Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Series, Volume 3

  Her husband bent forward and kissed the top of her head.

  “I told your father he was being ridiculous and that if he cut you out of the will, I was leaving.” She paused and inhaled deeply. “Unfortunately, he didn’t believe me.”

  “Mom?” Lori wasn’t sure what her mother was saying. “Are you telling me—”

  Her mother cut her off. “Your father called our attorney and, while he was talking to Matt, I packed my bag. He thought I was just making a point and that I’d be back the next morning.”

  “You’re not with Dad?” If she hadn’t already been sitting, Lori would have collapsed into a chair from shock.

  “Like I said, your father and I are no longer talking. Or…living together.”

  “Where are you living?” Linc asked.

  “With my sister.”

  “Aunt Hilary?” Lori asked.

  Kate nodded. “My sister’s a widow,” she explained to Linc, “and the two of us have been enjoying ourselves.”

  “What about Dad?” Lori asked. Her father relied on Kate for everything. Lori couldn’t imagine him surviving one day on his own, let alone weeks.

  “I wouldn’t know,” Kate said, her back straight and her chin raised. “That’s his concern.”

  “You haven’t had any contact with him?”

  “None.”

  Undoubtedly her father blamed Linc for this, too, along with everything else. “Is there anything I can do for you, Mom?” Lori asked. She felt dreadful that things had deteriorated this far.

  “For me?” Kate repeated. “Good grief, no. As I said, your father is being completely unreasonable. I’ve stood by him all these years, backed him even when I disagreed, but this time he went too far.”

  “Oh, Mom, I feel awful.”

  “Why should you? Anyone who spends half an hour with Linc knows he’s everything you said. Even more apparent is how much he loves you. While your father might not like Linc because he isn’t some high-priced attorney or bank president, he should be grateful our daughter’s found a man who loves her and makes her happy.”

  Lori couldn’t have put it any better herself. “I am happy married to Linc. Happier than I ever imagined.”

  “I’m sorry our marriage has caused such a problem in your family,” Linc said.

  Kate dismissed that. “It hasn’t been a problem for anyone other than Leonard.”

  Linc nodded slowly. “What would it take for you to move back home?”

  “What would it take?” Kate asked. “Well, first Leonard would have to apologize to you for everything he’s done to undermine your business. Then he’d have to apologize to our daughter for his high-handed behavior. And last…last, he’d have to apologize to me.”

  Lori knew it would be difficult to get one apology out of her father, never mind three. None of this was likely to happen.

  “Oh, Mom.”

  “Actually, Hilary and I get along just fine.”

  “Mom!” Her mother could be just as stubborn as her father. This was a formula for disaster. She was afraid one of them would do something stupid—like file for divorce. Lori didn’t know if she could live with herself if that happened, regardless of the fact that Leonard brought it on himself… Maybe she should’ve given him a chance to meet Linc again, more time to get used to the idea of her marriage. And yet, she reminded herself, she was an adult with the right to make her own decisions.

  Her mother left shortly afterward, making Lori and Linc promise not to mention her visit to anyone in the family.

  Lori sank into her chair again after walking Kate to her car. “I can’t believe this. I have to do something,” she told Linc frantically.

  “What can you do?”

  “I…I’m not sure.”

  “Do you think your brother and sister know that your mother’s moved out?” Linc asked.

  “I doubt it. They would’ve told me.”

  Frowning, Linc nodded.

  “I’m going to phone my father and try to reason with him. All these weeks without Mom… He must be going nuts.”

  “Do you think that’s wise?” he asked.

  “I have to try.”

  Linc seemed to agree with her. He dragged his chair close to hers and held her free hand while Lori called the family home. To her surprise, her father answered.

  “Where’s Lou Lou?” she asked, shocked that the woman who’d been their housekeeper for more than twenty years didn’t pick up.

  “She no longer works here.”

  “Lou Lou quit?”

  Her father ignored the question. “Who is this?”

  “Come on, Dad, you know who this is. Lori.”

  “Lori who?”

  “Lori, your daughter,” she said, struggling to hold on to her temper.

  “Unfortunately, I don’t have a daughter named Lori.”

  His words felt like a slap in the face. “Okay, Daddy, if that’s the way you want it.” She clicked off the phone and hid her face in Linc’s chest.

  His arms came immediately around her. “I’m so sorry, honey,” he whispered, kissing her hair.

  “Me, too,” she murmured tearfully. “Me, too.”

  Twenty-Three

  “Can you meet me at the gallery a little after five?” Miranda asked Shirley, keeping an eye on the clock. She needed to leave for work soon.

  “The gallery?” Shirley repeated. “You don’t work on Thursdays, do you?”

  “Today I do. Will asked me to come in.”

  “Again?”

  “He’s got something he has to do.” He’d mentioned that he and his sister were going to revisit two of the assisted-living complexes they’d recently toured. Miranda assumed that was scheduled for this afternoon, although why he couldn’t have told her earlier…

  “It seems to me that Will Jefferson takes a lot for granted as far as you’re concerned.”

  Miranda agreed, but now wasn’t the time to discuss it. They could do that over dinner. “So, can you stop by around five?”

