Faye waited for James, she had learned that Officer Palmer's first name was James, to walk around and open her door for her. This was the part of the date that she hated, the goodbye. It was always awkward, and this time it would be doubly so because, to James's credit, he hadn't brought up the house once. She had enjoyed the date even though it had all but been forced upon her. James was sweet and courteous and had taken her to a nice restaurant, and she had even enjoyed the show. She had found herself relaxing so much that she had allowed him to buy her a glass of wine afterward. Of course, she had only had a few sips.
If she hadn't already lost her heart, she might have felt a little hope because the date had gone so well.
"Thank you for a lovely evening James, I had a really nice time," she said as she crossed the brick sidewalk and approached the front gate of the courtyard. He had picked her up via the front door, but she rarely used it.
"So did I." He smiled down at her. "Maybe we could go out again soon," he suggested. Then he stepped forward and pulled her close, looking down at her with a serious expression, and Faye had to fight to keep from giggling. She didn't evade him as he caught her lips in a quick kiss, all she could think of, as she did her best to reciprocate, was that she didn't feel anything.
He broke away and looked down at her with a pleased smile.
"I'd like to go out again," she agreed, "but it might be a challenge to find a time," this was her chance to let him know how things stood, "my brother and sister want to sell the house in the new year, so I'll have to start packing up soon. It's going to make for some busy weekends." She stuck her key into the gate and turned it, preparing to open it.
"I thought this was your house," he said, looking up at it.
Faye could only smile, knowing how the rest of the conversation was going to play out, she had been through it so many times.
"No, it belongs the three of us and they don't want it. It's a shame, it's been in the family for generations." She tried not to let the thought depress her too much.
"You could buy their shares," James suggested with a smile that wasn't as strong as it had been a moment before.
"Not on a nurse's salary." She shook her head. "Any savings I had was eaten up long ago by the maintenance, and there is so much that needs to be done, a new roof, electrical, plumbing, these old houses are beautiful to look at but a nightmare to keep up." Faye gave him her brightest smile. "You'll call soon?" she asked, knowing he wouldn't and ready for the date to be over.
"Sure," he said as he started backing away from her toward his car.
"I look forward to it." She watched as he waved and got in his car, waiting until he pulled away from the curb before she turned and entered the courtyard.
It had gone the way she had expected it to, but it still made her a bit sad that it had played out as it always did. She was halfway to the stairs when she saw Silas walk out of the shadows, his hands were tucked into his pockets and he was looking at her with a very serious expression. All she could think of as she returned his serious look was that he was so handsome.
Faye watched his gaze as it traveled up her body, and she felt it warm her as it did. She had taken some time with her appearance, she was wearing a red sundress that stopped just before her knees and a little black cardigan with black heels and a black purse. She had pinned her hair up into a loose top knot leaving some strands to hang free around her face.
The silence between them was tense and she was sure he could hear her heartbeat across the space between them.
"You look beautiful Faye," he said softly.
"Thank you, Baron DeGraff," she said very formally.
She saw his lip twitch. "Somehow I don't think that you were surprised by the news, or impressed."
"Neither, Andrea let the cat out of the bag when she was here." Although if she was honest she was impressed with the Baron part.
"You two talked about a lot of things in such a short time. I don't suppose you want to tell me everything you talked about?" He took a step towards her.
"Ask Andrea," she suggested, standing her ground even though she wanted to take a step back.
"I did. She wouldn't share either and sounded relieved that you hadn't." He lifted onto the balls of his feet and then relaxed again as if he was about to move quickly, but his hands remained in his pockets.
Faye shrugged and turned to leave. "Did your wife get settled into the hotel alright?" she asked offhandedly over her shoulder.
"Ex-wife and is what you said true?" he asked.
"What I said?" she stopped, turning to face him once more.
"About the house?" his head tilted as he watched her.
"Yes, my brother and sister want the money, not the house." She shrugged. "I've tried to tell them that it's not worth what it once was, especially in its current state, but they don't believe me. Not to mention once all the outstanding bills are paid, there won't be much left."
"What will you do?" he asked.
"I'll rent somewhere, I have a good job and maybe what I get will be enough for a down payment on a little house. Don't worry, I'll give you plenty of advance warning so that you can find another place to stay." She was caught in his gaze, she had broken free a moment earlier, but he had trapped her once again.
"How was your date, he sounded like he was interested in another one." He took another step toward her.
"Were you eavesdropping Dr. DeGraff?" she asked, dropping the baron.
"I was." He cocked his head, watching her.
