Friends--And Then Some Read online

  Confused, Jake shook his head, not understanding Lily’s grandmother. “How do you mean?”

  “Rick came a-courting with a two-karat diamond ring in his pocket,” Gram explained. “He’s requested my permission to ask for Lily’s hand.”

  Chapter Ten

  “I see,” Jake said slowly. The words went sour on his tongue. He did indeed understand. Lily had finally achieved her goal. She’d landed herself a wealthy man. Swallowing back the angry denial that trembled at the end of his tongue, Jake buried his hands deep inside his pants pockets. “I imagine Lily was thrilled?” He raised expectant eyes to Gram. The happy, carefree feeling that had been with him from the moment he’d decided to ask Lily to marry him slowly shriveled up and died.

  “I can’t rightly say. Rick planned on asking her at dinner this evening.”

  “Lily will accept.” She’d be a fool not to, Jake knew.

  “It’s the best offer she’s likely to get,” Gram asserted, eyeing Jake in his best clothes. “But I’ll tell her you were by.”

  “Don’t.” The lone word burst forcefully from his lips. “It wasn’t anything important.” He took a step back and bumped into the front door. Abruptly he turned around and gripped the doorknob, needing a moment to gather his thoughts. “Actually,” he said, turning back to Gram, “on second thought you can mention that I was here. Tell Lily that I wish her and Rick every happiness.”

  “Do you want me to tell her anything else?” Gram said with her usual astuteness. “You didn’t bring these flowers for an old woman.”

  Jake’s gaze fell on the elephant tusks mounted on the wall and the zebra-skin rug spread in front of the fireplace. Herbie, the shrunken head that Gram claimed was their spiritual protector, sat on the end table in its place of honor. Jake would miss all of it, and Gram with her African chants and wise old eyes. “No,” he murmured sadly. There was nothing left to say. Lily’s dreams had come true, and his nightmares were of his own making.

  * * *

  The following morning, Lily sat down at the kitchen table with a mug of hot coffee. She needed the caffeine. The evening with Rick had been a disaster from the start. After he’d learned that she’d gone out with Rex, Rick had panicked and come to her with a huge diamond ring and a marriage proposal. She didn’t want to hurt him, but she couldn’t marry him, either.

  The morning paper was spread across the table and Lily mindlessly read the headlines. Gram pulled out a chair to join her.

  “Where’d the flowers come from?” Lily asked, noting the colorful bouquet in the middle of the table.

  Gram glanced up from the comic-strip section of the newspaper and grinned. “A secret admirer.”

  “Oh?” Gram had attracted more than one man. But to the best of her knowledge, Lily had never known her grandmother to see or talk of anyone except her beloved Paddy.

  “Only my secret admirer couldn’t decide if the gift was meant for me or you. He finally decided on me.”

  “And who could this indecisive fellow be? Thom the butcher? Or that new man who’s been eyeing you at bingo?”

  “Nope. It was Jake.”

  “Jake!” Lily did her utmost to disguise the wild happiness that shot through her.

  “Jake was here? When?”

  Idly, Gram folded the newspaper to the crossword section and scrunched up her brow as she studied the fine print. “Late last night. It must have been close to ten.”

  Nearly too overwhelmed to speak, Lily stumbled over her words. “Why didn’t you … What did he … Flowers?” She clenched the soft bathrobe at her throat. Jake. Here. Why, oh, why hadn’t Gram said anything sooner?

  “I don’t know what he wanted. He was acting oddly.”

  Lily jumped to her feet. “I’m going to get dressed. Did he stay long?”

  “Five minutes or so. Not long.” Gram didn’t look up as her pencil worked furiously across the newspaper, filling in the words. “Just remember what I told you the first time we met Jake: You and he were meant for each other.”

  There was a gleam in Gram’s eye that hinted at something more, something she wasn’t saying. “Since Jake came by here, it would only be polite to return the visit. Right?” She didn’t wait for Gram to answer her. “He obviously had something on his mind or he wouldn’t have come. I mean, it isn’t like Jake to stop by unexpectedly.” He did exactly that three or four times a week but Lily was grateful her grandmother didn’t point it out.

  Hardly caring what she wore, Lily dug through her drawer and found a pair of white linen pants and a floral print top. A quick run of the brush through her hair left it looking shimmering and healthy.

  At the marina the first thing Lily noticed was Jake’s taxi with a For Sale sign propped against the dashboard. Lily stared at it with disbelief. The money from the short story sale to The New Yorker had been good, but not enough to live on. Jake would never sell his source of income.

  Hurrying now, she half ran down the wooden dock that led to his slip. She spotted him immediately, working on the deck, coiling a large section of rope around his arm. Her pace slowed. Now that she was here, there didn’t seem to be anything particular to say. Although Jake was facing her, he didn’t acknowledge her approach or give any indication that he’d seen her.

