Rainier Drive (Cedar Cove #6)(68)

“But the restaurant was your livelihood,” Warren said, immediately siding with her husband. “It’s only natural that Seth wouldn’t want to give up his only source of income.”

So, maybe Olivia was right, and Warren did have an agenda. “It used to be our livelihood, but Seth went to work for Larry Boone and he’s making more money as a salesman than we ever did with the restaurant.”

“I see,” Warren murmured thoughtfully. “Have you told Seth how you feel?”

“I made my feelings very clear.” Had Seth already forgotten the endlessly long hours and the constant struggle to meet their expenses and still make a living?

What hurt most was how matter-of-factly her husband had dismissed her. All he saw was the opportunity to add a banquet room to the redesigned restaurant. He was even willing to put them in a position of taking on more debt.

“I wish things were different,” Warren said, his eyes warm and sympathetic.

Well, maybe Olivia wasn’t right about Warren’s intent, after all. His sympathy seemed real, and it felt good to be with someone who understood her frustration.

Since Seth had started work at the boatyard, he seemed content for the first time since the fire. Not only that, he excelled at sales. Justine had real hope that their lives would finally settle into something resembling normalcy. Then, almost without warning, Seth was back to letting the restaurant obsess him.

“What am I going to do?” she asked, sipping her wine.

“Talk to him,” Warren advised.

“I already have, and he isn’t listening.” Her eyes brimmed with tears and she quickly blinked them away.

“Then do something that’ll make him sit up and take notice.” Warren gave a low, soft laugh. “You could always move in with me. That would get Seth’s attention fast enough.”

She choked on her wine. Coughing and sputtering, she said, “You’re kidding!”

Warren smiled and reached for her hand. “I wish I was. I can’t tell you how much I’ve missed you, Justine. Nothing’s been the same without you. We were good together, you and me. I realize what a fool I was to ever let you go.”

He’d grown so serious it made her uneasy. Not knowing how to answer him, Justine looked away.

“I can see that I’ve embarrassed us both,” Warren said, releasing her hand. “Forget I said that.”

She smiled, silently reassuring him that all was forgiven. Fortunately she didn’t need to say anything, because Diana arrived with their salads. She frowned at Justine in obvious disapproval.

Justine pretended not to see. Despite Warren’s urging, she drank just the one glass of wine. For the rest of the leisurely meal, Warren was attentive and entertaining, working hard to distract her from her woes. After he’d paid the bill, she thanked him and left to pick up Leif from his friend’s house earlier than planned. She’d made the babysitting arrangement that morning, hoping to talk to Seth about her ideas over lunch—but that, of course, hadn’t happened.

Leif was tired and cranky and fell asleep in the car on the short ride home. When she arrived at 6 Rainier Drive, Seth’s car was parked out front. Actually, she was glad he was home; she’d take the opportunity to talk to him.

Lifting her still-sleeping son out of his car seat, she carried him into the house.

Justine hadn’t even stepped through the door when Seth loomed in front of her. “Exactly where did you disappear?” he demanded.

She ignored him, the same way he had her, and carried her son into his room, with Penny following her. She placed Leif in his bed and covered him with a blanket. Then she quietly closed the door behind her.

Seth stood in the hallway waiting. “I told you I met a friend for lunch,” she explained patiently.

Seth’s eyes were narrowed and accusatory. “I don’t suppose that friend was Warren Saget?”

“What if it was?” she said and walked into the kitchen, where she sorted the mail on the counter.

“You promised me you wouldn’t see him again.”

She tossed the bills into one pile and the advertisements into another. “Warren’s a friend, nothing more.”

Seth angrily paced the kitchen floor. He stopped abruptly and seemed about to say something, then changed his mind. As quickly as it had flared, the anger was gone, replaced with what appeared to be disappointment and sadness. “In other words, you feel Warren Saget is a better friend to you than I am.”

That was exactly what she’d told herself earlier. She shrugged. “Warren listens to me.” She glanced up and met his eyes. “You obviously don’t.”

Twenty-Nine

Relaxing on a lounge chair, soaking up the June sunshine—it was the perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon. The deck had become Maryellen’s favorite spot, and she savored every moment outside the house, brief as those times were.

Jon was taking photographs in the Olympic rain forest, one of his preferred locations. Those pictures had also been among his most popular. Her biggest fear was that his job with the portrait studio would kill his love of photography. This was the first Saturday he’d gone out on a shoot in weeks. His parents had made it possible, although he’d never admit it.

With her knitting in her lap—the baby blanket was progressing more slowly than she would’ve liked—Maryellen watched Katie chase a butterfly with her grandfather, who kept a close eye on her. Ellen was in the kitchen, making a fresh pitcher of lemonade.