Family Affair Read online

  “We?” she asked, wanting him to think she resented the way he automatically included her.

  “Me,” he amended, casting her a sour look. “I’m going to accept the promotion, Lacey. I thought about it long and hard, and I can’t let this opportunity pass. The timing could be better, but I can’t change that. I worked hard for this, and just because—”

  “Of me?” she finished for him. “You don’t need to worry, Jack, I wasn’t going to ask you to turn down such a wonderful opportunity.” Despite the shock and the betrayal she felt, maintaining her outrage was becoming difficult. Her voice softened considerably. “I wouldn’t ever ask such a thing of you.”

  “I thought I could fly down for a weekend once a month,” he suggested.

  Once a month, she mused, her heart so heavy it felt as if it had dropped all the way to her knees. After having made such an issue of standing, she felt the sudden need to sit down.

  Slumping onto the edge of the love seat, she bit her lower lip. So this was what was to become of them. Once-a-month dates. Lacey wasn’t foolish enough to believe it would be otherwise. Long-distance relationships were difficult. They’d both start out with good intentions, but she noted he didn’t say where these monthly meetings would lead.

  Jack motioned with his hands. “Say something. Anything. I know it’s not the ideal solution. It’s going to be hard on me too.”

  “Expensive, too,” she said. Already she could see the handwriting on the wall. He’d fly down for visits the first couple of months, and then he’d skip a month and she wouldn’t hear from him the following one.

  “We can make this work, Lacey.”

  Blinking back the tears, she stood and walked over to stand in front of him. His features blurred as her tears brimmed. She pressed her hands against the sides of his face, leaned forward, and kissed him. The electricity between them all but crackled, and it was several moments before Lacey found the strength and the courage to pull away.

  “I . . . asked Sarah why you wanted to date me.” She found it almost impossible to speak normally. “She told me you’ve been like this all your life. You find someone hurting and broken, someone in need of a little tenderness, and then you lavish them with love. What she didn’t say was that once they were strong again, you’d step back and wish them a fond farewell.”

  Jack’s brow condensed with a thick frown. “We aren’t talking about the same thing. If you must know, you did represent a certain challenge from the moment we met. Until you, I’d never had much of a problem getting a woman to agree to go out with me. As for this other business, you’re way off base.”

  “What about Dog?”

  The frown darkened considerably. “What about him?”

  “The lost and lonely alley cat you found and loved.”

  A hint of a smile touched his lips. “I don’t think Dog would appreciate that description. We more or less tolerated each other in the beginning. These days, we share a tentative friendship.”

  “You took him in, gave him a home, and—”

  “Hold on just one minute,” Jack said sternly. “You’re not suggesting that my friendship with Dog has anything to do with us, are you?”

  It was apparent he didn’t understand or appreciate the similarities. It would be one of the most difficult things she’d ever do to say good-bye to Jack, but despite what she’d claimed, she’d do it without regrets. He’d given her far more than he’d ever know. With Jack’s love and support, she had learned to let go of the past. His love had given her the courage to move forward.

  “Thank you,” she whispered. She dropped her hands and stepped away.

  “What are you thanking me for?” he demanded. “And why does it sound like another way of saying good-bye?”

  She didn’t so much as blink. “Because it is.”

  He paled visibly. “You don’t mean that,” he murmured.

  Lacey couldn’t think of anything more to say. Arguments crowded her mind. It would be easy to pretend that nothing would change after he moved to Seattle, but she knew it would.

  Within a few months, Lacey would become little more than a memory of someone he once cared for. As he said, he didn’t have a problem finding women interested in going out with him.

  With all this talk of get-togethers, Lacey noticed, he wasn’t offering her any promises. But to be fair, he hadn’t sought any from her either.

  “So it’s over, just like that?” he said stiffly. “It was nice knowing you, have a good life, and all that rot?”

  It sounded cold and crass, but basically he had it right. Unable to look him in the eye, Lacey nodded and lowered her head.

  “In other words, once I walk out that door, that’s it?”

  “It’s better this way,” she whispered, the words barely making it past the lump in her throat. She prayed he’d leave before she disgraced herself further by weeping openly.

  “Easier, in the long run. I’d rather end this now and be done with it. The woman I love is ordering me out of her life. It doesn’t make sense.”

  “Exactly what are you offering me, Jack?” she asked defiantly. “A weekend once a month . . . for how long? Two months, maybe three? It isn’t going to last—”

  “Why not? For your information I’m hoping it doesn’t last more than a month or two myself.”

  His words stung as sharply as a slap across the face.

  “Maybe by that time you’ll be miserable enough to be willing to marry me—”

  “Marry you?” Lacey wasn’t sure she’d heard him correctly, and if ever things had to be crystal clear it was now. “Of course,” he snapped. “You can’t honestly believe I was planning on making this commute every month for the rest of our lives, did you?”

  “Well, yes, that’s exactly what I thought,” she whispered.

  “I figured it might take a couple of miserable months apart for you to realize you love me.”

  “I know I love you now, you idiot. Why else do you think I turned down a hot fudge sundae? I told you how I felt this very afternoon.”

  He glared at her suspiciously. “No, you didn’t.”

  “Jack,” she said impatiently, “you were driving the moving van back to the rental company, and I looked you right in the eye and said it.”

  “What you said was you were crazy about me. There’s a world of difference between crazy and love. If you love me you’re going to have to make it abundantly clear, otherwise there’s going to be a problem. You already know I love you.”

  “No, I don’t,” she argued. “You’ve never once told me how you feel about me.”

