Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Who am I kidding? she thought with a shake of her head. Nothing short of discipline would have shaped up her brother and there’d been nobody to give it to him.
But the center had volunteer counselors and teachers who didn’t mind taking a tough stand with the kids. Unfortunately, it was also always short of funds. The Police and Firefighters’ Festival that was scheduled for this coming weekend raised money for the center, but it was never enough. And that was because the wealthier residents, like Liza’s parents, couldn’t be bothered with a place that helped the less fortunate.
By working with the committee, Liza also hoped to up her credibility within her hometown. McKnight Architecture flourished thanks to out-of-town referrals and business. Their work spoke for them, but here where she’d grown up, Brian’s reputation had tarnished her own.
So for the last two years, Liza had attended beautification meetings and ignored the more uppity members who’d tried to freeze her out, slowly making younger acquaintances and giving her views. Then at last month’s meeting, they’d surprisingly announced that Faith Harrington would be the new fund-raising chair.
Surprising because Faith hadn’t been a committee member before. And because Faith, like Liza, had committee members with immense bias against her. In Faith’s case, thanks to her father’s criminal behavior. Still, Faith’s husband had money, and rumor had it that Ethan had gifted the mansion to his wife as a wedding present, making Faith the current owner of the premier landmark in town and cementing her role as the fund-raising chair.
Liza couldn’t be more pleased. She’d liked Faith when they were kids and it seemed they had a similar uphill battle against the snobs in Serendipity. She hoped to get Faith on board with her idea to use the money raised at the annual fundraiser, a black-tie event of the elite and the wealthy, for the youth center.
Liza believed she had a shot. Unless, of course, Dare told his sister-in-law about her brother’s latest arrest, and Faith decided working with Liza and implementing her ideas was a liability.
Liza groaned. One way or another, she’d know soon enough.
Chapter Two
Liza walked into Cuppa Café, the coffee shop on Main Street in town, and looked for Faith. Although she hadn’t seen the other woman recently, Liza recognized the pretty blonde sitting at a back table immediately. She wore a simple pair of jeans and a pink flowing top, making her appear delicate. Liza knew better. She had read the interview Faith gave to Elisabetta Gardelli for the News Journal magazine last fall. There was nothing soft about Faith Harrington. The woman was incredibly tough and resilient. She’d had to be in order to survive her father and ex-husband’s betrayal.
“Faith?” Liza asked, walking up to her.
“Liza!” Faith rose from her seat and suddenly the years seemed to disappear as she hugged the woman she hadn’t seen since they were children.
“How are you?” they both asked at the same time.
Laughing, Liza settled into a chair and Faith returned to hers.
“You first,” Liza said. “You’re married!” She glanced down and the sparkler on Faith’s left hand caught her attention. “Gorgeous,” Liza said of the diamond ring and matching wedding band.
“Thanks!” Faith smiled, a wide, happy grin. “Wait, let’s get coffee before we catch up.”
Liza nodded. They headed up to the counter, and a few minutes later they returned to their seats with their cups of coffee. “Now tell me all about you.”
Faith nodded. “There’s not much to tell. I’m running a new interior design business and helping Ethan raise his half sister, Tess. I’m busy. And you?”
“Half sister?” Liza asked, not ready to delve into her own personal stuff just yet. She wanted to hear more about Faith and now Tess, who just happened to be Dare’s half sister too.
“There’s some gossip that hasn’t gotten around?” Faith asked, laughing.
Liza grinned. “I suppose it depends on what circles you run in. I’m so busy working I don’t have time to socialize much.” And when she did it wasn’t in Serendipity.
Faith braced her hands around her cup. “Tess and her sister, Kelly, arrived last summer. Nobody knew about Tess, and she’s been a handful, but she’s come a long way since then.” Faith spoke with obvious pride.
“And Ethan? How did you end up with him?”
Her eyes lit up at the mention of her husband. “Ethan and I met up again when I came back to town. Right before Tess showed up. We sort of…I wouldn’t say picked up where we left off because we didn’t have a past relationship. But we did have this connection…” A pink blush stained Faith’s cheeks.
There was a story there, Liza knew. If the rosy glow on Faith’s face was an indication of that connection, Liza hoped she’d hear all about it one day. She might not believe in happily ever after for herself, but if it worked for others, what the hell.