  “Morning, Jake.” She stood with her hands clenched together in front of her.

  He ignored her, continuing to wind the thick rope around his arm, using his elbow as a guide.

  “There’s a For Sale sign on the cab.”

  “I know.”

  “But why?”

  “It’s for sale.” His voice held no welcome.

  Lily could see that this topic wasn’t going anywhere. “Gram said you were by the house last night.”

  “I was.”

  If he didn’t stop with that stupid rope and look at her soon, she was going to rip it out of his arms. “The flowers are lovely.”

  Jake’s mouth tightened. “Consider them a good-bye present.”

  Her heart pounded wildly in her ears. “Good-bye?”

  “Yeah, I’m moving down the coast.”

  “This is all rather sudden, isn’t it?”

  “I’ve been thinking about it for some time.”

  Lily set her hands on her hips. “You’d move just to spite me, wouldn’t you?”

  For the first time, he halted and glanced up at her, his eyes a brilliant green. His feet were braced slightly apart as if anticipating a fight. “You’re not making any sense. I’m moving because—”

  “Because you’re afraid.”

  Jake snorted. Inwardly, he admitted that she was probably right. He couldn’t be around Lily without wanting her, and the best thing for them both was to remove the temptation. “I’ve fought in Iraq, tangled with drunks who couldn’t afford to pay their fare, and listened to your grandmother sing an African chant over my head. I’d say you have little reason to accuse me of cowardice.” That, too, was a half-truth. Just being close to Lily caused him to tremble. What had made perfect sense the day before seemed like utter stupidity now. He loved her, yes. But that didn’t mean they should get married.

  “You’re going away because of me.”

  “Yes!” Jake shouted, feeling angry and unreasonable. “I have this particular quirk about being seen with a married woman.”

  “I’m not married.”

  “Not yet, but you will be. Gram told me about Rick’s proposal.”

  She held up her bare left hand, fanning her fingers. “I turned him down.”

  “That wasn’t a smart move.”

  “I don’t love Rick.”

  “That’s your problem, Lily. You’ve got too much conscience. Loving him isn’t necessary. Rick can give you all the fancy things you want.”

  “He can’t give me what I want the very most.”

  “Give him time.”

  “Even that won’t work,” she assured him.

  “And what is it that you want so badly?”

  “You.”

&nbs
p; His dark eyes found hers, stunned and staring. “You don’t mean that.”

  “I love you, Jake Carson.”

  “I don’t have the money to buy you a fat diamond.”

  “A simple gold band will do.” For every argument Jake presented, she would find a solution. She hadn’t come this far to let him slip away.

  “My home is right here. There isn’t going to be any fancy house.” Except maybe one with a white picket fence and a row of flowers at the front.

  “In case you hadn’t noticed, I love the Lucky Lady. We’ll live right here.”

  “And what about kids? There’s no room for children here.” He gestured casually at the confines of the sailboat.

  “Then we’ll buy a bigger boat.”

  “I told you before that I can’t give you the things Rick could.” He didn’t know why he continued to argue. He loved her.

  “No, you probably can’t. But I’ve learned how meaningless diamonds are. I love you, Jake, and if you love me back, I’d consider myself the wealthiest ex–piano player in town.”

  Jake’s defenses relaxed, as he let the rope fall to the deck. He held out a hand to Lily, guiding her safely aboard the Lucky Lady and into his arms. He buried his face in her hair and held her for several minutes, just breathing in the fresh fragrance of her. “I love you so much that part of me would have died to stand by and watch you marry Rick.”

  “Then why would you have let me?” Even now she couldn’t understand his reasoning.

  “Because I wanted to give you all those material things you deserved. But in order to do that I had to let you go.”

  Lovingly, Lily cupped his face. His strong, proud features seemed to intensify with each word.

  Lily sighed as relief washed over her. “The only thing I’ll ever want is you.”

  “I’m already yours. I have been since that night in the attic and probably long before then, only I refused to acknowledge it.” His strong arms held her closer as if he feared she would escape him.

  Lily’s eyes gleamed with happiness. “Gram was right.”

  “About what?”

  “Before I left this morning, she told me that you and I were destined to be together.”

  Unable to resist any longer, Jake tenderly kissed the corner of her mouth. “How could she be so sure of that?”

  Lily’s hands toyed with the hair at the back of his neck. “Remember the day we met in front of the Wheaton when Gram chanted over you?”

  His mouth found her cheek. “I’m not likely to forget it.”

  “Gram was sealing our fate. That was a fertility rite. We’re doomed to live a long, happy life. And from what Gram said, we’re going to need a very large boat in the years to come.”

  Jake chuckled. “I can live with that,” he told her, and then he kissed her, certain that this time, he’d never let go.

