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"What’s going on between Cal and the McAfees’daughter?" Grace asked in a low voice, leaning toward her husband

"I don’t know," Cliff answered Their eyes met above the menu and Cliff raised his eyebrows "I asked Cal the other day and he pretended not to hear I guess he doesn’t want to tell me I’ht he wasn’t interested in Linnette"

Cliff shrugged "That’s what he’s been saying for ed--a lot"

Grace didn’t see much of Cal these days By the time she left the ranch to drive into Cedar Cove, he was already busy with the horses, either in the barn or one of the pastures In the evenings, Cal gave the needs their privacy Grace hadn’t said more than a feords to him in the two and a half weeks since they’d returned to the ranch

"Judging by the way he’s acting, I’d say he’s in love," Cliff said in a low voice

"What h she shared his suspicion

Cliff’s mouth twitched "Cal Washburn walks around with a dopey look most of the time" He hesitated, and a smile lit up his face "As a matter of fact, so do I"

Her husband’s words warmed her heart "Me, too," she whispered "Me, too, Cliff"

Cliff set aside his rateful he’d read her mood so accurately She needed this time just for them, in a place that was neutral, that wasn’t her house or his

Seeing that they were ready to order, the waitress hurried to the table, pad in hand Grace chose the halibut in shrimp curry sauce, and Cliff asked for a T-bone steak

Both dishes were excellent Grace was thrilled that Cedar Cove had such an outstanding restaurant She was proud of Justine and Seth and the success they’dworked as a coood fish and seafood, and served only the freshest She could see that owning a restaurant was dee see the pressures Grace hoped that wouldn’t change

When they’d finished, Cliff paid their bill "Ready to leave?" he asked

Grace told him she was While Cliff retrieved her coat, she saw that Cal and Linnette were lingering over coffee; Grace smiled at them but they were co lot, where she and Cliff had both left their vehicles, he insisted on checking her car She followed hi a minute or two after him He waited for her outside the house while she parked in the space he’d cleared in the garage When she joined hi, he covered his ?" she teased and playfully elbowed hih they were still a bit shy with each other She knew exactly what he o to bed…and not because he was tired

"Well, I guess you could say so"

She laughed and slipped her ar her head on his shoulder "It’s late, isn’t it? We should’ve been in bed hours ago"

"Yes--extreet a move on"

Grace s her husband did

Forty-Seven

Cecilia woke froroaned inwardly and glanced at the clock-radio on the nightstand--4:10 am It’d been four hours since she’d last nursed Aaron was hungry again and he wouldn’t return to sleep until he’d been fed

Ian rolled over when she climbed out of bed "Need any help?" he asked sleepily

"No thanks, sweetheart" It wasn’t as if her husband could give Aaron his breakfast Breast-feeding was a new experience; she’d never had the opportunity to nurse Allison She’d pu to believe that her milk would soh herAaron froh to wake the neighbors Cecilia soothed hied his diaper and settled in the living roo softly to hiht gasp when her hungry son latched onto her nipple

Ian’s barely discernible laugh caught her attention "I have a strong son," he said, walking into the room He was barefoot and wore only the bottom half of his pajamas

While Cecilia rocked and nursed the baby, Ian sat across froet out of bed for this," she felt obliged to tell him

"I knoanted to It’s been teeks now, but I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of watching you nurse our son"

She brushed the tiny wisps of hair away froazed down at him in utter amazement as tiny milk bubbles forht you were beautiful," Ian whispered

"Oh, honey, stop" His coh "But you’ve never looked ht this minute"

His words filled her heart "Thank you," she whispered

He seeht up in the emotion of theabout us finding a house to rent Maybe with an option to buy"

She sed "Cedar Cove I want our son to have a real yard to play in and a neighborhood with other fa in a duplex is fine for you and row What do you think?"

"Let’s start looking today!"

"I’ll check with a rental agent to see e can find"

Cecilia nodded, excited by the idea

As soon as Aaron was satisfied, he fell asleep Holding him over her shoulder, Cecilia rocked for several ain without fear of waking him

Ian crawled into bed and pulled aside the covers so she could join hiainst her husband, but after a few et comfortable Ten minutes later she was back