Page 20 of Bad Habit
“I promise,” Faith said from inside the limo, and then I slid in and closed the door.
Faith was pressed up against the far side of the seat. I decided to sit opposite her, hoping it would make her more comfortable, then knocked on the closed divider to let the driver know we were set.
“Can I offer you a drink?” I gestured toward the limo’s bar between us.
“In the car?” Faith’s shock was clear, then she seemed to check herself. “Oh, yes, please. That would be very nice. Water is fine. I am thirsty.”
“I think we can do better than water.” I removed the cage and quickly loosened the cork of a bottle of bubbly, a vintage Napa Valley Mumm.
Faith jumped when the cork came off, then giggled at herself. “Is that alcoholic?”
“It’s wine. Champagne. Sparkling wine, to be more exact.” I poured her a flute. “Is that a problem?”
Her nose wrinkled for a second. Then she shook her head. “I suppose a little wine wouldn’t hurt.”
She accepted the glass. I poured one for myself and reached my flute toward her. “To tonight.”
She looked puzzled for a second, then raised her glass to meet mine. “To tonight.”
After taking a sip of the wine, she raised her fingers to her lips and smiled. “Goodness. That is bubbly.”
“Do you like it?”
She stared at the liquid, watching the bubbles rise, then took another micro-sip. “It’s very nice. Thank you very much.”
“You’re very welcome.” I leaned back in my seat. She held the glass in two hands on her lap and looked out the window.
“What did you promise the Sister?” I wasn’t sure I wanted to know, but then again, her friend’s encouragement had gotten Faith into the car.
She shook her head, acting as if it had been nothing important, then took another small sip of her wine.
“Okay.” I stretched my arm across the back of the seat. “Keep secrets from me, then.”
She smiled softly. “This date was Sister Henry’s idea, you know.”
“Really?” I wasn’t sure what to make of that. “Since when do nuns arrange dates?”
She took another sip of wine. and her shoulders relaxed from their previous position up near her ears. “It’s a long story.”
“We’ve got time.”
“Where I grew up, it was pretty isolated.”
“Minnesota, right?”
She smiled so warmly the temperature in the limo went up a few degrees. “You remembered.”
“Of course.”
“Anyway, Sister Henry is worried about me entering the convent, taking vows without knowing more about life.”
“That makes sense. You need to be sure.”
“Yes, and also so I can better help the parishioners.”
“Like me?” I grinned. “Is tonight about you helping me?”
“No.” She gave me a scolding look, like she wasn’t quite sure what I meant but guessed it was bad. And I was glad of that, because in spite of my better intentions, my words definitely had a double meaning.
