Serendipity (The Serendipity Series Book 1)

Ethan left to catch his flight before Faith arrived at his house the following morning. Faith admitted to herself that she’d stalled on purpose, not wanting to add to the overwhelming idea of staying in his house by seeing him too.

Rosalita let her in and Tess was waiting for her in the family room. To Faith’s surprise, the teen had lightened her makeup (which was still too dark), but she’d made the effort at change. She also wore a pair of normal jeans, a black T-shirt, and flip-flops. No cargo pants or jacket to be found.

Interesting.

“Good morning!” Faith greeted the teen.

“Hey.” Tess looked at Faith and narrowed her gaze. “Where’s your suitcase? Did you change your mind?”

Faith’s heart squeezed at the distrust that came so naturally to the girl. “Rosalita took my bag upstairs for me.”

A flash of relief crossed Tess’s face. “Do I have to go to the community center today?”

“What would you rather do?” Faith asked. Ethan hadn’t left a specific schedule so Faith figured it was up to her.

The teenager glanced up from beneath her lashes. “Hang out with you,” she said softly, as if unsure of how her request would be received.

Faith smiled in reassurance. “I’d like that. But I have to be in the shop this morning. My mother’s stopping by. After that, we can figure out what you want to do. Sound good?”

Tess shrugged. “Yeah. That sounds okay.”

“Are you ready?” Faith asked.

The teen nodded.

A few minutes later, they were in Faith’s car, on the way to town. “It smells new.” Tess wrinkled her nose.

“It’s my baby,” Faith said proudly, patting the steering wheel.

“So what’s your mother like?” Tess asked, more curious and chatty than Faith had ever seen her.

Clearly something had changed between last night and this morning, but Tess was watching her and waiting for an answer. Her own questions would have to wait.

“My mother.” How to describe Lanie Harrington, Faith wondered. But she knew she’d better come up with something that would prepare Tess for the difficult woman she was about to meet. “She’s spoiled and a lot selfish. She wants what she thinks she’s entitled to and who cares what the rest of the world thinks.”

Faith wanted to wince at the awful description, but the problem was, every ounce of it was true.

“Sounds like my mom.”

Stunned by Tess’s sudden willingness to open up, Faith’s hand jerked on the wheel. “I didn’t know that.”

“Yeah. Well, Ethan got me talking last night. Now I can’t seem to stop,” Tess said, curling one leg beneath her.

He was full of surprises, Faith thought. But he was also clearly good for his sister, and for that Faith was glad.

Faith forced herself to focus on the morning ahead. “Tess, my mother can be . . . rude,” Faith said as she pulled into a parking space behind the store. “In other words, don’t take anything she says personally.”

Faith put the car in park and shut off the engine before turning to face her passenger. “The thing is, my mother doesn’t like many people. Mostly because she’s bitter and angry. I’m not excusing her, but I’d appreciate it if you didn’t let her . . . bait you.”

“So watch my mouth?” Tess asked, a devilish grin on her face.

Faith had never seen this side of the girl, and warm protective instincts flooded through her. She wouldn’t let her mother hurt this child who’d obviously had enough pain for one lifetime.

“That would help. And let me handle her, okay?”

Tess blew out a long breath of air. “You’re no fun.”

Faith laughed. “Speaking of fun, what do you want to do this afternoon?” She deliberately changed the subject.

Tess stared out the window, suddenly silent.

“What is it?” Faith asked.

“You’ll laugh.” Tess folded her arms across her chest, in a familiar gesture.

Unwilling to let her withdraw, Faith decided to take a page from Ethan’s playbook. “You tell me what you want to do and I’ll tell you how I’d like to spend the afternoon. Seems like a fair trade to me.”

Tess turned her head and met Faith’s gaze. “I want you to show me how to do makeup,” the teen rattled off, at close to one hundred miles an hour. She’d obviously wanted to get the words out before she could change her mind.

