1105 Yakima Street - Debbie Macomber [108]
“And that is?”
Joni wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I’m ending my relationship with Chad.”
“Ending it,” Gloria repeated. “But…you just finished telling me that you’re in love with him.”
“I am…but I know the odds and they aren’t in my favor. Chad loves you and pretty soon you’ll give birth to his son. I care enough about him to bow out now.”
Gloria had trouble believing the other woman was sincere, but the tears streaking Joni’s cheeks told her she meant every word.
“The only thing I need from you,” Joni said, then paused to gather her composure. “All I ask is that you love Chad. He’s a good man, and a caring physician. I just hope you appreciate what you’ve got. If you don’t, trust me, some other woman’s going to do her best to steal him away and that…that other woman might well be me.”
Gloria flattened her hand over her heart. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Then don’t say anything. Remember what I told you. If you hurt Chad again, you can’t claim I didn’t give you fair warning.” Reaching for her purse she walked to the door.
Gloria followed her. “You really love him, don’t you.” It was a statement rather than a question.
“More than either of you will ever realize. It’s only because I love him that I’m willing to give him up. Don’t think I’m doing this for you or the baby. I’m doing this for Chad. Just make him happy.”
“I…will.”
The apartment seemed to vibrate with the shock of Joni’s declaration. Gloria stood by the door, hardly able to absorb what had happened. Chad loved her. She’d sensed that he did, even though he’d kept his distance, emotional and otherwise, since their last breakup.
Chad showed up at the apartment three hours later. Thankfully that meant she’d had time to think about Joni’s visit and analyze her own feelings.
“Hi,” he said as he came in. He appeared ill at ease, not quite himself.
“Hi,” she returned. They’d planned to go Christmas-tree shopping. Chad didn’t want her hauling in a tree and decorating it while she was pregnant. She guessed that his offer was really an excuse to see her again. Not that she was complaining; she welcomed any and every opportunity to be with him.
“Do you mind if we don’t go shopping for a tree today?” he asked. “I’m not in the mood.”
“That’s fine. We can do it another time.”
He walked over to the window and stood there, gazing into the night. Lights blinked out at sea.
“Is everything okay?” she asked, wondering if he’d lost a patient. He took any death personally, especially a child’s.
“I had a visitor this afternoon,” he said.
Gloria walked toward him until they were only a foot or so apart, both staring into the darkness. “Interesting, because I did, too.”
“Anyone I know?”
“Joni.”
Chad nearly dislocated his neck as he jerked toward her. “Joni came to see you?”
Gloria clenched her hands and nodded. “She needed the answer to an important question.”
He waited for her to continue.
It took Gloria a moment to find the courage to explain. “She came to ask me if I was in love with you.”
“How did you answer her?”
“I told her what happened when I first moved to Cedar Cove—and why.”
“I take it you left out the part about falling into bed together a few hours after we met.”
“Yes.”
His expression grim, he started for the door.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
“I think I’ve heard everything I need.”
“Don’t you want to hear my answer?”
“I already have. You gave her an excuse for your behavior and left it at that.”
“As a matter of fact, I didn’t leave it at that. I answered her question.”
“And?” he asked, sounding bored with the entire conversation. He seemed almost eager to escape.
“I told her I’m in love with you.” She held herself straight, fearing his reaction. He might laugh in her face and say he didn’t believe her. Certainly she hadn’t done anything to reveal how she felt about him. On the contrary, she’d tried over and over to prove that she had no affection for him whatsoever.
He said nothing. But he turned around, obviously studying her to see if she was telling the truth.
Gloria met his gaze boldly.
“Joni came to see me,