Read Tomorrow's Promise (The Hawks Mountain Series) for Free Online

washed over Faith. He was right, of course. But she wasn’t about to tell him that. “I didn’t want to bother anyone.” She avoided looking at him.
    Cole frowned, wondering exactly what she meant. Didn’t want to bother anyone or didn’t want to be in his company? She’d made it quite clear yesterday that she didn’t want anything from him. But he had a gut feeling it was more than that.
    They rode in silence for a while until he couldn’t stand it any longer. “So where did you plan to look for a job?”
    Faith shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I’ll start at the Terri’s Tea Room.”
    The deafening silence engulfed them again.
    “My offer to work for me still stands,” he finally said, hoping she’d changed her mind. He wanted very much to help her, but evidently her pride made that very difficult. He couldn’t force her to take the job.
    When she didn’t reply, he glanced in her direction, and, taking into account the way she was staring out the side window, he guessed no answer to his job offer reminder would be forthcoming from her.
    Except for Lizzie’s incoherent baby babblings coming from the back seat, the rest of the ride proceeded in an uncomfortable silence. Cole wanted to talk Faith into accepting his offer of a job, but she obviously wasn’t into making conversation of any kind, especially if it included working for him. Still, he wanted to press the subject, but if he hadn’t learned anything else from his defunct former relationship, he’d learned that wanting something and pushing for acceptance didn’t necessarily mean you’d get it. Sometimes what you wanted just sent the other person running in the opposite direction. Like it had with Diane.
    The large white sign sporting an ornate teapot and the words Terri’s Tea Room dragged him from his thoughts.
    “Here we are,” he announced unnecessarily.
    Cole pulled the squad car to the curb, jumped out, retrieved Lizzie and her faithful teddy bear from the backseat, and handed the child to Faith. “Let me know when you’re ready to go home, and I’ll pick you up. I’ll be at the office.” When she opened her mouth, he was certain she was about to protest, but he stopped her with a raised palm. “It’s not up for discussion.” He hated himself for using Lizzie, but he knew it was the only thing to stop Faith’s argument. “Lizzie can’t tolerate this heat, and by the time you’re ready to go home, she’ll be wiped out and cranky.”
    “Thanks.” As though she wanted to say more, she paused for only a moment, but then turned toward the building and walked away.
    IT WAS NEARLY two o’clock, and the tearoom held just a handful of patrons.
    Faith spotted Terri Medford, the owner, sitting at a table near the window talking to an older woman that Faith instantly recognized as Granny Jo Hawks. Not wanting to interrupt their conversation, she hung back.
    Granny Jo leaned past Terri and smiled at Faith. “Faith Chambers, is that you, dear?”
    “Yes, ma’am.” Faith still hung back.
    Terri turned to see who Granny was talking to and waved Faith over. “Come and join us. We’re just passing the time of day.” She stood. “I’ll get something for the little one to sit on.” She hurried off toward the kitchen and returned quickly with a pink plastic booster seat in one hand and a stack of cellophane-wrapped saltines in the other. “The kids always like a cracker.”
    Faith remembered Terri. She looked much the same as she had when Faith used to come here after school with her friends for a soda before going home. The only differences in Terri’s appearance were the smatterings of gray scattered through her ebony hair and maybe a few more faint wrinkles. Otherwise, she was the same sweet-natured woman who’d greeted every customer with a warm welcome and a smile that made her green eyes twinkle.
    Faith placed Lizzie in the booster seat and slid her up to the table. Terri unwrapped a cracker and handed it to Lizzie. She