Fated (2 page)

Two

Nick Mancini hammered the last nail into the wall of Faith's Interior Designs, securing the shelving that had somehow dislodged. Normally he'd send one of the guys on his construction crew to handle a fix-it job, but Faith was one of his closest friends, and for her he'd do it himself. Good thing he'd decided to show up early and handle things because he'd discovered the heating unit had broken overnight.

He flexed his cold fingers and rose, tossing his tools into the metal case. Alone at Faith's interior design store, he glanced around, remembering back to this past summer, when he, Kate, and Faith had been working on setting up the store from scratch. He recalled the exact moment he looked up and really saw Kate for the first time. They'd bickered over her not getting him a coffee when she'd brought one for Faith. He'd taken one look into her sparkling green eyes, really focused on her wit, and he was a goner.

That day had set the tone for all future meetings. Sexual tension, intense chemistry, and a yearning neither one of them would admit to. Until he started asking her out in earnest and she'd consistently declined.

Two months had passed since the baseball game when they'd been alone in his car. Since then, she'd been keeping him at arm's length, avoiding being alone with him, and frustrating him to no end. Because beneath the rejections, Nick sensed a longing that matched his own. It wasn't just desire for him either. Nick was attracted to more than her looks. She was smart as well as beautiful, witty, easily distracted, and always late, and definitely interested in him—if the soulful looks she gave him when she thought his attention was elsewhere were any indication.

Yet he couldn't figure out how to break through the wall she'd erected. Or why she'd put up barriers between them.

“Nick! You're here already!” Faith's voice startled him and brought him back to the present and he turned to the front door. “I wanted to fit you in before I got to my first job.”

“You should have told me you were coming so early. I'd have met you,” she chided, her blue eyes flashing as she scolded him.

At one time, one look into those eyes and he'd have sold his soul for this woman, but he'd been young then. In high school when she'd broken up with him, he'd thought his world had ended. When she'd returned a few months ago, he'd stupidly thought to attempt another shot with her, but she wasn't interested and if he'd been honest with himself ahead of time, neither was he. Ego had him seeing if he could tempt her.

Now they were just good friends with a business relationship thrown in on the side. “There was no reason to get you up and out of the house early. I'm the landlord. I have a key,” he said.

“Don't remind me,” a familiar male voice muttered, as Faith's new husband walked in.

“Ethan,” Nick said, sticking his hand out to shake his hand.

Ethan Barron didn't like Nick all that much, and though the feeling had been mutual, Nick was forced to admit to having developed a wary respect for Ethan. Ten years had passed since Ethan's parents died and he'd left his brothers to foster care. He'd recently returned to town, incredibly wealthy and as much of a puzzle as he'd been as a troubled kid.

He was trying to fix things with his siblings, however, and he'd definitely won over Faith. For her sake, Nick was trying to give him a chance.

“Thanks for getting things fixed right away,” Ethan said, shaking Nick's hand.

“Not a problem. The heating company will be here soon. You're their first stop.”

Faith glanced between the two men and beamed, her smile bright.

“What?” Nick asked her.

“You two. Getting along so well.” She tossed her large bag onto her desk and looked at her husband. “Don't you have to drive to Manhattan for a meeting?”

Ethan nodded, his eyes dark and hooded, focused on Nick. “I'll leave when he does.”

Faith rolled her eyes. “And I spoke too soon. Nick isn't interested in anyone but Kate, isn't that right, Nick?”

“Jesus,” Nick muttered. “Is nothing private?”

“In this town or between those two women?” Ethan asked, of Faith and her best friend.

Nick managed a laugh, though he wasn't thrilled to know he'd been their subject of conversation.

“Get used to it,” Ethan said. He stepped up to his wife, slid his hand behind her neck and pulled her in for a long kiss.

One that made Nick uncomfortable for witnessing it but had nothing to do with jealousy. At all. He meant it when he said any old feelings were long gone.

Nick cleared his throat, and Ethan turned his head and glared. “You have some place to be,” Nick reminded Ethan just for the hell of annoying him.

Ethan scowled, kissed Faith once more and started for the door. “You sure you have a ride home?”

She nodded. “Kate's picking me up after school and taking me home. I'll see you tonight.” She placed a hand on his shoulder.

While the newlyweds said their final good-byes and Faith walked Ethan out, Nick's thoughts turned back to Kate and how to get the school teacher to take him more seriously.

“I'm back,” Faith said, breaking into his thoughts, as she returned. “You and Ethan really need to learn to get along.”

“We get along fine.” For two guys who'd never been friends. “Besides, we just like getting under each other's skin. He knows I have no interest in you other than friendship.”

“Men,” she muttered, sitting on the corner of her desk. “So it's all fixed?” She gestured to the wall shelves.