  More from #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author

  DEBBIE MACOMBER

  CEDAR COVE NOVELS

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  www.DebbieMacomber.com | Find Debbie on Facebook

  Ballantine Books

  Knitting Patterns

  Jo Marie’s Crochet Shawl

  Designed by Ellen Gormley

  FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

  Length: 35″

  Depth: 14″

  MATERIALS

  Debbie Macomber’s Blossom Street Collection Petals Socks (100g/462 yds; 50% fine merino, 30% nylon, 20% angora) Color 601 Cherry Blossom—1 ball

  Hook: US Size F-5 (3.75 mm) hook or size to obtain gauge

  Notions: 6 lock-ring stitch markers

  GAUGE

  16 sts x 11 rows = 4″ in patt st, blocked

  Save time, check your gauge.

  PATTERN NOTES

  Chain 2 at the beg of row counts as 1 dc.

  Markers are placed at the increases. Move markers as work progresses.

  SPECIAL STITCHES

  Cluster (CL): * Yo, insert hook in first specified st and draw up a lp to height of dc; yo and draw through 2 lps; yo, insert hook in next st and draw up a lp to height of dc, yo and draw through 2 lps **; sk next st, rep from * to ** once in next 2 sts; yo and draw through all 5 lps on hook; CL made. (After the foundation ch, all CL will be worked in ch-3 sps straddling a dc.)

  SHAWLETTE

  Ch 186. Row 1 (RS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook; * ch 4, sk next ch, CL over next 5 chs, ch 4, sk next ch, sc in next ch; rep from * across; with RS facing, counting in from the beginning of the row, pm (place marker) in the 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th CL, ch 4, turn—23 CL. Row 2: * Sc in top of next CL, ch 3, dc in next sc, ch 3; rep from * across, ending last rep with ch 1, dc in last sc; ch 3, turn—24 dc, 23 sc. Row 3: Sc in next sc, ** * ch 4, CL in next 2 ch-3 sps, working half of CL in each ch-3 sp, ch 4, sc in next sc; rep from * twice, to next marker: [ch 4, CL in next 2 ch-3 sps, working half of CL in each ch-3 sp, ch 4, sc in same ch-3 sp, ch 7, sk sc, sc in next ch-3 sp, ch 4, CL in same ch-3 sp and next ch-3 sp, ch 4, sc in next sc]; rep from * to * twice to next marker, rep from [to] one time, rep from ** in pattern across, ending last rep with ch sc in last sc, leaving remaining sts unworked; ch 1, turn. Move the markers to the ch-7 spaces—22 CL, 5 ch-7 sps. Row 4: Sc in first CL; [* ch 3, dc in next sc, ch 3, sc in top of next CL; rep from * to marked ch-7 sp, ch 3, dc in sc before ch-7 loop, ch 3, sc in ch-7 sp, ch 3, dc in sc after ch-7 loop, ch 3, sc in CL]; rep from [to] across, ending last rep with sc in last CL, leaving remaining sts unworked; ch 4, turn. Row 5: * CL in next 2 ch-3 sps, ch 4, sc in next sc; rep from *, ending last rep with sc in last sc, ch 4, turn—26 CL. Row 6: * Sc in top of next CL, ch 3, dc in next sc, ch 3; rep from * across, ending last rep with sc in last CL; ch 4, turn. Row 7: Rep row 5—25 CL. Row 8: Rep row 6. Row 9: Sc in next sc, ** * ch 4, CL in next 2 ch-3 sps, ch 4, sc in next sc *; rep from * to * twice, [ch 4, CL in next 2 ch-3 sps, working half of CL in each ch-3 sp, ch 4, sc in same ch-3 sp, ch 7, sk sc, sc in next ch-3 sp, ch 4, CL in same ch-3 sp and next ch-3 sp, ch 4, sc in next sc]; rep from * to * twice, rep from [to] one time, rep from ** in pattern across, ending last rep with sc in last sc, leaving remaining sts unworked; ch 4, turn. Move the markers to the ch-7 spaces—24 CL, 5 ch-7 sps. Row 10: Rep row 4. Row 11: Rep row 5—28 CL. Row 12: Rep row 6. Row 13: Rep row 5—27 CL. Row 14: Rep row 6. Row 15: Sc in next sc, ch 4, CL in next 2 ch-3 sps, ch 4, sc in next sc, ** * ch 4, CL in next 2 ch-3 sps, ch 4, sc in next sc *; rep from * to * twice, [ch 4, CL in next 2 ch-3 sps, working half of CL in each ch-3 sp, ch 4, sc in same ch-3 sp, ch 7, sk sc, sc in next ch-3 sp, ch 4, CL in same ch-3 sp and next ch-3 sp, ch 4, sc in next sc]; rep from * to * twice, rep from [to] one time, rep from ** in pattern across, ending last rep with ch 4, CL in next 2 ch-3 sps, ch 4, sc in last sc, leaving remaining sts unworked; ch 4, turn. Move the markers to the ch-7 spaces—26 CL, 5 ch-7 sps. Row 16: Rep row 4. Row 17: Rep row 5—30 CL. Row 18: Rep row 6. Row 19: Rep row 5—29 CL. Row 20: Rep row 6. Row 21: Sc in next sc, * ch 4, CL in next 2 ch-3 sps, ch 4, sc in next sc *; rep from * to * 5 more times, ** [ch 4, CL in next 2 ch-3 sps, working half of CL in each ch-3 sp, ch 4, sc in same ch-3 sp, ch 7, sk sc, sc in next ch-3 sp, ch 4, CL in same ch-3 sp and next ch-3 sp, ch 4, sc in next sc], rep from * to * 5 times; rep from ** across; leaving remaining sts unworked; ch 4, turn. Move the markers to the ch-7 spaces—28 CL, 3 ch-7 sps. Row 22: Rep row 4. Row 23: Rep row 5—30 CL. Row 24: Rep row 6. Row 25: Rep row 5—29 CL. Row 26: Rep row 6. Row 27: Rep row 21—28 CL, 3 ch-7 sps. Row 28: Rep row 4. Row 29: Rep row 5–30 CL. Row 30: Rep row 6. Row 31: Rep row 5—29 CL. Row 32: Rep row 6. Row 33: Rep row 9 (same as row 21)—28 CL, 3 ch-7 sps. Row 34: Rep row 4. Row 35: Rep row 5—30 CL. Row 36: Rep row 6. Row 37: Rep row 5—29 CL. Fasten off. Block to enhance lace effect.

