Rainier Drive (Cedar Cove #6)(32)



Corrie shook her head. “You know your father.”

“This is the man I’ll probably marry.” She truly hoped that was the case. Cal hadn’t brought up the subject of marriage yet, but as far as Linnette could tell, they were definitely headed in that direction.

The doorbell rang again, and before anyone could answer, Mack walked into the house bearing a tall lily with three huge blooms. Her brother had trimmed his hair and actually looked decent. Well…halfway decent. This was an effort to appease their father, Linnette guessed. He wore jeans, sandals and a flowered shirt that made her shudder slightly. He needed a woman to help him dress better, but she wasn’t volunteering. Lucky followed him in and settled by the fireplace.

“Happy Easter, everyone,” he said. “When’s the Easter egg hunt?”

“You’re too old for chocolate bunnies,” Corrie laughed, coming out of the kitchen. She kissed her son on the cheek and made a fuss over the lily, then placed it in the center of the dining room table.

Cal stood, and the two men shook hands. Linnette was immediately concerned. She hadn’t mentioned to her brother that Cal was working with a speech therapist and feared Mack might say something that would unintentionally embarrass him.

“What’s for dinner?” Mack rubbed his palms together, as if he was ready to start eating that minute. “I’m starved.”

“Good. We’ll begin as soon as Gloria gets here.”

“You mean you didn’t make those little cheese rolls?” Mack asked, clearly disappointed.

“Yeah,” Roy said, setting aside the newspaper. “What about a few appetizers to tide us over?”

“They’re coming,” Corrie said. “Roy, could you see what everyone wants to drink?”

“Mom bakes these little cheese-filled biscuits Mack loves,” Linnette explained for Cal’s sake. “You’ll want to taste them, but don’t overdo it or you’ll ruin your dinner.”

“I won’t,” he promised.

“No matter what holiday it is, Mack wants Mom to bake cheese biscuits. Easter, Thanksgiving. Christmas…”

“Groundhog Day,” her brother added, as their father got to his feet to offer drinks.

“They sound good,” Cal agreed.

“I’ll have a beer, Dad.”

“Me, too, Mr. McAfee,” Cal put in.

Mack suddenly turned to him. “Hey, Cal—”

Linnette kicked his ankle.

“Ouch. What was that for?” Mack demanded.

Linnette blushed. “Oh, sorry, did I kick you?”

“Yes, and it hurt.” Her brother rubbed his ankle.

“Come help me in the kitchen, would you?” she said pointedly and half dragged her brother out of the living room. As soon as they were out of earshot, she whispered fiercely, “Don’t embarrass Cal! He’s seeing a speech therapist about his stutter. Having everyone comment only calls attention to it.”

“The only person embarrassing Cal,” her brother said in a whisper, “is you. Give the guy a break.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re suffocating him,” Mack insisted. “And if you keep doing that, you’re going to lose him.”

Linnette started to tell her brother he was being ridiculous but then the doorbell rang a third time. Gloria had arrived. She still wore her police uniform. “I didn’t take time to change,” she said, “I hope that’s all right.”

“Where’s Chad?” Linnette asked. She knew that Chad Timmons, the physician she worked with at the clinic, was interested in Gloria.

“I didn’t ask him to join us,” Gloria said as she removed her jacket; Roy took it to hang in the hallway closet.

Linnette was disappointed for Chad, who’d been hoping for an invitation.

“Can we eat now?” Mack asked impatiently.

“Did I hold up dinner?” Gloria wanted to know.

“Not at all,” Corrie assured her. “I thought you wanted appetizers,” she reminded her son.

“Oh, yeah.”

“Well, they’re on the way.”

They all sat in the living room, waiting for Corrie. Linnette was at Cal’s side and took his hand, entwining their fingers. Her mother had returned to the kitchen and now carried a plate of Mack’s favorite cheese biscuits, along with a veggie tray and dips. Roy passed out drinks—beers for all the men and glasses of white wine for the women.

“You’ll love this dip Mom makes, too,” Linnette said, dipping a carrot stick in a rich creamy mixture and handing it to Cal.

“I was in Cedar Cove earlier this week,” Mack said as he filled a small plate. The cheese biscuits were still hot, and he burned his finger. “Ouch, dammit.”

“You didn’t come by,” Corrie murmured.

“By the time I finished, all I wanted to do was get home and take a hot shower.”

“Finished what?” Linnette asked her brother.

Mack straightened and looked around the room. “I applied with the Cedar Cove fire department,” he announced.

“What does the application process involve?” Gloria leaned forward, serving herself a small plate of appetizers.

Mack took a gulp of beer. “I had to complete a physical test, and I’m not talking about some doc listening to my heart, either. This was running up flights of stairs and stuff like that.”

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