“Yes. Just keep the lighter items on that particular section, just in case,” he said of accessories she stocked for her customers. “Did anything break?”

“Just one piece. I can absorb the loss . . . thanks to you giving me your whole new house to decorate!” Her voice rose in excitement. “I owe you so much. First renting me this space, then hiring me as a decorator. You're a good friend, Nick.”

He shook his head. “Who else would I hire? You know me as well as anyone.”

“Well, if there's anything I can do for you—”

With her words, an idea settled in his brain. “If you mean that, you can put in a good word for me with Kate.”

“You don't think I have?” Faith asked.

“And?”

She sighed, pausing in thought. “Look,” she said at last. “Kate doesn't think you're serious, that you just see her as a challenge.”

“And I think that's a bullshit excuse,” Nick muttered.

Faith grinned. “I agree.” He folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the wall. Suddenly a thought struck him. “There's no one else, is there?” he asked.

Faith shook her head. “Definitely not. If you want my opinion, you need to get Kate alone and see if you can't get her to relax around you a little bit. Use that charm of yours.”

Nick grinned. “I'm glad you think I'm charming, but what does Kate think?”

Faith bit down on her lower lip, a sure sign she wasn't comfortable with the conversation. “Without giving away too much, I know she's interested but she has trust issues.”

He nodded slowly, understanding what Faith was saying. Whatever Kate's hang-ups, he'd help her through them, but he didn't want to hear what they were from Faith anymore than she wanted to reveal her friend's secrets.

“Guess I need to step up my game.” Which meant Kate needed to understand he wasn't giving up.

“She won't be able to resist you when you're determined.” Faith grinned.

Nick didn't remind her that she'd been able to do that very thing. Kate wasn't Faith and Nick was a hell of a lot more invested in the outcome. She'd grown on him to the point where he wanted to know her inside and out. And he refused to let her get away without seeing what could happen between them. He had high hopes for himself and Kate, and he wasn't talking about a short-term fling.

“Are you really willing to help me?” Nick asked Faith. “Because if you are, I have a plan.” One that would either win Kate over or finally put an end to his pursuit.

Because if this didn't work, he was all out of ideas and shit out of luck.

Three

“Do you believe in love at first sight?”

“What?” Surprised by the question, Kate glanced at the teenager she'd just finished tutoring. Tess needed help on an English paper on
Romeo and Juliet
, after which, Kate, Tess, and Faith were supposed to go to the mall for shopping and dinner.

“You heard me. Do you believe in love at first sight?”

Kate glanced at the clock on the classroom wall. “Umm, Faith is waiting for us outside,” Kate reminded Tess.

Tess shrugged. “That's okay. She won't mind. She's used to you being late. She says so all the time.” Tess looked up at Kate from a fringe of light brown hair.

“Nice,” Kate muttered, even though her best friend only spoke the truth.

“So can you answer me?” Tess asked. “Because Ethan says if he were smarter, he'd have known Faith was it for him back when he was in high school. But I can't imagine taking one look at any guy and falling in love. But I hope it's true for Ethan and Faith because they need to stay together.”

Kate glanced at Tess, and her heart softened in understanding. She might not be the tough kid who'd arrived in Serendipity with a chip on her shoulder, but she still possessed a personality roughened by the life she had led before her older half brother had taken her in. Beneath the exterior lived a young girl afraid no one cared enough to stick around, and she was counting on Ethan and Faith and the home they provided.

“You gonna answer me?” Tess asked, nudging Kate in the arm.

“I'll answer you.” As soon as Kate figured out how to reply without disillusioning the teenager further. “I do believe in love at first sight,” she said carefully. “The problem is both people have to feel it for it to work.” Something Kate had never had any luck with. Ever. “As for Ethan and Faith, I promise you they're solid.”

Tess blew out a breath and fiddled with the ragged hem of her tee shirt. “Yeah, since they came back from their honeymoon they're still all lovey-dovey but what about when the sex stuff gets old?”

Kate tried not to choke on her own saliva. “Umm . . . the sex stuff is none of your business and love has to do with a lot more than just . . . umm . . . sex.” Uncomfortable with the subject, she dug into her purse for gum, unwrapping it and popping the mint stick in her mouth. “Want some?” She offered some to the teen.

“No. I want to know more about sex and love.”

Ack! You had to adore Tess, her endless questions and the mouth with no filter. What could Kate tell her? Sex was easy. Love wasn't.

Love, when not reciprocated, hurt. Badly. Kate's thoughts went to Nick and his sexy swagger, intense brown eyes, and easy charm. Too easy.

