50 Harbor Street - Debbie Macomber [34]
Maryellen disagreed. “You’re wrong. He wouldn’t have phoned if that was the case.”
Grace shook her head again. “I’m sure Cliff regrets what happened, but there’s no need to drag this out any longer. I doubt he’ll phone again and after some soul-searching, I’ve decided that’s fine.”
Her mother might have talked herself into that decision, but Maryellen didn’t believe she was fine with it at all. The very first time she’d met Cliff and seen him with her mother, Maryellen had felt they were meant to be together. “Do you remember when I was pregnant with Katie?” Maryellen asked.
“Of course.”
“I was convinced I didn’t need Jon and that I could raise the baby on my own. Remember?”
A smile touched her mother’s eyes. “You were so determined to prove it.”
“Yes, well…It was easy enough to think I could do everything by myself before Katie was born, but afterward…it was a different story.” Never would she have imagined that one tiny baby could be so demanding. Most nights Maryellen had only managed to sleep in twenty-or thirty-minute stretches—if at all. A rash of ear infections kept Katie up at night screaming in pain. Thankfully Jon had insisted on being part of his daughter’s life and wanted to share the responsibility of raising her. Maryellen had quickly seen that Katie needed him, and so did she. “The similarity, Mom, is that I was so sure about everything—and I was wrong. Maybe you are, too.”
As Grace began to reply, Elaine, the owner’s wife, came for their order and predictably Maryellen chose her chicken hot sauce noodles. Grace asked for Wor Wonton Soup.
When Elaine had left their table and gone back to the kitchen, the restaurant door opened and in walked Cliff Harding.
Maryellen leaned toward her mother. “Don’t look now, but Cliff just came in.”
Grace stiffened. “Did he notice us?”
There wasn’t time to answer. Cliff walked directly over to their table and smiled down at both women.
“Hi, there,” Maryellen said, raising her hand. “This is a pleasant surprise.”
He acknowledged her, and removed his Stetson as he turned toward her mother. “Grace,” he said with a curt nod.
“Hello, Cliff.” Her mother’s voice was calm, and she kept her eyes trained straight ahead.
Maryellen admired her poise in this awkward situation. She watched as Grace slowly glanced up and offered Cliff the scantest of smiles.
“There must be a problem with your answering machine,” he said. “I’ve been trying to get in touch with you.”
“Would you care to join us?” Maryellen asked, ignoring the daggers her mother was shooting at her.
“Grace?”
Her mother hesitated only briefly. “By all means.” She looked at her watch as if to gauge how much of her lunch hour was left. “I’ll need to leave in a few minutes, anyway.”
“Nonsense,” Maryellen challenged. “We ordered no more than three minutes ago.”
Cliff sat at the end of the booth, setting his cowboy hat on the empty space next to Grace.
“It’s a little early for you to be having lunch, isn’t it?” her mother asked pointedly.
Cliff smiled wryly. “The truth is, I drove by and saw you and Maryellen in the window. I figured if you weren’t going to answer my phone calls, the best thing to do was talk to you in person.”
“Oh.”
“I’m sorrier than you know about that night,” he said with sincerity.
So Maryellen was right. Cliff knew what he’d done and was trying to make amends.
“I was hoping you’d be willing to give me another opportunity.” His eyes pleaded with Grace. “I’d still like you to come out to the ranch for dinner,” he said in a rush.
Grace seemed to waver. “I—I don’t know.”
Maryellen wanted to shake her mother. “I’m sure she’d enjoy that very much,” she said firmly and ignored the kick as her mother’s shoe connected with her shin.
Maryellen nearly laughed aloud at the shuffling of their feet beneath the table.
In the meantime, Elaine brought Cliff a teacup and a menu. He accepted the tea, but declined lunch.
The small interruption was followed by an uncomfortable