Page 24 of A Heart of Little Faith

While they checked out the classroom, some of the children came over and asked about the chair. They touched the wheels and the handles and Gideon put on the brake. He was amazed when Claire explained it helped him get around, like it was no big deal. Enthralled, several asked for rides, but before Gideon could reply, Claire informed them he was all hers. The sound of her matter-of-fact tone touched him, as well as the pride she took in showing him everything they did in class.

Finally, she introduced him to Mrs. Nelson. “Mrs. Nelson, this is my friend, Gideon.”

The teacher grinned and shook his hand. “It’s nice to meet you. Claire has spoken often of you, and was excited when she learned you’d be attending today.”

“It’s nice to meet you, too. I’m honored she would want me to come. The kids did a great job.” Claire beamed and Gideon squeezed her fingers.

All too soon the lunch ended and the dads said goodbye. Claire gave Gideon a bear hug, and he tweaked her nose, pulled her curls and whispered in her ear, “I’m glad you asked me today.”

When he returned to the office, he called Lily and left a message for her at work. Then he texted Samantha.

i think I’m in love.He grinned, his cheeks stretched tight.

really? with whom?

Claire

just her? I hear her mom is quite a catch

She was, but he wasn’t giving his sister the satisfaction of hearing that from him.

shut up, Sam

guessing you had fun

the best

Smiling once again, he rushed to text her all about his afternoon. After a few more minutes, they signed off, and he went to work. Whistling.

Chapter 9

Gideon’s assistant knocked on his door before entering his office, surrounded by a cloud of Vanderbilt perfume. He pushed away from his computer and hid a smile.

“Hi, Stella.”

She had followed him from Boston to New York and had been his assistant for ten years. At sixty-five years old, she typed faster, behaved more professionally and worked more efficiently than people half her age. She was a mother-hen type, with a hippie twist. Bright orange hair framed her face and she wore long gauzy skirts with dangly earrings, and flip-flops. How she’d gotten past the office dress code, he never knew, but he expected some serious behind-the-scenes bullying occurred. When she wasn’t busy with his filing and phone calls, she read tealeaves, fortunes and zodiac signs. After his accident, she’d given him more articles than he could count on alternative therapies. She’d been after him for years to date, had set him up—almost—and nagged him about everything from his clothes to eating more green leafy vegetables. If she hadn’t been good at her job, he’d have sacked her long ago. At this point, though, he couldn’t function—his office couldn’t function—without her.

“Hi, Gideon. I just got off the phone with Steve Sant. He and his partners have made their travel plans and will be in town with their wives next week. They want to go to dinner on Thursday.”

Gideon closed the program he was in and pulled up his calendar. He hated this part of work. Social business engagements—they weren’t one category and they weren’t the other. Everyone but him would be with a date. Unless… “ Can you make reservations at Bella’s? Eight people for seven thirty.”

“Sure.” She started to leave the office. At the doorway, she paused and raised an eyebrow. “Eight? Hot date?”

“Butt out, Stella,” he replied affectionately. He couldn’t really take offense. The good mood he’d been in since Claire hadn’t yet rubbed off.

“Come on, Gideon, who is she? Is she cute? Where’d you meet her? When can I meet her?” Stella would have continued if he’d let her, but he rolled right up to her and forced her to move out of the doorway or get run over. He glanced over his shoulder at her as she shook her head in mock dismay. “Just make the reservation, Stella.”

He left the office for lunch, doubting himself the entire trip. But he and Lily had joked about it on the phone the other night. Maybe she wouldn’t mind going. There was only one way to find out. He called Lily and recorded a message.

“Hi, Lil, it’s Gideon. Listen, remember how you said you’d come with me to a work event? Well, I’ve got a dinner next week and I was wondering if you were free. It’s on Thursday at seven thirty. Bella’s. Let me know, okay?” He hung up the phone before he could say anything he might regret. His stomach was heavy as he considered all the possible answers Lily could give. But despite his doubts, he held fast to the memory of holding her while she cried. His heart had ached for her, but at the same time, warmth had spread through his body because he’d felt needed. He was glad to focus on someone else, to try to make her feel better.

That night at home, his phone rang as he watched TV. He muted the sound and answered the phone.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Gideon, it’s Lily.”

The lilt he’d forever associate with her enabled him to hear her smile. His pulse pounded and he drew a deep breath. “Hey, Lil. Did you get my message?”