In the months since the softball game, she'd run into him around town and he'd always been friendly. Always stopped to talk. And always asked her out. She was so tempted to give in but she still vividly remembered her college boyfriend, who she'd been in love with, telling her she'd been nothing more than a poor substitute for his girl back home. She'd do everything in her power to protect herself from feeling that kind of betrayal and pain ever again. No matter how much Nick Mancini tempted her.

So if Tess wanted to know about sex and love . . . “I think you should ask Faith about that,” Kate said, carefully. “Or Kelly,” Kate said of Tess's sister on her mother's side.

“Chicken,” Tess muttered.

Kate groaned at the same time her phone buzzed, and she glanced at the screen. A reprieve, she thought gratefully.

“Ready to go? Faith's getting antsy,” Kate asked Tess.

The girl nodded.

“Did you get all the help you needed on Shakespeare?”

“Yeah, thanks. I am so ready to hit the mall.” Tess grinned, already on to the next subject.

Thank God.

“Okay I'll tell Faith we're coming out.” Kate texted Faith back, then gathered her book bag and jacket, ready to brave both the November chill and the mall.

A few minutes later, both Kate and Tess were seated in Faith's warm, brand-new Cadillac Escalade truck, courtesy of her husband. Ethan, once the town bad boy on a motorcycle, had returned, determined to make good. He'd also gotten his girl. If Kate didn't know how much Faith had suffered in the past, she'd almost be jealous of her best friend and the love she'd found.

“Sorry we're late,” Kate said, settling into the seat.

Faith glanced heavenward. “Save it. You're always late.” She softened the words with an understanding laugh. “Buckle up.” She glanced at Tess via the rearview mirror.

Kate did the same, and Faith pulled out of the school parking lot.

“Listen, I have to make a quick stop on the way to the mall,” Faith said apologetically.

From the back seat, Tess groaned.

“Hey, I waited for you. It'll just take a minute. I have to drop something off for a client.” Faith adjusted her sunglasses as she drove.

“For who? And why can't it wait till tomorrow?” Tess was nothing if not persistent.

“Customers come first. The only way a start-up business works is if you keep your word,” Faith patiently explained.

Tess muttered something under her breath.

“Give Faith a break,” Kate said to the still-grumbling teen. “Text your friends or something until we get there.”

“Thanks,” Faith said to her.

“No problem. So who is this person? A new customer?” Kate swiveled to face the driver's seat.

“You could say that.”

Kate shrugged, not too concerned with her friend's customer base.

They settled into silence and Kate looked out the window, watching the town of Serendipity as they passed through. To her surprise, they drove almost to the edge of town, arriving at Serendipity Lake, where some of residents had summer cabins. Kate's parents among them until they decided they'd rather have a second home down south, and sold the cabin where they'd spent many summers while Kate was growing up. She hadn't thought of the place in years but she'd always loved the freedom of her time there.

But suddenly Kate realized just who they were going to see. “We're going to Nick's?” she asked, her stomach flipping uncomfortably.

Faith didn't answer, merely drove past the well-spaced houses and pulled into the driveway of a completely remodeled cabin set off from the others.

The driveway was fully paved, not gravel like the older homes had. Though the structure itself retained a rustic feel, the outside possessed a completely modern, newer look, and sat on more land than the other houses were allotted. The house was obviously new, charming, and very Nick.

“Faith?” Kate asked again.

“One sec.” Faith turned around and reached for a small shopping bag behind her seat. “Do me a favor and leave this on the porch? I need to call Ethan before we get lost in the mall for hours.”

Kate narrowed her gaze. “I really don't want to run into Nick.”

Faith waved away her concern. “He's not home. That's why you can just leave it on the porch.” She dangled the bag. “Please?”

Kate let out a sigh. “Fine. As long as he's not here,” she muttered.

“Thanks.” Faith reached for her phone. Tess remained quiet in the back seat. A quick glance showed she'd put her iPod and headphones on, so she'd be satisfied until they arrived at the mall.

Kate opened the car door and hopped out, the cold wind hitting her in the face. “You owe me,” she called out to her friend.

Faith met her gaze and shot her a smile before Kate slammed the door shut. No sooner had she reached the front porch when she heard the roar of the engine and turned to see Faith's truck backing out of the driveway.

“What the—” Kate waved and started down the steps. “Faith!” she called out, panic mixed with confusion.

Faith rolled down her window. “It's for your own good!”

“What is? Get back here!”

“Calm down,” a deep,
familiar
masculine voice said from behind her. “I can explain everything.”

Her heart beating rapidly, Kate turned to see the man who haunted her dreams—daydreams and night ones too—standing in the entryway of the cabin.

He leaned against the doorframe, arms folded over his chest, a look of sheer determination and masculinity on his face. “Welcome, Kate.”