“At least Faith owns her own business, Nina. You mooch off your daddy’s money,” Adam said just as loud. People gasped and turned toward them, but he was too mad to stop. “All you’re good at is shopping and picking up men.”
Nina gasped and tried to smile innocently. “Darling. I didn’t see you come in. Faith and I go way back. I didn’t say it to be rude. I heard her house caught on fire and she was living in a hotel room.”
“I feel sorry for her. Someone guy knocked her up and walked away,” Patty remarked, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder. She gave Faith a pitiful look. “She should dress better if she wants to keep a man.”
“You and your friend have no idea what it means to feel compassion.” Alana stood in front of Faith, blocking them from seeing her. Adam was grateful. He could see her hands shaking when she sipped on her juice. He was instantly worried. She looked pale and on the edge of a breakdown.
“And for your information Nina I am the father of her baby,” he said in a cold, hard voice.
Nina gasped with shock. Then she looked at him furiously. She hated to hear that. She still pursued him constantly and he always turned her down.
“I did not walk away from her. I don’t know who starts these stupid rumors, but they’re not true and I better not hear you two spreading them,” Adam warned, glaring at the two girls coldly.
“You must leave,” Mrs. Garcia told the women. “Faith is like family. I do not tolerate such cruelty.”
Nina stuck her nose up in the air. “Morehead has much classier places than this rundown town.”
“Maybe you should move there,” Alana suggested cheerfully. The two girls stomped off angrily.
“Thanks,” Faith said in a low voice. She avoided looking at him.
“They always bullied me and Holly because we were poor and my mom drank all the time.”
“They better not show their faces here again,” Alana vowed, folding her arms across her chest in an angry manner. “I’ll get Alicia to go after them. She hates those two. They always come in here like they are royalty. I regret stopping her from telling them off now.”
Adam laughed. Alicia had quite a mouth on her. She was good with snappy comebacks and had been a thorn in Noah’s side until he made up with Alana.
“Are you okay, Faith?” Adam asked. He was getting more concerned about how pale she looked. He was no medical expert but he knew it could not be good.
She was grabbing her stomach. She turned her gaze away from him and it hurt that she couldn’t even look at him. Did she hate him that much? “I feel sick, like I want to throw up. I think I should cancel dinner, Alana.”
Alana looked worried. She touched Faith’s forehead. “You feel hot.”
“I had a long day at work. I was so busy and Jenny was off today,” she explained, her voice sounding weak and shaky.
Adam grabbed her arm and helped her off the stool. He waited to see if she was steady on her feet before letting go of her arm. He wanted to hold her but he doubted Faith would go for that right now. “Are you at the hotel still?”
She shook her head. “We checked out this morning. I thought I’d spend the night at the shop. Tomorrow I have some places to look at.”
“That’s it, Faith. You are going home with me. You shouldn’t be alone. I will not hear any more nonsense from you,” he said firmly, not giving her a choice. He was going to take care of her whether she liked it or not.
“I will get some homemade chicken soup,” Mrs. Garcia offered. She went to the kitchen.
Faith looked at Alana. “Thanks for the dinner invite. I’m sorry it didn’t go well.”
“We’ll do it again. Maybe after Christmas,” Alana said with sympathy.
Faith nodded and Mrs. Garcia came back with two large Styrofoam cups of soup. She handed them to Adam.
“Let me help.” Alana took the soup. “You help Faith into that monster truck of yours.”
Adam grinned. “It’s only a huge truck to short shrimps like you.”
Alana chuckled and followed him out. He helped Faith in and carefully set the soup down.
She was so quiet on the drive to his house, which was not like her. It really worried him. It was hard to read her these days. She was no longer open and friendly with him and although he knew it was his own fault he missed the smiles.
He helped her inside the house and placed her on the couch. He started a fire and covered her with a blanket.