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It all added up now After they’d spent the night together, Chad had felt so sure they could resolve their differences He was high on love, his head in the clouds, like so off without a word had made him feel bereft and stupid Oh, she’d written a note, but that had explained nothing

So he’d vowed that if this was how she felt, he’d deal with it He was finished Chad had resigned from his position at the Cedar Cove Medical Clinic, ency roo someone else Joni Atkins was a lot less volatile and a lot more decisive

A baby

Even now, Chad had difficulty coping with Roy’s news If he was shocked, he could is about him, and about a future with him, seeet Sound area a few years ago to search for her birth parents Her adoptive parents had been killed in a small-plane crash and she was virtually without fa that had completely unsettled her Her birth parents had eventually married and she had a full sister and brother She’d told hiether--which was also the night they’d ers to being intimate with reckless speed That embarrassed Gloria and, frankly, him, too Chad knew better So did Gloria Afterward she’d asked for time to connect with her birth faed Every advance Chad ain She’d agreed to a date, and they ended up in bed, which was followed by eain

Now Gloria was pregnant

She hadn’t told hih now he assumed she’d come to break the news the day she’dlot Hoas he to knohat she’d intended? As far as he was concerned, they were finished That see to the note she’d left hied her mind, it was too late, or so he’d felt at the time He’d moved on and he’d advised her to do the same

Roy, Gloria’s birth father, had taken a tre to see hi the pregnancy, and Corrie, her birth reed But not Roy

Years earlier Corrie McAfee had becoe Roy hadn’t learned he was a father until after his daughter had been adopted Apparently it remained a sore point between Gloria’s birth parents Roy wasn’t willing to let history repeat itself, although Corrie felt the choice should be Gloria’s alone Going against his wife’s and daughter’s wishes, Roy made sure Chad knew about the baby

Chad hadn’t decided yet what he should do He worried that Gloria, orked as a sheriff’s deputy, o too much stress in her normal job; she needed to be on desk duty He wanted to talk to her, explain how iht, taking appropriate prenatal vitanized that she was undoubtedly doing all those things, he couldn’t help wanting confirmation

Chad reached for his car keys It’d been several weeks since his life was turned upside down and, so far, he’d done nothing other than rage about the situation, agonize over it and try to settle on so

As he drove into Cedar Cove, Chad stopped at the local bookstore and picked up a baby name book, and a few others he often recommended to his patients Perhaps that was a waste of ht already own these books, but he didn’t care Itshe didn’t want to see hiive her the books

He got the address for the private investigator’s office fro on the steep hill, Chad looked down at the waterfront, which bustled with activity on this beautiful September day Cedar Cove had been his home for five years and he hadn’t realized how ht his eye Its eagle’s wings were spread wide as though e lunch hours at the waterfront park Visiting the Saturday market had been another favorite activity; he re to the roots He saw a couple of kayakers paddling near theout ripples behind them Harbor Street was busy, too, with late-afternoon shoppers and people leaving work

Chad dragged in a deep breath before he tore his gaze away from the scene below Shoulders squared, he walked toward Roy’s office and stepped inside

The front desk sat eainst the wall in the waiting area and an end table held a nuazines

"Mack, is that you?" Roy McAfee called from the inner office

Chad followed the sound of the other man’s voice "It’s Chad Timmons," he said, and let himself into the office He stood in the doorway, uncertain of his reception

"Chad" McAfee rose from his chair and extended his hand "Good to see you I ondering how long it would take you to show up"

"Probably longer than it should have," Chad confessed He sank into the chair across fro of books on the carpet The office was sparsely decorated A desk, a leather chair and a couple of bookcases The walls were bare except for a large "

Chad snorted "That’s putting it mildly" Then, because he had to know, he asked, "How’s Gloria feeling?"

"Fro sickness, but other than that she appears to be doing well" He paused and added, "But then I’m not my wife’s favorite person at the iveyou"

"I’m sorry about that"

"Don’t worry It’s not your problem" Roy dismissed Chad’s comment with a wave of his hand

"Does Gloria know that I know about the baby?"

Roy leaned forward, shaking his head "I haven’t said anything and I doubt Corrie has, either"

"In other words, probably not"

Roy nodded "That would beI’d like you to give her" He lifted the sack of books

Roy regarded the bag and then turned his attention back to Chad "Are you sure you don’t want to give those to her yourself?"

Chad wasn’t sure of anything "For now I think it round Fro to do with me So it makes more sense for you to do it"

Roy didn’t respond for several seconds, studying Chad intently "I don’t agree with you," he finally said

The front door opened "Dad?"

Roy got to his feet "In here"