Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Series, Volume 3 (82 page)

“Briefly.” That whole scenario had been a disaster, and it had complicated everything else. While Gloria was building a relationship with the sister who didn't know they were even related, Linnette had developed a crush on Chad. Seeing how Linnette felt about him, Gloria had steered clear.

“Chad asked me to deliver some books to Gloria,” his father explained.

“Gloria?” Mack swiveled his head to look at Chad. “Why Gloria?”

“Actually, I've…dated her, too.”

Mack grinned. “It seems you get around.”

Chad responded with a weak smile. “Yeah, I suppose it does.”

“I didn't know my sister was big on reading,” Mack said, relaxing in his chair, balancing one ankle on the opposite knee. “And if you're dating Gloria, why don't you give her the books yourself?”

“These are a baby name book and a couple on pregnancy,” Chad said.

“What?” Mack dropped his leg to the floor. “You and Gloria? Are you telling me you're—this baby is
yours?
”

Chad merely nodded.

For an instant Mack didn't seem to know how to react.
Conflicting emotions showed on his face—anger chased by confusion and then indecision.

“Believe me, it came as a shock to me, too,” Chad said, sharing a smile with Roy.

“But…but you're a…a physician.” Mack stumbled over the words. “If anyone should understand about birth control, it's you!”

“Again, I'm in full agreement,” Chad said. “It just happened.”

“‘It just happened' has got to be the most pathetic excuse in the book. What do you intend to do about this?” Mack demanded.

Mack's anger was justified, and Chad took it to heart. “That depends on Gloria. At this point she isn't aware I know about the baby.”

“Why not?”

Mack glared at him and Chad looked over at Roy, hoping he'd supply the answer.

“The thing is, your sister specifically asked that Chad not be told. Your mother agreed to that, but I refused.”

“So you went behind Mom's back?” Mack shook his head as if he already knew the answer and disapproved. “
And
Gloria's!”

“I told your mother exactly what I was doing. She wasn't happy about it. In fact, she still isn't.” Roy leaned back in his chair, frowning. “I'll take the books to Gloria and explain that I told you about the baby.”

Chad scowled. He wasn't ready for Gloria to find that out….

“It's time I told my daughter I went to see you.”

“Don't,” Chad said bluntly. “Not yet.”

Roy blinked at him. “Why not?”

Chad tried to clarify his thoughts. “For one thing, I want Gloria to come to me. At some stage she's going to
realize she needs me. If for nothing more than signing the adoption papers. Times have changed, Roy. Fathers have rights, too. Besides, I'm thinking about raising the baby myself.” The idea had only occurred to him a few days ago. He wasn't committed to it yet, but the possibility was gaining strength in his mind.

“Wait—Gloria's decided to give the baby up for adoption?” Mack asked. He clenched his fists and stared hard at his father. “You wouldn't let her do that, would you?”

“It isn't our decision,” Roy reminded him.

“Yes, but… Okay, fine, whatever, but before that happens Mary Jo and I will raise the baby,” Mack said in clipped tones. “If Chad doesn't want to do it.” He obviously considered Chad capable of shirking what he himself saw as a duty. “This child is our family's flesh and blood.”

“More mine than yours,” Chad murmured. But no use debating the issue until they learned Gloria's intentions.

Roy seemed slightly amused by Mack's reaction. “Don't you think you should talk this over with Mary Jo first before you make that kind of offer?”

“She'll agree with me.”

“It's a moot point,” Chad said. “No one knows what Gloria's going to do. Once she's made her decision, we may need to talk again.”

Both men nodded.

“For now, all I ask,” Chad said, “is for one of you or even Corrie to see that Gloria gets these books.”

“Who should I say gave them to her?” Roy asked.

Chad shrugged. “Let her assume they came from you.”

“You're sure about this?” Mack asked.

“Very sure. I want—no, I
need
—Gloria to come to me. She's the one who walked away. Maybe it's just my
pride talking, I don't know, but I'd be more comfortable if she made the first move.”