At the simple yet endearing request, Faith practically melted. “Well, that goes along with what I was going to say. How about we have lunch, do some clothes shopping for you, and then head home for a makeup lesson?”

Tess blinked. “You really want to do all that with me?” The insecurity spoke to the girl who’d been left on Ethan’s doorstep.

And Faith, who felt betrayed by her father and used by her ex-husband, understood that insecurity very well. “Of course I want do all that with you!”

They just had to survive Faith’s mother first.

Faith settled Tess at the corner of her desk. Tess seemed happy to stick her iPod ear buds on, sketch pad in front of her, and tune out the world, so Faith let her. She made a few calls to vendors and discovered she’d been able to push up shipment of both Tess’s and Ethan’s bedroom furniture, along with the family room sofa, recliner, and other pieces. Although she’d have preferred to do a full installation, giving him completed rooms at one time, the way she planned to do for Caroline Bretton, Ethan needed the items as they came in. She was pulling in every string she and Joel had to make sure the two people she cared about had what they needed.

She was deep in thought, planning Caroline’s room, when the chimes she’d put on the door rang out. Faith glanced up to see her mother stride through the doors. A quick glance told her Tess hadn’t yet noticed.

Faith rose to her feet and headed to greet Lanie in the center of the room. “Mom! Welcome to my place of business,” she said with a grin, hoping to start this meeting off on the right foot.

“This is . . . interesting,” her mother said, taking in the pieces Faith had started to accumulate.

There were show items like floral centerpieces, an antique desk, and a marble pedestal, all meant to lure pedestrians into the shop. She would sell them or use them as part of a decorating project, replacing them as she came across unique items online, in catalogs, and courtesy of Joel.

“Thank you. That large leopard reminds me of something we used to have when I was growing up.” Faith pointed to a large ceramic cat in the corner.

“Your father’s favorite,” Lanie murmured, her voice soft and unguarded.

“Have you spoken to him?” Faith managed to ask.

“No. He asked that I keep my distance. He thought it would protect me, you know?”

Faith shook her head. “And you think that makes him admirable?”

“He’s looking out for me.”

Faith swallowed hard, determined not to argue with her. “Well, come in and have a seat.”

Her mother started toward the desk and came to a halt. “Who is that?” She pointed her long, painted nails toward Tess, who sat, head back, iPod on, pretending to play the drums with her hands. “Or should I say, what is that? She has purple in her hair.” Lanie shuddered.

Faith straightened her shoulders, an overwhelming feeling of protectiveness sweeping through her. “That is Ethan’s sister, Tess. I’m watching her for a few days. And let me be clear, Mother. If you can’t be nice to Tess, turn around and walk out that door right now. We have nothing further to discuss.”

Nobody would hurt Tess on her watch. Not even the one person who’d managed to damage her own self-esteem, Faith thought, the realization stunning and painful. She hadn’t been a rebel like Ethan, but maybe if her own mother had loved her, protected her, been proud of who she was and who she wanted to be, she never would have married a self-serving bastard like Carter Moreland.

“Well?” Faith asked her shell-shocked mother. “What’s it going to be?”

“Hey, is this your mother?” Tess let her feet hit the floor with a thud.

Faith closed her eyes and said a silent prayer. Then she faced the two people in the room. “Yes, this is my mother, Lanie Harrington. Mom, this is Tess Moss.”

“Ma’am.” Tess nodded her head, on her best behavior, as if she were meeting the queen of England.

Faith shot her a warning glare and hoped the kid didn’t take it too far and curtsy.

“Moss,” Lanie repeated. “I thought you said she was a Barron.” She said the name with all the disdain she could muster.

“Half Barron,” Faith said through gritted teeth.

“Ahh. Why didn’t you say so? That’s much better,” Lanie said.

Most people might take Lanie’s words for sarcasm. Faith knew her mother merely spoke her own truth. Better half than all Barron blood.

“Hello, Tess. And what is Tess short for, may I ask?” Lanie continued.

