Saving Each Other (BWWM Romance) (17 page)

Faith looked up to see they had reached a courtyard in the center of the gardens. There, Cooper showed her the statues.

“These statues are from France, they are some of my favorite things on the estate.” He gushed about the way they were hand carved and how much time it took to get them brought over to the States. Faith was surprised at how detailed each one was. She ran her fingers over one of a woman holding an urn of water. You could almost see the sadness etched into the woman’s face.

“They are beautiful really, the time it took to make them…it’s truly magnificent.” Faith moved up closer to the statue and she could send the love put into each curve of the woman, right down to her fingers.

Cooper sat down on the bench across from the statue. He was watching her intently, she was almost in her own world as she traced the twists and turns of the statue. They moved down the line, each statue held Faith in awe. She had never seen such detail in person before and she wondered if she could mold a statue herself. Perhaps one day, but for now she could appreciate the work done by a talented hand. It was at that moment Faith realized how non-feminine she must look in her black dress and on her knees in green shrubbery, looking at a statue of a little boy and a wagon. She stood, brushing off her knees and turned to look at Cooper.

“You must think I have no manners at all, I apologize.” She laughed that slight giggle he had already heard a few times.

“Not at all, I rather enjoy it.” Hearing her suck in the air, quickly he added, “I always enjoy walking through here admiring the work. Shall we sit for a moment before we lose the sun completely for the day?” He motioned towards a bench further down the row of Camilla bushes.

Faith sat down on her hands, a habit she had developed as a child so that her aunt wouldn’t smack them if they weren’t exposed. Cooper smiled at her.

“So tell me, Faith, do you have any children?”

“Me? Oh no…none yet.” She glanced up at him and then at the statue of the boy. “I’ve never been married.”

Cooper felt himself drawn to her even more. Despite trying, he was taken with her. There was a softness and a pure quality about her that made him want to be better.

“You’re beautiful ,Faith.” He had let the words slip before he thought it through. He saw her gulp and look up at him. “I’m surprised you haven’t been married yet.” He moved his arm on the back of the bench as he turned to face her a little more.

“I don’t want to be like that, and I’ve never met a man I have feelings for, or that I'm attracted to yet that would be a good man for me.” She leaned back into the bench with a sigh.

Cooper was a little sad, true love did exist... He pulled his arm down, feeling slightly guilty about the line of questioning but not so much that he could stop.

“What do you want in a man, Miss Parks? If you don’t mind me asking?” he added quickly. Noting that he had gone back to Miss Parks, Faith relaxed slightly.

“I don’t mind but I’m not sure I know.” She placed a finger on her lips, lost in thought for a moment. “There are really only a few things I would want, to be honest. A man who wants to spend time with me and treats me with love, who puts me first.” She looked over at Cooper.

Faith was a sweet woman, she would meet a good man suited for her.

“Well you are safe with me, Miss Parks, I definitely am not a man like that so I won’t pressure you to be a contender for your heart.” He stood and gave an over-exaggerated bow as he said it and Faith smiled thinly as they walked slowly by the statues once again, stopping at the woman with the urn.

She looked up and gave him a half smile. “What about you?”

“Me? Oh you mean married and all that…no, not yet. Although I do have a situation on my hands,” he added with a chuckle.

She frowned.

“Let me explain. My father built this place, whether the money to fund the build or with his own hands. He was involved in every part of it. He was a wonderful doctor, man and father. He was also a stickler for family.” He ran his hand through his hair as he continued.

“He left very specific instructions in his will. I have to produce an heir by next year…or I lose the family home and everything he built.”

“Wow, well that is something.” She frowned lost in thought. “Do you have someone in mind?”

“No, that’s the hardest part…I’m not sure I'm ready for any of that.”

“So you don’t want to fall in love and produce an heir?” As she asked, she felt the heat rise to her cheeks.

“I’d like to one day, I know what it’s like to love and I know it exists. I want to share my life with someone, but for now…I just carry a lot of pressure with Mother…it just feels wrong.” Sitting on the bench, he leaned forward on his knees.  Faith joined him on the bench.

“When you're ready you will meet someone, but only when you're ready.” Their eyes met.

“Thank you for that, I wish my friends would agree with you. Every week it’s one woman after another, they keep pushing at me. Blind dates whether planned or sprung on me…it’s exhausting. I try to just avoid it at all costs. But there is a lady I met...” He ran his hands through his hair. “She is nice, her name is Cynthia, it’s just I’ve been dating her for a year and she really wants to move forward.”

“This is bad, I'm assuming?” Faith turned her mouth up trying to follow along.

“Wow… I'm so sorry, Miss Parks, I'm sure you don’t care or need to hear all about my issues, especially since this is your first day. I hope you accept my apology.”

“I don’t mind at all, in fact I'm having a pretty good time learning about who you are, Mr. Robinson.”

“Cooper…please.” He covered her hand with his, the electricity coursing through them both.

“I don’t know about that, Mr. Robinson. I'm a member of the staff, I wouldn’t want to cross lines, especially since I'm new. I don’t want anyone to think you have singled me out or I’m special somehow.” She drew her hand away, though it pained her to do so.

“You’re right of course, what if only when we are in the gardens? A special treat for just us. I won’t treat you any differently, I just really enjoy your company, you’re easy to talk to.” He gave her that winning smile.

“Okay, agreed…but only in the gardens.” She couldn’t help but smile back. “So, Cooper, tell me what's the problem with this Cynthia?”

“Well, have you ever been in a relationship where you’re with someone who is 100% sure you’re the one for them but you’re not?” Cooper chuckled. “Never mind you already told me you’ve never been in love.”

