Cliff set aside his menu and reached across the table for her hand. She was grateful he’d read her mood so accurately. She needed this time just for them, in a place that was neutral, that wasn’t her house or his.
Seeing that they were ready to order, the waitress hurried to the table, pad in hand. Grace chose the halibut in shrimp curry sauce, and Cliff asked for a T-bone steak.
Both dishes were excellent. Grace was thrilled that Cedar Cove had such an outstanding restaurant. She was proud of Justine and Seth and the success they’d made of this enterprise. Having worked as a commercial fisherman, Seth knew good fish and seafood, and served only the freshest. She could see that owning a restaurant was demanding, but so far the couple’s marriage seemed to be withstanding the pressures. Grace hoped that wouldn’t change.
When they’d finished, Cliff paid their bill. “Ready to leave?” he asked.
Grace told him she was. While Cliff retrieved her coat, she saw that Cal and Linnette were lingering over coffee; Grace smiled at them but they were completely absorbed in each other.
In the parking lot, where she and Cliff had both left their vehicles, he insisted on checking her car. She followed him home, arriving a minute or two after him. He waited for her outside the house while she parked in the space he’d cleared in the garage. When she joined him, Cliff placed one arm around her shoulders. Yawning, he covered his mouth with the other hand.
“Is that a hint, Cliff Harding?” she teased and playfully elbowed him in the ribs. He had a vigorous sexual appetite, although they were still a bit shy with each other. She knew exactly what he meant—he wanted to go to bed…and not because he was tired.
“Well, I guess you could say so.”
She laughed and slipped her arm around him, resting her head on his shoulder. “It’s late, isn’t it? We should’ve been in bed hours ago.”
“Yes—extremely late. So we’d better get a move on.”
Grace smiled to herself. After all, she wanted the same thing her husband did.
Forty-Seven
Cecilia woke from a sound sleep at Aaron’s first cry. She groaned inwardly and glanced at the clock-radio on the nightstand—4:10 a.m. It’d been four hours since she’d last nursed. Aaron was hungry again and he wouldn’t return to sleep until he’d been fed.
Ian rolled over when she climbed out of bed. “Need any help?” he asked sleepily.
“No thanks, sweetheart.” It wasn’t as if her husband could give Aaron his breakfast. Breast-feeding was a new experience; she’d never had the opportunity to nurse Allison. She’d pumped her breasts, wanting to believe that her milk would somehow provide the sustenance to pull Allison through her medical crisis. Sadly, it hadn’t.
Carefully lifting Aaron from his crib, she shushed the newborn, who was crying hard enough to wake the neighbors. Cecilia soothed him with gentle whispers as she changed his diaper and settled in the living room rocker. Singing softly to him, she unbuttoned the front of her nightgown and gave a slight gasp when her hungry son latched onto her nipple.
Ian’s barely discernible laugh caught her attention. “I have a strong son,” he said, walking into the room. He was barefoot and wore only the bottom half of his pajamas.
While Cecilia rocked and nursed the baby, Ian sat across from her.
“You don’t need to get out of bed for this,” she felt obliged to tell him.
“I know. I wanted to. It’s been two weeks now, but I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of watching you nurse our son.”
She brushed the tiny wisps of hair away from Aaron’s sweet face and gazed down at him in utter amazement as tiny milk bubbles formed at his mouth.
“From the first moment I saw you, I thought you were beautiful,” Ian whispered.
“Oh, honey, stop.” His compliments embarrassed her.
“You were,” he said with a sigh. “But you’ve never looked more beautiful than you do right this minute.”
His words filled her heart. “Thank you,” she whispered.
He seemed about to say something else, but paused, as if caught up in the emotion of the moment. After a while he said, “I’ve been thinking about us finding a house to rent. Maybe with an option to buy.”
She smiled at him quickly. “I’d like that. Where?”
Ian shrugged. “Cedar Cove. I want our son to have a real yard to play in and a neighborhood with other families, other kids. Living in a duplex is fine for you and me, but we have a baby now who’ll need room to grow. What do you think?”
