Harbor Street (Cedar Cove #5)(57)

Linnette shrugged. “I screwed up.”

Roy hated to turn his daughter away, but he wasn’t comfortable with this heart-to-heart stuff. “You’d better talk to your mother.”

“She isn’t here. You are.”

“In other words, it’s any port in a storm?”

She gave him a half smile. “You could say that.”

“All right.” He tried not to sigh. “Tell me what’s on your mind.”

Pulling off her gloves, Linnette stood up for a moment and removed her coat.

“I did something I regret,” she said bluntly.

“What?”

“Mom bought me a date with this guy in that Dog and Bachelor Auction last summer. Cal, his name is, and he’s a horse trainer. We went out, mainly because Mom pressured me into it. I didn’t want to, but I finally agreed.”

“Was it so bad?”

“Not at all. I enjoyed dinner and later, I went out with him again. I had an even better time, and then he kissed me and—”

“Hold on a minute.” Roy raised one hand. “I don’t want to hear any of that. Otherwise, I might be tempted to bash his teeth in.”

Linnette looked up and smiled. “You’re such a father.”

“Sorry, can’t help it. You’re my baby girl.”

“I am not a baby.”

“All I can say is wait until you have your own children and then decide.” He gestured for her to continue.

“I liked the way Cal kissed me—don’t worry, I’m not going to say any more about it, except that when he kissed me I got scared.”

This got Roy’s attention. “Did he try any funny stuff?”

“No, nothing like that. He didn’t scare me—I’m explaining this badly. What I mean is, I knew that if he kept on kissing me, I’d want to see him again, and I couldn’t because there was someone else I liked better.”

“Hmm?” That was about as profound a comment as he could make. He was finding all this a bit difficult to follow. So she liked this horse guy but she didn’t? And who was the “someone else”?

“I wanted to be available for Chad,” she elaborated, “and I didn’t want to get sidetracked.”

Okay, now he got it. Sort of. “This is that doctor fellow?”

Linnette nodded. “The problem is, it didn’t work.”

“You mean the doctor fellow isn’t interested? Or you’ve been thinking about Cal?”

“Both. But I was incredibly rude to Cal, and I keep wondering, you know, what would’ve happened if we’d continued dating. I wonder if I might’ve let a wonderful man slip through my fingers—and all for nothing.”

“What’s happening with Chad?” Roy needed all the facts, logically presented.

She shook her head. “No movement there. He’s handsome and sophisticated, and at one time I would’ve given my eyeteeth to go out with him, but he’s never asked. I doubt he ever will, and you know what? That’s fine. I’m pretty much over him. It’s Cal who interests me now. Except I’m not sure what I should do.”

Okay. Scratch the doctor. But Roy had no idea what he was supposed to say next. He was clean out of romantic advice.

“I wonder if I should phone Cal and apologize or just let it go.” She raised expectant eyes to him. “What do you think?”

That was the million-dollar question, all right. “What do I think?” he repeated slowly. “You may not know this,” he began, “but your mother and I dated for a while and then split up.” He paused. “After almost two years, we met again. I’ve always felt fate put her in my path that day.”

“In other words, if it’s meant to be, I’ll see Cal again?”

Roy nodded. “Something like that.”

Linnette seemed to be mulling over his words. She stood up, her expression thoughtful, and reached for her coat. “Thanks, Dad.”

“You’re welcome.” He leaned back in his chair and placed his feet on the desk once again, crossing his ankles. “Any other problems you want me to solve?”

“Not this afternoon. Tell Mom I came by, okay?”

“Will do.”

Linnette left and Roy was settling down to a short nap when the door opened and Corrie burst into his office. Roy took one look at his wife and dropped his feet to the carpet for the second time. “Corrie? What’s wrong?”

Tears shone in her eyes as she sat in the chair just vacated by their daughter. “I—” She swallowed hard, fidgeting with a tissue.

“What is it?”

“You refused to listen. You refused to consider what I said, so I took matters into my own hands.” She was so pale, he felt suddenly terrified.

“What did you do?” he asked, frowning.

“I—you aren’t the only one in this family capable of doing detective work. I have my own resources.”

“Corrie? What did you do?” he repeated.

She finally met his gaze. “We had a daughter, Roy. I gave birth to a little girl.”

Roy came around from his side of the desk and placed his hand on her shoulder. Bending down, he looked into his wife’s eyes, loving her so intensely he felt a physical pull toward her. “I know,” he whispered.