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  “What would you like me to do with it?” she asked.

  Jon buried his hands in his pockets and gazed up at the ceiling. “You don’t want the answer to that.”

  “Yes, I do,” she told him calmly.

  “Burn it.”

  She’d hoped and prayed that he’d conquered some of his bitterness. “But you didn’t burn it.”

  “No,” he admitted reluctantly.

  Maryellen noticed that he stood about as far away from her as he could and still be heard. “Why not? I need never have known about this letter. Even if my name is on it.”

  He laughed, but it was a defeated sound. “You’d know. I’m incapable of keeping anything from you.”

  Maryellen moved from behind the kitchen counter and tentatively stepped closer to her husband. “Jon?” she asked again, keeping her voice gentle. “Tell me what I should do with the letter.”

  “Don’t look at me like that,” he demanded.

  She paused. “Like what?”

  “Like I’m such a disappointment to you.”

  “Never that,” she whispered. Maryellen wrapped her arms around his waist and lowered her head to his chest. Words weren’t necessary to convey her love and her pride. He was her world, her life, and nothing, not even his relationship with his family, was worth risking the heaven she’d found in him.

  It didn’t take long for Jon to slide his arms around her. The tightness of his embrace told Maryellen what she already knew—that he didn’t want to risk losing her, either. After several moments of holding each other, Jon exhaled a long, deep breath.

  “Go ahead and read it. I know that’s what you want to do.”

  “It is,” she whispered.

  “But don’t tell me what it says.”

  His response bothered her, but she wouldn’t rush him. That was the mistake she’d made earlier.

  When Katie toddled past on her way to the kitchen, Maryellen left Jon to swoop her daughter into her arms. She set Katie in her high chair and handed her a graham cracker, then reached for the letter.

  Jon turned away as if he couldn’t bear to see Maryellen tear open the envelope.

  The letter was brief. Jon’s father had suffered a stroke. Fortunately, he’d received medical attention in time, so there was no permanent damage. Jon’s stepmother felt Maryellen would want to know and perhaps she could mention it to Jon.

  “It’s about your father,” she said, laying down the letter.

  Jon bristled. “I told you I don’t want to hear.”

  “But he’s had a stroke.”

  “Maryellen, how many times do I have to say it? I don’t care. He’s out of my life. As far as I’m concerned, he’s dead. That man gave up the right to be my father the day he lied on the witness stand and sent me to hell for seven years.”

  Katie set the cracker down in her tray and stared wide-eyed at her father.

  “You talk about forgiveness, and that’s real easy for you. You weren’t the one in that rat hole. You weren’t the one who had to endure it.” His voice grew harsher with each word until Katie started to cry.

  Jon’s shoulders slumped forward and he hurried to his daughter, lifting Katie from the high chair and cradling her in his arms. “I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he cooed. “Daddy didn’t mean to shout.”

  Dinner was uncomfortable, but Maryellen made an effort and so did Jon. After Katie’s bath, Maryellen rocked her and read a bedtime story before settling her in the crib. Once there, Katie put her thumb in her mouth and promptly went to sleep.

  Jon had the television on when Maryellen walked down the stairs and joined him. She sat beside her husband on the sofa and rested her head on his shoulder. As if he felt the need to have her close, he draped his arm around her and nuzzled her neck.

  Maryellen smiled contentedly. Since the miscarriage, their love life had been on hold while her body healed. Letting him know she wanted him, Maryellen slipped her hand around his neck and turned so their mouths could meet. Jon’s hand found its way under her sweater to cup her breast. Her nipples instantly hardened and a sigh rumbled through him.

  “Are you sure you’re up to this?” he asked, between deep breathless kisses.

  “You certainly are.”

  He smiled at her bad pun even as he kissed her.

  Taking him by the hand, Maryellen led her husband up the stairway to their bedroom.

  Their lovemaking was fierce, urgent, powerful. While they held each other in the aftermath, Maryellen ran her hand down Jon’s back. Nothing was worth disrupting the intimacy and love they shared. She hoped that eventually Jon would be able to reconnect with his parents, but she wouldn’t force him into something he wasn’t willing to do.