  “Sure.”

  “I’ll see you then.” Disconnecting, she tossed her phone in her purse and headed out the door. If there was one thing she hated, it was being late.

  When she arrived at the gallery, she found Will sitting in the showroom, working on his laptop. Their relationship had been a bit uncomfortable ever since they’d kissed. Now they were both making an effort to pretend nothing had happened.

  Only it had. And ignoring the events of that afternoon—it’d been Halloween afternoon—wasn’t working.

  Part of the problem was that Miranda wasn’t doing a good job of hiding her feelings for Will. She wasn’t usually shy; she preferred to discuss differences, talk things over and avoid miscommunication. With Will, she hadn’t done that, but couldn’t explain why. She was just being silly, she told herself. He was a sophisticated man and this would hardly be the first time a woman had fallen for him. Really, what did she have to fear? Well, other than the fact that she’d look like an idiot. He’d probably find her attraction to him highly amusing. Judging by his infatuation with petite, charming Shirley, Miranda clearly wasn’t his type. She wondered about his marriage—and his divorce—but he’d never spoken about his ex-wife and she’d never asked.

  Will smiled when he saw her. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this,” he said.

  Miranda deposited her coat and purse in the back room. “Well, don’t get used to it. I’ve got more to do than be at your beck and call.”

  His eyebrows shot up. “My, my, aren’t we testy.”

  “I have plans this evening,” she said, without enlightening him that those plans involved Shirley Knight. She figured they’d have left by the time he returned from his appointment. Anyway, it was none of his business, although she’d rather let him think she had a date. “I had to cancel my hair appointment.”

  “You could always have said no, but I’m grateful you didn’t.”

  “I’m not doing this for you,” she said curtly. “It’s for Ch
arlotte and Ben.”

  “For my mother and stepfather?” he asked, crossing his arms. “Why?”

  “You said something about going back to a couple of the assisted-living places,” she reminded him.

  “Perhaps I did. But—”

  “Yes, you most certainly did.” Miranda wasn’t pleased. “What’s going on? Why else would you drag me here on my day off?”

  “Maybe I wanted the pleasure of your company.” He grinned. His sexy smile never failed to lower her guard. Unable to meet his eyes without butterflies swarming in her stomach, Miranda looked away.

  “You should’ve told me about your hair appointment. Go ahead and keep it. I’ll change my plans.”

  “A little late now.” She snorted. A customer walked in the door and Will gestured for her to do the talking. Matt Langley, a local attorney, wanted a birthday gift for his wife, telling Miranda that Olivia Griffin had recommended her brother’s gallery. Miranda sold him a painting, the most expensive one they currently had.

  “Damn, you’re good,” Will said admiringly after Matt left.

  Miranda didn’t respond. She’d already started to make arrangements to have the painting delivered to the attorney’s home Saturday afternoon.

  “Can’t you take a compliment?” Will asked with a slight edge.

  “Yes, of course I can. It just depends on who’s giving it.”

  Will grumbled under his breath.

  “Did you say something?” she asked in a sharp voice.

  “Yes, as a matter of fact, I did.”

  “And what was it?” she challenged.

  “I wondered why you find it so difficult to simply say thank you. That’s what most people do when they receive a compliment. But not you. Oh, no, that would be far too conciliatory. Why are you constantly fighting with me, Miranda? Am I really such a terrible employer?”

  “No,” she admitted with some reluctance.

  “You don’t sound like you mean it. Listen, it was a mistake to call you in on your day off. Go. I’ll be fine. I can rearrange my dentist appointment and my—”

  “A dentist appointment! You called me in because you have a dentist appointment?” He knew which days she had off and obviously he’d scheduled this one knowing full well she’d have to come in.

  He turned his back on her and walked into his office. “It’s at three—after Olivia and I see the people at Stanford Suites.”

  So he did have an appointment at the assisted-living place. Why hadn’t he just said so? she thought irritably. What kind of game was he playing?

  Miranda followed him into the other room. “I’m here now. You might as well go.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I’ll reschedule with Olivia and the dentist.”

  “I said I’d stay.”

  He kept his hand on the phone. “Like I said, you could’ve told me no.”

  “I could have,” she agreed.

  “Then why didn’t you?”

  “And why do you leave everything to the last possible minute, as if I don’t have any plans or responsibilities?”

  “Guilty as charged. You’re right. I should’ve asked you sooner. But the appointment at Stanford Suites was on fairly short notice. And the dentist had a cancellation. Still, I apologize.” He seemed to think he could charm his way back into her good graces.

  Miranda reviewed their short conversation earlier that afternoon. Will had called her at home around noon and, despite everything, she’d been excited to hear from him. He’d asked if it was possible to work on her day off for a few hours. She’d said yes and even been eager to do so. She’d overreacted just now because…because she needed to keep her distance, emotionally and otherwise.

  “You aren’t going to tell me off?” he asked, sounding half amused and half surprised.

  “No, I guess not.”

  “You’re not coming down with a fever, are you?”

  “No,” she replied tersely. “Like you’d care.”

  He immediately sighed. “Oh, good. You’re back to normal.”

