A Stranger in the Cove

by Rachel Brimble

  Caroline’s voice broke through Kate’s reverie.

  “Here you go.” Caroline offered Kate and Mac menus. “Can I get you something to drink?”

  Kate smiled. “A Diet Coke would be great.”

  Caroline nodded. “Mac?”

  “I’ll have the same. Thanks.”

  “Great. I’ll be right back with your drinks.”

  Kate leaned her elbows on the table. Mac met her stare, his expression unreadable. The more she got to know him, the more her wariness with Mac grew into exasperation. She’d shared a kiss with this man, he’d had his hands on her body. Surely, he realized she had the right to know more about why he was here.

  She folded her hands on top of the table. “Talk to me. I’m listening.”

  He held her gaze a moment longer before opening his menu. “Let’s order first, okay?”

  Uneasy, Kate stared at his bowed head. “Sure.”

  Caroline came back with their drinks and took their orders. The second she moved away, Kate raised her eyebrows at Mac, impatient for him to speak.

  He pushed the hair back from his forehead before slipping his hands on to the table. “The woman I’m looking for...”

  “Yes?”

  “She could be related to me.”

  Surprised, Kate leaned forward. “Okay.”

  “She could be my biological grandmother.”

  “Could be?”

  “My father was adopted. Given up at birth.” His jaw tightened and his blue eyes darkened. “I’m not certain of the circumstances surrounding her decision to do that, but I’m here to find her. To tell her about my dad and his family.”

  “I see.” Kate stared. Adoption. A baby. What would it take for a mother to give up her child? She’d worked with many teenagers desperate to see their babies adopted by good families. For a way to know their baby would be loved and cared for. Had Mac’s grandmother been a pregnant teen? “So, you’re, what, twenty-four? Twenty-five?”

  “Twenty-five.”

  “And your dad had you at what age?”

  “Twenty-three.”

  “Right.” Kate narrowed her eyes as she calculated, and her stomach knotted. “So, if your grandmother gave birth when she was a teenager she could be in her early to mid-sixties now. Right?”

  “She’s sixty-five.”

  Kate stilled. Marian was around that age. Sure, there were other older ladies around town, but this information landed far too close to her friend. She took a sip of her drink to ease the dryness in her throat. “You sound angry that she gave up your father for adoption.”

  “Maybe I am.”

  Kate frowned. She often dealt with misplaced anger in her work...and time and again, she witnessed how destructive it could be. “You shouldn’t be.”

  “Wouldn’t you be mad if it was your father?”

  “No.”

  “No?”

  “Not unless the circumstances dictated neglect or cruelty. So far, all I know is a woman gave birth and gave up the child. Was it at the hospital?”

  “Yes, why?”

  “That means she did it in a safe place where the staff would know how to start the adoption process. That shouldn’t make you angry, and I want to be sure we’re on the same page. Especially if I know this person.”

  “What does that mean?”

  Kate leaned back and crossed her arms, the simmering fury in his gaze igniting her own. “It means I don’t like to think I’m having lunch with a man capable of haranguing or frightening a woman old enough to be a grandmother. Let alone a woman who could be his own grandmother.”

  He glared. “Wow, you really think that little of me, huh?”

  “What I think of you is neither here nor there. What matters is, do I walk out of this restaurant right now? Or do you promise me you’re going to try to calm yourself way down should you find this woman?”

  He held her gaze, his cheeks flushed and his lips tight.

  “Fine.” She uncrossed her arms and leaned forward. “There are certain people, certain women, of that age in Templeton who have done a lot for me. When I say a lot, I mean they could’ve saved my life or, at the very least, my sanity. So, if you think I’ll stand by and let you—”

  “I’ll show some tact, okay?”

  “I’ll need more than that.”

  He shook his head. “Jesus, woman.”

  Kate raised her eyebrows.

  He glared. “I’ll be calm, okay?”

  “Promise?”

  A muscle in his jaw twitched before the anger in eyes softened. A little. “Promise.”

  “Good.” Kate exhaled. “So, does your dad know you’re in Templeton?”

  He looked across the restaurant. “He’s dead.”

  Understanding and sympathy rolled through her. “He was looking for her? Before he died?”

  “He’d already found her.”

  “Mac?” She touched his hand where it lay on the table. “Look at me.”

  Slowly, he turned his head, his focus dropping to their hands. Kate swallowed, her heart aching for the first flash of sadness she’d seen in his eyes since they met. He needed comfort. The man was hurting, but from what she knew so far, his pain wasn’t his grandmother’s fault. No matter how difficult it might have been for him to discover his father was adopted, his grandmother had acted in the most caring way possible.

