait up for Hope but must have fallen asleep. How was the dance?”

“It was fun.” She smiled. “Hope should be home soon and will tell you all about it. I stopped by to grab my stuff, but I think I’ll just crash here. If you don’t mind.”

“Of course I don’t.”

Seconds later, Hope burst in, bubbling with happiness. As she recounted the evening, Faith couldn’t help but notice the gleam in her eye when she talked about Rex. Especially the part where he sacrificed his nose for her reputation.

“Nick broke up the fight just as Rex was about to get the upper hand,” she gushed.

That was a bit of a stretch, but Faith didn’t say so.

She brushed her teeth and climbed into bed, content her family was finally healing. Her dad was moving on, and Hope was finding joy again. That was fantastic news. One less worry for Faith.

Which would be helpful, considering her own emotional trial loomed just over the horizon. She would need the extra headspace to deal with the impending goodbye that she was pretty sure was going to break her heart.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Nick was having all sorts of flashbacks to his youth. First, the homecoming dance last night. And tonight, the Fall Festival. It was an annual event, and as a kid, he’d never missed one. The premise was that it was a welcome to fall, but the locals knew the real reason. It was a celebration the tourists were gone.

Not that they didn’t like them. Tourism kept the town alive. But these few weeks in September were a chance for everyone to catch their breath before the masses flocked back in late October for the famous New England falls. Until then, half the shops in town closed or drastically reduced hours.

Tess had gone to find her friends, and Nick stood alone, people-watching when the sheriff approached.

“Evenin’, Nick,” Sheriff Hayes greeted. “How’s things goin’?”

“I’d say I can’t complain. But I’ve been doin’ a lot of that lately, so that’d make me a liar.”

The old lawman guffawed. “What’s the word on you headin’ back to Boston?”

“Soon. Real soon.” And by “real soon,” he meant tomorrow. He wasn’t broadcasting that information though.

“Any thought of movin’ home and takin’ my spot as sheriff?”

“What? No, that never crossed my mind. No offense.”

“Seein’ you the other day—when you picked up Hope Sullivan—got me thinkin’. I’m goin’ on seventy and am about done with sheriffin’. It’s time for the next generation to step up.”

“You have deputies for that, don’t cha?”

“They don’t know anything but small-town policing. If somethin’ big ever happened, they wouldn’t know what to do. I spent twenty-five years on patrol in Philadelphia before we retired here.”

“Ever need any of that experience?”

“Every once in a while. Look, you don’t gotta decide right this second.” He slapped Nick on the back. “Just plantin’ a bug.”

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