Faith felt a slight sting and a flare of jealousy at the statement. She couldn’t really understand why, but she tried to laugh with Cooper and not question it.

“My only advice to you, as inexperienced as I may be, is that you don’t lead her on. If she loves you as you say, it will only hurt her more later.”

“I know, everyone is pressuring me to settle down and produce the heir.”

“Do you want me to be honest with you, Cooper?” Faith waited before finishing.

“Yes I do…I really do.” Cooper looked at her intently, unsure of what was to come.

“Follow your heart.” They rose together and he walked her back towards the house.

“Goodnight, Mr. Robinson.” She smiled at him once again.

“Goodnight, Miss Parks,” he managed to say as she walked up the stairs.

Cooper went into the study he called his office. He slumped down into his worn chair and put his face in his hands. She was so…special, so unique. Knowing he wouldn’t find the answers he was seeking in one night, Cooper headed to his room upstairs.

Faith, having changed out of her dress, sat at the small dressing table by the door. There was so much bitterness in him, if only there was some clear answer, some direct path that she could help him travel to find his way.

Chapter 5

The next day Faith was up early. The day started out with breakfast downstairs with the staff and then back up to Mrs. Robinson’s room where she could see her schedule and what the process was for her days. After a quick breakfast of toast and coffee, she made her way up the winding staircase once more. If anything, this job would do wonders for her healthy appetite. She smiled to herself.

Mrs. Robinson’s room was large and encompassed most of the second level of the house. They had built a therapy room for her, complete with physical therapy equipment and massage table. Everything had been altered temporarily for her to use while in she was temporarily in her chair. She had a beautiful view of the pond and you could almost see the ocean in the distance. Sprawled across one wall were half-painted pictures of various things found on the grounds.

“Miss Parks, hello!” She was lying in her bed enjoying the last of her breakfast. Faith made her way over to the bed.

“Good morning to you too, my new friend, don’t forget to call me Faith.” Faith could see that she was excited to start painting.“First things first, med time, Mrs. Robinson.” This was met with immediate disdain.

“I hate that stuff, Faith, it makes me sick all morning, and it tastes awful.”

“I know, Mrs. Robinson, I know it’s not fun, but it is the first step in you getting better. I know you understand that. You’re way tougher than me, that’s for sure.”Faith looked down to see if she caught the message she was conveying.

“I think you’re up to no good, young lady.” Mrs. Robinson wagged an aging finger at her and they both laughed.

The leg muscles were the worst for her, they ached almost all the time and moving them was always hard. Although she was showing signs of improvement.

“I don’t know why they don’t work, Faith. They used to, I didn’t always have this old chair.” She motioned towards her chair. “Then one day it just hurt too badly and I couldn’t stand back up anymore. It has been getting a bit better though.”

“Well, now I’m here to help.” She gave her a smile.

For most of the afternoon, the two of them enjoyed each other’s company. They spoke about art mostly, and a little bit about Cooper. Soon she was growing weary.

“I think this old woman needs a nap, dear.” She patted Faith’s shoulder.

“Sounds like a good idea to me, Mrs. Robinson.”

“You really don’t have to call me Mrs. Robinson, dear.” She smiled at her as she settled down into her bed to rest.

Faith made her way downstairs to get something to drink from Linda.

“So how did it go up there?” Linda asked as she pulled cookies from the oven.

“She is so much fun, and so interesting. She seems so different from…” She trailed off.

“From Cooper?” Linda put the towel she was holding on the counter top. “He carries the weight of the world on his shoulders and doesn’t seem to have a clear path as to how to get it off.”

“I can understand that, they both have been through so much in a short time.” Faith lightly tapped her finger on her top lip.

“It’s true, Faith, so true, and he is a good man.”

“I think I’ll go unpack some more until she wakes up. I noticed her schedule has her napping for about an hour.”

“Yes, she can be cranky, that one, when she wakes up, you’ve been warned.” Linda chuckled as Faith headed to her room.

Looking around the room, Faith was happy with the progress. She had hung her clothing which all fit into one suitcase and one box. She had her three pairs of shoes in the closet as well. There were only a few things that she had left to do. One box was her journals and nursing things from school. She loved having a reference guide for things, it made her feel better when she could retrain her brain. Her journals were all filled with pages of her fantasy trips and places she wanted to see. She bet Mr. Robinson had been to a lot of places. He must have been in France in order to choose those statues. There was something elegant about France that made Faith want to go there more than any other place. Perhaps one day. Walking over to the bed, Faith picked up the journal Mrs. Covington had given her.

Faith couldn’t think of anything else to do and her thoughts drifted to Cooper once more. He was a complex man, that much Faith was sure of...Faith rechecked her hair in her mirror and headed back down to Mrs. Robinson’s room, lost in thought as seemed to be the case more often than not these days.

She was still sleeping when Faith arrived, so she set about looking over her room. She was a unique woman and Faith admired her spirit. Faith began gathering supplies from the closet. She had many colors and trays and an assortment of brushes. Faith set out making over the corner of the room closest to the window. She put up two long sheets of paper and clipped them to the top of some boards hidden in the closet. She arranged the paint nicely by the boards and put some of the brushes in cups of water to soften the bristles. She then began mixing the paint. She chose colors of the sea and sky, knowing how much Mrs. Robinson enjoyed the water. When she was done with that, Faith found a rocking chair in the far corner of the room and set about moving it from the boxes of tubes and wires there. She loved the sleekness of the wood and moved it closer to the bed where she was sleeping.