Page 93 of Between Hello and Goodbye

Here she is. Basically alone but for Silas.

“And you know, it didn’t bother me for a really long time,” Faith continued. “Or at least I didn’t feel like it bothered me. I’ve been partying it up with Viv and basically acting like my father’s mistresses—taking advantage of men with money, even though I don’t need it. It wasn’t until I met Silas and saw how he was with his husband, Max… I think that’s when things started to shift for me. Hawaii must’ve pushed me over the edge.” She arched a brow. “Or down a trail, which wasn’t very nice if you think about it.”

I smiled. “I get it. I’m the opposite. I never stopped being pissed off at my parents even though it’s been years. I should just fucking let it go but I can’t.”

“You’re always waiting for that alarm to go off,” Faith said quietly. “For me it’s more like a silence. A void. My parents never told me I was disobedient or dumb or made me feel bad about myself. They just didn’t tell me anything. I grew up not knowing what to think so I let other people decide for me because I was pretty, or because I like to have fun, or maybe I was just trying to avoid figuring it all out for myself.” She pretended to shiver dramatically. “Well that was deep. I’m going to need a cocktail after that little psychological breakthrough.”

I laughed and whatever was between us settled down deeper, brought us closer. We had lunch and went back to her place. I kissed her deeply, undressed her slowly, and moved inside her with a kind of reverence I’d never felt for anyone. Our eyes were locked and neither of us could look away, and I wondered just how the fuck I was supposed to leave her.

“I’m so nervous,” Faith said after another shower and another change of clothes. Now she wore black slacks and a white sleeveless blouse. Her hair was piled on her head, showing off the elegant length of her neck that made me lose my mind. Because she was completely allergic to cooking, she ordered food delivery from a gourmet restaurant.

At six o’clock, a knock came at the door. She opened it to a tall blond guy, imposing and reeking of power. I’d seen his kind on Wall Street plenty of times, but Silas Marsh was a cut above. His clothes and hair and the watch on his wrist all screamed real wealth, but it was the way he carried himself that said we were talking billions, not millions.

Billions in drug money.

But the thought couldn’t sink any teeth in me, and I didn’t let it, anyway.

Stepping in behind Silas was another guy, not as tall or built but athletically slim with brown hair and eyes and a wide friendly smile. Where Silas’s expression looked wary and hard (like mine, probably), Max was immediately and instantaneously likable.

Faith kissed them each on the cheek and then moved to lace her arm in mine.

“Asher Mackey, this is Silas Marsh and his husband, Max Kaufman-Marsh.”

“Good to meet you,” Silas said, shaking my hand in a hard grip, his gaze even harder. Sizing me up.

To see if I’m worthy of her.

His loyalty to Faith made him instantly likeable too.

“Nice to meet you, Asher,” Max said nudging his husband aside and shaking my hand firmly but with less of a death grip than Silas. “I hear you were first on the scene when our gal ran into some trouble.”

“Something like that.”

“Asher put me in a helicopter basket and sent me on my way,” Faith said, guiding them to the living area where bottled sparkling water and canapes were arrayed on her coffee table. “It was at the hospital later that he really rescued me.”

She smiled softly at me. Gratefully. As if she weren’t rescuing me right back.

“You’ve definitely got us beat,” Max said, laughing. “Silas and I met at an NA meeting. Not the stuff of romance.”

My head jerked up and Silas met my eye from across the coffee table.

“Oh hush,” Faith said. “Your love story is epic. I’ve always envied it until…” Her gaze darted to me then she smiled brightly. “Who’s hungry?”

Silas was still watching me, and I got the message loud and clear.

You and I should talk.

I nodded in return; the NA comment had me curious as to what curveball was coming next. But he and Max were good people who obviously cared about Faith and were protective of her, all pluses in my book. Dinner flowed with easy conversation and laughs, but when Silas took some plates into the kitchen, I followed after him.

“Hey,” I said, joining him at the sink with dirty dishes.

“Hey. How are you liking Seattle so far? Big change from Kauai, I’d imagine.”

“You could say that,” I said. “But Seattle has its upsides. Or…one upside.”

“Her.”

I nodded. “So you and Max met in NA?”