Roy allowed Chad's words to hang in the air for a moment before he responded. “I'll hold off a bit longer if that's what you want. However, for the sake of my relationship with my wife, I think it might be a good idea if I confessed sooner rather than later.”

Chad understood. “Okay. Go ahead and tell Gloria.” He didn't like it but Roy had done him one favor already.

“I'll take the books to her,” Mack volunteered. “We've had a couple of good talks recently.”

“Oh?” Roy raised his brows in question.

Chad was curious, too, although it wasn't his place to ask.

“Gloria had to tell Sheriff Davis she's pregnant, and as of next week she's going on desk duty.” Chad was relieved to hear it. However, Mack looked away as he spoke, which led Chad to believe there was more to this than he was saying.

“Any particular reason?”

“Well, it's standard protocol for pregnant officers.” Mack shifted in his seat, clearly uncomfortable with this turn in the conversation. “But, okay, the fact is that Gloria's in her mid-thirties, so the obstetrician is being extra cautious.”

“Has she told her mother about this?” Roy asked.

“I believe so.”

Roy sighed, and Chad guessed that Corrie hadn't said anything to Roy because she was still upset with him.

“The doctor's scheduled an ultrasound.”

“For when?” Chad did his best to hide his own anxiety. He'd dealt with a lot of pregnancies and a lot of babies during his medical career—but none of those babies had been
his
. And although he was well aware that many
women had babies later in life, he couldn't help worrying about Gloria.

“I can't tell you that.”

“Can't because you don't know? Or because she'd disapprove?” Chad asked sharply.

“Can't because I don't know. It's nothing out of the ordinary,” Mack said. “At least as far as I've been given to understand. It's just that when it's someone close to you, I guess you worry more. But at least she'll be sitting safely behind a desk from now on.”

Knowing Gloria, she'd hate desk duty. She liked nothing better than being a beat cop, responding to calls and crises, interacting with the people of Cedar Cove. Chad found it interesting that she'd gone into police work, following in the footsteps of the father she never knew.

“Do you want me to call you if she mentions when the ultrasound is?”

Chad nodded.

“Don't worry, son,” Roy said, his words and the sound of his voice lending Chad confidence. “Everything will work out. It did for Corrie and me, and I'm convinced it will for you and Gloria, too.”

Chad relaxed in his chair. He had to believe Roy was right and there was actually a chance for him and Gloria.

Four

I
t'd been a week since Rachel had moved out of the house, and Bruce was stunned that she hadn't returned. He'd tried to be patient, giving her the space and time she claimed she needed. But he wanted her back with him and Jolene
now,
back where she belonged. The knot in his stomach hadn't disappeared yet, and it wouldn't, not until she came home.

Bruce still didn't know where she'd gone. He'd talked to her friends. Even Teri seemed bewildered about where she was, and her words rang true. Rachel's best friend was clearly very concerned about her.

“Dad, can you help me with this?” Jolene asked, strolling into the kitchen, a math book clutched to her chest. She'd been lounging in the backyard under a big striped umbrella, talking on her cell phone and pretending to do her homework.

Bruce looked up from the table where he'd been sitting. “You know I'm no good at this.” The real problem, however, was his short fuse. He had limited patience when it came to explaining basic math. Computer programs were a different matter. Those he knew his way around; it was the theoretical stuff that stumped him—
partly for lack of interest. Things had been a lot better when Rachel was there to step in.

“Dad, this is just review. You helped me last year, remember?” She cocked her head to one side, her dark brown eyes pleading with him. “I passed the test. I never would have if you hadn't helped me.”

“That wasn't me,” he reminded her. “It was Rachel.”

Her smile instantly disappeared. “No, it wasn't.
You
helped me. I wouldn't let Rachel anywhere near my homework.”

“Actually, you did,” he said a bit more forcefully. He remembered the incident well. Jolene had brought him her algebra homework and he'd tried to work with her. Only when it became apparent that he wasn't particularly clear on the concept himself would his daughter accept Rachel's assistance. What stood out in his mind was how well the evening had gone. The tension between Jolene and his wife had lessened, giving both him and Rachel hope that the girl was finally adjusting to their marriage.