“Let’s start looking today!”
“I’ll check with a rental agent to see what we can find.”
Cecilia nodded, excited by the idea.
As soon as Aaron was satisfied, he fell asleep. Holding him over her shoulder, Cecilia rocked for several minutes until she felt she could place him in his crib again without fear of waking him.
Ian crawled into bed and pulled aside the covers so she could join him. Cecilia curled up against her husband, but after a few minutes, she shifted away in an effort to get comfortable. Ten minutes later she was back.
“Want to tell me what’s on your mind?” Ian suggested when her restlessness didn’t end.
“I don’t want to keep you awake,” she protested.
“It’s either you talk or you wake me every time you roll from one side to the other. I might be on leave, but I still need my sleep.”
“Sorry.”
“Talk,” he insisted.
“It’s Allison Cox,” Cecilia said reluctantly. She hadn’t intended to mention this to Ian, but the girl had been in her thoughts ever since yesterday afternoon, when she’d stopped by the house to visit Aaron. Allison had confided in her and spent the better part of the afternoon unburdening her woes.
“I know you’re not too keen on this new boyfriend of hers.”
“No,” Cecilia murmured. “I’m not.”
“She isn’t planning to run away and marry him, is she?” Ian asked in a sleepy voice.
“Not that I know of.” But Cecilia was afraid that whatever Anson requested, Allison would do.
“Then it can’t be too serious.”
“Don’t bet on it.” Cecilia nestled more comfortably in the crook of her husband’s arm. “I’m telling you, Ian—this kid is trouble.”
“Is he hanging around Allison a lot?”
“Apparently not. He had some sort of confrontation with her recently and she hasn’t seen him since.” Cecilia paused, biting her lip. “He hasn’t shown up for school, either, which worries her.”
“Did she try to find out where he is?”
“I asked her, and she started to cry.”
“And?” Ian pressed when she didn’t immediately continue.
“According to Allison, Anson’s mother claims she hadn’t seen him for a few days, which she doesn’t happen to think is any big deal. Can you imagine that? Anson’s eighteen now, but it shouldn’t matter what age he is. If he’s living at home and he disappears, then the woman should be concerned.”
“Surely he has friends.”
“Allison says he runs with a rough crowd.” This didn’t surprise Cecilia; kids like Anson and his buddies weren’t the type of friends she wanted Allison to have, but she dared not let the girl know that.
“Hasn’t anyone checked with these guys?”
“I suspect Allison has. But if she found out anything, she didn’t say.”
Ian was silent after that.
“Allison’s really worried, and I don’t blame her. She asked her father to talk to Seth Gunderson.”
“About what?”
Cecilia realized she’d never filled in this part of the story for Ian. “Back in December, Mr. Cox spoke to Seth on Anson’s behalf.”
“That was good of him.”
“Mr. Cox was the one who recommended Anson for the job, so he feels responsible for what happened. He wanted to hear what Seth had to say.”
“What did he learn?”
This was where it bec
ame confusing for Cecilia. “Well, Mr. Gunderson said he wasn’t a hundred percent positive that it was Anson who took the money, and because he couldn’t be sure, he laid off another of the kitchen staff, too. Both had opportunity. Naturally, Allison believes the other guy did it. She says this Tony was out to get Anson because he made Tony look bad.”
“How?”
Cecilia gave a small shrug. “Supposedly because Anson was such a hard worker.”
“That certainly gave Tony a motive, didn’t it? And Anson, too—if he thinks Tony’s been on his case, maybe spreading rumors about him.”
“That’s exactly what I figured,” Cecilia agreed. She couldn’t blame Seth Gunderson for laying off Anson. He had the motive, the opportunity and the reputation.
Her husband was quiet for several minutes. “That’s all true,” he finally said, “and I wouldn’t totally rule him out, but in my opinion, the kid’s gotten a bad break.”
