Chapter 20

20

D estiny wheeled around to face Faith. "Look at what we've done," she said, raising her voice. "We could've been doing this all along."

Faith saw tears trickle down Destiny's cheeks. She jumped up and grabbed both of Destiny's hands and held them tightly. "I'm so sorry," Faith said as a lump formed in her throat. Things had been going so well. Faith could feel Destiny's heart opening and they were getting closer every day. The anger in Destiny's voice and the hurt in her eyes broke Faith's heart because she knew she'd put it there. Could they ever get past this?

"I know you're sorry," Destiny said. "I am, too." She looked down at their hands and back up into Faith's eyes. "I'm not mad at you, Faith. I'm mad that this happened to us! Why couldn't Gloria leave us alone? Why weren't we strong enough to get through it? Why couldn't we be honest?"

"Come here," Faith said, wrapping her arms around Destiny. She pulled her close and felt Destiny's arms curl around her shoulders. They stayed like this for several moments. Faith could feel tears in her own eyes. To see Destiny hurting like this was brutal.

Faith pulled away and led them back to their chairs. "Listen to me for a second, Des," she said, holding Destiny's hands once again. "We didn't do anything wrong." She stared into Destiny's eyes. "We were as honest as we could be with each other at that time. We were still learning things about each other."

Destiny sniffed and inhaled a breath. She nodded and looked sadly into Faith's eyes.

"We're different now," Faith said. "It feels like we've wasted three years of our lives being apart. Yes, we are badass landscape artists and we've proved that right here. But I've told you things in the last couple of weeks that I'm not sure I would have ever had the courage to tell you had we stayed together. I know that being without you is worse than anything that has ever happened to me. All the fears from before are gone because they have to be. Those are the things that kept me from you. I won't let anything keep me from you ever again."

Destiny leaned over and rested her forehead against Faith's. "I'm sorry I got so mad," Destiny said. She leaned back and sighed. "It feels a lot easier to tell you things than it did before. How do you know I'm being honest? How do I know…"

Faith smiled. "It's that nasty little trust thing again, isn't it?"

Destiny nodded.

"You trust me now more than you ever did in the past," Faith said. "I can feel it, right here." She put her hand over Destiny's heart. "You may not realize it yet and that's okay."

"Do you trust me?" Destiny asked.

Faith nodded. "I do. I hurt you deeply and that's hard to get past, if you can."

"I can and have," Destiny said. "I understand why you did what you did. That helps to heal the pain."

"Now, we have to go forward."

Destiny nodded. "The story of Destiny and Faith. How they ended the evil landscaper's reign and brought harmony back to the untamed lands."

Faith raised one eyebrow. "Are you planning to bury Gloria?"

Destiny smiled. "That's exactly what we're going to do."

Faith tilted her head. "Please enlighten your partner in planting?"

Destiny laughed. "Partner in planting?"

"That's all I could come up with."

"We're going to bury her by giving the contractor a concept they can't refuse," Destiny said.

Faith smiled at Destiny and gazed at her. "I think that's confidence I'm seeing in your eyes."

"You've had it all along," Destiny said. "It took me a while to get there, but I've finally made it. You're right, Faith, we're going to win this bid."

Faith nodded with a grin. Destiny finally believed in this project the way Faith did. Now if she could just get her to believe in them again.

"Have we done enough work for today?" Destiny asked. "I have a date I'm looking forward to."

This made Faith's smile widen. "No more talking about work?"

"I didn't say that," Destiny said. "You know how ideas pop into our heads."

"That's true," Faith said. "Let's close our laptops and have a drink on my beautiful terrace."

Destiny chuckled as they both closed their laptops. Faith turned off the lights and they went out the back door.

"I have beer and wine," Faith said. "Your choice."

"Hmm, are we going to sit out here and watch the sunset?" Destiny asked.

"We can."

"Then let's have a beer," Destiny replied.

"Coming right up," Faith said. She went into the house, grabbed two beers from the refrigerator, and hurried outside to find Destiny sitting in one of the chairs on her front porch.

"Thanks," Destiny said, taking the beer from Faith.

"To big things coming," Faith said, holding her beer to Destiny's.

"To big things." Destiny clinked her bottle to Faith's.

They both took hearty drinks from their bottles and sighed.

"Faith, I'm sorry I got so upset earlier," Destiny said. "It all hit me at once."

"It's okay."

"No, it's not," Destiny said. "I'm not angry with you. I mean that. I don't want to keep bringing it up because I know it hurts you. The last thing I want is for either one of us to be hurt again."

Faith sighed and put her hand over her chest. "It broke my heart to see the pain in your eyes, especially since I put it there."

"No, Faith, we've worked through that and will continue to do so," Destiny said. "That was all about Gloria. I mean, did you see that presentation? It was incredible."

Faith chuckled. "Yeah, it was."

"Just imagine what all we could've been doing," Destiny said.

"We still can, Des," Faith said.

"Yeah, we can," Destiny said. "Starting next week when we win this bid."

"I'll drink to that."

"Okay," Destiny said. "No more work. What do you have planned for us this evening?"

"Uh," Faith stammered. "Let me tell you a little more about this date."

Destiny leaned forward. "Please do. You've been kind of mysterious about it."

"Well, that's because the surprise part is really early in the morning," Faith explained. "I want you to spend the night with me because it's too early to ask you to come over in the morning."

Destiny furrowed her brow and tilted her head. "Spend the night?"

"I don't mean like that," Faith said. "You can have the bed and I'll sleep on the couch. The surprise is very early in the morning and I'd tell you more but it would ruin it. Will you go along with me on this?"

