Rainier Drive (Cedar Cove #6)(101)
“How long can you stay?” Allison already dreaded the day he’d have to leave her again.
“Just a week, and then I’m headed for specialized training. I’m going into Army Intelligence, working with computers. Whether I continue with the military or not, this is training I can always use.”
“You’re one of the smartest people I know.” She couldn’t keep the admiration from her voice.
He’d never been able to accept compliments well. He did now, though, because he believed it himself. “You’re the only person who ever said that to me, and the funny part is, the tests I took proved it’s true.”
“I know it is.”
“After I enlisted, the army put me through a lot of testing. I ranked high in languages and computer skills and a bunch of other stuff. Basically, I could have my pick, and I went with Army Intelligence.”
“I’m so proud of you, Anson, so proud.”
“You’re the one who gave me the power to believe in myself,” he said.
They left their haven under the stairwell and walked into the parking lot. Allison unlocked her mom’s car, and Anson slid into the passenger seat beside her. “Where would you like to go?” she asked him.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to see my mother first. I have her money. Then Shaw.” He grinned. “I don’t think either of them will recognize me.”
“I didn’t at first.”
“I know,” he said with a delighted laugh. “I wish you could’ve seen the look on your face when it dawned on you that this short-haired soldier was me. It was priceless.”
“You think you’re funny, don’t you?” she said, laughing, too.
“No, I think I’m the most fortunate man in Cedar Cove. I don’t need to run or hide. I have you back, and my life’s on course. For the first time ever, I can smile at the future.”
So could Allison.
Forty-Four
In Rachel’s opinion, dinner with Nate’s parents on Tuesday evening couldn’t have gone worse. She’d felt miserable and out of her element the entire evening. They were in an outrageously expensive Seattle restaurant, where each place setting featured more cutlery than Rachel owned. That was bad enough. Even worse was the fact that Nate didn’t even seem to notice how uncomfortable she was. Nate’s mother had used every opportunity to belittle Rachel, and she’d done it in the most subtle way. Again and again, she brought up subjects that excluded Rachel and made no effort to explain who or what she meant.
Once when Rachel had the temerity to ask a question about someone she’d mentioned, Patrice Olsen raised her eyebrows—as if it should be understood that she was referring to the English ambassador’s daughter. Following that, Rachel hadn’t dared ask a single thing. They’d all started off on the wrong foot the night Nate had showed up at her house, his parents in tow. The fact that Bruce and Jolene were there seemed to give his mother even more of a reason to dislike her. Patrice obviously assumed that Rachel was cheating on her son.
After dinner, which seemed to last forever, Nate wished his parents a safe trip home. He appeared to be pleased with what he considered a successful evening. Now as he drove Rachel home, she tried to figure out how Nate had missed his mother’s unmistakable attempts to thwart their relationship.
“I told you there was nothing to worry about,” Nate said, briefly glancing away from the road. His right hand reached for hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. He looked happy and content, while Rachel felt just the opposite. “I knew the minute Mom met you, she’d love you, too,” he continued, “and I was right. Mom thinks you’re fabulous.”
“How can you say that?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “I was a nervous wreck all night.” She didn’t mention their initial introduction, but surely he could guess that was part of the reason!
“You were?”
“Yes,” she said, close to tears. “Nate, I was so far out of my comfort zone I could hardly breathe.”
He glanced away from the road again. “It didn’t show. You’re a classy woman, Rach, and my parents thought you were great, but I knew they would.”
Apparently he hadn’t noticed that she hadn’t swallowed a single bite of that expensive dinner. “Your parents really care about you,” she said.
Nate shrugged. “Dad and I have had our differences over the years. As you already know, he didn’t approve when I enlisted in the navy. We had a big blowup about that, but underneath it all, I know he’s proud of me and my decision. He’s come to trust my judgment. Mom, too.” He cast a meaningful look in her direction as they drove across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge on their way back into Cedar Cove.
“Your parents have plenty of reasons to be proud of you, Nate.” All Rachel wanted was to get home. Her head hurt and her cheeks ached from constantly smiling. She had less of a problem with Nate’s father; unlike his wife, Nathaniel Olsen was a straight shooter. Mrs. Olsen had made it evident from the moment they were introduced that she found Rachel lacking. No, even before tonight, Rachel thought, recalling the phone conversation in the park. It wasn’t anything personal; his mother just didn’t consider Rachel Pendergast good enough for her only son.
They got to her house before Rachel was ready. She didn’t want Nate to leave and yet at the same time she wanted to be alone. How could she explain the way his mother made her feel? If she tried, Nate would assume she was being paranoid and childish.