  Kate tightened her fingers around his. “Do you know this woman’s name?”

  His gaze bored into hers, and as the seconds passed, her unease grew. The way he looked at her was unnerving. As though he was about to say something he knew she wouldn’t want to hear. Unwelcome possibility tensed her shoulders as she considered the disconnection between the members in her own family. Surely, a long-lost member of Mac’s family couldn’t be linked in some way to her. Was that why he suddenly looked so apprehensive?

  She slowly eased her hand from his. “What is it? Does this woman have something to do with me?”

  “I came to you because I’m pretty sure you deal with uncertainty and getting the answers to questions a lot more often than I do. I know you’re suspicious of me, Kate. From the moment we met you had me marked as someone to watch.”

  Heat warmed her cheeks. “And I was wrong to do that. You’re okay.” She smiled. “As men go.”

  A glimmer of a smile lifted his lips. “Gee, thanks.”

  She smiled. “What’s her name?”

  “Her name’s Marian. Marian Ball.”

  Relief lowered her shoulders. “Well, the only Marian I know in the Cove is Marian Cohen. Bakery Marian. She can’t possibly be your grandmother.”

  He sat forward, his gaze intense on hers. “Why not?”

  “Well, for a start, she’s never had any children.”

  “As far as you know.”

  She stared. He was right. How could she possibly know if Marian had given birth to a child she gave up for adoption? It was hardly the type of thing to drop into casual conversation. But surely Marian would’ve said something about a son when she’d been with Kate at the hospital? Or even during the many times Kate had cried on her shoulder since? After all, that was the Marian she knew and loved.

  Mac sat back. “It’s just a feeling, but I think Marian Cohen was once Marian Ball and my father’s mother. If you only know of one Marian, why couldn’t it be her?”

  “Well, it could be, but—”

  “Rest assured, if it is her, my intention of telling her who I am has gotten a whole lot less appealing.”

  “Because?”

  “Seems to me she’s well-liked and respected by everyone. I was hoping to say what I need to say to her and leave, but it appears everyone is concerned with everyone’s business in Templeton. If I approach her, it’s unlikely to be a quiet ‘hello, my name’s Mac and I’m your grandson.’ It�
��s likely the whole town will know about our connection within minutes.”

  Kate frowned. “Marian likes to talk, but I can’t see her telling anyone and everyone about something as personal as a child she gave up for adoption. You know, there’s worse women you could have as a potential grandmother. Marian’s practically a Disney version of a good nana.”

  He shook his head and took a sip of his drink. “You don’t understand what I’m saying.”

  It wasn’t aggression on Mac’s face but frustration. Her initial shock melted into sympathy. “Look, I can’t possibly know how you’re feeling.” She leaned her forearms on the table, resisting the urge to touch him again. “But Marian is a very special lady, Mac. I can’t stand by and let you turn her world upside down. I won’t.”

  Annoyance flashed across his gaze. “Fine. Then will you at least help me approach her? You know her. You’ll be able to judge a lot better how I say what I need to say.”

  “And what is it you want to say, exactly?”

  He stared at her before his gaze darkened and he looked away. “I’m not sure yet.”

  The shutters had been erected once more and Kate’s wariness of Mac and his intentions returned. She couldn’t give into his request for help. Not yet. Marian deserved Kate’s loyalty and protection. Mac was a stranger. An angry stranger. If Marian had kept an adoption secret, Kate would do all she could to honor that secret.

  Mac’s wooden gaze and stiff body language entirely convinced her he was deeply and emotionally invested in his search. Which meant the result could be incredibly distressing for him and Marian.

  Forcing herself to think logically rather than act on emotion, as her too-soft heart often led her to do, Kate said, “Marian’s been in the Cove about nine or ten years and not once has she, or anyone else, mentioned she’s a mother. Regardless of whether she might have given her child up for adoption. Marian’s pretty open with everyone, as we are with her. How else would she get us to tell her the things we do? If she’d given up a baby, I’m sure I would’ve heard about it one way or another.”

  He faced her, suspicion darkening his gaze. “She’s never had any family visit?”

  Kate scrambled through her memories. “Not that I can think of.”

  “Friends?”

  Confused, Kate picked up her drink. “Come to think of it, I’ve never seen Marian with anyone who doesn’t live in the Cove.”

  “Don’t you think that’s kind of strange, considering how liked she is?”

  It was strange. Why hadn’t she questioned that before? Everyone had past friends, didn’t they? “Maybe.”