"So, you want to spend the evening together," Destiny said. "Spend the night and the surprise is in the morning?"

"Early," Faith stressed.

"I'm guessing this has nothing to do with work," Destiny said.

"Absolutely nothing," Faith said. "I've been asking you to trust me all this time. Well, trust me, Des, it's something you're going to love."

Destiny squinted at Faith.

"I do know you," Faith said. "I know things you love."

Destiny chuckled. "I guess we'll find out, won't we?"

"Is that a yes?" Faith asked with hope in her voice.

"Yes," Destiny said. "How could I say no? I've got to find out what it is I love."

"Well, besides me," Faith said, wiggling her eyebrows.

Destiny smirked and took a drink of her beer. "Are you at least going to feed me?"

"Of course I am," Faith said. "The food should be here—" Just then Faith's phone dinged with a message. "Right now." She got up and handed her beer to Destiny. "I'll be right back."

As Faith walked back into the building she was relieved Destiny was going along with her unconventional plan for this date, especially after getting so upset earlier. It felt good to hold Destiny in her arms, even if it was to comfort her. She looked forward to the day she could hold her and kiss her once again.

Faith unlocked the front door and took the food from the delivery driver. She went back through the building to find Destiny patiently waiting while gazing over the field where the sun should set soon.

An overwhelming feeling of love stopped Faith in her tracks. How could she have ever let this incredible woman go? Well, she knew how it happened, but she vowed it would never happen again. Just then Destiny looked over and met Faith's gaze. She smiled and that's when Faith could feel it. Destiny Green was in love with her once again.

Destiny gasped. "You didn't," she said, getting up from her chair. "Is that pizza from DeSano's?"

Faith walked over and set the pizza on the small table between the chairs. "Where else would I order from?"

"Oh, Faith Fields, you do know what I like," Destiny said, inhaling the aroma of the pizza.

Faith couldn't keep from being pleased with herself. "I'll grab plates and wine," she said and went inside.

Destiny filled their plates while Faith opened and poured the wine. It was obvious they'd done this before, but the smiles shared between them said the things they didn't quite have the words for yet. They sat back down to enjoy their dinner.

"Do you eat outside every night?" Destiny asked. "I really like it out here."

"No," Faith said between bites. "It feels special when you're here with me."

After they'd finished eating, Faith suggested they go inside and watch one of their favorite series on HGTV.

"I didn't realize Restoring Galveston had new episodes," Destiny said.

"They bought an old boarding house that had been unused for years," Faith explained. "They're restoring the property and making it into an inn. I'd love to stay there once they've finished."

"That is some project," Destiny said.

"I know," Faith said. "It's the largest scale of a restoration they've ever done. It reminds me of what we're taking on."

"Yeah." Destiny nodded. "I guess what we're doing is kind of like that. Maybe we should film our project."

"Are you serious?"

"Why not?" Destiny said excitedly. "Monica was ready to pitch landscape wars to the network. Why not do something like this instead? Our landscape vision will transform that building site."

Faith chuckled. "Wow, when your confidence comes back, it's big and bold."

Destiny raised her eyebrows. "I thought you liked my confidence."

"Oh, I do," Faith assured her. "Let's watch one more episode and then go to bed," she suggested cautiously. "We'll be up early in the morning."

"Are you setting an alarm or…"

"Don't worry, you'll know when to wake up."

"If I wasn't so tired from all the late nights this week," Destiny said, "I might not sleep tonight because of the excitement."

"Oh, God," Faith muttered. "I hope I haven't oversold it."

"Where's that Faith Fields confidence?" Destiny asked. "It came back in the shack that night and it's been with you ever since."

"This is much more important to me than any landscaping project," Faith said. "You're more important to me than anything." She smiled at Destiny and leaned back on the couch next to her.

When the episode was over Destiny leaned forward. "You didn't tell me I'd be spending the night, so I didn't bring anything with me to sleep in."

"I've got something you can sleep in and there's an extra toothbrush on the sink in the bathroom," Faith said, getting up and walking to the bedroom.

She grabbed a T-shirt for Destiny and found her waiting in the kitchen. "Here you go."

Destiny held up the shirt and looked at Faith with surprise. "I wondered where this went," she said. "It's one of my favorite sleep shirts."

Faith shrugged. "It's one of my favorites, too."

Destiny tilted her head and smirked.

"You can have the bathroom first," Faith said, grinning. "I'll change in the bedroom."

After Destiny finished in the bathroom, Faith squeezed around her and took her turn to brush her teeth. When she came out of the bathroom, Destiny stopped her.

"Hey, it's not right for me to take your bed," Destiny said. "I can sleep on the couch."

"You're my guest," Faith said.

"We're both adults," Destiny said. "It's not like we haven't done this before. Why don't we both sleep in here?"

"Are you sure?" Faith asked.

Destiny nodded. "I'm sure." She walked to one side of the bed.

"Uh, that's the side I usually sleep on," Faith said tentatively.

Destiny chuckled. "Of course it is." She got in the bed and scooted over so Faith could get in on her side.

"Thanks," Faith said. She reached over to turn out the light then rolled onto her back.

They were lying side by side, looking up at the ceiling when Destiny said, "I had a nice time tonight. I don't know if this was part of the date or not, but thank you."

"This has been the best week I've had in a very long time," Faith said. "It's because we spent so much time together. I hope we can keep doing that."

"Me, too," Destiny said softly.

Faith felt Destiny take her hand in the dark then heard her yawn.

"Good night, Faith," Destiny murmured. "See you in the morning."

"Night, Des," Faith replied softly. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and thanked the powers above that Destiny was right next to her once again.