The teenager shrugged. “Just Tess.”

“Interesting hair color, Tess.”

“Mother . . .”

Tess reached a hand to her purple strands. “Yeah, well, that’s another thing I thought we could talk about?” She looked up at Faith hopefully.

Faith couldn’t stand it another minute. She walked up to the girl and placed her arm around her shoulders, pulling her close in a way her own mother had never done for her. Instead of pulling away as Faith expected, Tess stiffened in surprise but remained in Faith’s protective grasp.

Suddenly Faith’s cell chimed at the same time the phone rang on her desk. She reached for her cell and did the only other thing she could. “Mother, could you possibly get that?” Faith asked.

Faith took a call from Ethan. He was rushed and in between meetings, but he needed to talk to her about Tess and a potential art class opportunity, so she headed to a private corner for the conversation.

When she returned, her mother was sitting at her desk, Tess in her chair across the way.

“How old are you, Tess?” Lanie asked.

“Fourteen.”

“And how are you related to Ethan Barron?”

“I think that’s enough of that!” Faith inserted herself back into the conversation. “So, who called earlier?” she asked her mother.

“Ahh. That was Caroline Brennan. She changed your appointment by a day.” Lanie scowled at the mention of her friend. “Since your calendar was open on your desk, I took the liberty of scheduling her.”

“Thank you.” Faith had no idea why her mother seemed to be behaving, but she was grateful.

“A trucking company called too. I scheduled them also. Here.” Her mother pointed to the same day next week she had other deliveries at Ethan’s. “Make no mistake. I don’t approve of this venture.”

Here we go, Faith thought. The long-awaited conversation. “Why not? Don’t I need to make a living?”

“I thought you received a nice settlement from Carter?” her mother asked pointedly.

From the corner of her eye, Faith saw Tess listening to them, her eyes wide in fascination.

Faith bit the inside of her cheek. “I received enough to start the business and to know I have a cushion,” she said carefully.

Lanie shook her head. “You should have invested well and lived off the interest. Working like a common person is so . . . beneath you.”

Faith drew herself up straighter. “I’m proud of this place and I like what I’m doing. Of course I’d like it better if I could get more clients, but thanks to Dad’s illegal dealings, no one wants to do business with me.” Faith met her mother’s gaze.

Lanie opened her mouth to reply, and Faith jumped back in before she could. “And don’t give me that nonsense about him being misunderstood. He pleaded guilty. The feds took everything and sold it at auction. He knew what he was doing.”

Her mother pursed her lips together. Lanie’s version of I don’t like this conversation; therefore, I’m not having it.

Everything in Faith wanted to reach out and touch her mother on the shoulder. She didn’t, unsure of what she was more afraid of—Lanie shattering or rejecting her daughter’s offer of comfort.

“Look, Mom, can’t you understand that our lives have changed?” she asked, her tone more gentle. “That times have changed? And we need to change with it. Both of us.”

When her mother didn’t reply, Faith backed off. “Well, I appreciate you answering the phones and figuring out when the delivery would work.”

Her mother’s posture relaxed at the change of subject. “Yes, well, you might not remember, but I held quite a few dinner parties in my day and I became a pro at scheduling.”

Faith smiled. “I remember.”

Lanie rose from her seat and walked around the store, her fingers trailing over things as she moved, her walk graceful, serene. Still very much the lady of the nonexistent manor, but Faith knew now there were chinks in her armor. Lanie Harrington was more fragile than she wanted to admit. She was holding on to the illusion of grandeur so tightly that with only a little push she’d fall apart.

“Would you mind if I rearranged some things?” Her mother surprised Faith by asking.

“Suit yourself.”

Tess, noting the fun conversation was over, had plugged back into her iPod.

Faith settled back into her desk while her mother seemed content to shift things around. “Mom, Caroline tells me she’s tried to reach out to you, but you’re shutting yourself up in your own house.”

