Page 9 of Crazy in Love

“I don’t even know what they mean. I found them in a desk drawer and was just messing around.” Faith set the deck aside. “Why did my mom leave me this place?”

No one had an answer for that.

Tess changed the subject. “How’s your dad?”

“Not great.” Faith sighed. “He barely talks. I do all the grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning while Hope runs amok. I can’t stay there forever, but I can’t leave yet.” Faith had moved back home after the funeral, thinking it would just be a few nights.

“It’s only been a week,” Juliet said. “He’ll get better.”

“I hope so,” Faith said. “I want to get back to normal. Do you know it’s been four months since I’ve been on a date?” How would she find her soul mate if she never met anyone new?

“That is a record for you,” Alex said. “But you’ve had a lot going on.”

“How areyoudoing?” Juliet asked, always the intuitive one.

“Pretty good, considering.” Faith paused. “With so much time to prepare for the inevitable, I made my peace with her dying months ago. I almost feel mourned out. Is that a terrible thing to say?”

“Everyone deals with death differently,” Tess said. “Remember how upset you were when they first gave you the prognosis? It’s like you went through the grief stages then. Before she died.”

“She was in so much pain at the end, I saw her passing as more of a blessing. My dad obviously did not.”

“Time will help,” Alex said. “You’re a dutiful daughter to take such good care of him. And Hope.”

“Poor Hope,” Faith said. “I worry about her. She starts her junior year soon and constantly wants me to take her driving and to the mall for back-to-school shopping. I’m trying to make time for her, but it’s tough with my schedule. You know how brash and cheeky she can be. Now she’s more bitchy than sassy. Like she’s mad at the world.”

“She probablyismad at the world,” Tess said. “Time will help her too.”

Faith prayed that was true.

“Speaking of dear old dad, I better get going. If I don’t feed him, he might not eat.”

“We’ll set another date to talk about revenue enhancement,” Alex said, and the others agreed.

During their discussion, Faith had jotted down the action items that needed attention ASAP. First, she’d quit scheduling salon appointments after noon. That would free up several hours every day for the bookstore. She would schedule an employee meeting to discuss cutbacks and talk to Irene about the management thing. Finally, she would find out who owned the furry freeloader and put the kibosh on that.

The cat had curled up in the big, comfy chair in the corner and fallen asleep.

“I guess one more night won’t matter,” Faith mumbled as she turned out the light. “G’night, Kitty.”

She bid her friends farewell, locked up, and drove to her dad’s house. It was only nine o’clock, but he’d already retired to his room. She hadn’t been home to cook and wondered what he’d done about dinner. A half dozen granola bar wrappers in the trash can solved that mystery. At least he’d eaten something.

When she peeked in on Hope, she was sound asleep. Must have the early shift at the coffee shop tomorrow.

After getting ready for bed, Faith logged into her favorite dating website. It had been months since she’d had a date. It was time to change that.

CHAPTER FOUR

“I’m dying.” Nick groaned.

“No. You’re not,” Tess said.

“Of boredom, yes, I am.”

“Is that why you called me over here? ’Cause you’re bored?”

“Mom is smothering me,” he complained.

“Yes, it must be real tough being waited on hand and foot by the best cook in the world.” She grabbed the half sandwich he’d left on a plate and took a bite.

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