Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Series, Volume 3 (129 page)

“By whom?”

“Judge Griffin,” Chad said. “At the courthouse. Mack and Mary
Jo stood up with us.” He paused. “I don't blame you for being upset.”

“We're not upset,” Roy told him, and Corrie nodded.

“As Gloria mentioned, we plan to have another ceremony later,
with friends and family from both sides.”

“This way we
all
get what we want,”
Corrie said happily. A marriage and a baby—another grandchild for her and
Roy—and a wedding.

Roy stood, extending his hand to Chad. “Welcome to the
family.”

“Thank you.” The two men shook hands.

Corrie hugged her daughter and Chad. She'd spend the next few
months getting ready for the wedding and reception, and the thought filled her
with anticipation.

“Mom and Dad, there's another reason we stopped by early.”

“Oh?” Corrie murmured.

“You're not pregnant with twins, are you?” Roy asked,
half-joking.

“No. We wanted to get your okay before we had one of your gifts
delivered.”

“All right....” Roy glanced at Corrie, clearly wondering if she
knew what this was about; she shook her head, as confused as he was.

“Did you hear someone left ten puppies on Beth Morehouse's
porch?”

“We did,” Corrie confirmed. “In fact, Bob was just telling us
he got one of those pups for Peggy.”

“And we chose one for you,” Gloria said.

Their daughter had gotten them a puppy?

Corrie stared at her.

“Not long ago, Dad talked about a Labrador he had while he was
growing up and he got a nostalgic look in his eyes. I heard about these puppies
from Ted Reynolds, and Chad and I went to Beth's house today to pick one
up.”

“If you don't want the dog,” Chad said, moving toward the edge
of the sofa, “Gloria and I will take her. She's cute as a bug and has
personality to boot.”

“Where is she now?” Corrie asked.

“At my place,” Gloria replied. “We thought we'd bring her over
tomorrow.”

“A puppy.” Roy wore a silly grin, as if the prospect delighted
him. “What about a name?” he asked.

“I know—Asta. That's the dog in the
Thin Man
movies, remember?” Corrie suggested.

“Perfect for a detective's dog.” Roy smiled. “Even if the
original Asta was a boy.”

“Asta it is,” Corrie said, adding, “We need a puppy in the
house again.”

This was going to be the most wonderful Christmas in recent
memory. Weddings, grandchildren—and now a puppy.

Eleven

“C
ome in out of the cold,” Danielle said as
Kent and Beth returned to the house after delivering the sleigh to the Nelsons'.
It might have been Beth's imagination, but she suspected Danielle had been
standing by the door waiting for them. She had her cell phone in her hand
again.

She immediately ran up to Kent and spoke urgently in his ear.
Kent looked decidedly uncomfortable as she hugged him, but put his arms lightly
around her. Beth saw Danielle's hug as a claim of ownership. Unable to watch,
she stepped around the embracing couple and hurried into the kitchen, grateful
for the escape.

Bailey and Sophie were standing in a corner of the family room,
whispering heatedly.

“Girls?” Beth said, wondering what they were up to. They didn't
seem to be arguing, but clearly had different opinions on something or other.
“Is everything all right?” she asked.

Bailey turned around so quickly, she nearly stumbled. “Ah…sure.
Why wouldn't it be?”

Sophie narrowed her eyes as Danielle and Kent stepped into the
room.

“It was a…lovely afternoon, but it's time I…we left,” Danielle
said, and then inclined her head as if to say the decision was final.

“You're
leaving?
” Bailey cried in
apparent shock.

“You're not staying for dinner?” Sophie sounded equally
shocked.

“I thought you came to Cedar Cove so you could spend Christmas
with us,” Bailey reminded her father.

Frankly, Beth was just as glad to see them go. She didn't
understand exactly what had happened between her and Kent in the sleigh, but
whatever it was had made her feel confused and a bit panicky. She'd actually
wanted
him to kiss her. Her ex-husband had
brought another woman to spend Christmas with the family, and yet Beth could
hardly stop herself from leaning into him....