  He shut his eyes as if he were seconds away from losing his patience. “A man doesn’t say that sort of thing lightly, especially if the woman has only admitted to being crazy. Besides, you must know how I feel. A blind man on the street would know I’ve been in love with you from the moment you knocked on my door and demanded that Dog do right by Cleo.”

  “You . . . never said anything.”

  “How could I? You were as prickly as a cactus. It took me weeks to get you to agree to so much as a date. Just when I was beginning to think I was making some progress, along comes this promotion. What else am I supposed to do but pray you miss me so much you’ll agree to marry me.”

  “I do,” Lacey whispered.

  Apparently Jack didn’t hear her. “Another thing. You just got your raise, and I’ve never seen you so happy. You aren’t going to want to uproot your life now, just when you’ve finally gotten what you wanted.”

  “I don’t think you heard me, Jack. I said I do. Furthermore, if I’ve been happy lately, did it ever occur to you it might be because I’d fallen in love with you?”

  “You do what?” he demanded impatiently.

  “Agree to marry you. This minute. Tomorrow. Or two months down the road, wh
atever you want.”

  He squinted his eyes and stared at her as if he wasn’t sure he should trust her. “What about your job?”

  “I’ll give two weeks’ notice first thing in the morning.”

  “Your lease?”

  “I’ll sublet the place. Listen here, Jack Walker, if you think you’re going to back down on your offer now, I’ve got a word or two for you.”

  He stood and walked all the way around her. “You’re serious? You’d be willing to marry me just like that?”

  Her grin widened, and she snapped her fingers. “Just like that. You don’t honestly believe I’d let a wonderful man like you slip through my fingers, do you? I can’t let you go, Jack.” She threw her arms around his neck and spread happy, eager kisses all over his face.

  Jack wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off the ground. Their kiss was slow, tender, and thorough. By the time they finished, Lacey was left weak and breathless.

  “I’ll never let you go, Jack Walker.”

  “That’s more like it,” he said with a dash of male arrogance, and pulled her tightly against him again.

  It was exactly where she wanted to be. Close to his heart for all time.

  Homemade Treats for Your Cat

  Cat Treats and Cat Treat Recipes*

  The pet stores are full of cat treats. But did you know that you can make your own healthy kitty treats at home? Here are some recipes to help you find a way to your cat’s heart.

  SAVORY CHEESE TREATS

  3/4 cup white flour

  3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

  5 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

  1/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream

  1/4 cup cornmeal

  Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Combine cheeses and yogurt. Add flour and cornmeal. If needed, add a small amount of water to create a nice dough. Knead dough into a ball and roll to 1/4 inch. Cut into 1-inch-sized pieces and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Makes 2 dozen.

  CHICK ‘N’ BISCUITS

  1-1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken

  1/2 cup chicken broth

  1 cup whole wheat flour

  1/3 cup cornmeal

  1 tablespoon soft margarine

  Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Combine chicken, broth, and margarine and blend well. Add flour and cornmeal. Knead dough into a ball and roll to 1/4 inch. Cut into 1-inch-sized pieces and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350˚F for 20 minutes. Makes 18 cookies.

  CRISPY LIVER MORSELS

  1/2 cup cooked chicken livers

  1/4 cup water

  1-1/4 cup whole wheat flour

  1/4 cup cooked carrot, mashed

  1 tablespoon soft margarine

  Preheat the oven to 325˚F. Place well-done livers in a blender with 1/4 cup water. In a bowl, combine flour and margarine. Add liver mixture and carrots and knead dough into a ball. Roll dough to 1/4-inch thick and cut into 1-inch-sized pieces. Place cookies on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 325˚F for 10 minutes. Makes 12 cookies.

  TUNA TIDBITS

  One 6-ounce can of tuna

  1/4 cup water drained from tuna

  3 tablespoons cooked egg white, chopped

  1/4 cup cornmeal

  1/2 cup whole wheat flour

  Preheat oven to 350˚F. Combine tuna, egg white, and water. Add cornmeal and flour and blend to form a dough. Knead into a ball and roll to 1/4-inch thick. Cut into 1-inch-sized pieces. Bake at 350˚F for 20 minutes. Makes 12 cookies.

  *"This article has been provided courtesy of PetPlace.com (www.petplace.com), the definitive online source for pet news, health, and wellness information.

  About the Author

  With more than 75 million copies of her books sold worldwide, DEBBIE MACOMBER is a major voice in women’s fiction. Several of her novels have earned the #1 slot on the New York Times bestseller list, and in 2010 the Romance Writers of America awarded Debbie the Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2005, readers across the country voted her winner of the first-ever “people’s choice” Quill Award for Romance.

  In 2009, the television movie based on Debbie’s popular Avon romance Mrs. Miracle was the year’s top-ranked selection for the Hallmark Channel. She has been recruited to throw out the first pitch for both the Seattle Mariners and the Tacoma Rainiers. Author, knitter, devoted grandmother, Debbie lives in Port Orchard, Washington, with her real-life hero, Wayne, and their pup, Bogie, and winters in Vero Beach, Florida.

  By Debbie Macomber

  Angels Everywhere

  Christmas Angels

  Mrs. Miracle

  Sooner or Later

  Someday Soon

  The Trouble with Angels

  One Night

  A Season of Angels

  Morning Comes Softly

  Credits

  Jacket design by Rich Aquan.

  Copyright

  This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  FAMILY AFFAIR. Copyright © 1994, 2011 by Debbie Macomber. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

  Originally published in 1994 as “Family Affair” in Purrfect Love by HarperMonogram, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

  “Homemade Treats for Your Cat” appears courtesy of PetPlace.com.

  EPub Edition January 2011 ISBN: 9780062036377

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