Mary Jo entered the house and was greeted by the smell of roasting turkey and sage and apple pie.
“You’re awake!” Grace declared as she stepped out of the kitchen. She wore an apron and had smudges of flour on her cheeks.
“I’m shocked I slept for so long.”
“You obviously needed the rest,” Grace commented, leading her into the kitchen. “I see you’ve met my husband.”
“Yes.” Mary Jo smiled again. Rubbing her palms nervously together, she looked from one to the other. “I really can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done for me.”
“Oh, nonsense. It’s the least we could do.”
“I’m a stranger and you took me in without question and, well…I didn’t think that kind of thing happened in this day and age.”
That observation made Grace frown. “Really? It does here in Cedar Cove. I guess it’s just how people act in small towns. We tend to be more trusting.”
“I had a similar experience when I first moved here,” Cliff said. “I wasn’t accustomed to people going out of their way for someone they didn’t know. Charlotte Jefferson—now Charlotte Rhodes—quickly disabused me of that notion.”
Despite everything, Mary Jo looked forward to meeting David’s stepmother. The conversation would be difficult, but knowing that Charlotte was as kind as everyone else she’d met so far made all the difference.
“Really, Mary Jo,” Grace continued. “All you needed was a friend and a helping hand. Anyone here would’ve done the same. Olivia wanted you to stay with her, too.”
“Everyone’s been so wonderful.” Thinking about the willingness of this family to take her in brought a lump to her throat. She bent, with some effort, to stroke the smooth head of a golden retriever who lay on a rug near the stove.
“That’s Buttercup,” Grace said fondly as the dog thumped her tail but didn’t get up. “She’s getting old, like the rest of us.”
“Coffee?” Cliff walked over to the coffeemaker. “It’s decaf. Are you interested?” he asked, motioning in Mary Jo’s direction with the pot. “Or would you prefer tea? Maybe some chamomile or peppermint tea.”
“Tea, please. If it isn’t any trouble.”
“None whatsoever. I’m having a cup myself.” Grace began the preparations, then suddenly asked, “You didn’t eat any lunch, did you?”
“No, but I’m not hungry.”
“You might not be, but that baby of yours is,” Grace announced as if she had a direct line of communication to the unborn child. Without asking further, she walked to the refrigerator and stuck her head inside. Adjusting various containers and bottles and packages, she took out a plastic-covered bowl.
“I don’t want to cause you any extra work,” Mary Jo protested.
“The work’s already done. Cliff made the most delicious clam chowder,” Grace said. “I’ll heat you up some.”
Now that Grace mentioned it, Mary Jo realized she really could use something to eat; she was getting light- headed again. “Cliff cooks?” Her brothers were practically helpless around the kitchen and it always surprised her to find a man who enjoyed cooking.
“I am a man of many talents,” Grace’s husband was quick to answer. “I was a bachelor for years before I met Grace.”
“If I didn’t prepare meals, my brothers would survive on fast food and frozen entrees,” she said, grinning. Thankfully her mother had taught her quite a bit before her death. The brothers had relied on Mary Jo for meals ever since.
The thought of Linc, Mel and Ned made her anxious. She’d meant to call, but then she’d fallen asleep and now…they could be anywhere. They’d be furious and frightened. She felt a blast of guilt; her brothers might be misguided but they loved her.
“If you’ll excuse me a moment,” she said urgently. “I need to make a phone call.”
“Of course,” Grace told her. “Would you like to use the house phone?”
She shook her head. “No, I have my cell up in the apartment. It’ll only take a few minutes.”
“You might have a problem with coverage. Try it and see. By the time you return, the tea and soup will be ready.”
Mary Jo went back to the barn and up the stairs to the small apartment. She was breathless when she reached the top and paused to gulp in some air. Her pulse was racing. This had never happened before. Trying to stay calm, she walked into the bedroom where she’d left her purse.
Sitting on the bed, she got out her cell. She tried the family home first. But the call didn’t connect, and when Mary Jo glanced at the screen, she saw there wasn’t any coverage in this area. Well, that settled that.
She did feel bad but there was no help for it. She’d ask to make a long-distance call on the Hardings’ phone, and she’d try Linc’s cell, as well as the house. She collected her coat and gloves and hurried back to the house.
A few minutes later, she was in the kitchen. As Grace had promised, the tea and a bowl of soup were waiting for her on the table.
Mary Jo hesitated. She really hated to ask, hated to feel even more beholden. “If you don’t mind, I’d appreciate using your phone.”
“Of course.”
