Love Me True (Love Me Book 2)

Chapter 12

Faye was kneading some bread dough when Andrea came into the kitchen looking as if she had just awakened. "What smells so good?" she asked as she grabbed a bottle of water and fell into the chair at the kitchen table. She was wearing loose pajama bottoms with some cartoon character on them and a t-shirt. She looked impossibly young and pretty.

"I'm making a beef stew for my dinner." Faye had indeed gotten off early from work and as usual, she had turned to cooking to soothe her soul. She would be fat in no time at the rate she was going with the comfort food lately.

"I wish I knew how to cook, maybe you could teach me sometime?" she suggested. Faye didn't have the heart to tell her that after this one trip it was very unlikely that they would ever see each other again.

"Sure," she agreed, "anytime."

Andrea grinned and reached for the paper on the table in front of her. "Hayes asked us to go out with him tonight," she threw out, almost as if it was an afterthought.

"Don't you want to spend time with your father?" Faye asked as she oiled the bowl for the dough.

"We'll have dinner with him and go out later," she explained.

Faye turned, leaning against the counter, watching the girl. She had to say her peace, otherwise she would worry too much. "Andrea."

"Hmmmm," the girl said, not looking up.

"I love my brother, but be careful," she suggested softly.

Andrea's eyes shot to hers, and she had a look of such seriousness that Faye suddenly realized that this young lady was a lot wiser to the ways of the world than she had thought. She looked exactly like her father in that moment, as she judged the situation. The moment was gone in an instant and she was suddenly all smiles once more.

"Listen to you worrying like a mother, that's sweet, but don't worry, I'm always careful, and I do appreciate your concern. Does it make you feel better that Aaron will be with me?"

Faye nodded. "A little."

Andrea jumped up and gave her a quick hug before she left her alone in the silent kitchen. She would still worry, Hayes wasn't known as the best decision maker.

*******

Faye hadn't gone to bed yet, she was reading when there was an urgent knock on her front door. She put down her book and picked up her robe throwing it on over her pajamas.

No one ever knocked on her front door, so it couldn't be good news. She felt her heart start to pound as she headed toward the door, turning on the hall light as she went. As she looked out the peephole she noted flashing lights and an officer's uniform.

Oh, Lord! She prayed silently as she opened the door.

She recognized the officer, he was in the ER from time to time, and they had what she called a smiling acquaintance. "Hello Officer Palmer," she greeted.

"Faye," he looked surprised to see her. "Do you live here?" He looked up at the massive house, then back at her.

"I do," she confirmed. "Is something wrong?" she asked sweetly.

"Do you know these two?" he asked, pointing to the front steps behind him where Andrea and Aaron stood, looking properly meek at being brought home by the police.

"They are staying here," she confirmed, offering no further information. "Is there a problem?"

Palmer waived Andrea and Aaron past him and into the house, following their lead, and Faye closed the door behind all of them. This left the three of them with their backs to the main part of the house and Faye with her back to the door.