Pelican Court (Cedar Cove #3)(29)

Eddie nodded. “That was all she talked about last night. Dad, I’ve got problems with my math homework. Can you help?”

“Sure,” he said absently. This was great. Just great! Zach was struggling to find something edible to feed his kids. He was the one dealing with his teenage daughter’s rebellion. Eddie needed help with his homework. And his ex-wife was enjoying a night on the town with her new love interest.

There was definitely something wrong with this picture.

Eight

It was a lovely Saturday morning, and the blustery winds of October blew orange and yellow leaves around the waterfront and the Cedar Cove Farmers’ Market. Grace and Olivia meandered down the row between a series of festive booths.

“So, what time do you want to go to the movie?” Olivia asked.

“I was thinking I’d pass this afternoon,” Grace said nonchalantly.

“Oh—” Olivia couldn’t help being disappointed. “How come?”

Grace suddenly became flustered. “Oh, for heaven’s sake, just go to the movie without me,” she cried.

Olivia knew that look. Her friend was up to something and Olivia probably wasn’t going to like it. She stopped at a booth and purchased a loaf of homemade raisin bread, which she tucked into her large straw bag.

“All right, all right, I’ll tell you,” Grace said as though the truth had been tortured out of her.

Olivia didn’t bother to point out that she hadn’t asked.

“Jack’s going to be there.”

That got Olivia’s attention. “Jack?”

“Jack. Remember Jack? He called and asked me to set it up.”

Now, this was downright ridiculous. Jack had phoned her best friend and not her?

“Remember last month when you turned down Stan’s dinner invitation?”

Olivia wasn’t likely to forget. It had caused a rift between her and Stan, but she wasn’t nearly as concerned about her relationship with her ex-husband as she was about her continuing disagreement with Jack.

“Jack was supposed to meet us at the theater the Friday night we went to the movies last month, but at the last minute he couldn’t make it.”

“What’s going on here?” Olivia demanded, although she wasn’t really upset. It was increasingly obvious that she needed all the assistance she could get in the romance department. Not that her friend was any great expert. Grace had her own difficulties, but unfortunately they weren’t the kind that intervention would help.

“Jack covers the Friday-night football games,” Grace reminded her. “Gordie was supposed to go instead, but something came up.”

They continued to stroll through the market, mouths watering at the enticing scent of popping kettle corn carried on the wind. “Jack wasn’t happy about it.” Grace sighed. “Ever since then, he’s been driving me nuts, trying to get me to set up another movie outing, but between your schedule, his and mine—well, it’s getting too crazy to work it all out. I figured I’d just tell you.”

“It’s about time he and I settled this, isn’t it?” Olivia said, eager to patch up her differences with Jack. They’d let their quarrel drag on weeks longer than it should have. She didn’t understand why he hadn’t simply called her, but…well, trust a man to do things the hard way.

“Absolutely,” Grace said emphatically. “You’re both stubborn and headstrong. Now fix it.”

Olivia couldn’t believe her ears. This was Grace speaking? Grace never ordered people about. Obviously she felt strongly about this, and that made Olivia feel good.

Leaves billowed past and leaden gray clouds had begun to darken the sky. It would rain within the hour, she predicted.

“You’re going, aren’t you?”

“How will he know which movie?” Olivia hadn’t even decided what she wanted to see.

“Jack’s a smart man, he’ll figure it out.”

“If he was so smart, he’d—”

“Olivia, are you going to argue with me, or are you going to accept some heartfelt advice and do what I suggest?”

Before she answered, Olivia had a question or two of her own. “What’s happening with you and Cliff?”

Grace sighed again. “Not a whole lot. After Dan was found, I told him I needed time to grieve for my husband. He understood.”

Olivia nodded; that much she knew. “You haven’t seen him in a while.”

“We talk every week. Cliff’s been doing a lot of traveling lately and he’s building a new barn.”

“Why? Is he expanding?”

“Yes. He’s serious about raising quarter horses and he’s increasing his herd. When we spoke last Saturday, he said he’s thinking of hiring a full-time hand.” She began to say something else and stopped, obviously aware of her friend’s ploy. She turned to stare Olivia in the eye. “Are you going to the movies this afternoon or not?”

Olivia shrugged one shoulder.

Grace laughed softly. “You’re going, and judging by the smile on your face, you can hardly wait.”

That was the truth. Olivia wasn’t sure how Jack was supposed to know what showing she planned to attend or which movie, but as Grace had informed her, he’d figure it out.