Page 31 of Betting on the Bad Boy
“Good. Then maybe you want to catch a movie with me later?”
“Come on, Murph. I told you, I don’t date.”
He looked down at his feet and kicked at something on the ground. “Can’t blame a guy for trying.”
We’d reached the student center, and I was eager to lose him so I could make a phone call in relative privacy. “Sorry, nothing personal.”
“Yeah, see you around.” Murph turned down another sidewalk. Probably off to harass some unsuspecting grad student. He was a nice guy, and I hated having to turn him down over and over again. But dating wasn’t an option. How many times would I have to say no before he’d finally accept my answer?
CHAPTER 17
Faith
I pulledout my cell phone and hit the speed dial. Mom answered on the second ring.
“Faith, darling. Let me guess. You just found out about the little visit I’ve planned for next month.”
“Mom! You’ve got to cancel. How could you? Nobody here knows you’re my mother. Why can’t we just keep it that way?”
“Sweetie, are you embarrassed by me?”
Usually, Mom waited a few more minutes into the conversation before she played that card. “You know I’m not embarrassed. It’s just that once people find out I’m your daughter they get all weird around me.”
“Religion isn’t weird, honey.”
“Yeah, but they get all preachy and want to hold hands and pray and stuff.”
“It would probably do you some good to hold hands and pray with some of your students and colleagues. Maybe we should hold an informal prayer rally while I’m there. Clem’s trying to branch out with his ministry and reach a younger crowd. He’s launching a new program against the media: movies, books,television. The things they’re promoting now, they’re absolutely immoral.”
“What kind of program?” My heart stalled. That’s just what I needed—Clem taking on the publishing industry. I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep up my writing gig for much longer, not if I wanted to keep my worlds from colliding. But I’d hoped to pay off more of my loans before I had to call it quits.
“He’s talking about going into syndication. Reaching a broader audience and targeting America’s youth. I think your idea of a prayer rally is a great way to get started. We could even kick off at Tempest. That’s a great idea, Faith, I?—”
“Mom, no! No prayer rally. No kick-off on campus. Please! Just having you speak here is going to be bad enough.”
“She is clothed with strength and dignity—” Mom began.
“And she laughs without fear of the future,” I finished. “I know, Mom, Proverbs 31. You’ve been quoting that to me since I was a little girl.”
“Oh, Faith. I miss you. When an opportunity came up to see my baby, how could I say no?”
“I miss you too, Mom.” I twisted a few strands of hair around my finger. “It’ll be good to see you. I’m just not ready for everyone to make the connection yet. Marrying Clem was your choice, not mine. I never wanted to be thrown into the spotlight.”
“I know, dear. It will all work out. I’ll treat you to dinner after my lecture. How does that sound?”
“Sure. Sounds like fun.”
“I’ll have my assistant set it up and call you with the details.”
“Sounds good. Love you, Mom.”
“Love you too, honey. Bye.”
I hung up first. I didn’t begrudge my mother a second chance at happiness. How was she to know it would come in the form of Reverend Clement Kepner? Mom and Dad split up when I wasfive years old. I couldn’t remember much about my father. Mom said he was the love of her life. He left one day, and according to her, he never looked back.
I used to make up stories about him when I was little. He was a photographer for National Geographic and was being held captive by an indigenous tribe in the Amazon. Or he was an award-winning journalist trapped behind enemy lines while reporting on a civil war in Africa. One day he’d ring my doorbell and tell me the thought of a reunion with me was the sole reason he’d been able to survive. I gave up my fantasies when I was about twelve.
When I was sixteen, Mom met Clem. She’d started going to a new church and was always inviting me to go with her. Clem had lost his wife to breast cancer a few years before and they gravitated toward each other like magnets. By the time I left for college, Mom was installed as the new Mrs. Clement Kepner, first lady of the Freebird Evangelical Christian Worship Center.
