LITMIR.BIZ

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family, she wasn’t feeling quite right. “May I think about it?”

      “Of course,” Grace said. “You do whatever you need to do.”

      Leaning forward in the chair, Mary Jo supported her lower back with both hands, trying to ease the persistent ache. Sitting had become difficult in the last few weeks. It was as if the baby had latched his or her foot around one of her ribs and intended to hang on. Mary Jo was beginning to wonder if she’d ever find a comfortable position again.

      “Can I help you with anything?” she asked.

      Grace surveyed the kitchen. “No, I’ve got everything under control. I thought I’d sit down with you for a few minutes.”

      Mary Jo nodded. “Yes, please. I’d like that.”

      “So would I,” the other woman said. “Here, let me get us some fresh coffee. And what about some Christmas shortbread to go with it?”

       Chapter Ten

      At the fire station, Mack McAfee sat by himself in the kitchen, downing yet another cup of coffee. The only call so far that day had been for the young pregnant woman who’d had the dizzy spell at the library. For some reason, she’d stayed in his mind ever since.

      Because he wasn’t married, Mack had volunteered to work Christmas Eve and part of Christmas Day, allowing one of the other firefighters to spend the time with family. Unfortunately, his mother was none too happy that he’d agreed to work over the holidays.

      Mack’s parents lived in Cedar Cove and his sister had, too, until she’d left several months ago, her heart broken by that cowpoke who used to work for Cliff Harding. Linnette had taken off with no plan or destination and ended up in some Podunk town in North Dakota. She seemed to love her new home out there in the middle of nowhere. Mack didn’t understand it, but then it wasn’t his life.

      He was happy for Linnette, knowing she’d found her niche. She’d always said she wanted to live and work in a small rural town. As an experienced physician assistant, Linnette had a lot to offer a community like Buffalo Valley, North Dakota.

      Gloria, Mack’s oldest sister, had been given up for adoption as an infant; their relationship had only come to light in the past few years. Mack was just beginning to know her and so far he’d discovered that they had a surprising amount in common, despite their very different upbringings. She’d promised to stop by the house and spend part of Christmas with their parents, but she, too, was on the duty roster for to night.

      When Gloria had first moved into the area—with the goal of reconnecting with her birth family—she’d worked for the Bremerton police. Since then, however, she’d taken a job with the sheriff’s department in Cedar Cove.

      Mack’s cell phone, attached to his waistband, chirped. He reached for it, not bothering to look at the screen. He already knew who was calling.

      “Hi, Mom.”

      “Merry Christmas.” Her cheerful greeting was strained and not entirely convincing.

      “Thanks. Same to you and Dad.”

      “How’s everything?”

      His mother was at loose ends. Not having any of her children with her during the holidays was hard for her. “It’s been pretty quiet here this afternoon,” he said.

      Corrie allowed an audible sigh to escape. “I wish you hadn’t volunteered to work on Christmas.”

      This wasn’t the first time his mother had brought it up. But as the firefighter most recently hired, he would’ve been assigned this shift anyway.

      “It’ll be lonely with just your father and me.” Her voice fell and Mack sighed, wishing he could tell her what she wanted to hear.

      “It’ll be a wonderful Christmas,” he said, sounding as positive as he could.

      “I’m sure it’ll be fine,” she agreed in a listless voice. “I decided to cook a ham this year instead of turkey. It’s far less work and we had a turkey at Thanksgiving. Of course, I’m going to bake your father’s favorite potato casserole and that green bean dish everyone likes.”

      Mack didn’t understand why his mother felt she had to review her dinner menu with him, but he let her chatter on, knowing it made her feel better.

      “I was thinking,” she said, abruptly changing the subject.

      “Yes, Mom?”

      “You should get married.”

      If Mack had been swallowing a drink at the time he would’ve choked. “I beg your pardon?”

      “You’re settling down here in Cedar Cove?”

      He noticed that she’d made it a question. “Well, I wouldn’t go that far.”

      “I would,” she said. “You have a steady job.” She didn’t add that this was perhaps his tenth career change in the last six years. Mack was easily bored and tended to jump from job to job. He’d worked part-time for the post office, done construction, delivered for UPS and held half a dozen other short-term jobs since dropping out of college. He’d also renovated a run-down house and sold it for a tidy profit.

      Mack’s restlessness had contributed to the often acrimonious relationship he’d had with his father. Roy McAfee hadn’t approved of Mack’s need for change. He felt Mack was irresponsible and hadn’t taken his life seriously enough. In some ways Mack supposed his father was right. Still, his new job with the fire department seemed to suit him perfectly, giving him the variety, the excitement and the camaraderie he craved. It also gave him a greater sense of purpose than anything else he’d done.

      He and his dad got along better these days. Roy had actually apologized for his attitude toward Mack, which had come as a real shock. It had made a big difference in their relationship, though, and for that Mack was grateful.

      “You think I should be married,” he repeated, as though it was a foreign word whose meaning eluded him.

      “You’re twenty-eight.”

      “I know how old I am, Mom.”

      “It’s time,” she said simply.

      “Really?” He found his mother’s decree almost humorous.

      “Have you met anyone special?” she asked.

      “Mom!” he protested. Yet the picture of Mary Jo Wyse shot instantly into his mind. He knew from the conversation he’d overheard at the library that she was pregnant and single and that David Rhodes was her baby’s father. He’d also heard a reference to Charlotte and Ben Rhodes. He was familiar with them, but completely in the dark about David.

      “I’m not trying to pressure you,” his mother said. “It’s just that it would be nice to have grandchildren one day.”

      Mack chuckled. “If you want, I’ll get to work on that first thing.”

      “Mack,” she chastised, “you know what I mean.”

      He did but still enjoyed teasing her. While she was on the phone, he decided to take the opportunity to find out what he could about the father of Mary Jo’s baby. “Can you tell me anything about David Rhodes?” he asked.

      “David Rhodes,” his mother said slowly. “Is he related to Ben Rhodes?”

      “His son, I believe.”

      “Let me go ask your father.”

      “That’s okay, Mom, don’t bother. It’s no big deal.”

      “Why’d you ask, then?”

      “Oh, someone mentioned him, that’s all.” Mack was reluctant to bring up Mary Jo; for one thing, it’d been a chance encounter and he wasn’t likely to see her again. Clearly she wasn’t from here.

      “Mack.

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