Cedar Cove Collection

“Why not?” But Olivia knew. Warren. It might embarrass Justine to show up with a man old enough to be her father. More likely, Warren would simply decline.

“I’d probably have to go alone. It’s bad enough that I’m still single, but to come without a date—I don’t know if my ego can stand it.”

“You have several single friends who’ll probably be there.”

“I suppose,” Justine said doubtfully.

This was exactly the sort of event that might open her daughter’s eyes. Olivia hoped that if Justine saw her high-school friends, she’d recognize how completely wrong Warren was for her.

“There’s a meeting later in the week,” Justine said.

Olivia remembered that her daughter had been a senior class officer. Surely she’d be involved in planning the reunion. Since Justine was the local bank manager, the reunion committee would likely welcome her expertise with finances.

“Will you be helping?” Olivia pressed.

Justine sighed. “Probably,” she said in a resigned voice. Then she brightened. “Do you remember Julie Wyatt and Annie Willoughby? I haven’t seen either of them in years and they both live right here in Cedar Cove.”

Olivia remembered both families well.

“Seth Gunderson still lives in town, too,” Justine murmured.

Olivia remembered Seth because he’d been Jordan’s best friend. He’d been fishing with his father in Alaska at the time of her son’s accident. Olivia had never forgotten the letter the thirteen-year-old boy had written her and Stan after he’d learned of Jordan’s death. The few short lines, a simple expression of grief and condolence, had touched her heart.

“I always liked Seth,” Olivia said thoughtfully. “Whatever became of him?”

Justine shrugged. “I’m not sure. I know he still fishes in Alaska every summer, which means he probably won’t be home for the reunion.”

That saddened her. If Olivia were to handpick a husband for her daughter, she’d choose a man like Seth.

“Oh, no, you don’t, Mom.” Justine good-naturedly waved her finger. “I can see the wheels turning in your head. You want to link me up with Seth, but I’m not interested.”

“What’s wrong with Seth?”

“Well, first of all, he hasn’t got a brain in his head.”

“Oh, Justine, that’s not true!”

“All that ever interested him was sports.”

“Ah, yes, he was good at sports.” Seth had been the star football and basketball player through all four years of high school.

“He’s a fisherman, for crying out loud!”

Olivia frowned; she hadn’t raised her daughter to be a snob. “He’s a hard worker, Justine, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”

“As opposed to Warren?”

“No!” Olivia refused to get drawn into that argument. “We’re talking about Seth.”

“Mother, he lives on his boat at the marina. I like Seth, don’t get me wrong, but he’s a big oaf. I haven’t talked to him once since we graduated and I sincerely doubt we have anything more in common than we did in high school.”

Olivia sighed inwardly. “Sweetheart, I didn’t mean to suggest that Seth is the right man for you.” Well, yes, she did, but she could hardly admit it. “Someday you’ll find the one, and in fact you may have already.” She had to grit her teeth to say it, but if Justine married Warren, Olivia would somehow manage to welcome him into the family.

Her daughter looked away. “When James first called to tell me he and Selina were married—and that she’s pregnant—I was so relieved.”

“Relieved?” That was a curious reaction.

“It took the pressure off me. I know you want grandchildren and I want you to have them.” She straightened and met Olivia’s gaze. “But unfortunately, you won’t get them from me.”

“Justine—”

“Listen to me, Mom, please, just this once. I have no intention of ever marrying or having children. I realize you’re concerned about my relationship with Warren, but you don’t need to be. He treats me well and I enjoy his company most of the time, but I’m not serious about him.”

“You don’t want to get married?”

She shook her head. “I know I’m a disappointment to you and I’m sorry, but please accept that I’m just not interested in being a wife or a mother.”

Olivia let the words sink into her heart, then nodded. “I said it earlier and I meant it. I love you, Justine, not for what you do but for who you are.”

Her daughter blinked back tears and lowered her head in order to hide the emotion from Olivia, but it was too late. She saw.

“Thanks, Mom.”

Then as if nothing noteworthy had transpired between them, they went back to eating their salads.

Every afternoon as Cecilia arrived for work, she looked across Cedar Cove to the Bremerton shipyard, where the John F. Reynolds was still berthed. It’d been more than a week since her dinner with Ian and she hadn’t heard a word from him. Before he’d left her that night, he’d promised to get in touch prior to sailing. Apparently the aircraft carrier was still undergoing repairs.

Cecilia knew she had no right to feel disappointed that he hadn’t called. He didn’t have any reason to contact her, other than to leave her the keys to his car.

The dinner and movie had been wonderful; the lovemaking, too. Until he’d abruptly left, Cecilia had begun to feel that they’d made a breakthrough in their relationship. Now she wasn’t sure what to think. And she was horrified that they’d done something as foolish as having unprotected sex. Granted, the likelihood of her being pregnant was very slight, but anyone might figure she’d learned her lesson the first time. Apparently not. When she was in his arms, she’d felt desired—and reassured. Safe. Then he’d dressed and run out as if he couldn’t get away fast enough.

Now this silence. She didn’t understand any of it.

Perhaps Ian was waiting for her to call him. She couldn’t remember exactly what they’d said before he walked out the door. Nothing of importance. Nothing she could even remember. All she could think at the time was that she didn’t want him to leave, but couldn’t ask him to stay, either.

The more she thought about phoning him, the more appealing the idea became. By the end of her shift on Monday night, she’d decided to call Ian first thing after her classes on Tuesday.

All morning Cecilia found herself eyeing the time. She had no idea what Ian’s work schedule was. She hoped he’d be available, but if not, she could always leave him a message.

She knew he was living on base and had a cell phone; she’d written the number in her address book more than a year ago. She called from a pay phone on the community college campus. The phone rang four times and then she got his voice mail, inviting her to leave a message.

“Ian,” she said, worried now that she might be doing the wrong thing. “It’s Cecilia… I hadn’t heard from you and was wondering if you’d changed your mind about the car…which is fine. I mean, I don’t need it or anything. My car’s running great. I’ll talk to you later—that is, if you still want to talk to me.” The last part came out sounding defensive. He’d wanted her badly enough earlier, but apparently sex was all he’d been after. She quickly hung up the receiver and felt foolish, wishing now that she hadn’t given in to the impulse.

Wednesday afternoon when she showed up for work, Cecilia was convinced that Ian wanted nothing more to do with her. Just as the dinner hour was picking up and she was at her busiest, her father appeared.

“There’s a call for you.”

Her heart raced. “Me?” It had to be Ian. No one else would think to contact her here.