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Olivia tended to let Jack and her mother pamper her these days There was so little either of theences--coffee in bed, sooodies--made them feel better, too

"Where’s Ben?" she asked as her s to the pot

"Ho a bit under the weather"

"Did you make him some of your chicken noodle soup?" This was herthat ailed the people she loved

Charlotte nodded "It’s si in the Crock-Pot at this very moment" She took two teacups and saucers from the cupboard as she spoke "Ben’s tired out from the cruise, and then, well, this whole business with David and the baby has really upset hinant woman by the na for David Rhodes, Ben’s youngest son David was the father of her child, and he’d told the naive young woman a pack of lies Aside fro her he loved her and wanted the baby--he’d led Mary Jo to believe he’d be spending the holidays with Charlotte and Ben David knew very well that his father and stepmother would be on a cruise; he’d obviously assumed that Mary Jo wouldn’t try to find him

What he hadn’t expected was that she’d actually coive birth to her daughter here, in Cedar Cove It turned out to be a ht, one Olivia and her best friend, Grace Harding, would long remember

"Has Ben been in touch with David?" Olivia asked The last she’d heard, no one had reached David to tell hihter

Charlotte nodded just as the kettle started to whistle She lifted it off the burner and filled the teapot, which she covered with a cozy and carried to the kitchen table Next, she brought over the cups and saucers All her ht, testa comfort to others

"I’m afraid it wasn’t a pleasant conversation," Charlotte said with a sigh "Ben is dreadfully disappointed in his son"

Unfortunately, this wasn’t the first time Far from it…

"David tried to deny that he even knew Mary Jo"

The weasel The jerk! Atte to squirm his way out of responsibility was typical, of course Olivia’s first exposure to David had been when he’d attempted to swindle Charlotte out of several thousand dollars Thankfully, Justine, Olivia’s daughter, had h "I’ued Ben didn’t say ine how he feels"

"He got a beautiful granddaughter out of this h," Olivia reminded her mother

"Oh, yes, and he’s thrilled about Noelle I know he’s already had his will revised"

"Have you heard from Mary Jo?" Olivia asked

"We’ve talked to her a couple of ti"

"That’s good news"

"And her brothers are crazy about little Noelle"

The memory of Christmas Eve produced a s to Grace and Cliff’s ranch in an effort to find their little sister They’d fuet Sound area and eventually arrived, just in ti in the apartone into labor

"When we spoke yesterday, Mary Jo said Mack McAfee had stopped by to see the baby," Charlotte told her

"He went over to Seattle, then?" The young firefighter had been with Mary Jo during much of her labor and had delivered the baby It was his first birth Olivia could clearly recall how excited he’d been Mack’s face had shone with such joy, you’d almost think he’d been the child’s father

"Yes, and Mary Jo said he brought Noelle another stuffed animal" Charlotte re the her head in amusement, she looked up at Olivia "Between Mack and Mary Jo’s brothers, that baby has enough toys to last her whole childhood"

"That’s so nice," Olivia said, reaching for her cup

"Did you hear about Faith Beckwith?" Charlotte opened the tin and offered Olivia an oatmeal-raisin cookie

"That she moved back to town, you mean?" This was old news as far as Olivia was concerned She bit into her cookie, which as alas just right

"No" Charlotte took a sip of tea "That her home was vandalized"

"No!" Olivia was horrified "Oh, dear, does Grace know?"

The rental belonged to her best friend, who’d agonized over whether to sell the house or keep it Her first tenants, a young navy couple, Ian and Cecilia Randall, had barely settled in when Ian was transferred to another duty station The next tenants had gotten months behind in their rent and seemed deter as possible Apparently the couple and the hangers-on who lived with the

The experience had been terrible for poor Grace Fortunately, the renters had moved of their own accord--with a little help from Jack and Grace’s husband, Cliff, who’d co of deadbeats to vacate the house quickly

"Oh, dear," Charlotte ot Grace asked me not to tell you"

"Why ever not?"