closely There it was again, a flicker of distaste or anxiety, as though she kept touching a sore spot somewhere near his heart.
“You okay?” Faith uttered the question before she could stop herself. Jordan was a man now, someone she barely knew. What right did she have to probe into the private places of his emotions?
Surprise filled his face but he glanced down at his coffee cup as the corners of his mouth lifted. “Yeah, sure.”
He wasn't going to elaborate so Faith tried another tact. “How ‘bout you? You left the camp at some point, obviously What's God been doing in your life?”
She stretched out her legs and felt their feet touch. Without saying anything she discreetly moved hers to one side. He looked up at her again, and though his smile was back, the discomfort in his eyes remained. “I stayed at camp till I graduated from high school. Spent most of my time playing baseball and wound up with a scholarship to play at New Jersey State.”
Finally some good news. Faith clapped her hands. “Jordan, that's wonderful. You always dreamed about playing ball in col-lege. You have to tell me all about it.”
He chuckled at her enthusiasm and spent the next half hour regaling her with stories of his playing days. She remembered then that he'd mentioned something about law school. “So after college you became a lawyer?”
He nodded and signaled for the check.” I should let you get some sleep; it's one-thirty”
Faith didn't care how late it was, she didn't want the night to end. It felt so good to share a few hours with him after all the years that had passed without him, without knowing what had happened to him. “What kind of law do you practice?”
Jordan let his gaze fall for a moment and then flashed her asmile plucked from their early days together. “This and that. Civil rights stuff. Nothing interesting.”
“If you'd lived with us I bet you'd have been working right there alongside Dad. Don't you think?”
The walls in Jordan's eyes grew thicker, impenetrable. “It's late, Faith.” There it was again. That artificial smile. “I have to go. I have a long drive tomorrow.” He laid a five-dollar bill on the table and stood to help her with her jacket. As their arms touched Faith caught her breath at the jolt that went through her. What was wrong with her? She pulled her jacket on the rest of the way. Probably just adolescent memories playing tricks on her emotions.
Whatever the reason, she was strongly aware of Jordan beside her as they left the diner and headed for their cars. Before they said good-bye, Jordan pulled her into a hug then looked intently into her eyes.” It was good seeing you again, Faith.” He ran his thumb along her eyebrow. “I thought I'd lost you forever.”
Her heart skipped a beat, but she held his gaze. Was he going to kiss her? Here in the diner parking lot? He brought his face closer to hers and whispered against her face. “I never stopped thinking about you.”
A floating sensation came over her, and she nuzzled her face against his. “I thought about you, too.” She pulled away, wanting to ask him but not knowing how to word it without sounding blunt. “Want my phone number? So you can call me from New York?”
In response he brought his lips to hers and kissed her gently tenderly—but this wasn't a young boy kissing a girl for the first time. It was the kiss of a rnan.
A man who Faith knew for certain was as attracted to her as she was to him. They drew nearer to each other as the kiss continued, but before it could become more passionate, Jordan drew back.” I have to go. I'll call you.”
A dozen emotions assaulted Faith and she searched his eyes. If he could kiss her like that, then he must still care for her. But if he was interested in her, he certainly hadn't said
so. Why are you doing this, Jordan? What's going on in your head?
She kept her con-cerns to herself, all but one. “You don't have my number.”
“I'll call you at the
“You okay?” Faith uttered the question before she could stop herself. Jordan was a man now, someone she barely knew. What right did she have to probe into the private places of his emotions?
Surprise filled his face but he glanced down at his coffee cup as the corners of his mouth lifted. “Yeah, sure.”
He wasn't going to elaborate so Faith tried another tact. “How ‘bout you? You left the camp at some point, obviously What's God been doing in your life?”
She stretched out her legs and felt their feet touch. Without saying anything she discreetly moved hers to one side. He looked up at her again, and though his smile was back, the discomfort in his eyes remained. “I stayed at camp till I graduated from high school. Spent most of my time playing baseball and wound up with a scholarship to play at New Jersey State.”
Finally some good news. Faith clapped her hands. “Jordan, that's wonderful. You always dreamed about playing ball in col-lege. You have to tell me all about it.”
He chuckled at her enthusiasm and spent the next half hour regaling her with stories of his playing days. She remembered then that he'd mentioned something about law school. “So after college you became a lawyer?”
He nodded and signaled for the check.” I should let you get some sleep; it's one-thirty”
Faith didn't care how late it was, she didn't want the night to end. It felt so good to share a few hours with him after all the years that had passed without him, without knowing what had happened to him. “What kind of law do you practice?”
Jordan let his gaze fall for a moment and then flashed her asmile plucked from their early days together. “This and that. Civil rights stuff. Nothing interesting.”
“If you'd lived with us I bet you'd have been working right there alongside Dad. Don't you think?”
The walls in Jordan's eyes grew thicker, impenetrable. “It's late, Faith.” There it was again. That artificial smile. “I have to go. I have a long drive tomorrow.” He laid a five-dollar bill on the table and stood to help her with her jacket. As their arms touched Faith caught her breath at the jolt that went through her. What was wrong with her? She pulled her jacket on the rest of the way. Probably just adolescent memories playing tricks on her emotions.
Whatever the reason, she was strongly aware of Jordan beside her as they left the diner and headed for their cars. Before they said good-bye, Jordan pulled her into a hug then looked intently into her eyes.” It was good seeing you again, Faith.” He ran his thumb along her eyebrow. “I thought I'd lost you forever.”
Her heart skipped a beat, but she held his gaze. Was he going to kiss her? Here in the diner parking lot? He brought his face closer to hers and whispered against her face. “I never stopped thinking about you.”
A floating sensation came over her, and she nuzzled her face against his. “I thought about you, too.” She pulled away, wanting to ask him but not knowing how to word it without sounding blunt. “Want my phone number? So you can call me from New York?”
In response he brought his lips to hers and kissed her gently tenderly—but this wasn't a young boy kissing a girl for the first time. It was the kiss of a rnan.
A man who Faith knew for certain was as attracted to her as she was to him. They drew nearer to each other as the kiss continued, but before it could become more passionate, Jordan drew back.” I have to go. I'll call you.”
A dozen emotions assaulted Faith and she searched his eyes. If he could kiss her like that, then he must still care for her. But if he was interested in her, he certainly hadn't said
so. Why are you doing this, Jordan? What's going on in your head?
She kept her con-cerns to herself, all but one. “You don't have my number.”
“I'll call you at the
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