  ABBREVIATIONS

  Beg—Beginning; Ch(s)—Chain(s); CL—Cluster; Dc—Double Crochet; Lp(s)—Loop(s); Patt—Pattern; Pm—Place marker; RS—Right side; Rep—Repeat; Sc—Single Crochet; Sk—Skip; Sp(s)—Space(s); St(s)—Stitch(es); Yo—Yar
nover

  Jo Marie’s Knitted Shawl

  Designed by Michael del Vecchio

  FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

  Length (Along Top Edge): 72″

  Depth: 6½″

  MATERIALS

  Debbie Macomber’s Blossom Street Collection (distributed by Universal Yarn) Petals Sock (100g/462 yds; 50% fine merino, 30% nylon, 20% angora) Color # 602 Alpine Strawberry—1 ball

  Needles: US 9 (5.5 mm) 29″ circular ndl or size to obtain gauge

  Notions: Stitch markers, tapestry needle

  GAUGE

  14 sts x 31 rows = 4″ in Garter st, blocked

  Save time, check your gauge.

  SHAWLETTE

  Cast on 179 sts. Set-up row (WS): K2, place marker (pm), [k21, pm, k1, pm] 7 times, k21, pm, k2. Inc row (RS): K2, slip marker (sl m), [yo, knit to marker (m), yo, sl m, k1, sl m] 7 times, yo, knit to m, yo, sl m, k2—16 sts inc’d. Knit 1 WS row. Rep these 2 rows, 7 more times—307 sts.

  BORDER

  Row 1 (RS): K2, sl m, yo, [k1, * yo, k1, sl1-k2tog-psso, k1, yo, k1; rep from * to m, yo, sl m, k1, sl m, yo] 7 times, k1, * yo, k1, sl1-k2tog-psso, k1, yo, k1; rep from * to m, yo, k2—323 sts. Row 2 (and all rem WS rows): Knit. Row 3: K2, sl m, yo, k1, [k1, * yo, k1, sl1-k2tog-psso, k1, yo, k1; rep from * to 1 st before m, k1, yo, sl m, k1, sl m, yo, k1] 7 times, k1, * yo, k1, sl1-k2tog-psso, k1, yo, k1; rep from * to 1 st before m, k1, yo, k2—339 sts. Row 5: K2, sl m, yo, k2, [k1, * yo, k1, sl1-k2tog-psso, k1, yo, k1; rep from * to 2 sts before m, k2, yo, sl m, k1, sl m, yo, k2] 7 times, k1, * yo, k1, sl1-k2tog-psso, k1, yo, k1; rep from * to 2 sts before m, k2, yo, k2—355 sts. Knit 1 WS row. Bind off all sts very loosely. Weave in ends and block, stretching to enhance length and lace effect.

  ABBREVIATIONS

  Inc—increase; K—knit; M—marker; Ndl—needle; Pm—place marker; RS—right side; Rem—remain(ing); Rep—repeat; Sl1-k2tog-psso: Slip 1 stitch as if to knit, knit 2 stitches together, pass the slipped stitch over the knit 2 together; Sl m—slip marker; St(s)—stitch(es); WS—wrong side; Yo—yarnover