Free Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Series, Volume 3 by Debbie Macomber

to see him now.
    â€œWhen would you like to meet?” He set his wineglass on the side table and leaned back in his recliner.
    â€œCould we make it this evening, like you suggested?”
    â€œPerfect,” he said. “It’s a bit late now. Can I convince you to dine with me?”
    â€œNo.” Her response was clipped. “Not tonight…. As I said, I have a previous engagement.”
    â€œOh, yes, I’d forgotten that. Coffee it is, then.”
    â€œCould we meet at Mocha Mama’s?”
    â€œOf course.” He didn’t particularly care where they went. He hoped to put her at ease, and if everything went as he wished, this “previous engagement” would disappear as the evening progressed.
    â€œShall we say in fifteen minutes?” Shirley asked.
    â€œI can manage that.” Will lowered his feet from the ottoman.
    â€œWould it be okay if I brought my daughter along?”
    That definitely wasn’t part of his game plan. “Why…sure.”
    â€œShaw’s at work. When I mentioned to Tanni that you had some information for Shaw, she called him and he’d like to join us, too.”
    â€œBut if he’s working…”
    â€œHe is,” Shirley elaborated. “At Mocha Mama’s. We’ll see you in fifteen minutes,” she said cheerfully.
    â€œOkay,” he responded. “I’ll be there.” But she’d already hung up.

Seven
    R achel Peyton lightly sprayed Grace Harding’s hair and turned the stylist’s chair around so she could see the full effect in the mirror. Grace held up the small hand mirror, then shook her head and watched as her hair swung forward.
    She’d told Rachel she’d been looking for a new style, something short, sassy and easy to care for. “I like it,” Grace said, smiling.
    It was always a relief to have a customer confirm her own feelings. “This is shorter than I’ve ever seen you wear your hair.” Initially she’d had her doubts that such a breezy style would suit Grace, the town’s head librarian, but she’d been wrong.
    â€œSeeing that Olivia has short hair now, it seems only fitting that I do, too. We’ve always been best friends.” Grace laughed. “Actually, she’s completely bald. I love her, but I’m not willing to go that far.”
    â€œHer hair will grow back,” Rachel said, “but it might be a different color or texture.” Olivia had come in earlier that week and had what remained of her hair shaved off. She’d started her regimen of chemotherapy, and after the second session her hair had fallen out in clumps. Rachelhad cut it quite short before the chemo, so the change wasn’t as great as it might have been.
    â€œThe way I see it,” Grace continued, “Olivia and I can let our hair grow back together—unless I like this style so much I don’t want to change.”
    Rachel unsnapped the cape and removed it.
    â€œI heard you and Bruce Peyton got married,” Grace said as she stood. “Right around Christmas, wasn’t it?”
    â€œYes. We were crazy to have our wedding at that time of year but we didn’t want to wait.”
    â€œWhat about a honeymoon?”
    â€œWe haven’t been able to plan it yet. We’ll take one later, probably around Valentine’s Day.” Which was when their wedding was originally scheduled to take place. “It’s just that with Bruce’s work schedule, Jolene’s schedule and mine, it’s hard to find a time that fits everyone.”
    Grace’s smile was warm. “Cliff and I ran into that problem, too. In the end we simply eloped, although I wouldn’t recommend it.” She shook her head. “Unfortunately we upset a lot of people, but afterward we had a huge party and everything worked out.”
    â€œApparently we’ve done the same thing,” Rachel told her. The girls at the shop