Rainier Drive (Cedar Cove #6)(35)

“Thank you,” she said when he brought her the tea.

He sat down across from her. “I don’t want to argue, Maryellen.”

“Me neither.” She offered him a sad smile.

“I love you,” he said. “I won’t allow my parents to come between us. I can’t. They took everything else away from me, and I won’t let them steal you and Katie, too.”

She sipped her tea and tried to see the situation from his point of view. “I was just thinking how unusual this is. It’s the reverse of what normally happens, where the wife doesn’t get along with her in-laws.”

Nodding, Jon cupped the mug. “I like my in-laws just fine,” he said. “It’s my own family I don’t care for.” He checked his watch and stood, ending their conversation. “I need to get ready for an interview.”

The comment caught her off guard. Jon hadn’t said anything about applying for another job. He took photographs that sold in galleries, and she hoped to begin managing his career later this year, finding ways to give him more exposure and license his work. Maryellen had been reading about it on the Internet, using a laptop computer Cliff had lent her.

“An interview?” she echoed. “You didn’t say anything about that.”

“It’s nothing great,” he said as he headed up the stairs.

“But…you always tell me when you’re going to a job interview.” A couple of opportunities had come his way recently, neither of which had panned out. Jon had talked to her at length before and after each interview. One had been for a construction job with Warren Saget’s company. However, Jon had discovered that Warren used shortcuts and inferior materials. He was currently building an apartment complex and rumor had it that there were already major problems on the site. Although he possessed excellent carpentry skills and would gladly have taken on a construction project, Jon and Maryellen had agreed that, for ethical reasons, he shouldn’t work for Warren Saget. Seth Gunderson wanted him back at the new—as yet unbuilt—Lighthouse, but Jon couldn’t wait that long. He’d applied for some restaurant jobs, too.

“I’m sure I mentioned this,” Jon threw over his shoulder as he dashed up the stairs to their bedroom.

No, he hadn’t; Maryellen would’ve remembered it. She had the unpleasant sensation that he was hiding something from her. Only, she couldn’t imagine what it would be, or why. When he came down the stairs, dressed and freshly shaved, Maryellen was ready. She’d slowly made her way to the kitchen, where she sat at the table.

“Tell me about this interview,” she said as he popped a slice of bread in the toaster. He placed a bowl with instant oatmeal in the microwave and sliced a banana for her breakfast.

He glanced up. “It’s nothing special,” he countered.

“Is it a cooking job?”

“No,” he said curtly.

“Apparently it’s something you don’t want to tell me about. Something you’d rather not mention.” She shook her head. “You’ve never kept secrets from me before,” she said softly, unable to disguise the hurt. “Please don’t start now.”

He released a pent-up sigh. “All right, if you must know. The interview’s with a portrait studio in Tacoma.”

“But Jon, that’s great!” It was probably a waste of his talent, but she wasn’t going to say that.

“I’ll be photographing schoolchildren and…”

Maryellen swallowed hard and struggled to hide her dismay. This was so far beneath Jon’s abilities. It would stifle his creativity, kill his passion for photography. No wonder he’d been reluctant to tell her about this interview.

An involuntary sob escaped and she covered her face with both hands.

“Maryellen, don’t.” He came to kneel in front of her. “Honey, it’s the only thing available. It’ll pay the bills, even if it doesn’t provide any benefits.” He wrapped his arms around her.

“You’ll hate it.” He was willing to waste his considerable talent at this menial job, and all because of her.

Kissing the top of her head, he said, “I’ve had worse jobs. This won’t be for long, I promise you. I won’t be home much, but—”

“You want it that way. You want out of the house because…because you can’t stand the thought of your parents being here, and that’s my fault, too. Sometimes I think this baby’s going to destroy us.”

“Don’t,” he warned gently. “Maryellen, you can’t think like that. This baby is a gift.”

“I can’t let you do this. Jon, please. I just can’t bear it.”

“Sweetheart, don’t.” He took her face between his hands and kissed her again and again. “I love you. I’m doing this for us. As soon as the baby’s born, everything will be different. I promise.”

“Oh, Jon.”

“It’s all right,” he said soothingly. “Everything’s going to be all right.”

Maryellen so badly wanted to believe him. She smiled absently as he brought her breakfast to the table, although she could barely eat.

Jon left shortly afterward, and Maryellen tried hard to conceal her feelings when Ellen and Joseph came in. Ellen immediately went upstairs to get Katie dressed, while Joseph washed the few soiled dishes and straightened the books that were scattered around the living room.