  He was right; snapping at him was her normal reaction—especially since their kiss…or rather, kisses. Until that very moment, she hadn’t really understood what she was doing or why. She wondered if Will had reached the same conclusion. Probably not. After the incident on Halloween she’d redoubled her efforts to hide her attraction, from him if not herself.

  “Keep your appointments,” she insisted. “I’ve already rearranged my schedule to accommodate yours, so there’s no need to cancel now.” She hurried out of his office and avoided him until he left. They exchanged a curt goodbye and that was it.

  Will was away from the gallery for two and a half hours, arriving back at quarter to four, but he might as well have been invisible. He went directly into his office and shut himself in. After closing the gallery a few minutes early, she knocked at his door, hoping to at least clear the air before their next encounter.

  “Come in,” Will called.

  “I’m getting ready to go.” She wanted to escape as soon as Shirley arrived, sparing them both an awkward moment. Maybe they should just have met at the restaurant….

  He glanced at his watch, apparently surprised at the time, then nodded. “Thank you for coming in this afternoon,” he said formally.

  She hesitated. “I, uh, wanted to be sure everything is okay between us.”

  “Why shouldn’t it be?” Will asked in congenial tones.

  “No reason, I guess.”

  He stood, leveled another of those killer smiles directly at her and held out his hand.

  “What’s that for?” she asked, leaning forward to extend her own.

  Will’s handshake was firm and solid. His smile didn’t waver as his eyes connected with hers. “Friends?”

  “Friends,” she echoed, but her voice sounded odd.

  “I promise not to call you into work on your days off. I apologize again. I should’ve talked to you much earlier. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

  Miranda knew very well what he was thinking. Will was thinking of himself, the same way he had most of his adult life. No, she admitted to herself, that wasn’t entirely true. He was capable of very generous behavior. Only it was dangerous—to her sanity and well-being—to view Will as anything but self-centered and self-absorbed. Somehow she managed to nod and smile.

  Before she could leave his office and shut the door, Shirley arrived at the gallery. Will brightened the instant he saw her, becoming animated and happy. “Shirley, it’s good to see you.” He clasped her hand in both of his and couldn’t seem to take his eyes off her.

  Miranda had to look away for fear he’d notice her reaction.

  “I’m here for Miranda,” Shirley said as she withdrew her hand.

  “Where’s Larry?” Will asked, ignoring the comment.

  “London.”

  “Without you?” The sympathy in his voice made Miranda grit her teeth.

  “Tanni’s still in high school,” Shirley reminded him. “And I have work to complete here.”

  Will nodded with that same unctuous sympathy.

  “Larry often travels to England. Hopefully I’ll be able to join him next time,” Shirley went on to say.

  “I thought we could walk down to D.D.’s on the Cove for dinner,” Miranda suggested, purposely turning the subject away from Larry’s absence. “It’s close, and that way we won’t need to worry about finding a parking spot.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “You’re going for dinner?” Will asked, arching his eyebrows slightly. He seemed to be expecting an invitation. He moved away from Shirley to stand beside Miranda.

  “We are,” she said. “Just the two of us.”

  “Girls’ night out?”

  Shirley nodded.

  Changing tactics, Will rested one hand on Miranda’s shoulder. “Well, then, have fun, you two.”

  Miranda shrugged off his hand and glared at Will. Whatever he thought he was doing, she refused to be part of it.

 
Shirley started out the door.

  “I’ll be there in a minute,” Miranda told her. She waited until the gallery door was completely closed before she whirled around.

  “What?” Will asked with a look of innocence.

  “Why did you put your hand on my shoulder?” she demanded.

  “I don’t know what you’re so upset about. It didn’t mean anything.”

  “You were trying to make Shirley jealous, which is ridiculous. In case you’ve forgotten, she’s married to Larry Knight and has no feelings for you whatsoever. I realize it’s difficult for your fragile ego to accept that any woman would choose a man other than you, but—”

  “You’d choose me,” Will said, cutting her off.

  “That’s…not true.” She could feel a hot blush crawling up her face.

  “Is it so strange that you’re attracted to me?” he asked.

  “I will not acknowledge anything so asinine,” she said, turning away from him. This was one of the few times in her life when she couldn’t be truthful, didn’t even want to be. The sooner she made her escape, the better. She hoped the November air would cool the embarrassed color heating her face.

  “Miranda.” He whispered her name.

  “What?” she barked, refusing to turn around.

  “We need to talk about the day you kissed me.”

  “No, we don’t,” she said, not adding that he’d kissed her, too. She kept her back to him, her hand on the doorknob, eager to get outside where Shirley was waiting.

  “I’ve done a lot of thinking about it.”

  “Sure you have,” she muttered sarcastically. And, no doubt, laughing his head off, too.

  “I have,” he said, his voice low and seductive. He placed his hand on her shoulder again, stroking it gently. “We do need to talk about this.”

  “Everything’s already been said. It’s a dead subject.”

  “For you, maybe, but not me.”

  That did it. She whirled back toward him. “Don’t play with me, Will. You need me because your ego’s taken a hit. What better way to prove to Shirley that you’re over her. An affair with her best friend would tell her that, wouldn’t it?”