Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Series, Volume 3 (124 page)

“The judge… Well, she…” Rosie looked at her husband. “You tell
them.”

“It was Judge Lockhart. That was her name back then. She's
Judge Griffin now. I think she could see that the divorce was a mistake for us,
but she didn't have any grounds for denying it the way she did with another
couple we heard about.”

“Actually, I don't think either of us would have accepted a
denial. At the time, we were pretty much at loggerheads.”

That was putting it mildly, Zach thought, but kept quiet. No
point in mentioning it.

“Mom and Dad wanted joint custody of Allison and me,” Eddie
said. “If Judge Olivia okayed their parenting plan, it meant Allison and I
would've had to change houses every few days. Three days with Dad, four days
with Mom—that sort of thing.”

“They would've stayed in the same school district,” Rosie
added. She closed the refrigerator and leaned against the kitchen counter,
facing the three of them, all sitting at the breakfast bar. “Zach got an
apartment a few miles from the house.”

“Judge Olivia told Mom and Dad they weren't the ones who needed
a stable life,” Allison went on to tell him. “Eddie and I were. The judge didn't
want us changing residences every few days, so she gave us the family home. Mom
and Dad had to move in and out.”

“In other words,” Eddie said, “when Dad was with us, Mom stayed
at his apartment, and vice versa.”

“Zach and I weren't too keen on this plan,” Rosie inserted.

Anson grinned. “But apparently it worked.”

Zach had to agree. “I remember the night Allison and Eddie
brought us together, arranging for us to have a romantic dinner here at the
house.”

“Our parents needed our help,” Eddie said, smiling at his
sister. “Actually, that was Allison's idea and it was a good one.”

“It was indeed.” Zach reached across the counter to take
Rosie's hand. He raised it to his lips and kissed her fingers. “And I'm very
grateful.”

“I am, too,” Rosie whispered.

“We owe the judge a big debt of thanks,” Allison said.

“And I owe
you
one,” Anson said in
a low voice, his gaze connecting with hers. “You always had faith in me.”

“Oh, Anson, I had my moments. I so badly wanted to believe you
didn't have anything to do with the fire that burned down the Lighthouse
restaurant.”

“The evidence
was
damning,” he
said, frowning slightly. “I couldn't blame you for doubting me.”

“When I learned you'd been at the restaurant that night, and
then later, when your mother told me you'd started a number of small fires when
you were a kid, my faith wavered.”

“Mine would have, too.” Again Anson came to her defense. “I
looked guilty as sin. I can't blame you, Allie.”

“Luckily you saw the man who really started the fire and were
able to identify him.”

Zach had played a role in determining that Warren Saget, a
local builder, was the arsonist. Teaming up with Sheriff Troy Davis, Zach had
convinced Anson to come forward and speak to the authorities.

“If it wasn't for your dad, I might still be on the run,” Anson
said. “Your family's been a lifeline to me,” he continued. “Mrs. Cox, Rosie,
you've been more of a mother to me than my own. I know Cherry loves me in her
way. She never counted on being a single mother, and she didn't have the
greatest role model herself. She does the best she can.”

Zach admired Anson for defending his mother. He didn't question
that she loved her son. Unfortunately, Cherry's life had been a long series of
low-paying jobs and living with ne'er-do-wells who used and abused her. Anson
had been instructed to refer to these men as “uncle,” none of them ever being a
father figure of any kind. His father had left Cherry as soon as he discovered
she was pregnant. Turned out he already had a wife and family.

“Are we going to play bingo?” Eddie asked, straightening. “It's
tradition, you know.” He nudged Anson as he said that, and Anson elbowed him
back.

“Why don't we set it up while Allison and your mother finish
getting dinner ready,” Zach suggested. He slid off the stool and headed into the
living room. He didn't recall how Christmas Eve bingo had begun, but the kids
couldn't have been more than eight and ten. He thought Rosie's parents might've
started it and that Rosie had carried it on, since she was big on
traditions.

