Cranberry Point (Cedar Cove #4)(32)

"My brother is married."

"Yes, I know that."

Clearly, Grace had entered into this relationship with her eyes open. Olivia was well aware that Internet "relationships" were becoming increasingly common, but she was so disappointed that someone she considered sensible and honorable would get caught up in this kind of mess. She felt the same way about Will. He was her brother and she'd always assumed he was a faithful husband, but apparently that had been a false assumption. Well, he'd hear about this.

"We managed to keep our feelings for each other under control until I spent Thanksgiving with Cliff and his daughter. I couldn't contact Will and he couldn't reach me."

"Will knew you were with Cliff?"

"Oh, yes. And when I returned from the East Coast, everything changed. He said he'd missed me and I'd certainly missed talking to him. Once I admitted that, Will started phoning me and before long he'd...declared his love." She swallowed, and fresh tears glistened in her eyes. "He kept telling me his marriage was miserable and he was getting out."

"You believed it because that was what you wanted to hear."

Grace nodded, then inhaled sharply. "Will suggested we meet in New Orleans. He sent me the plane ticket and booked us a hotel room. I nearly did it." She cupped her hand over her mouth as if to hold back a sob. "I nearly slept with a married man."

Not since Dan's disappearance had Olivia seen her friend this broken. "What happened?" she asked in a coaxing whisper.

"One night after aerobics, you casually mentioned that Will and his wife had booked a cruise. I refused to believe it. Will told me he and Georgia had split up and that he'd filed for divorce."

This was even worse than Olivia had guessed, but she bit her tongue to keep from saying so. "Don't you think I would've told you that Will was getting a divorce?"

"Yes—no, I wasn't thinking. I was sure you didn't want anyone to know."

"I'd tell you." This was a subtle reminder that Olivia held nothing back and that she'd been hurt by Grace's silence— by her lie of omission.

"Afterward, I was so embarrassed.... I wanted to tell you, but I couldn't do it. The worst of it is that I lied to Cliff. He knew right away. He asked me if there was someone else and I told him no and feigned anger that he'd even think such a thing."

"How did he figure it out?" Grace had lied to both of them, and Olivia wondered how Cliff had been able to see through it and she hadn't.

Grace kept her eyes trained on the tabletop. "His ex-wife had cheated on him for years. He realized what was happening. ... I finally admitted I'd met someone on the Internet. I said it had been innocent—to that point—but he wouldn't believe me. Cliff said he refused to be involved with a woman he couldn't trust. That's why he won't have anything to do with me now—and the truth of it is, I don't blame him."

"How did you find out Will and Georgia were still together?"

"I called the house. She answered the phone."

That must have been a shocking revelation but Olivia didn't comment. The injured party in all of this was her sister-in-law.

Grace tried to smile. The effort was futile. "I told Will I never wanted to hear from him again and blocked his e-mail address from my computer. He tried to contact me a number of times, but I immediately deleted any and all messages. I want nothing more to do with him."

Grace had paid a high price for her indiscretion. "I'm sorry it was my brother who did this."

"I am, too." Her voice was strangled and filled with self-incrimination. "But I blame myself. Even when we were in high school, I had the biggest crush on Will. Then, when he actually claimed to love me, it was like a fantasy coming true—and I let it happen. If anyone had told me I'd willingly begin a relationship with a married man, I would've denied it. And yet that's exactly what I did."

"It could have been worse."

"Much worse," Grace said. "If you hadn't mentioned Georgia when you did, I would've met Will in New Orleans. I would've slept with him, too, despite everything I believe. I was head over heels in love with him. Thank God I learned the truth when I did."

"Does Cliff know everything?"

"Not who I was involved with, just that I was."

"You went to him, apologized?"

She nodded. "Twice. But I committed the one sin he can't forgive. It's over."

Olivia wasn't so sure. "He could change his mind, you know. Be patient. Give him time."

"I don't think time's going to make any difference," Grace confessed with heartfelt regret. "If I needed proof of that, I got it a couple of weeks ago."

"How do you mean?"

"I ran into Cliff at The Lighthouse. We talked for a few minutes and then the hostess came to seat us, assuming we were together. He made it abundantly clear that he'd rather dine alone than share a meal with me. I got the message. If he ever felt anything for me, it's dead." Tears trailed down her cheeks as she struggled with her composure.

Olivia reached across the table to clasp her friend's hand. She had some thinking to do—and the person to discuss her thoughts with was her husband.

Later that same night, dressed in her pajamas, Olivia sat on the queen-size bed, arms folded around her knees as she relayed the story to Jack.