  They released each other, and her husband lay beside her, supporting his weight on one elbow as he brushed the hair from her damp face. He kissed her again, his touch tender with his love.

  “How bad is he?” he asked, his voice husky in the darkness. He was referring to his father.

  The question pleased Maryellen. “There’s no permanent damage.”

  Jon sighed audibly. “Good.”

  Perhaps he’d come farther than she realized.

  Five

  Linnette McAfee stood in the middle of her empty apartment, surveying her new home. The view of the cove was spectacular, with the lighthouse far in the distance. The Bremerton shipyard lay directly across the water, its massive ships glowing in the afternoon sunlight, battleship-gray against an azure sky. Living in a small town would be an adjustment, and yet, her parents had made the transition easily enough. Linnette had every reason to believe she would, too.

  “Anyone home?” There was a knock at the open door, and her mother stepped inside.

  “Hi, Mom!”

  “I saw your car parked outside and decided to see if you were here.”

  “How did you know which apartment was mine?”

  Corrie grinned. “I haven’t been married to your father all these years without developing a few detective skills of my own.” She walked farther into the room. “The door was open and I took a chance.”

  Linnette spread her arms. “So, what do you think?” she asked, pleased with her new apartment. She’d lived on campus while attending the University of Washington and then later shared an apartment with a friend while she did her advanced studies.

  “I think it’s great,” Corrie said, moving into the kitchen. The area was compact but well-designed and convenient.

  “I like that it has two bedrooms,” Linnette said, eagerly leading her mother down the hallway to the empty rooms. Both bedrooms were larger than the one she had in Seattle. With this new apartment, Linnette was getting double the space for half the rent. Of course, her salary wasn’t nearly as high as what she would’ve earned had she accepted a job in Seattle. But staying in Seattle had never been her intention. From the moment she’d made the decision to become a physician assistant, Linnette had set her sights on working in a small rural community.

  That description didn’t exactly fit Cedar Cove, but the town was lovely and it was familiar—and she’d have the advantage of being near her parents. Which was definitely a bonus, since Linnette had always been close to them.

  “I was thinking I’d set up this bedroom as an office,” Linnette explained as they stood in the doorway of the second and smaller bedroom.

  “When are you officially moving?”

  “The first of the month. Mack’s going to help.”

  “Your dad will, too,” Corrie offered. “And of course I’ll be here.”

  Linnette shook her head. “Dad’s not helping, not with his back. Besides, you know as well as I do that it’s best to keep Mack as far away from Dad as possible.”

  Her mother’s eyes grew sad. “I don’t know what it is with those two.”

  Linnette rolled her eyes. “I do. They’re both stubborn and opinionated and too much alike for their own good.”

  Corrie agreed. “Mack makes an effort on holidays, but it’s hard
for him to hold his tongue.”

  The problem, in Linnette’s opinion, was that her father disapproved of Mack. Her brother had dropped out of college and worked as a postal employee, a job he seemed to enjoy. Roy thought that with his brains and background, Mack could do better. His attitude infuriated her brother. Although she kept out of the fray, Linnette sided with Mack. This was his life and he should do as he pleased.

  “One of these days,” she said briskly, “we should lock them in a closet and force them to settle this, once and for all.”

  Her mother shook her head. “I absolutely refuse to get involved. I hate being caught in the middle.”

  Linnette felt the same. She led the way back to the living room, considering where to hang her few pictures and framed posters as she walked. Pride of place would go to a beautiful Jon Bowman photograph her parents had given her for Christmas last year—fir trees on a mountainside. The perspective made it much more than simply a pretty picture. Should she hang it between the two windows or—

  “Have you contacted Cal Washburn yet?” her mother asked, interrupting her deliberations.

  “Who?”

  “The young man I bought for you at the Dog and Bachelor Auction last July. You know, the fund-raiser for the animal shelter.”