In the living room, Zach took out the game. He handed the cards
to Anson to arrange, while Eddie gathered up the small prizes and placed them on
the coffee table.

“If you have a few minutes I'd like to speak to you privately,”
Anson said, sitting next to Zach on the sofa.

Eddie picked up on the “private” part right away and excused
himself, mumbling that he needed to make a phone call.

Anson waited until Eddie had left the room. “What I said
earlier about you and Mrs. Cox being more of a family to me than my own? I meant
that.”

“We feel the same way about you, Anson. I'm proud of what
you've accomplished.”

Anson smiled, as if Zach's words had pleased him. “I never
applied myself in school. I didn't really have to. Everything came easily to me,
so I got through without trying. I had no real plans, no aspirations. Then I met
Allison and she encouraged me to do better—to
be
better. I would've done anything to make her happy.”

Zach remembered how he'd separated the two as teenagers. Anson
had given his word and broken it, and as a result Zach had refused to allow
Anson and Allison to date or even talk to each other. On Valentine's Day, Anson
had come to the door and handed Zach a card for Allison. At that moment Zach had
begun to see a real sense of honor in the boy.

“I loved Allison when I was seventeen, and I love her now,”
Anson went on. “It hasn't been easy to maintain a long-distance relationship
with me living in D.C. and her going to school here in Seattle.”

Zach nodded; he understood the challenges of such a
relationship.

“I want you to know I've dated other women, but it's Allison I
love.”

His daughter had gone out with other young men through the
years, but she felt the same way about Anson.

“I believe this conversation is leading up to something,” Zach
said.

“I'd like to ask your permission to marry Allison,” Anson said
quickly.

Zach leaned back on the sofa. He'd known this was coming, but
hadn't thought it would be so soon. “Allison still has a year of law school
left.”

“I know. We've talked about that and she's applied to law
schools in the Washington, D.C., area.”

Zach arched his brows. “She has, has she?” Apparently, this had
been an ongoing discussion between them. “So Allison's already accepted your
proposal?”

“No, sir,” Anson said. Then he nodded. “Well, yes. I realize
speaking to you about this is just a formality, but it's important to me.”

Zach sent him an encouraging smile.

“Allison wanted me to give her the ring when she picked me up
at the airport. I told her I wanted to talk to you and Mrs. Cox first.”

Zach could bet his daughter hadn't been keen on that. He
approved, though. He liked Anson's old-fashioned sense of protocol and his
respect for both Allison and her family.

“Rosie!” Zach called his wife. “Could you come here for a
minute? Allison, you, too.”

“Sure.”

Allison came into the other room, holding her mother's
hand.

“It seems that Anson here would like our permission to marry
our daughter.”

Rosie turned to look at Allison. “But you haven't finished
school yet and…you're both so young.”

“They've taken both matters into account and still want to get
married. Allison will continue her schooling in D.C.”

“Oh.”

“What do you think?” Zach asked Rosie.

“Well…yes, of course. I would welcome Anson into the family
with open arms.”

“Oh, thank you, Mom.” Allison kissed her mother's cheek and
then hurried across the room to her father.

“Hold on a minute,” Zach said, stopping her. “I haven't given
my consent.”

“Daddy!”

Wearing a huge grin, Zach stood and hugged his daughter, and
then Anson. “I couldn't imagine a son-in-law I'd rather have. You both have our
blessing.” Zach was confident in the strength of this relationship, despite
their age. They'd proven their commitment to each other. He'd miss his daughter,
but the family was close and they'd see her frequently.

“What's going on in here?” Eddie asked, returning to the living
room.

“Anson and I are engaged.”

“Cool,” Eddie said.

“We'd like a June wedding, and then I'll move to Washington,
D.C., to be with Anson.”

Eddie shook his head. “I don't know about Mom and Dad having an
empty nest.”

“Hey, it hasn't been a problem so far,” Zach told him.

“But it could be.” Eddie seemed intent on making his case.
“Allison's going to be on the other side of the country, and I'll be away at
school.”

