Chapter 20

Faith walked back to the living room and sat down on the couch. She missed him already. She could still smell him there. She lay her head down on the pillow, his scent lingered there too. Faith fell asleep breathing him in.


Richie drove home, wishing he could have stayed. He was trying to be careful this time. Ava had seen women leave on a morning after never to return and he didn't want that to happen for Hannah. Faith didn't need to have to deal with that. Not that he wasn't going to return, but it was still a little too soon for "sleepovers" when the girls were around.

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Faith kept busy the next couple of days, the cafe, Hannah, planning the menu for a catering job she had coming up. She thought it would be enough, but Richie kept invading her thoughts. Any free minute she had, he was right there, his smile, his eyes, his hands. Dammit. Faith crumpled the paper she had been writing on into a ball and tossed it toward the other seven that were near the trash can. They all had his name doodled all over them. You'd think I was 14 or something. She took out another sheet of paper and tried to concentrate.


Richie wasn't faring out much better. He and Jon were at the studio rehearsing for Saturday. They were going to play at the charity benefit and were trying to decide which songs to do. They had decided on Wanted, but that was it. They had agreed to do three but they couldn't agree on any others. "What about Prayer?" Jon looked over at Richie, waiting for a reply. Richie was staring out the door of the studio, wondering if Faith might be working that night and if she would happen to pass by. "Rich?" Jon walked over and nudged him. He nearly dropped his guitar. "What!?" Jon struggled to contain himself. "I asked you what about Prayer? What is the matter with you tonight?" Richie shrugged, "nothin."


Jon looked at his friend, "Is she supposed to be working tonight?" Richie looked at Jon, "who?" This time Jon did laugh, "Come on, this is me you're talking to. Faith, is she supposed to be working tonight?" Richie shook his head, "I don't know. She didn't tell me which nights she works here." "Well" Jon started, why don't we finish up and then you can stop and see her on the way home." Richie thought about that for a minute. "It may be too late. Let's just get this done." They worked for a while longer, finally deciding on the last two songs and running through them a few times.


They drove past Faith's house on the way back to Richie's. Jon looked over at Richie, "want to stop?" They slowed, but the house was dark. "She's probably asleep." They headed home.


Richie was too keyed to sleep. He picked up the phone to call her, but hung it up again. He didn't want to wake her, but he wanted to hear her voice. He picked up the phone again. This time he dialed. He heard a sleepy 'hello' on the other end. "Faith? It's Richie." Faith rolled over and sat up, "hi. Is everything all right?" She glanced at her clock and winced. "I'm sorry to have called so late. Things are fine. I just... hell Faith, I wanted to hear your voice." Faith smiled, "I miss you too." She read him so easily, even over the phone. "I'm not going to keep you. I just wanted to say goodnight." "Thanks for the call. See you soon." "Sweet dreams darlin'." He hung up the phone and tried to sleep.


Faith was a bundle of nerves when Saturday finally arrived. She had to work and was glad. It kept her hands busy and her mind off of the benefit that night. She knew she should just be herself, but she was still nervous. She got home with only two hours to spare before Richie would pick her up. Ms. Betty was coming to stay with Hannah and Faith holed up in her room to get ready. She had pulled one of her favorite dresses from the back of the closet and hoped it still fit.


The doorbell rang precisely at 7 and Ms. Betty opened the door to find Richie and Jon standing there. "Can I help you?" Ms. Betty had no idea who these two men were. Richie held out his hand, "I"m Richie and is my friend Jon. You must be Ms. Betty. Is Faith ready?" Ms. Betty took Richie's hand, "she didn't tell me she had two dates tonight." The men laughed and Jon spoke up, "I'm just the chaperone tonight ma'am. I'm very happily married." She let them in and Hannah poked her head around the corner at the sound of their voices. "Hi Richie!" He crouched down to her level, "hiya Hannah, how are you?" She started toward him but stopped when she saw Jon. "Oh you're... oh" she clamped a hand over her mouth and just stared.


Faith was slipping on her shoes when she heard the doorbell. She glanced at herself once more in mirror, spritzed on her perfume and headed down the hall. She got to the living room in time to hear her daughter's exclamation. "Hannah." Three heads looked up at the sound of her voice. "Mom, you didn't tell me you knew Jon Bon Jovi!" Faith smiled and walked over to her daughter. "Hannah, I know Jon Bon Jovi." They all laughed and she introduced Hannah. Jon crouched down once more and shook Hannah's hand. "It's very nice to meet you Hannah." She shook his hand and they chatted for a minute.


Richie took Faith's hand, "you look wonderful Faith." He kissed her hand. "Thank you." Her sleeveless dress was the color of a fine merlot with a v-neck and it fit like it had been made for her, hugging every curve. She had left her hair loose and it was like a fall of brown silk down her back. She had used some make-up trick to make her eyes even more sexy. He moved closer to her and her scent overtook him. Before he lost all control he cleared his throat, "Jon are you ready?"


They said their goodbyes, Faith hugged and kissed Hannah, admonishing her to be good for Ms. Betty. As she pulled the door shut behind her she could hear Hannah's excited voice talking about meeting Jon Bon Jovi. She shook her head as she walked over to where Richie was by the car. "Why didn't you tell me that Jon was going to be here? I could have warned Hannah." She turned to Jon, "I'm sorry about that." Jon shook it off, "actually, I don't mind when the little girls get like that, it's the older ones I worry about."