  An immediate protest rose as Linnette struggled to tell her mother that she wasn’t interested in a blind date with a stranger. Okay, so her brother loved his dog, who’d come as part of the package. Cal and the Australian Shepherd Mack had named Lucky were on the auction block together. But that didn’t mean Linnette was going to hit it off with this bachelor.

  “I really think Cal’s a fine young man,” her mother said.

  “Then you date him,” Linnette teased, hoping to find a gentle way of getting out of this.

  “The least you can do is call him. Let me tell you a bit about Cal. He works for Cliff Harding on his horse ranch. I never quite understood what Cal does, but he appears to be a trainer of some sort. I don’t know that much about horses.”

  “I don’t either.” The more Linnette heard, the less enthusiastic she became. She was going to spend the evening with a man who hung around horses all day. Great.

  Corrie frowned impatiently. “Don’t give me that look. You might be pleasantly surprised.”

  Linnette had been avoiding this conversation. “I did mention that the clinic hired Dr. Chad Timmons, didn’t I? We worked together while I was in school and, Mom, he’s just fabulous.”

  Her mother made a dismissive gesture with her hand. “What has that got to do with anything?”

  “Dr. Timmons is everything I want in a husband. He’s smart, witty, drop-dead gorgeous. Plus he’s kind and considerate. He’s my idea of the perfect man.” Linnette figured her chances of snagging him had risen substantially when he was hired to work at the medical center. She’d nearly turned cartwheels down the street in her excitement. Having Chad right there, in Cedar Cove, made her position at the clinic a million times more appealing.

  “In other words, you’ve set your sights on this doctor?”

  Linnette grinned sheepishly. “Nothing gets past my mother.”

  “Very funny. What about Cal Washburn?”

  Linnette was putting her foot down. She wasn’t moving to this town so her parents could run her life—or her love life. She’d had enough of that while she lived at home. Her father had drilled every date unmercifully. It was a wonder she’d found a boy willing to take her to the Junior-Senior prom.

  “Ah…I suppose I could go out with this horse guy once, but that’s it, Mom.”

  “That would please me, considering the amount of cash I paid for your date.”

  “Okay, okay, I said I’d do it.” She’d postponed it as long as she could but, yes, eventually she’d get in touch with him.

  “You’ll call?” Corrie pressed.

  “Can I move into my apartment first?”

  “It wouldn’t hurt to set the date now.” Corrie dug around in her purse and found the envelope with Cal’s information, as well as an old receipt. “I gave you his phone number already.”

  “I lost it,” Linnette muttered. She had lost it, accidentally on purpose.

  “Yeah, right.” Corrie was busy scribbling the number on the back of the receipt.

  Linnette wanted to grind her teeth in frustration. Her mother wasn’t going to let this go. “Think how useful it would be to have a doctor in the family,” she said flippantly.

  Corrie glared at her and handed over the phone number she’d written down. “Just do it, okay? It’s only the one date and it’d mean a lot to me if you followed up on this one small thing.”

  “Okay, okay,” Linnette muttered again, feeling disgruntled about the whole situation. But then—as her mother had said—she might be pleasantly surprised.

  “Promise me you’ll call him right away.”

  “Ah…”

  “Linnette, how often do I ask anything of you?”

  The old guilt trick, and it worked every time. “Okay, I promise I’ll arrange to meet this bachelor guy as soon as possible.”

  “You’ll like him, Linnette, only…” Her mother hesitated, biting her lower lip as if she wasn’t sure she should continue.

  “Only what?”

  Corrie sighed. “Apparently Cal Washburn has a slight…speech impediment.”

  Linnette’s mouth fell open. If an evening with a guy who smelled like horse manure wasn’t bad enough, she might not be able to understand a word he said. This was definitely more than she’d bargained for.

  “Mom—”

  Corrie walked backward toward the open door. “You promised, remember?”

  Linnette shook her head as her mother disappeared around the corner and out of the apartment. She’d be moving to Cedar Cove the following week. She wanted this date over with as quickly as possible. She just hoped Chad didn’t hear about it.