Rosie frowned and looked at Zach. He shrugged, unsure what his
son was getting at.

“Mom,” Eddie said. “You need someone to mother. And, Dad, who
are you going to boss around? Everyone knows Mom won't put up with that for
long.”

Allison laughed, but Zach was less amused.

“Now, just a minute, young man—”

Eddie interrupted him. “I've come up with the perfect
solution.”

“You have?”

Eddie nodded. He turned away for a moment and stepped into the
hallway, then came back carrying a basket—with a puppy curled up inside, fast
asleep.

“Merry Christmas, Mom and Dad.”

“A puppy!” Rosie said, lifting the sleeping pup from his warm
bed and holding him close. “He's adorable!”

“What a great idea.” Zach grinned, delighted at the prospect of
taking a dog for long country rambles. He could already picture the three of
them—Rosie, the puppy and him—sitting by the fire.…

“Actually, you gave me the idea, Dad. A while back you said you
missed having a dog around the house. I'm a starving college student and I
couldn't afford to buy you guys a big gift. When we went to get the Christmas
tree I heard one of the workers say that Beth Morehouse had a houseful of
puppies she needed to find good homes for. So…voilà.”

“Now, we'll need to come up with a name,” he said.

“I've already named him, okay? I had to call him something. I
know you like 1940s and '50s movies, so…meet Bogart. Or Humphrey if you
prefer.”

“Bogie!” Allison said. “That's it.”

“Bogie.” Rosie smiled. “This is quite the Christmas,” she said,
cradling the puppy in her arms. “Not only do we gain a son, but we add a dog to
the family, as well.”

Seven

“I'
ll start making the hot chocolate,” Beth
said, turning away from her daughters. A few minutes in the kitchen would help
her prepare to deal with her ex and his…friend. Kent kept insisting Danielle was
“just a friend,” but Beth felt there was more to it. Really, why would he bring
“just a friend” to a traditional family occasion?

Although she had no idea what Kent was thinking, Beth couldn't
imagine him actually spending the rest of his life with this woman. It was a
mistake. Even her daughters could see that. Kent wouldn't appreciate hearing her
opinion, so Beth was determined to keep it to herself—although that was a
struggle.

From inside the kitchen Beth heard Sophie greeting Kent and
Danielle at the front door and ushering them into the family room. The Christmas
tree was still bare, surrounded by the boxes they'd carried down.

“Mom's in the kitchen.”

This came from Bailey. Kent must have asked where she was. A
moment later, he joined her. “Listen, I'd appreciate it if we—”

“Is there anything I can do?” Danielle asked in the sweetest of
voices.

“No, thanks. I've got everything under control,” she told the
other woman. Her eyes connected with Kent's. She wanted to berate him for
bringing Danielle to a family function; instead, she bit her tongue and tried to
disguise her feelings, although she suspected she'd failed.

She realized she'd need to get used to the fact that Kent was
his own man now and made his own decisions. Beth forced a smile and continued
stirring the chocolate.

“Dad,” Bailey called. “Come and help.”

Kent hesitated and it looked as if there was something else he
wanted to say. With obvious reluctance, he returned to the family room, Danielle
on his heels.

Beth took as long as she dared in the kitchen. Fortunately,
Grace phoned while she was there, which kept her occupied for another five
minutes. Beth peered into the living room when she'd hung up. From her vantage
point, she could see that the girls had opened the boxes of old ornaments and
were reminiscing with their father. Danielle sat on the sofa, her expression
bored. Eventually she reached for her cell phone and started texting.

“Mom!” Sophie shouted. “Where are you?”

“Coming!” Beth loaded the serving tray with pretty holiday
mugs. She'd decorated the top of each mug of cocoa with whipped topping and
chocolate sprinkles, which was how Kent and the girls had always liked it. “Here
we go,” she said, hoping she sounded cheerful. Surely there was a reward in
heaven for first wives who were nice to their exes' new girlfriends.

“Remember this one?” Sophie said, and held up a snowman she'd
made with a wood-burning kit when she was around ten.