“Kent will be back on Christmas Day,” Danielle said to the
girls, as if they were small children in need of reassurance. “Christmas Eve is
a time for family and—”

“Our father
is
family,” Bailey
protested as she curled her hands into tight fists. She seemed to be on the
verge of tears.

Sophie cast a pleading glance at her father. “Daddy?” she
implored.

Kent hesitated.

Danielle tugged him over to the door. “I need to go. Don't
worry, your father will be back in the morning.” She turned to him, hissing,
“The girls need to spend time with their mother, too.”

“I'll stay,” Kent said decisively. “That is, if you're sure
it's what you want.” The question was directed at Beth.

Holding her breath, she realized she didn't have a choice.
Which meant that her Christmas Eve dinner would be shared with Kent
and…Danielle. What she wouldn't give for a peaceful evening alone with her
daughters. Instead, she was forced to watch her husband—er,
ex
-husband—with another woman.

“Mom?” Bailey whispered.

“Of course you should stay,” Beth said, just a little too
brightly.

“Mom's making lasagna,” Sophie said, and then added, apparently
to enlighten Danielle, “It's a family tradition. The recipe comes from Grandma
Carlucci.”

Danielle pursed her lips in a pout, then squared her shoulders,
coming to some decision. “In that case, I insist on helping.”

The last thing Beth wanted was this woman in
her
kitchen. “All I need to do is get the lasagna in
the oven,” she said. “It's already put together—just needs to bake.”

“Well, then, I'll make a salad,” Danielle said.

“Mom always makes Caesar salad and garlic bread,” Bailey told
her.

“I can make a Caesar salad.” Danielle pushed up the sleeves of
her sweater and grabbed an apron off the countertop, staking out her
territory.

Beth felt as though the other woman had declared war. Fine. In
that case, she was prepared to surrender without a fight. This was Christmas,
and if Danielle wanted to plant her flag in Beth's kitchen, she was welcome to
it. Only Beth wouldn't be there.

“Are you sure you don't mind making the salad?” she asked.

“I offered, didn't I?” Danielle placed one hand on her hip.

“Okay, then, there's no reason for me to stay. I'll use the
time to deliver one of the puppies.” She'd drive the Randalls' puppy over to
Grace Harding's place.

Danielle cast her a triumphant look, as if to say she'd taken
great satisfaction in maneuvering Beth out of her own kitchen.

Sophie smiled; Beth could tell this was precisely what she'd
hoped would happen. “Dad, you should go with Mom.”

“Kent!” Danielle said sharply. “I might…you know, need
you.”

“Dad,” Bailey challenged, “do you want Mom driving on
treacherous roads
alone?
What if she had an
accident?”

Beth tried to remember whether her daughter had ever taken
drama. If so, she'd had a good teacher. The kid was ready for Broadway.

“It's fine, Kent,” Beth assured him, trying to hide her
laughter and not quite succeeding. “I've driven these roads alone any number of
times.”

“But not when there's
snow
on the
ground,” Sophie wailed, as if she'd attended the same drama class.

“Your mother knows what she's doing,” Danielle tossed in
casually. “She'll be perfectly fine
by herself.
” The
last two words were given heavy emphasis.

Again Bailey and Sophie turned to their father with wide eyes
even Scrooge couldn't have ignored.

“Dad? Are you really going to let Mom go out all on her
own?”

“Would you ever forgive yourself if anything happened to the
mother of your children?” Sophie wailed.

Unwilling to be part of this ridiculous conversation any
longer, Beth grabbed her coat, gloves and scarf and headed for the back door.
She was outside and halfway to the car with the puppy in its carrier when Kent
jogged up behind her.

“Hey, wait up,” he called.

“Kent, really, this isn't necessary.”

“According to our daughters, it is.”

Beth rolled her eyes. “I don't remember you being manipulated
quite this easily when we were married.” She opened the rear passenger door and
placed the puppy's carrier inside.

Kent climbed into the front passenger seat and waited until
Beth joined him before he responded. “Did you ever stop to think I might
actually
want
to accompany you?”