“Shh.” Lanie pointed to Tess. “Little ears,” she said.

“I’m not little. And I don’t know anyone in town to repeat shit—” Her mouth opened in horror and she said a silent I’m sorry to Faith. “I mean . . . I don’t know anyone in town to repeat stuff to. You can talk in front of me.”

Faith laughed. Apparently the kid had turned down the volume just in case.

“Yes, you can speak in front of Tess,” Faith agreed. “Everyone in this small town knows what Dad did. You didn’t know while it was happening. There’s no shame in starting over.”

Lanie kept her back to Faith.

“And there’s no reason to turn your back on the one person who has been a real friend to you, or tried to,” Faith said.

Just like there was no reason to turn her back on her own daughter. But that wasn’t a conversation Faith wanted to have in front of Tess . . . Maybe not ever. It was too painful to think about how her mother had treated her with disdain over the years, angry with her for the sole reason that her father paid attention to his daughter.

She’d told Tess that Lanie was selfish. Narcissistic was probably a better word.

“Did you know that Caroline’s husband lost his job?” her mother finally asked with an exaggerated shudder. “True, they have her family’s money, but how humiliating!”

“And this affects you or your friendship how?” Faith asked. “Your husband bilked people for millions. Caroline could probably use a friend who understands what it’s like to have problems. I’d think you could use the same thing,” Faith pointed out.

“I don’t need anyone!” Lanie’s voice was shrill.

“Well, then that’s your loss.” Faith turned to a now wide-eyed Tess. “Come on. It’s time to go shopping.”

She glanced at her mother, hoping to see a flicker of emotion in her expression. Anger, frustration, sadness, something.

Her face was a frozen mask.

But Faith knew enough had been said here today to make an impact—should her mother choose to listen.

“I’ll see myself out,” Lanie said frostily. She rose and headed for the door and walked out without another word.

“Chilly!” Tess said. “Like, brrr.”

“Yeah. Try growing up with that.” Needing a minute, Faith lowered herself into the chair her mother had just occupied.

She glanced down and noticed her mother had rearranged her desk, making it more organized. A glance out at her shop told her Lanie’s touches had actually improved the display and appearance. Her mother had the ability to do more with her life than judge others, Faith thought. It was a pity she lacked the desire.

Faith spent the entire day with Tess, who was on her best behavior. Faith thought she might actually be seeing who the teenager really was. Faith wondered if her own life might have turned out differently if she’d had a sister, someone to share her thoughts and feelings with instead of always feeling as if she were treading water alone. She’d definitely enjoyed the day, and Tess had made out like a bandit. Faith had bought her an entire new end-of-summer–into-fall wardrobe, knowing Ethan wouldn’t care one bit.

After a delicious dinner cooked by Rosalita, they sat together on Tess’s bed, exhausted from a girl day of shopping and makeup. Using her own makeup, Faith had taught Tess the fine points of using a light touch when applying eye shadow and liner. She promised to take the teen to buy her own supplies one day soon.

Right now, they’d both collapsed on Tess’s mattress, full and tired.

“Have you heard from Ethan?” Tess asked.

“As a matter of fact, I have.” And she’d been waiting for the right time to talk to Tess. “He was busy in and out of meetings all day, but he called to tell me something.”

“Yeah, what’s that?”

“He’s been looking into special art classes for you.” She eyed the teenager, gauging her reaction.

“Already? I just showed him my stuff last night!” She sounded pleased, not pissed off.

“He liked what he saw.” Enough that he had already called Kate and asked her about classes.

Kate had done some research and made a few phone calls. There was an opportunity for Tess at the Birchwood Academy private school, but Ethan would have to move fast because the deadline for admission had passed. Kate had also heard whispers of financial troubles, so maybe a hefty donation would help get Tess into the school. But before they moved forward with their plan, they needed Tess on board.

“So you’d be interested?” Faith asked.

