Page 72 of Loving Decker

“That’s going to be a surprise, little lady.”

“Squirt, little lady? What else you got?”

“Oh you know me. I used to call you a different thing every month.” He laughed. “But most of all, I love your name. Faith. Do you know how often your name has helped me be strong?”

She shook her head.

“All the time. Especially during this whole signing problem, through the hospitalization of your grandpa, when I thought I lost you, when I didn’t know what to do about New York. Through all of that, I would often think of you, and your name would come to me, reminding me who I can rely on, who has me in His hands.” Decker really wanted her to understand this. “You are everything to me, Faith.”

She snuggled close to him on the truck bench. And he drove them to the overlook.

She laughed when they parked. “We going to make-out point?”

“No.”

“Dang. I always wanted you to take me to make-out point.”

“Well, then that can be arranged. I’ve always wanted to make out with you.”

“What!”

“I did! I thought it was just crazy boy hormones and it would ruin our friendship, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to kiss those lips.”

“That’s just crazy, Deck. Crazy.” She looked kind of like she wanted to throttle him. He laughed. “Hold on, better late than never.” He kissed her lips. “Right?”

“We’ll see.”

Then he laughed even harder. “You’re something, Faithy Haws, one tiny, wonderful something.”

She nodded.

He circled around the truck and grabbed a couple blankets and his basket and then helped her up into the bed of the truck. They faced away from the overlook and lay down, looking up into the sky. “I wanted to show you something.”

She rested her head on his shoulder and took his hand in hers. “This is really something.”

“See all those stars? You can’t see that many down in town, or even on my ranch because we have those lights installed. But look now. There are more than I could ever count.”

“I love this view.” She sighed.

“You happy?”

“Oh yeah, Deck. I didn’t know I could ever be this happy. Thank you for what you did today.”

“You’re welcome. I did it for us all.” He was quiet for a moment. “I liked what you said. I’ve been selfish. We can share what we have, sell, and help Willow Creek be a vibrant growing town.”

“That’s the spirit.”

“But see the Dippers?”

“Yep.”

“See the North Star?”

“Yep.”

“How do you know how to find the North Star?”

She laughed. “Decker, everyone knows. You follow the two stars in the Little Dipper and go out…”

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