Читать книгу Cedar Cove Collection - Debbie Macomber - Страница 23

The morning hadn’t begun well for Grace Harding. She’d awakened late after a fitful night and then had to rush about the house, making coffee, collecting her books and papers, preparing for work. Cliff hadn’t been the least bit helpful and had wanted her to stay in bed. His timing couldn’t have been worse; she had to be at the library by nine, since she was opening for the day. She scurried about the bedroom, dressing as fast as she could, and all the while Cliff made a point of telling her that she didn’t need to work. In fact, he’d like her to consider retiring.

Of course she needed to work! Grace was the head librarian, and she loved her job. She’d reminded Cliff of that on her way out the door and was almost at the library before she remembered that she’d left the house without kissing him goodbye.

Now the morning was half gone and that sense of urgency had yet to leave her. She felt disoriented and disorganized; when she arrived in Bremerton for a meeting with the selector, the librarian who ordered new books, she discovered she’d forgotten that set of notes at home. The meeting ended up being a waste of time, and it was her fault.

When Grace returned to the Cedar Cove branch, she had to admit she was giving Cliff’s suggestion that she retire due consideration. One way or another, she’d been working her entire adult life. After the girls were born, she’d taken night classes at Olympic Community College. Later she’d transferred to the University of Washington for her library science degree. Upon graduation she’d been fortunate enough to be hired by the local library.

Those early years had been good for her and Dan. He’d helped with the children and given her his support as she went back to school. Despite their financial constraints and the problems that haunted Dan, Grace knew he loved her as much as he could love anyone. It was once Maryellen and Kelly started school and grew older that his dark moods became intolerable. They hung over their marriage and family life and had grown progressively worse until the end, just before he’d disappeared.

It was difficult to think about her marriage to Dan and not feel a sense of grief and loss. Grace didn’t understand why he was lingering in her mind on such a busy day.

“Grace.” Loretta, another librarian, stepped into her office. “There’s a gentleman out front who’d like to see you.”

“Did he give you his name?”

“No, he said he’s an old family friend. He came to apply for a library card.”

In that instant Grace knew it could only be Will Jefferson.

“He seems friendly,” Loretta added.

It was inevitable, Grace supposed, that she’d see Will again; it was going to happen sooner or later. Squaring her shoulders, she followed Loretta out of the office.

Sure enough, Will Jefferson leaned indolently against the counter, as though he had all the time in the world. When he saw Grace, he smiled and straightened.

Olivia’s older brother had been a strikingly handsome young man, and the years hadn’t changed that. He still had a rakish, self-assured air. As a teenager, Grace had the biggest crush on Will. Back then, he barely knew she was alive, which was probably why she’d been so flattered when he’d shown interest in her after Dan’s death.

“Grace.” Will bestowed on her the warmest of smiles. “You look wonderful, as usual.”

He was smooth, always had been. “Hello, Will. So you’re here to apply for a library card?” She wasn’t going to exchange pleasantries with him, nor was she willing to make him feel welcome. If he wanted a library card, he could get one without her assistance.

“I wasn’t sure if you knew I was in town,” Will continued, obviously undaunted by her curtness.

“I heard about it.”

“I assume Olivia told you.”

Grace didn’t respond. “Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact, there is,” Will said with all the charm at his disposal. “How about having lunch with me? We’ve got a few things to discuss and it would be good if we cleared the air.”

This was exactly what Grace could never allow. “I don’t think so. In case you’ve forgotten, I’m married.”

Will frowned. “I’m not asking you to lunch as a date or to upset your husband. It just seems that if the two of us are going to be living in the same town, it might be best to talk about what happened. I know you have regrets and for that matter, so do I.”

He sounded sincere and for a moment Grace wavered.

“Cliff isn’t the jealous type, is he?”

“Of course not,” she said, refusing to let him imply that Cliff was possessive and unreasonable. “But I have nothing to say to you. Your sister’s my best friend and other than that, we have nothing in common.”

“All right,” Will murmured. “I can accept that.” He seemed disappointed. “By the way, I’ve rented an apartment on the Cove, near Waterfront Park.”

Somehow she wasn’t surprised to learn that he’d be living five minutes from the library.

“I’ve always been a voracious reader,” he said.

In other words, he was informing her that he planned to be a frequent visitor to the library. Great. Just great.

“Let me know if there’s anything you need,” she muttered, “and I’ll have someone on staff see to it.” She wanted it understood that she wouldn’t be at his beck and call whenever he decided to check out a book.

It felt satisfying to show Will Jefferson that she was completely over him, and had been for a long time. Unintentionally, he’d taught her some valuable lessons about herself. Painful lessons. Furthermore, she wasn’t going to risk her marriage over him, and the sooner he realized that, the better.

“Nice to see you again, Will,” she said casually. “I hope you’ll make good use of the library.”

“I plan to do exactly that,” he told her in a low voice. He stood there as if he had more to say.