“You could at least try,” Jolene snapped.

“Okay, fine, I'll try.”

“Thank you, Daddy,” she said, all sweetness once again.

The phone rang as Jolene set her textbook on the table and Bruce leaped out of his chair, hoping, praying, it was Rachel. She'd called a couple of times, but their conversations were always short, consisting of her reassurances that she was fine and her avoidance of any real answers. She'd blocked his numbers so he couldn't get in touch with her. If it
was
Rachel, he was willing to promise her anything as long as she came home. He loved her and missed her. He'd agreed earlier to see a counselor but Jolene wouldn't hear of it, and Bruce had foolishly put it off. He was embarrassed by the thought of spilling out
their troubles to a stranger. He'd assumed everything would right itself, but he'd been wrong and his gamble had cost him dearly.

“Hello,” he said, grabbing the phone, his heart bounding into his throat.

“This is David Miller,” intoned the recorded message, “and I'm running for state senator. Are you tired of runaway government spending? If that's the case, I need your vote—”

Bruce disconnected the line before he heard any more. He kept his hand on the receiver and hung his head, fighting back his disappointment.

“Dad,” Jolene muttered. “You wanted that call to be Rachel, didn't you?”

“Yes.” He wasn't going to deny it.

“We don't need her,” Jolene insisted, looking up at him from the kitchen table. “It's been a lot better since she left. I've made dinner all week, haven't I?”

Bruce didn't agree or disagree. Jolene had done her best to fill in, and while the meals weren't always palatable, his daughter had tried.

“I know I overcooked the macaroni and cheese.”

“I hardly noticed,” he said, and it was true because he'd covered the entire plate with ketchup.

“The meat loaf was good, wasn't it?”

“You did an excellent job.” Not exactly, but at least he'd found it edible, again with the addition of ketchup.

Jolene beamed with pride. “Like I said, we don't need Rachel.”

It wasn't Rachel's cooking Bruce missed, it was Rachel herself. He missed holding her in his arms and chatting in bed. He missed pressing his hand over her stomach and silently transmitting his love and excitement to their baby. He missed Rachel's smile when he walked into the
house at the end of the day and the way she hugged him, welcoming him home. They'd only been married a short while and yet Rachel had filled every nook and cranny of his world. He hadn't realized how alone and lonely he'd been until she'd come into his life. Without her nothing felt right.

“Dad, my homework, remember?”

“Yeah.” He'd do his best but he wished Rachel was the one helping Jolene….

It took him nearly an hour. He wasn't a natural teacher and had to grit his teeth several times, but made it through the ordeal without losing his patience. Still, once he'd finished, Bruce was cranky and ready for bed.

Walking into his room, he looked despairingly at the crumpled sheets and the bedspread, which had slipped off and pooled on the carpet. Rachel made the bed every morning before she left for the salon. Apparently the aunt who'd raised her had insisted on it, and the habit had stuck. Then every night Rachel would remove the decorative pillows and neatly fold back the covers. The twisted and disheveled bedding depressed Bruce. He sagged onto the end of the mattress and came to a decision.

He was going to the salon tomorrow, and he'd try his hardest to talk Rachel into giving him a second chance. He had to believe she missed him as much as he missed her. Surely she'd want to come home. That belief was the only thing that got him through the day.

* * *

Friday morning, Bruce woke in good spirits. He had coffee brewing and Jolene's glass of orange juice poured before his daughter even wandered out of her bedroom.

She stared at him a moment before taking her glass off the counter. “You seem to be in a happy mood this morning.”

“Do I?” He was seeing Rachel today and he couldn't help feeling a sense of anticipation.

“Dad…” Jolene regarded him skeptically. “You aren't going to see Rachel, are you?”

He didn't answer.

“
She's
the one who left
us,
remember? If she wanted to come back she would have by now, don't you think?”