  Reaching for her purse, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed the number on the slip of paper Corrie had given her. Putting this off any longer would only create unnecessary conflict with her mother.

  A man answered, but he sounded perfectly normal. “This is Linnette McAfee calling for Cal Washburn,” she said crisply.

  “Well, hello, Linnette. Cal’s been waiting for your phone call. I’m Cliff Harding. Cal works for me.”

  “Hi, Cliff. Is Cal available?”

  “As a matter of fact, he’s sitting right here.”

  A moment later, Cal was on the phone. “H-hello.”

  “Hi, I’m Linnette McAfee,” she said quickly. So he had a slight stutter. But his speech was clear and intelligible. “Apparently my mother bought me a date with you last July at the Dog and Bachelor Auction.” She didn’t give him a chance to respond. “I was wondering when would be convenient for me to collect on it.”

  “Any…t-time.”

  “I’m moving into town next weekend, but I could meet you before then.”

  “How-w-w-w about nex-x-xt Friday night?”

  “Okay. I’ll meet you at The Lighthouse restaurant at seven.” She suspected she’d have to do all the talking, since he seemed rather shy, no doubt because of the stutter. She’d probably have to pay for his dinner, too, she thought glumly.

  “S-s-sure. Friday.”

  Linnette clicked off her cell. This was the last time she’d allow her mother to do anything like this. The very last time.

  Six

  Grace Sherman had been looking forward to this Friday night for a long time. Cliff Harding had invited her to dinner at his house—the first sign in months that he still had feelings for her. This was just the encouragement Grace needed. She loved Cliff, but she’d done something foolish, risking her entire future with him on an Internet relationship.

  It had all started when her husband of thirty-five years had disappeared. Vietnam had changed Dan, and he wasn’t the same man she’d married when he returned from the war. He’d lived a bleak, unhappy life, and often suffered from bouts of depression. A
fter Dan’s sudden disappearance, she’d spent nearly a year searching for him, exhausting what savings she had, only to discover that her husband had driven deep into the woods with a trailer she didn’t even know he’d purchased, and killed himself.

  In the months before she found out what had happened to Dan, Grace had met Cliff Harding. His patience and kindness had won her over and they’d started to see each other—but not until she’d learned Dan’s fate. Cliff was recently divorced after twenty years of marriage and dating was a new experience for them both.

  In coming to know Cliff, Grace discovered that his ex-wife had been involved in multiple affairs throughout their marriage. Grace and Cliff grew close, close enough for him to fly her to Maryland to meet his daughter, Lisa. Together they’d spent Thanksgiving with Lisa and her family. That was almost two years ago.

  About the same time, Will Jefferson, her best friend’s brother, had started to e-mail Grace. She’d had a crush on him as a teenager and was flattered by his attention. To this day, she wasn’t sure how it happened, but soon she was logging on to the Internet at all hours of the day and night in order to “chat” with Will. He became her addiction. She was mortified now to admit that, all along, she’d known he was married. He’d fed her lie after lie, and she’d swallowed each one because she so badly wanted to believe him. And while she maintained her online relationship with Will, she’d continued dating Cliff.

  Everything seemed to blow up in her face at once. Cliff found out about her Internet relationship and Grace realized that Will was still living with his wife, Georgia, and had no intention of divorcing her.

  Cliff wanted nothing more to do with Grace. He’d lived with one faithless woman and wasn’t about to repeat that mistake. He’d made it clear that they were through. Devastated, Grace could do nothing but abide by his wishes.

  Then, last August, Lisa had flown out to spend time with her father. Grace would always be grateful to Cliff’s daughter for visiting her at the library, where Grace was employed. Lisa had assured Grace that Cliff still loved her and encouraged her not to give up.

  That was when Grace had begun a campaign to win back Cliff Harding. She mailed him cards, sent him e-mail messages and stopped by the ranch unannounced and uninvited. Little by little she’d worn him down to the point that he’d actually sought her out for the first time in more than a year.