Linc’s hand was already in his pants pocket, fingering his truck keys. “What can we do other than follow her to Cedar Cove?”
“Let’s talk this through,” Ned suggested, coming to his feet.
“What’s there to talk about?” Mel asked. “Mary Jo’s going to have a baby. She’s alone and pregnant and we all know Rhodes isn’t in Cedar Cove. He’s lied to her from the beginning. There’s no way he’s telling her the truth now.”
“Yes, but…”
Linc looked squarely into his youngest brother’s eyes.
“What do you think Mom and Dad would have us do?” he asked, allowing time between each word to make sure the message sank in.
Ned sighed. “They’d want us to find her.”
“Exactly my point.” Linc headed for the back door.
“Wait a minute.” Ned raised his hand.
“Now what?” Mel cried out impatiently.
“Mary Jo left because she’s mad.”
“Well, let her be mad. By the time we arrive, she’ll be singing a different tune. My guess is she’ll be mighty glad to see us.”
“Maybe,” Ned agreed. “But say she isn’t. Then what?”
Linc frowned. “We’ll bring her home anyway.”
“She might not want to come.”
“She’ll come.” Linc wasn’t about to leave his little sister with strangers over Christmas.
“If we make demands, she’ll only be more determined to stay,” Ned told them.
“Do you have any other bright ideas?” Mel asked.
Ned ignored the sarcasm. “Bring her gifts,” he said.
“Why?” Linc didn’t understand what he meant. They all had gifts for her and the baby that she could open Christmas morning, the way she was supposed to.
“She needs to know we love her and welcome the baby.”
“Of course we welcome the baby,” Linc said. “He’s our flesh and blood, our
“Hang on a minute,” Mel murmured, looking pensive. “Ned has a point.”
It wasn’t often that Mel agreed with Ned. “What do you mean?”
“Mary Jo’s pregnant, right?”
That question didn’t require a response.
“And everyone knows how unreasonable women can get when they’re in, uh, a delicate condition.”
Linc scratched his head. “Mary Jo was like that long before she got pregnant.”
“True, but she’s been even more unreasonable lately, don’t you think?”
Mel wasn’t wrong there.
“Maybe we should bring her a gift just so she’ll know how concerned we are about her and the baby. How much we care. We want her with us for Christmas, don’t we?”
“What woman doesn’t like gifts?” Linc said, thinking out loud.
“Yup,” Ned said, smiling at Mel. “It couldn’t hurt.”
Linc conceded. “Okay, then, we’ll each bring her a gift.”
They returned to their individual bedrooms, planning to meet in the kitchen five minutes later. Linc had gone online a few weeks ago and ordered a miniature football, basketball and soccer ball for his yet-to-be-born nephew. He couldn’t speak for the others, but he suspected they too had chosen gifts that were geared toward sports. At first he figured he’d bring the football, but then he reconsidered. He’d been after Mary Jo to save money and in an effort to encourage her, he’d purchased a gold coin that he planned to present on her birthday in February. Perfect. He pocketed the coin and hurried to the kitchen.
“You ready?” he asked.
“Ready,” Mel echoed.
“Me, too,” Ned confirmed.
The three brothers hurried out to the four-door pickup Linc drove. Mel automatically climbed into the front passenger seat and Ned sat directly behind him.
“You got your gift?” Linc asked Mel.
“Yeah. I’m bringing her perfume.”
“Good idea,” Linc said approvingly. “Where’d you get it?”
“I actually bought it for Annie, but since I’m not seeing her anymore…”