Twenty-four hours ago, she would have laid odds Tess would have made light of the idea, using a few choice words to boot. But now . . .

“Yeah, I’d like that.” She scooted back against the pillows, eyes wide. “I can’t believe he looked into that for me. So fast and everything.”

“He’s a great guy.” Faith smiled.

“Who knew?” Tess asked, grinning.

Faith propped herself up on her elbow. “You miss him, don’t you?”

“Nah. He’s a pain in the butt.” But the young girl’s widening grin belied her words.

There was no doubt she’d hit the jackpot in brothers, Faith thought. She was even determined to find some good in Nash, the brother she found the most difficult.

The ringing doorbell interrupted her thoughts. “Who could that be?”

Tess shrugged.

“Rosalita left, so I’ll go see.” Faith rose to her feet and headed downstairs.

Tess padded along behind her.

Faith glanced out the side window and saw Nash standing at the door. Not the brother she’d choose to deal with, Faith drew a deep breath and swung the front door wide.

“Hi,” she said in greeting.

He seemed surprised to see her and didn’t reply right away. Nothing like Ethan in appearance, Nash, with his lighter hair and carefully matched khaki pants and polo shirt, reminded her too much of her ex-husband.

“Would you like to come in?” she invited.

He stepped inside. “Hi, Tess.”

Faith wasn’t sure if he was ignoring her on purpose or just focused on his new sister and reserved judgment.

“Hey,” Tess said, in a stiff, wary tone Faith hadn’t heard her use all day. But she sure recognized it now.

“You ready to go?” Nash asked the teen.

Faith’s guard went up. “Go where?”

Nash met her gaze with a cool one of his own. “Tess and I have plans to go to the sidewalk fair in town tonight.” Not that it’s your business.

Faith heard the words Nash didn’t say. His expression made it clear what he thought of her interference.

“The hell we do,” Tess said, her angry belligerence back.

Apparently the thaw didn’t extend to Nash just yet. And though Faith didn’t blame the teenager for her distrust of a man she didn’t yet know, he was the girl’s brother.

“Tess, do me a favor? Go upstairs and start putting away the clothes you bought today, okay?”

She narrowed her gaze. “Rosalita said she’d do it tomorrow.”

“Well, it won’t hurt you to do it yourself. That way you know where your own things are.” Faith caught Tess’s gaze. “Go. Your brother and I need to talk.”

“Where’s Ethan?” Nash asked.

“He had to go to Washington, D.C., on business,” Tess said.

“Upstairs!” Faith pointed to the long circular staircase.

Tess let out a put-upon sigh. “I’m going,” she muttered, and stomped to the stairs, proceeding to take the steps slowly, one at a time, a loud thud accompanying each one.

Faith waited until she was alone with Nash, though she was sure Tess was doing her best to listen.

“What the hell did she mean, he went to D.C.?” Nash asked.

“I think it’s self-explanatory. He had a business emergency.”

“And of course it was more important than Tess, so he up and abandoned her. It’s what he does best.” Nash came to his own biased conclusion.

“That’s not how it was.” Faith set her jaw.

He folded his arms across his chest. “No? Who’s watching Tess?”

Faith straightened her shoulders, and though the answer was obvious, she replied anyway. “That would be me.”

The other man let out a harsh laugh. “He left her with a stranger instead of calling me or Dare? Why am I not surprised?”

Faith placed a hand on the wall beside her for support. “Excuse me for pointing this out, but I’m less of a stranger to her than you are.”

He narrowed his gaze. “Let me guess. Ethan didn’t remember to tell you Tess and I had plans.”

Faith shook her head. “Like I said, he had a business emergency and left in a hurry.”

“Well, it’s only seven and the fair goes until ten, so I’ll take her into town.”

That will be Tess’s choice, Faith thought, though she’d try to encourage the teenager to go with her brother. But before she could voice her thoughts, Tess’s voice rang from the top of the stairs. “I’m not going with him!”

