1105 Yakima Street. Debbie Macomber
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her doctor regularly. While rationally he recognized that she was undoubtedly doing all those things, he couldn’t help wanting confirmation.
Chad reached for his car keys. It’d been several weeks since his life was turned upside down and, so far, he’d done nothing other than rage about the situation, agonize over it and try to settle on some course of action. The time had come to do something.
As he drove into Cedar Cove, Chad stopped at the local bookstore and picked up a baby name book, and a few others he often recommended to his patients. Perhaps that was a waste of money, since Gloria might already own these books, but he didn’t care. It made him feel better. Knowing she didn’t want to see him, Chad thought he’d ask Roy McAfee to give her the books.
He got the address for the private investigator’s office from the business card Roy had left him. Parking on the steep hill, Chad looked down at the waterfront, which bustled with activity on this beautiful September day. Cedar Cove had been his home for five years and he hadn’t realized how much he missed it.
The totem pole at the library caught his eye. Its eagle’s wings were spread wide as though embracing the entire community. He’d enjoyed spending lunch hours at the waterfront park. Visiting the Saturday market had been another favorite activity; he remembered buying produce so fresh soil still clung to the roots. He saw a couple of kayakers paddling near the marina, their smooth, even strokes sending out ripples behind them. Harbor Street was busy, too, with late-afternoon shoppers and people leaving work.
Chad dragged in a deep breath before he tore his gaze away from the scene below. Shoulders squared, he walked toward Roy’s office and stepped inside.
The front desk sat empty. A few chairs were lined up against the wall in the waiting area and an end table held a number of outdated magazines.
“Mack, is that you?” Roy McAfee called from the inner office.
Chad followed the sound of the other man’s voice. “It’s Chad Timmons,” he said, and let himself into the office. He stood in the doorway, uncertain of his reception.
“Chad.” McAfee rose from his chair and extended his hand. “Good to see you. I was wondering how long it would take you to show up.”
“Probably longer than it should have,” Chad confessed. He sank into the chair across from McAfee and set the bag of books on the carpet. The office was sparsely decorated. A desk, a leather chair and a couple of bookcases. The walls were bare except for a large map of the town.
“I guess my news was a bit jarring.”
Chad snorted. “That’s putting it mildly.” Then, because he had to know, he asked, “How’s Gloria feeling?”
“From what Corrie tells me, she’s been suffering from morning sickness, but other than that she appears to be doing well.” He paused and added, “But then I’m not my wife’s favorite person at the moment. She hasn’t quite found it in her heart to forgive me for contacting you.”
“I’m sorry about that.”
“Don’t worry. It’s not your problem.” Roy dismissed Chad’s comment with a wave of his hand.
“Does Gloria know that I know about the baby?”
Roy leaned forward, shaking his head. “I haven’t said anything and I doubt Corrie has, either.”
“In other words, probably not.”
Roy nodded. “That would be my take on it.”
No surprise there. “I have something I’d like you to give her.” He lifted the sack of books.
Roy regarded the bag and then turned his attention back to Chad. “Are you sure you don’t want to give those to her yourself?”
Chad wasn’t sure of anything. “For now I think it might be best if I stayed in the background. From what Gloria said, she doesn’t want anything to do with me. So it makes more sense for you to do it.”
Roy didn’t respond for several seconds, studying Chad intently. “I don’t agree with you,” he finally said.
The front door opened. “Dad?”
Roy got to his feet. “In here.”
Mack McAfee barged into the office and stopped abruptly when he saw Chad. “Sorry, am I interrupting anything?” he asked, glancing from one to the other.
“Not at all,” his father said, reclaiming his seat.
Mack’s eyes narrowed. “We’ve met, right?”
Chad nodded.
Mack took the chair next to him. “Ah, yes, I remember now. You dated my sister Linnette.”
“Briefly.” That whole scenario had been a disaster, and it had complicated everything else. While Gloria was building a relationship with the sister who didn’t know they were even related, Linnette had developed a crush on Chad. Seeing how Linnette felt about him, Gloria had steered clear.
“Chad asked me to deliver some books to Gloria,” his father explained.
“Gloria?” Mack swiveled his head to look at Chad. “Why Gloria?”
“Actually, I’ve … dated her, too.”
Mack grinned. “It seems you get around.”
Chad responded with a weak smile. “Yeah, I suppose it does.”
“I didn’t know my sister was big on reading,” Mack said, relaxing in his chair, balancing one ankle on the opposite knee. “And if you’re dating Gloria, why don’t you give her the books yourself?”
“These are a baby name book and a couple on pregnancy,” Chad said.
“What?” Mack dropped his leg to the floor. “You and Gloria? Are you telling me you’re—this baby is yours?”
Chad merely nodded.
For an instant Mack didn’t seem to know how to react. Conflicting emotions showed on his face—anger chased by confusion and then indecision.
“Believe me, it came as a shock to me, too,” Chad said, sharing a smile with Roy.
“But … but you’re a … a physician.” Mack stumbled over the words. “If anyone should understand about birth control, it’s you!”
“Again, I’m in full agreement,” Chad said. “It just happened.”
“‘It just happened’ has got to be the most pathetic excuse in the book. What do you intend to do about this?” Mack demanded.
Mack’s anger was justified, and Chad took it to heart. “That depends on Gloria. At this point she isn’t aware I know about the baby.”
“Why not?”
Mack glared at him and Chad looked over at Roy, hoping he’d supply the answer.
“The thing is, your sister specifically asked that Chad not be told. Your mother agreed to that, but I refused.”
“So you went behind Mom’s back?” Mack shook his head as if he already knew the answer and disapproved. “And Gloria’s!”
“I told your mother exactly what I was doing. She wasn’t happy about it. In fact, she still isn’t.” Roy leaned back in his chair, frowning. “I’ll take the books to Gloria and explain that I told you about the baby.”
Chad scowled. He wasn’t ready for Gloria to find that out….
“It’s time I told my daughter I went to see you.”
“Don’t,” Chad said bluntly. “Not yet.”
Roy blinked at him. “Why not?”
Chad tried to clarify his thoughts. “For one thing, I want Gloria to come to me. At some stage