She hadn't. For the life of her, Beth couldn't manage a single
word. In fact, it was all she could do to breathe. All at once the interior of
her SUV seemed to shrink until it felt as if the two of them were trapped inside
a box the size of a milk crate. Her mouth went dry and she concentrated on
driving rather than the man she'd loved and married and…left. Oh, how she wished
she could turn back the clock.

Risking a look at Kent, she wondered if he was thinking the
same thing.

The silence that stretched between them threatened to snap.

“I…” She started to say something—although what, she wasn't
sure.

“I was—”

They both spoke at the same time.

“You first,” she said.

“No, you.”

She laughed. “Please, you go first.”

“Well,” he murmured after a few awkward seconds, “I was just
thinking back to all the animals you rescued while we were married. Remember
Ugly Arnie?”

Like she'd ever forget the injured raccoon she'd found at their
back door. “How could I forget him?”

“Vicious, ungrateful—”

“Kent, he was in pain! As I recall, you aren't exactly Prince
Charming when you aren't feeling well.”

“Prince Charming? So is that how you remember me when…I was
feeling good?”

She doubted that he expected an answer, but she gave him one,
anyway. “You had your moments.”

“So did you.”

“Thank you.” They could play nice, she realized. It hadn't
always been this silent battle of wills.

“I kind of thought you'd remarry,” he said, frowning as he
spoke.

“Really?” She, on the other hand, hadn't even considered the
possibility that Kent might marry someone else—well, other than in some vague,
abstract way. Certainly not someone like Danielle. Beth was astonished that Kent
would find this hard, brusque woman appealing. Yes, superficially Danielle was
attractive—okay, gorgeous—but she seemed to lack all the qualities Beth had
expected him to value.

“If you did remarry, I assumed you'd choose a vet.”

“Oh, my goodness…” Without thinking, Beth eased her foot off
the brake and the car swerved on the icy road and went sideways. “Hold on,” she
cried.

Kent braced his arms against the dashboard until the car came
to a complete stop on the side of the road. “You okay?” he demanded.

“I'm fine…what about you?”

“My heart is somewhere in my throat,” he said, “but other than
that I'll survive. What just happened? I didn't see anything in the road.”

“It's Ted.”

“Ted? Who's Ted?”

“The local vet… He said he'd stop by this afternoon and I need
to be there.”

“Give him a call,” Kent muttered, as if it was of little
concern.

“I will.” She reached across for her handbag and grabbed her
cell, pushing the button that would connect her with him.

“You have him on speed dial?” Kent asked with raised
eyebrows.

Beth ignored the question and waited impatiently for Ted to
answer. After four long rings, the phone went to voice mail. She exhaled loudly,
then carefully put the car in Reverse and turned around.

“Where are you going now?” Kent asked.

She would've thought the answer was obvious. “To Ted's place.
He's probably with an animal, so he couldn't get the phone.”

“You could've left a message.”

He was right, she could have, but that seemed rather
unfriendly. Besides, she wanted to explain. “His place isn't far from here,” she
said, instead of responding to his comment.

The silence returned.

Again it was Kent who broke it. “Do you see a lot of this Tim
fellow?”

“Ted,” she corrected. “About once or twice a week, I guess.”
She downplayed the veterinarian's role in her life, which had taken on more
significance in the past three or four months. There'd been a shift in their
relationship, beginning in late September, when he'd come over after caring for
a sick goat nearby. He'd stayed for a glass of wine, followed by a leisurely
dinner.

A week later they'd met in town, and Ted had insisted he owed
her dinner. That was how it had started, almost innocently. Recently, however,
it'd become more. Ted had kissed her, and that had been a turning point. Lately,
Ted had taken to dropping in during the evenings, and Beth looked forward to his
visits.

“Any particular reason Ted was coming to the house?” Kent asked
nonchalantly.

“Nothing formal, if that's what you mean. To wish us a merry
Christmas. And I want him to meet the girls. He has a line on someone who wants
a puppy, too.”