“He isn’t right for Allison,” Cecilia insisted.
Ian was quiet again, and then he said, “You know, I’m glad you didn’t listen to the people who told you it was a mistake to go out with a Navy guy.”
“Oh, Ian.” She turned into his embrace. “I’m glad, too.”
She was. Not only that, her husband had given her something to think about.
Forty-Eight
Rachel laughed at Jane’s joke as they walked out to the parking lot after work on Saturday. It was the shop’s busiest day and she’d been on her feet for almost ten hours; she was exhausted. Laughter was a good release, even if the joke had been silly and a little off-color.
The parking lot was dark, only fitfully illuminated by nearby streetlights. Approaching her car, keys in hand, Rachel stopped abruptly when a tall, lean man came out of the shadows. Terrified, she couldn’t move.
Until the man spoke.
“Rachel, it’s Nate.”
She felt instantly weak until the anger kicked in, rescuing her. “You scared me out of ten years of my life,” she snapped. “What do you think you’re doing, hiding in the shadows like that?”
“Sorry.”
“You should be!”
He held up both hands. “All I wanted to do was talk. I wasn’t interested in starting World War Three.”
“You should’ve thought of that before you came sneaking up on me.” Just then, Jane drove by and slowed down as if to check out the situation. As soon as she recognized Nate, a gigantic smile formed and with a wave, she drove off.
Undeterred, Rachel went on. “You’re lucky I didn’t gouge out your eyes with my car key.” The anger concealed her elation. Rachel didn’t want to be this happy, and that made her feel even angrier at herself for reacting to him. “Furthermore,” she added in a flustered voice, “why are you lurking in the shadows like…like some stalker?” She inserted her key in the lock and yanked open the door.
“Like I said, I came to talk to you.” He didn’t back down. They stood several feet apart—which was too close. Far too close.
“I love you, Rachel. I can’t help it. I was going to let you have your own way, but I couldn’t do it.”
She wished he hadn’t said that. Every time he opened his mouth she weakened a little more. “This is not a good idea.”
“I happen to think it’s an excellent idea.” He advanced one small step toward her.
Heart pounding, Rachel held out her arm. “Stop right where you are.”
“No.”
“I’ll call for a security guard.”
Still he came. “You do that.”
“Nate…no.” But he reached her and gently took her by the shoulders and brought her toward him. She couldn’t fight him. Instead, the minute he touched her, she swayed into his arms as if she belonged there. When he kissed her, she had to grab his shirt collar just to remain upright.
“Rachel, Rachel,” he murmured between kisses that left her clinging and breathless. “Why did you shut me out of your life?”
If he hadn’t said anything, she might have forgotten, at least for the length of another kiss. But, no, he had to go and remind her why a relationship was impossible.
She forced herself to pull away, then dragged in a deep breath and prayed she could get enough oxygen into her brain to think clearly.
“Oh, no, you don’t,” he protested. “I’m not letting you go that easily.”
“Nate—it won’t work.”
“Who says?”
“I do.”
“Then you’re wrong. I love you.”
“You don’t even know me.” He was making this more difficult than it had to be. “I’m just another way to thumb your nose at your family. I…refuse—don’t you dare kiss me again! Oh…Oh.” The fight went out of her as his mouth found hers. His kisses were hungry and demanding and each seemed more potent than the one before. Her knees wobbled and her heart fluttered and if she didn’t do something soon, they’d end up at her house, in her bed….
“Let’s get out of here,” Nate said, his breathing uneven.
“No.” Where she found the strength to deny him anything, she didn’t know. “I told you, this won’t work.”
He gripped her shoulders and his eyes bore into hers. “I’m only going to say this once, so listen carefully.”
At his touch she was dumbfounded.
“Do you understand me?”
Somehow, she managed to nod.
“Good. Rachel Pendergast, I love you. I am my own person. I always have been. I love my parents, but I won’t allow them to dictate my life. My father is a congressman. I’m a Warrant Officer in the United States Navy. It’s a job I enjoy and a rank I earned by my own merit. Understand?”
