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“Danny, I told you the surprise part wasn’t a good idea.” A woman who looked like an older version of Faith stepped forward. She was wearing a flowery dress that was a bit worn but flattering.
An older man walked forward with her, looking at Reuben suspiciously. “She always liked them when she was younger, Anna. Makes me think something else is going on. And what happened to her wrist? Who’re you, young man?”
Three younger versions of Faith’s dad stepped forward as well, frowns on their faces as they moved in front of the women and children. They all had Faith’s eyes, although only her mom had her ringlets.
“Hello, I’m Reuben Jones. I’m Faith’s boyfriend. She’s had a hard few weeks. She had an accident and broke her wrist. And I’m afraid that surprises and sudden loud noises aren’t a good idea.” He spoke in a firm but not unkind voice. However, a few of the women still moved back, clutching children.
Hmm. He’d need to work on that.
Faith stirred and looked up at him. “Did I just burst into tears over a surprise party?”
He smiled down at her disgruntled face. “Yes, baby.”
“Wow. And I thought you were the party pooper.”
He burst into laughter.
“Eloise seems to like your man. I’ve never seen her to take to anyone else like that. She dislikes most people,” her mom said, taking a seat next to her.
Faith looked over at Reuben. Her youngest niece, Eloise, was two and she was a hellion. Her parents were run ragged chasing around after her.
And right now, she was nestled in Reuben’s lap, her messy face pressed to his white shirt as she slept. Reuben glanced over at her and winked. Lance, her oldest brother and Eloise’s dad, was talking to him about something. Probably farming.
Reuben was likely bored out of his mind. Yet, he didn’t seem in a rush to leave.
After her embarrassing breakdown, Faith had pulled herself together and introduced Reuben to everyone. She’d been hugged half to death.
Then, the neighbors had started to turn up, and introductions started all over again. She hadn’t realized so many people would want to see her. Although a number of them seemed to want to gawk at Reuben.
But she hadn’t had a chance to sit and talk to her parents alone. Reuben had hovered for the first two hours, probably worried that she’d break down again.
He was overprotective. And she loved him for it.
Her dad took a seat to her left.
“He’s an . . . interesting fella,” her dad said carefully. “Nothing like Matt.”
“No, nothing like Matt.”
“That’s a point in his favor,” Grandpa Jake said gruffly. “Didn’t like that weasel.”
She smiled weakly over at her grandfather. “I know you didn’t, Grandpa.” She interlocked her fingers together, taking a deep breath. “I’m sorry I haven’t been calling. That I haven’t visited. It was just hard.”
Her mom put her hand over Faith’s. “Oh, honey, it’s not you that should be apologizing to us but the other way around. We should have come to see you. But at first, we wanted to give you some space to come to terms with everything. We didn’t want you to run any further.”
“And money has been tight here,” her dad admitted. “The workload is still there, and I just don’t have money for help. It’s no excuse and we were planning to come soon.”
“But every time we talked to Cammie, she said you were busy and didn’t want us there,” her mom said. “Brett even saved up enough money to come visit but when he spoke to Cammie she told him that you’d said not to come.”
That bitch.
Betrayal made her heart race. “Cammie said that?”
Her mom nodded, eyes glistening.
“Cammie and I aren’t friends anymore. She was . . . she was using me for money. And now I find out that she was lying to you, I don’t think we can ever be friends again.”
“I’m so sorry, sweetie,” her mom said. “I shouldn’t have listened to her.”