She had only been teasing and she hadn't expected him to admit it.
"You were?" she asked softly.
"I was, but I couldn't see," he took another step towards her, "did he kiss you, Faye? It sounded like he may have." His gaze dropped to her lips and she licked them in anticipation.
"Yes, he did, are you jealous?" she tried to tease but it came out breathless sounding, almost hopeful.
"I am, Faye, very jealous." He took another step towards her and they were almost touching as she looked up at him.
"You are?" she asked as her gaze traveled to his lips.
"I told you to trust me, Faye," he reminded her.
Her eyes sparked in anger and a flush rose to her cheeks. "Trust you how Silas, trust you to pay your rent on time, trust you not to steal the silver, trust you to be honorable, or..." she couldn't finish the last one, it would reveal too much.
"Or?" he asked, pushing her to answer.
She couldn't do it, she couldn't ask him if he had meant that she could trust him with her heart.
"It doesn't matter, you have Chloe and all your secrets, not to mention an ex-wife that wants a reconciliation. I don't fit into any of that." She turned to leave, knowing what she said was true no matter how much she didn't want it to be.
Before she could take a step away from him, his hand reached out and grabbed her, pulling her close as he looked down into her eyes. His eyes swept every part of her face before landing on her lips, and Faye felt her breath catch before her heart started to pound, and when she could breathe again it felt as if she had just run a race. His eyes dropped to her heaving and flushed chest before his hand came up to rest against the bare skin above her dress's neckline, feeling her racing heart.
He took her hand with his other and placed it on his chest so she could feel his racing heart. "Trust this Faye. I feel it too." Then his lips met hers in a searing kiss. It was nothing like the one she had experienced minutes earlier. It was all-consuming as his arms gathered her close. One of his hands moved up to her hair moving through the precarious strands causing them and their pins to all fall. She wound her arms around his shoulders, pressing tightly against him as she gave a little whimper, wanting to be closer.
His phone buzzed in his pocket and he broke the kiss, resting his forehead against hers, breathing heavily.
"That's Chloe, she's here."
It was like ice water and Faye tried to back away, but he wouldn't let her.
"Please Faye, trust me when I say things are not as they seem and that it's you I want." His tone was urgent. "If I act cold it is because it's necessary." He kissed her hard one more time then stepped away from her, letting his arms fall to his sides.
They stared at each other for a moment before his phone buzzed again. Faye wasn't sure what to think, she wanted to believe him, needed to believe him when he kissed her like that, but if he truly felt like she did then what could possibly be so important that it could keep them apart.
"I'm trying Silas," she said softly, "but it's a lot to ask a girl, especially when what you say and what you do are two very different things. It feels almost as if you're playing with me, and I'm afraid I'm not experienced enough to know what the truth is." She felt her courage rise, if he was playing with her, maybe her honesty would scare him away. "Or do you want me to trust you with my heart?" she asked, finishing her statement from moments earlier.
He closed his eyes as she and sucker punched him and he let out a shaky breath as if he felt relief.
"Trust me with your heart, Faye. I've waited a lifetime to meet a girl like you."
His phone rang again as they looked at each other silently. While Faye's heart felt close to bursting because of his words. She stepped towards him and placed her hand on his chest, feeling his heartbeat which was still erratic and matched her own.
She didn't trust herself to say anything, so she went up on tiptoes and gave him a quick and hard kiss before she turned and slowly walked towards the stairs as if on a cloud. Silas followed behind her and opened the back gate to find Chloe waiting on the other side.
"Sorry Chloe," he said without a trace of anything other than politeness. "Miss Brantley was just filling me in on her date." He stood aside as Faye reached the top of the steps and Chloe looked up and saw her as she opened her door.
"Was that tonight?" she asked with excitement.
"Yes, it was, he was very nice, and the show we saw was fun," Faye said with a smile.
"And it looks as if you had a decent goodnight kiss!" Chloe crowed as she looked at her friend.
Faye reached up and felt her mussed hair and looked at her reflection in the window of the door to see her flushed cheeks, thankful she hadn't been wearing lipstick.
She didn't look at Silas because she didn't want to give the truth away. "Ummmm, yes," she agreed as she opened her door.
"You can fill me and Lia in tomorrow!" she insisted from the bottom of the steps.
"Sure, goodnight Dr. DeGraff, goodnight Chloe."
Then she shut the door on them, her heart full of hope but her mind full of doubt since he was about to spend the evening with Chloe and she still didn't know why. She wondered if Chloe would hear all about the ex-Baroness DeGraff.