Unwilling to listen, Grace turned away from the front desk and hurried back to her office. She discovered that her hands were trembling from the encounter. To make matters worse, Cliff still didn’t know that Will had moved to Cedar Cove. She hadn’t meant to keep it a secret; it was just that the subject of Will Jefferson was such an uncomfortable one between them.

That evening, Grace met Olivia for their weekly aerobics class. Afterward, her friend, who knew her so well, almost immediately asked what was wrong.

“Why do you think something’s wrong?” Grace didn’t look at her as she changed out of her workout clothes. They stood beside each other in the locker room, ignoring the other women around them. Grace bent down to untie her shoe.

“For starters, you didn’t complain once during class.”

“I never complain,” Grace said righteously.

“You’re joking, aren’t you? From the second we get here, you tell me there’s got to be a better way to stay in shape. And when we’re out on the floor, you huff and puff as if you’re about to keel over.”

Grace straightened, hands on her hips. “I most certainly do not!”

“Do, too.”

Grace couldn’t keep from smiling. “We sound like we’re in junior high.”

“Do not.”

They both laughed and headed toward the parking lot. “Cliff wants me to retire,” Grace said as they walked.

“Retire,” Olivia echoed. “You’re far too young for that.”

“It isn’t about age.”

Olivia stopped beside her car and gave her a questioning glance.

“Cliff would like to travel and he wants me to join him,” Grace went on.

Olivia nodded, opened her door and tossed in her gym bag. “Isn’t this kind of sudden?”

“Not really.”

Olivia paused. “This doesn’t have anything to do with Will, does it?”

“Funny you should mention your brother,” Grace said, unlocking her own vehicle. “He stopped by the library this morning.”

Olivia’s mouth instantly tightened. “And what did he want?”

“A library card. Or so he said.” Grace leaned against the side of her vehicle. “Apparently he needed my help, because he asked to talk to me personally.”

Olivia folded her arms. “I’ll bet he did.”

“Then he invited me to lunch—supposedly to talk over what happened between us. I declined. I pointed out that I’m married now.”

“He already knows,” Olivia muttered.

“I said in no uncertain terms that I don’t have any interest in renewing our relationship.” Grace enjoyed telling her this part.

“Good.” Olivia nodded encouragingly.

Grace felt pleased by her response, but she was still worried about Will and what he might do. “I don’t think my being married concerns him.”

“Why should it?” Olivia said in disgust. “His own marriage vows apparently didn’t mean very much. According to Georgia, my brother routinely had affairs. I don’t get why she put up with it for as long as she did.”

Knowing she’d nearly been one of those affairs distressed Grace and embarrassed her. What a fool she’d been. How easily she’d overlooked behavior she’d known to be wrong. She’d so badly wanted to believe Will that she’d ignored every principle she’d been raised to uphold.

“He informed me that he plans to be a frequent visitor to the library,” Grace continued.

“He didn’t!” Olivia sputtered.

“I said that if he needed anything to let me know,” Grace added, enjoying the look of confusion that crossed her friend’s face.

“You didn’t!”

“I did,” Grace said, “and then I told him I’d be happy to have someone else see to it.”

A slow smile came to Olivia. “I’m ready for some pie and coffee now.”

“Me, too.”

They met five minutes later at the Pancake Palace. Goldie saw them pull into the parking lot and by the time they entered the restaurant she had their coffee poured.

“Coconut cream?” she asked when Grace and Olivia walked in and sat down at their favorite booth.

They both nodded.

“What’s it gonna to take to convince you to try something other than coconut?” She didn’t wait for a response and, shaking her bleached-blond head, returned to the kitchen.

“I notice you sidestepped my question,” Olivia said, dropping her car keys in the side pocket of her purse. “Is this talk of retirement connected to my brother’s visit?”

Grace mulled over the question, a little startled by Olivia’s suggestion.

“You mentioned retiring and then, in practically the same breath, you said that Will was at the library.”

Had she? Perhaps those two things were linked and she hadn’t recognized it. The idea that she might consider retirement simply to avoid Will gave her pause.

No, she wasn’t that weak or cowardly. No, she would not let him interfere with her life, would not grant him that power.

Olivia reached for her coffee. “Will has a great deal to answer for,” she said grimly.

“This has nothing to do with him,” Grace insisted and she realized it was true.

Fortunately their pie was served just then, which signaled a change of subject.

“Mmm.” Olivia savored a forkful, closing her eyes. “How’d Maryellen take the news, by the way?”

“What news?” Grace asked, glancing up from her own pie.

“You didn’t read the newspaper this morning? The Harbor Street Gallery is closing the first of October.”

“Oh, no.” If she hadn’t been in such a rush this morning, Grace would’ve had a chance to look at the paper. “I’d heard rumors, but I’d hoped it wouldn’t come to that.”

Olivia nodded.

“I’ll call her tomorrow and tell you what she says.” This would be a major disappointment to both her daughter and son-in-law. Maryellen had been instrumental in the success of the gallery and Jon still sold some of his work there.

Grace wished Maryellen had the time, energy and financial resources to buy the gallery herself. But right now, that possibility was completely out of reach.