Rainier Drive (Cedar Cove #6)(81)

“There’s nothing physical between Vicki and me,” he said. “I haven’t even kissed her.”

“And you believe you’re in love with her?”

“I know I am.”

“Okay, okay,” she said, thinking fast. “You need to examine everything, Cal. Your feelings and reactions. The two of you are out there alone, and it makes sense that you might be attracted to her, but that’ll all change when you’re back home.”

“No,” he stated flatly. “It won’t change.”

She noticed how controlled his voice was, as if he knew exactly what he planned to say and had rehearsed it any number of times.

“I’m coming back to Cedar Cove. I’m leaving in the morning.”

“Thank God,” she breathed. Once he got back, he’d realize what a mistake he was making.

“My feelings for Vicki aren’t going to change, Linnette,” he insisted. “I intend to ask her to be my wife.”

Thirty-Four

Grace arrived at the Pancake Palace three minutes ahead of Olivia for their weekly splurge of pie and coffee. They’d both earned it after an hour’s worth of aerobic exercise. If it was just up to Grace, she’d skip the workout and go straight for the pie. Olivia wouldn’t hear of that, however, and was determined that Grace join her for class. Although she complained, Grace actually looked forward to exercising with her best friend. The bonus was that Wednesday evenings were also their time to catch up on each other’s news.

Grace slid into the booth by the window and Goldie, the crusty, retirement-age waitress, immediately brought over a pot of decaffeinated coffee. Grace turned over the ceramic mug—a ritual at the Pancake Palace.

“Olivia’s right behind me,” she said. Reaching for Olivia’s cup, she righted it.

“You girls want the usual?” Goldie asked as she filled both mugs.

Grace nodded. She’d been friends with Olivia so long that she felt she could speak for her. They’d met in first grade and been best friends all through school. Although they were both in their fifties, and into their second marriages, they remained as close now as when they were girls. They’d come here, to this very same restaurant, for sodas after class. The Pancake Palace was a venerable Cedar Cove institution, and Goldie had been there since Grace and Olivia really were girls.

“Why don’t you live a little?” Goldie suggested. “Go for the big-time. I’ve got apple pan dowdy in the kitchen.”

Grace nearly choked on her coffee. “Apple pan dowdy over coconut cream pie? I don’t think so.”

“What about chocolate cream pie?” Goldie said next, her hand on her hip.

Grace considered that, but only briefly. “Not interested, sorry.”

“Blueberry?”

“Coconut cream.”

Goldie shook her head, as if bitterly disappointed. “The judge, too?”

Grace nodded. Olivia and Grace remained steadfastly loyal to coconut cream—and to each other.

Still shaking her head, Goldie disappeared into the kitchen.

Sipping her coffee, Grace recalled the afternoon shortly before their high-school graduation, when she’d told Olivia she was pregnant. They’d been sitting in a booth at the Pancake Palace then, too. This was weeks before she’d had the courage to tell her teenage boyfriend. She’d married Dan and shortly afterward he’d joined the army and was shipped off to Vietnam. Grace sighed; she didn’t know why her mind was traveling down that road.

She looked up to see Olivia walking into the restaurant, and although they’d just finished a strenuous physical workout, her friend had hardly a hair out of place. She’d always been like that; she was such a contrast to Jack Griffin, which made their marriage very interesting indeed. Olivia craved order and Jack…well, Jack didn’t. Despite that, or maybe because of it, they succeeded as a couple.

“I ordered the pie,” Grace said when Olivia sat down across from her.

“Great.” She picked up her coffee and after the first sip, exhaled with satisfaction. “How was your week?”

Grace shrugged. “All right, I guess.”

“You guess?”

She’d never managed to keep anything from her friend, she thought with a slight smile. “Cliff talked to Cal, and he’s on his way back to Cedar Cove with two mustangs.”

Olivia studied her carefully and after a short pause, said, “That should be good news, right?”

Grace lowered her gaze. “Normally it would be.” With Cal away in Wyoming, Cliff had been doing Cal’s work as well as his own. Grace didn’t feel she was much help, but she did her best to assist her husband in Cal’s absence.

“What’s going on?” Olivia asked.

Until now, Grace had kept the romance developing between Cal and Vicki Newman to herself. She didn’t believe she had the right to say anything, especially when he’d been so close to Linnette McAfee. Then last Thursday, Linnette had come to her because she’d sensed that something was wrong. Grace wanted to kick Cal for not being more straightforward with the girl.

“Grace?” Olivia said, breaking into her thoughts. “You look a million miles away.”

“Oh, sorry. It’s Cal.”

“You said he’s on his way back.”