50 Harbor Street - Debbie Macomber [65]
Cecilia, Cathy and Rachel all stared at her.
“What do you mean?” Cecilia asked when no one else did.
“Nate Olsen, right?” Carol said, turning to Rachel, who nodded. “That’s the guy I thought you were talking about. His daddy’s Nathaniel Olsen.”
The name wasn’t familiar to Cecilia, and she noticed the others looked just as blank.
“Who?” Cathy asked.
“Nathaniel Olsen, as in Congressman Nathaniel Olsen from Pennsylvania.” She glanced from one woman to the next. “You mean you didn’t know?”
Rachel looked shocked, then confused. “N-no, Nate never mentioned anything about his family being in politics.”
“We’re talking money. Big money,” Carol continued, clearly enjoying the role of expert. “I’m not sure where it all came from in the beginning—probably coal—but there’s lots of it now and Daddy doesn’t mind letting everyone know.”
“Nate’s an enlisted man,” Cecilia said. It stood to reason that because of his father’s name, he could’ve gone into the Navy as an officer.
“True,” Carol agreed, sipping her eggnog. “But Nate and his father had a falling out a few years back. Then I heard that Nate dropped out of college and joined the Navy.”
“How do you know all this?”
“I’m from Pennsylvania,” she told them. “It was big news back home, and of course his daddy put a positive spin on it. He played up his family’s patriotism for all it was worth at election time.”
“I’ll bet Nate hated that,” Rachel said quietly.
“I’ll bet he did, too,” Carol concurred. “I don’t think he has much to do with his father these days.”
“Oh.” Rachel had gone pale. “I can just imagine what Nate’s father would say if he found out his son was dating a hairdresser.”
That was met with a moment’s silence. “It seems to me Nate’s his own person,” Cecilia felt obliged to comment. “He’s the one who sought you out, isn’t he?”
“Actually, I bid on him at the Dog and Bachelor Auction, remember?”
“Yes, but you two hit it off,” Carol said.
“Nate doesn’t have a problem with you working in a salon,” Cathy added. “What’s wrong with that, anyway? As soon as Carol and I found out you did hair, we were overjoyed. We’ve been looking for a good hairdresser ever since we moved to Cedar Cove. The fact that you do nails too is a bonus.”
Rachel relaxed a bit. “I just wish Nate had said something—about his background, I mean.”
“Maybe he was waiting for the right time,” Cecilia offered, wishing Carol hadn’t said anything now. Rachel seemed so uncomfortable.
Carol must have regretted it herself, judging by her next words. “Come to think of it, I’m sure Nate wouldn’t use family money to purchase your gift,” she said. “You obviously mean a lot to him.”
Rachel smiled and the color rose in her cheeks. “He means a lot to me.” Her smile grew wider. “I don’t know anything about his family, but I will tell you that Nate’s one fine kisser.”
Cathy shook her head. “Well, I don’t know about Nate, but I’ll bet you hands down that Andrew can out-kiss him any day of the week.”
“If we’re going to get into comparisons,” Cecilia began.
“Girls, girls,” Carol broke in, waving her arms. “This is a discussion we don’t want to have.”
“Why not?” Cecilia asked.
Carol looked at each one and then lowered her voice. “Exactly how long has it been since any of us had sex?”
Cecilia and Cathy both giggled.
“Too long,” Cecilia said. “Way too long.”
Twenty-Six
Corrie loved shopping at all the after-Christmas sales. Next to the Thanksgiving sales, this was her favorite shopping experience. She was delighted that Peggy Beldon had agreed to join her. They’d gotten to know each other in the last year, while Roy worked on solving the murder that had taken place at Thyme and Tide, the Bed-and-Breakfast owned by Bob and Peggy.
“I love it when I can buy Christmas wrap at seventy-five percent off,” Peggy said as she loaded up her cart with half a dozen colorful rolls. “Of course, Bob complains. He says I can’t save money by spending money.”
Corrie nodded. “Roy says the same thing.” This was a ritual lament—the same conversation