Olivia seemed to be watching her closely.
Grace gave a beleaguered sigh. “There’s more, isn’t there.” She could feel it coming.
Olivia nodded. “Will told Mom he was moving back to Cedar Cove.”
Grace stared at her in horrified silence. “You’ve got to be kidding! What about his job?”
“He’s retired now and seems to be at loose ends.”
Grace closed her eyes. The last time Will came to town had been a disaster. This was shortly after she’d broken off the relationship. He’d insisted she didn’t know what she was doing and that he loved her. At one point, Cliff had stepped in and, in a fit of anger and jealousy, Will had taken a swing at him. It’d been a dreadful scene, a public spectacle, with Will threatening to press charges. Thankfully Olivia had witnessed the episode and made it clear that Will didn’t stand a chance of having any charges stick.
“I’m worried,” Olivia said.
“About me and Cliff?” Grace asked and made a weak dismissive gesture with her hand. “Don’t be.”
“No,” Olivia told her. “I’m concerned about Will. Mom is, too. She suggested he rethink this move. It’s too drastic, especially so soon after the divorce. He needs to stay where he is. And…”
Olivia hesitated and took a deep breath. “What bothers me more than anything is that my brother, who can be as clueless as a Keystone Cop, might assume you’re still available.”
“Will knows I’m married.” She remembered that Olivia had expressly told him.
“He knows, all right,” Olivia said. “But a little thing like a wedding band, including the one on his finger, hasn’t stopped him before. He might have the mistaken impression that it won’t stop you, either.”
Grace swallowed. “Then I’ll just have to tell him.” Cliff would be happy to oblige in that regard, too; however, she had every intention of keeping the two men away from each other.
Thirty-Five
The first time Anson Butler kissed Allison Cox was last October, after a Friday-night football game. Instead of attending the Homecoming dance, they’d sat in the bleachers and talked long after everyone else had left. Allison remembered that kiss as clearly as if it’d just happened. She’d had boyfriends before and had dated a jock while she was a junior. Clay was a really nice guy, popular and funny, but his interests were limited and they didn’t have much in common. They broke up shortly after the prom.
Anson was different. They’d had a couple of classes together the year before, but she hadn’t really noticed him until this year, when they sat across from each other in French. His language skills were impressive, and he seemed to catch on faster than anyone else. Allison hated the way he’d downplayed his abilities and made light of his intelligence. Thinking back, she decided it was his sense of humor, unexpectedly wry, that had initially attracted her.
Sitting in the bleachers now, in the same row as she had during that first kiss, Allison closed her eyes and tried to recapture the exciting sensations she’d experienced that night.
It’d been really cold, she recalled, and the lights on the field were off. Clouds scudding across the sky had frequently obscured the full moon; the intermittent darkness had given them a feeling of seclusion, of privacy. Anson wore his long black coat with a knit stocking cap pulled down over his ears. He didn’t wear gloves and his hands had been cold to the touch. Unlike him, Allison was bundled up head to foot in a red coat and scarf, hat, mittens and boots with wool socks.
They sat huddled together against the wind. The music spilled faintly from the gym, where everyone was dancing. He’d ditched his friends and she had hers.
Anson had amused her that night, speaking in French, making up words. She’d laughed at something he’d said and then, for no reason, they weren’t laughing anymore. Anson had leaned forward to kiss her, hesitant, as if waiting for Allison to stop him. All she could do was hope that he wouldn’t stop. When their lips met, his were cold and chapped. Hers were warm and moist, and she parted them slightly, wanting him to know how glad she was to receive his kiss.
The moment was perfect. Afterward, they’d stared at each other for a long time, and then Anson had said that kissing her was even better than he’d expected. For her, too.
Her phone rang, jolting Allison out of those comforting memories. She snapped open her cell and saw that he was right on time. “Anson?” she whispered.
“I’m here. You got the message from Shaw?”
She nodded. His friend had called the night before and told her Anson would phone at nine. That was all he said, then he’d simply cut off the connection. “He seems to enjoy playing courier.”
“Shaw’s a good friend,” he said.
“I know,” she said. “Oh, Anson, I miss you so much.” She tried to keep the emotion out of her voice, but she’d had some bad news and was struggling to hold it in. The last thing Anson needed was her dissolving into tears over a matter that didn’t involve him. There was nothing he could do.
“How was graduation?” he asked.
“All right. I wish you were there. The rose was beautiful. Thank you so much for that, and the message, too.” Her faith in him might have wavered, but Anson continued to love her.
“You talked to the sheriff?” he asked, getting directly to the point. “About the information Shaw gave you?”
“Yes. I told my father and we went in to see the sheriff on Monday.” This next part shouldn’t come as any surprise, so she drew in a deep breath. “Sheriff Davis wants to talk to you.”
Anson snickered. “Sure he does.”
“Anson, you can’t stay in hiding for the rest of your life!”
The returning silence rang like an alarm between them.
“I tried,” he finally said.
“You tried?” she repeated. “What do you mean?”
“I phoned the sheriff.”
“You talked to Sheriff Davis?” This was wonderful news, but no one had said a word to her. “I didn’t know, I thought—”
“No, I didn’t talk to him,” Anson said. “I tried to talk to him. He wasn’t there. I asked when he’d be available and I got this runaround. No one seemed to be able to tell me.”
Allison found that difficult to believe, until she remembered overhearing a conversation between her parents. “Oh, I can explain. His wife died recently. You must’ve phoned at that time.”
“What happened to his wife?”
“I’m not sure exactly, but Mom said she’d been sick for years.” It all made sense now. “He took some time off after the funeral.” She was encouraged by Anson’s effort. “Try again, okay?”
Anson seemed to consider her suggestion. “Maybe I will.”