1022 Evergreen Place - Debbie Macomber [66]
“Mom, who cares what it looks like? It’s what it tastes like that matters.”
“It tastes fabulous,” she told them. Fine. They’d asked for this, so she wasn’t going to deny them dessert.
She left the table and returned with the dessert plates and silverware, then went back into the kitchen to carry out the four-layer coconut cake. Charlotte had given her the recipe and it had become a family favorite. Corrie set the cake in the center of the table for all to admire.
Roy stared at it and his eyes veered back to her. The lettering on the cake, written in bright red frosting, said, Congratulations, Mack and Mary Jo.
“Shall I cut the first slice?” she asked.
Mack nodded politely. “Please.”
“I’ll cut through the part that says congratulations,” she teased. “I guess this is what I get for being such a know-it-all.”
“Oh, Corrie, it was such a sweet thing to do,” Mary Jo told her.
“I wish we were at the point that we could tell you we had wedding plans,” Mack said. He looked at Mary Jo, who stared uncomfortably down at the table. “But we, uh, have a few things we need to work through.”
“I…I—” Mary Jo started, then stopped, as if she felt she needed to say something but wasn’t sure what.
“You don’t owe us any explanations,” Roy assured Mary Jo. “If you decide to become part of our family, we want you to know we’ll welcome you with open arms.”
“And Noelle, too,” Corrie said.
Mary Jo looked up, and Corrie was surprised to see the glint of tears in her eyes. “Thank you both,” Mary Jo whispered. “It means a great deal to me.”
“Can we drop the subject now?” Mack asked pointedly.
Corrie nodded. She’d been so positive this dinner had one specific purpose, only to discover she’d been way off base. Instead of celebrating with Mary Jo and her son, as she’d expected to, she’d embarrassed them. Fortunately, they were gracious about it. She regretted causing them any discomfort, but maybe she’d given them something to think about…. She hoped so, anyway.
They stayed for another hour after dinner. Mary Jo helped her clean up, and they chatted in a companionable fashion about the letters and the diary. Corrie packed up the leftovers to send home with them.
It didn’t escape her notice that Mack was deep in conversation with his father when she and Mary Jo joined them in the living room.
The young couple left soon afterward. Corrie watched as her son backed out of the driveway and headed down Harbor Street.
“So?” Corrie asked, turning away from the window to look at her husband. “What did Mack tell you?”
“What makes you think he told me anything?”
“Roy McAfee, don’t you dare do this to me! I have every right to know what’s going on between Mack and Mary Jo.”
“And you think I know?”
“Yes. I saw the way you and Mack had your heads together, so tell me what he said.”
Roy sighed. “He loves Mary Jo.”
“Of course he does! I think he fell in love with her the night she had Noelle.”
“And he loves the baby.”
“That goes without saying. He’s practically her dad.”
Roy nodded. “But Mary Jo has a few issues she needs to work out and until she does Mack doesn’t feel he can propose.”
She recalled that Mack made some remark along these same lines. “Issues? What kind of issues?” she asked.
Roy picked up the television remote. “I’m afraid they have to do with David Rhodes.”
“That jerk has a lot to answer for,” Corrie muttered, crossing her arms. Every time she heard the man’s name she felt irritated. How anyone as decent and honest as Ben Rhodes could have fathered such a…a creep was beyond her.
“Mary Jo’s afraid of what might happen if David gets involved in Noelle’s life.”
“She has reason to be.”
“So she’s doing nothing, which only perpetuates the problem.”
“What does Mack suggest?” Corrie asked, then answered her own question. “Mary Jo has to find the courage to stand up to David.”
“Yes,” Roy agreed, “and until she does, their lives aren’t going to move forward.”
“Oh, dear,” Corrie whispered. “I am right, though. He does love her.”
“He does.” Roy gave her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, it