Again she nodded.
“My father doesn’t tell me what to do—or who to love. I make my own decisions. Got it?”
“Yes, but—”
“No buts. I love you.”
Rachel hung her head. “Don’t love me. Please, don’t love me.”
He lifted her chin so she couldn’t avoid meeting his gaze. “Sorry, it’s too late.”
“But…”
“Are you going to argue with me?”
“I…oh, Nate.” She threw her arms around him. “I missed you, too—so much.”
He sighed deeply, and slipped both arms about her waist, lifting her off the ground. “It took you long enough.”
“I’m frightened,” she whispered. And she was. If they permitted this relationship to continue, the time would come when she’d have to meet his family. It went without saying that they wouldn’t approve; there was absolutely nothing to endear her to his parents. No status, no wealth, no education to speak of. She’d been raised by an aunt who’d died when she was nineteen, and she’d been on her own from that point forward. Dogs at the pound had a better pedigree than she did.
“I don’t have any family,” she said, ashamed to admit this to a man who had such an important one.
“You’ve got me.”
“Do I?” She sighed. “Why do you make this so hard? Why won’t you just let me go?”
“Because you’re worth keeping. Now, no more arguing. We’re going to talk.”
Reluctantly she agreed. He drove them to the Pancake Palace, where they sat in one of the old-fashioned booths. They couldn’t stop staring at each other. When the waitress came, they both ordered coffee and banana splits, but the ice cream melted and the coffee grew cold before they even noticed it.
Finally Rachel reached for her spoon, then put it down again. “All right. Seeing that you’re the one with the big ideas, where do we go from here?”
“Right where we left off when I shipped out.”
“And where was that?”
“We were dating. You were my girl, and I was your bachelor prize.”
She rolled her eyes. “Nate, that sounds like something out of a 1950s movie. I should be wearing saddle shoes and a poodle skirt, and we should be listening to Bobby Darrin.”
“I’m sure they have some Bobby Darrin on the juk
ebox here,” he murmured.
“What about Bruce?” she asked.
“I think it might be a good idea if you told him you won’t be seeing him anymore.” Nate leaned all the way over and pressed his lips to hers. “You’ve already got one steady,” he said. “You don’t need two.”
Steady? Sandra Dee and Frankie Avalon were going to waltz in here any minute.
Still, she knew what Nate meant—and she knew he was right. Jolene would be unhappy, but Rachel’s confused relationship with Bruce simply couldn’t go on.
Forty-Nine
Allison woke to the sound of a light tap on her bedroom window. Her heart flew to her throat and she gasped. It could only be Anson. She didn’t care what time of day or night it was, she had to talk to him. In her eagerness to get to the window, she nearly fell out of bed.
Sure enough, Anson stood there in the yard, his shoulders hunched against the cold March wind. In the faint moonlight she could see that he wore his black coat and watch cap and was peering into the darkened room. When she approached the window, he stepped back. Without question Allison opened it for him.
“Anson,” she cried. “Where have you been? I’ve been worried sick about you.” It was two weeks since she’d seen him, that day in the mall. He hadn’t been to school. None of his friends seemed to know where he was. He’d vanished; no one had seen him anywhere. When she broke down and phoned his mother, Mrs. Butler didn’t show any interest or concern.
Anson didn’t answer nor did he climb inside her bedroom, as he had the last time he’d visited her in the middle of the night.
“Come in,” she urged. “It’s cold.” She moved aside, but he remained out in the wind and the cold. “Anson,” she said, “get in here! You must be half frozen.”
“No!” He shook his head wildly. “The only reason I’m here is to say goodbye.”
“Goodbye?” Her mind was spinning. “Why? Where are you going?”
He shrugged as if that was of no significance. “I don’t know yet.”
Allison rubbed her hands up and down her arms, shivering with cold. “Come in. We need to talk.”