Faith met Nash’s frustrated glare. “I’m going to give you some unsolicited advice. That girl upstairs is sensitive. She knows exactly how you feel about your brother.”

“Your point?”

“Like it or not, she’s bonded with Ethan. Unless you soften up a bit, you won’t make any headway with her.”

Nash bristled at her words, his posture becoming impossibly straighter, his glare more angry. “Not only is this none of your business, but you can’t possibly understand what he did to our family.”

Faith walked up to Nash, standing toe-to-toe with him. “It must be nice.”

“What is?”

She tipped her head to one side, appraising him and definitely finding him lacking. “Being such a perfect human being that you never need anyone else’s forgiveness or understanding.” She clenched and unclenched her fists at her side.

A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Are you telling me you’ve forgiven your old man?”

Bull’s-eye, Faith thought, but she refused to let him get to her. “Are you telling me you’re finally separating me from what my father did? Because if so, there’s no reason for you to be so damned hostile!” she yelled at him, losing her temper for the first time.

“I think the lady has a point.” Ethan appeared out of nowhere, walking into the house and joining them in the entryway.

His entrance surprised everyone. He placed his suitcase down on the marble floor and folded his arms across his chest, looking from Nash to Faith. It didn’t matter that his brother thought he was dirt, Ethan looked like the imposing, impressive man Faith knew him to be.

And she was, despite herself, so happy to see him. “What are you doing back?”

“I wrapped things up as quickly as I could.” And from the looks of things, not a minute too soon. “What’s going on?” he asked.

“You took off, left Tess with her instead of one of her brothers, and oh yeah—you forgot to tell her I was supposed to take Tess into town tonight.” Nash pointed a finger at Faith.

Ethan winced. “Yeah, I forgot. And I’m sorry. Tess!” he called out.

“I’m right here!”

He looked up at the top of the steps, where Tess sat watching the adults below her. “I screwed up, but you’re supposed to go with Nash overnight,” he said to her.

“No!”

Ethan rolled his eyes. “Yes. He’s your brother and you two need to get to know each other. Go get ready,” he directed her. “Unless you don’t want to go to the beach when I pick you up tomorrow!”

Tess paused and Faith wondered if Ethan was in for an argument. Even Nash seemed to hold his breath.

“Fine,” she said, not hiding her displeasure, but she ran for her room anyway.

“She’ll warm up to you,” Ethan said to his brother.

Nash narrowed his gaze. “I appreciate you pushing her.”

Faith blinked, surprised Nash had conceded even that much.

“Tess needs family. Just go slow with her.”

Nash nodded. “We’ll go to dinner and the festival first.”

“She already ate,” Faith said.

“Fantastic,” Nash muttered.

“I’m ready!” Tess bounded down the stairs, dressed in a pair of denim shorts Faith had bought her, a black T-shirt with a huge sunglass decal on the front, flip-flops, and very little makeup. She also had a large bag she’d obviously put her overnight things in.

She looked like the quintessential teenager, and pride blossomed in Faith’s chest.

Ethan stared at her. “Who are you?” he asked, grinning.

Nash merely blinked.

“Thank Faith!” Tess said, and headed for the door.

Ethan stared at the woman he had come to care so much about, the woman he couldn’t wait to come back home to. “I don’t know what to say.”

She treated him to a soft, private smile.

“I’m holding you to the beach,” Tess yelled at Ethan.

“I’ll pick her up early tomorrow morning. Eight thirty, okay?” Ethan asked.

“Yeah. I’ll go to work right after.” Nash pulled his car keys from his pocket and started for the door.

“Remember my advice,” Faith called out to him just before he slammed the door shut behind him.

“What advice?” Ethan asked.

Faith rocked back on her heels. “Oh, I just told him Tess had bonded with you and he wouldn’t make headway with her unless he learned not to be such a condescending, pompous ass. Not in those exact words. I was much nicer.” She grinned.

And Ethan pulled her into a kiss.