Sandpiper Way (Cedar Cove #8)(30)

Jack stuck his head out of the kitchen. A smudge of powdered sugar ringed his lips as he frowned at her in consternation.

“Jack,” she protested, struggling not to laugh. “Cookies aren’t on your diet.”

“Who told you I ate those cookies?” His gaze narrowed.

“Come here and I’ll show you,” she teased, motioning him forward.

He walked in and Olivia held her arms open, inviting him into her embrace. When he bent forward, she sat up and tapped his lips, murmuring “sugar,” then kissed him.

When the kiss ended, Jack eased away. “Yes, I’m your sugar,” he said and she laughed. With a deep sigh, he looked at her. “That was nice.” He cleared his throat. “In fact, it was very nice…”

“I liked it too,” she told him softly. “Do I have powdered sugar on my lips now?” she asked with a smile.

“No.” He gave a guilty start. “I only ate one.”

“One?” Olivia had tasted those cookies from the time she was a youngster and eating just one would’ve been impossible. Besides, her husband had a notorious sweet tooth.

“One,” he said again, then glanced at his watch. “In the last ten minutes, I only had one.”

Olivia smiled again. No point getting upset. After Jack’s heart attack, she’d watched his diet religiously although she tried to resist nagging. Following her divorce it had taken her nearly twenty years to fall in love again and she was determined not to lose Jack any earlier than she had to.

“I’m being careful,” he promised, almost as if he was reading her thoughts. “I exercised this morning, and I had oatmeal for breakfast.”

“Good boy.”

He rolled his eyes. “The person who needs to eat these sweets is you.” He sat on the footstool and gazed at her, worry tightening his expression. Then he took both her hands in his own. “Will you try to eat something?”

She sighed.

“Please,” he coaxed.

“I’ll have soup.” Because she loved him, Olivia was willing to make the effort, although even the thought of soup or cookies—or anything else—made her feel queasy.

“Tomato?”

“Vegetable beef.”

“I’ll stay until you’re finished,” Jack said.

“Honey…”

“Don’t you mean sugar?” he asked, grinning. “Anyway, no objections allowed.”

“Yes, oh, great and mighty one.” It was important to him to prove that he was capable of handling this stress without turning to alcohol. Sobriety was hard-won for Jack. She knew he’d faltered when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She’d been badly thrown herself. Now, on the other side of surgery, she was confident they’d both survive; she thanked God for that.

While Jack prepared her luncheon tray, Olivia closed her eyes, lulled by the warm sunshine. It seemed only seconds later that he returned, carrying a tray with a steaming bowl of soup, two cookies and a small vase with a single rose. He’d even taken the time to fold a linen napkin.

“Have you been watching the Home Decorating channel again?” she teased.

“I thought the rose would brighten your day.” He reached for her hand, raised it to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “Now, eat.”

“If you insist.”

“I do.” He sat next to her until she’d finished the entire bowl of soup and even nibbled at one of the cookies.

“Satisfied?” she asked. She simply couldn’t eat another bite.

“Yes.” He brought the tray to the kitchen and when he came back, he’d put on his long raincoat, although he seemed reluctant to leave her. “I’ll get home as soon as I can.”

“Jack, I’m fine.”

“Grace is coming over?”

Olivia nodded. “She should be here in an hour or two. And Pastor Flemming said he’d drop by later this afternoon.”

“Good.”

Between Jack, her daughter, her mother, Grace and her brother, Will, she was hardly ever alone. Olivia didn’t mind being by herself, but she understood that this was their way of showing how much they loved her.

A few minutes later, Jack left for the newspaper office, and Olivia settled down with a new women’s fiction title Grace had recommended. The doorbell chimed. When she opened the front door, she was delighted to see Pastor Flemming.

“I hope I didn’t come at a bad time,” he said.

“Not at all,” Olivia told him as they walked into the living room.

“I realize I told you I’d come around four when I talked to you on the phone yesterday, but I had a free hour and thought I’d visit now, if that’s convenient.”

“It’s fine.” Olivia had hoped to take a nap before Grace arrived, but she could go without one. Napping in the middle of the day could easily become addictive, and she couldn’t allow that. As she’d joked to her husband, it wouldn’t look good if she started yawning in court.

“Please sit down.” Olivia gestured toward the chair across from her own.

“How are you feeling?” Dave asked.

“Better, thanks.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” He reached for his Bible and Olivia saw his wristwatch fall to the carpet. Frowning, Pastor Flemming picked it up. “There’s a problem with the clasp. I’ll need to have this repaired.”