92 Pacific Boulevard - Debbie Macomber [57]
“I saw my brother last week,” Olivia said. “And he mentioned that he’s looking for part-time help.”
Mary Jo’s eyes brightened and then just as quickly dimmed. “I’d need more hours if I was going to pay for child care and our living costs. Babies are expensive.”
Olivia seemed undaunted. “Will said the position would expand as the gallery picked up more business. Do you have accounting and office skills?”
“I do,” Mary Jo told them. “In fact, I worked in the accounting department at the insurance company.”
“Wonderful!” Olivia clapped her hands delightedly.
“But there’s day care and rent…and who’s to say your brother would find me a suitable employee?”
“I’m sure he will,” Olivia said.
“As for day care—” Grace jumped into the conversation “—my younger daughter told me just this morning that she’s looking for a means of adding to their family income. Kelly’s a stay-at-home mom with a baby of her own. Taking care of Noelle would be perfect for her.”
“And I know of a place to live,” Mack said. “A duplex that’s about to become available. The rent’s extremely reasonable.” He hadn’t consciously thought of this before, but maybe the idea had been there all along…
Everything was obviously moving much too fast for Mary Jo. “I’ll have to think about this.”
“That would be wise,” Olivia said as Grace nodded. “This is a big step.”
“But a necessary one,” Mary Jo murmured. Glancing up at Mack, who still held Noelle in his arms, she said, “And there’s someone other than me to consider now. A move will affect Noelle, too.”
“In a good way,” Mack said.
“I hope so.” Mary Jo spoke hesitantly. “I’ve made so many wrong decisions in my life that if I do move to Cedar Cove, I’ll have to work everything out beforehand. Just to be sure…”
The women talked for another ten or fifteen minutes and then Mack noticed that Olivia seemed to tire. Grace noticed it, too, and got up to carry the tea things to the staff kitchen while Mary Jo bundled up Noelle. Mack had reluctantly handed over the sleeping infant, hoping he’d have the chance to hold her again.
When they left the library, Mack drove them to his apartment. It was small, but the view of the cove was unbeatable. While he hurried about straightening up the place—he wished he’d done that earlier—Mary Jo stood in the living room, gazing thoughtfully out at the water with the navy ships gleaming in the distance.
“Do you want to tell me what’s really going on with your brothers?” he asked.
Abruptly she turned to face him. “They want me to go after David,” she said.
Mack frowned. “Go after him?”
“For child support. I understand what they’re saying, and they have a point. On the surface, anyway. David has a responsibility to support Noelle. She is his child and a blood test will prove it.”
An automatic objection formed, but he managed to quell it. Biologically—and in no other way—David was Noelle’s father. The man was nothing more than a sperm donor.
“The thing is, I don’t want David in my life,” Mary Jo said emphatically, “and I certainly don’t want him to have access to Noelle.”
“Based on everything I’ve heard, I think you’re right.”
Her expression softened. “I’m so grateful you agree with me. Linc’s adamant that David pay support. I’ve told my brother that David has constant money problems, but Linc still believes he should pay. How’s he going to do that?”
“In other words, there’s no getting blood out of a turnip.”
Mary Jo glanced down. “I wouldn’t care if he had all the money in the world. I still wouldn’t want my daughter anywhere near him.”
Again Mack agreed.
“Ben Rhodes has generously set up a trust fund for Noelle, like he did for David’s other daughter. He also offered to help me financially, knowing his son either couldn’t or wouldn’t.”
“Yeah, I remember. Are you sure you should turn him down?”
“Yes,” Mary Jo was quick to tell him. “I wouldn’t feel good about it.”
Mack understood—and shared—her point of view.
“I really like