  “Then we have to consider the possibility that Marian Cohen, if she’s Marian Ball, had a whole other life before she came to the Cove. One that no one knows about or has taken the time to question.”

  Uneasy, and Kate opened her mouth to protest, to underline Marian’s good character, but Caroline came to the table. Kate forced a tight-lipped smile as Caroline put down their plates.

  “Anything else I can get you?” She glanced between them.

  Kate shook her head, her gaze on Mac’s.

  He shook his head. “We’re good. Thanks.”

  “Great. Enjoy your meals and shout if you need anything else.”

  Caroline walked away, and Kate stared at Mac as apprehension sped her heart. If his suspicions about Marian were true and she turned out to be someone different than the person the Templeton residents had known all these years, it would shake the town to its core.

  * * *

  MAC ATE A piece of sea bass. Damn, the fish practically melted on his tongue. He met Kate’s gaze, and she smiled as she picked up her knife and fork. “Good, huh?”

  “Phenomenal.”

  “In my opinion, there’s no better fish restaurant in the county.”

  He focused on his food. Their interrupted conversation about Marian hung in the air, weighing the atmosphere down with tension. Kate’s confirmation about Marian’s lack of visitors opened a whole new avenue of possibility. Clearly the people who thought they knew Marian didn’t really know her at all. That made the prospect of telling her what her decisions had made his father become, all the more tempting.

  He’d had love, anticipated the birth of his and Jilly’s first baby together.

  Had Marian not felt the same excitement? Turned her back on her baby? Or was she forced to give him up? He had to have answers. Losing his baby had broken his heart. Broken his belief in happy ever after.

  Could a woman, a mother, ever just walk away? He couldn’t believe Marian could.

  He had to speak to her. Had to know the truth of what happened all those years ago.

  Maybe she’d been free to choose, but she wasn’t free to ignore the consequences.

  He looked up to find Kate watching him. “What?”

  “There must be more to you wanting to find Marian.”

  “Why?”

  “Because to me, Marian did the best she could in what I suspect were frightening circumstances. How can you not see that? There must be more to this than you’re telling me, judging by your hostility.”

  Mac clenched his jaw. “There isn’t.”

  “No? Then prove it. You look so angry again. I won’t let you near her until you’ve got a grip on your emotions. Marian’s a good person, and I hate the thought that your arrival might upset her. Announcing you’re her grandson when she didn’t know you existed will be one hell of a shock. If you want my help, rather than have me standing in your way, you have to promise me we’ll tread carefully.”

  He picked up his drink, studying her over the rim as defensiveness simmered deep inside. “How and when I speak to her is my decision.”

  She held his gaze. “Which terrifies me.”

  He closed his eyes at the thought she might ever have reason to be afraid of him. “I’m not a barbarian.”

  Their gazes locked.

  He wanted her help, wanted her to like and trust him, but there was little chance of that happening until she understood him. But the thought of telling her about Jilly and the baby...that wasn’t happening.

  He softened his tone. “Look, I get what you’re saying, but when I discovered my dad had searched for his birth mother, I felt betrayed. It was as though he had this whole other life going on that my sister and I had no idea about and that hurt. Whether I had any right to feel that way is up for judgment.”

  “Did your mum know?”

  “Yes, and she was as concerned as you are about the implications should he find Marian. It’s possible the circumstances around his birth were not ideal. Mum was worried how that would affect Dad.”

  “And what were the circumstances?”

  “I don’t know, but unmarried mothers were thought of in a very different way than they are today. It could be that my grandmother was alone. Maybe the father and her family abandoned her.” He looked deep into her eyes, hating that he could explain things so easily to her when, inside, the adoption evoked such ugly emotions in him.

  She sighed. “I’ve seen that scenario far more times than I’d like.”

  “Exactly, and even though I don’t want to be the one to shock an older lady, I need some answers and I need to tell her the sort of man my dad was.”

  She nodded, disquiet once more darkening her gaze. “These situations often have huge ripple effects, Mac. What if Marian’s your grandmother and wants nothing to do with you or your family? What then?”

  Mac put down his fork and stared across the restaurant, uncertainty burning inside him once more. Loss, abandonment—were these things a goddamned Orman family trait? “Then I’ll know more than when I arrived.”

  “Is that enough? You could just go back to your life as though her rejection hasn’t affected you?”

  He looked at her, and she shook her head, sending her soft, shiny curls swinging. “I do
n’t believe that. Not for you.”

  He frowned. “Not for me?”

  She lowered her gaze. “You seem too sensitive to just walk away.”

  Mac huffed a laugh. “Well, that’s a first. Nobody’s called me sensitive before. Insensitive, on the other hand...”

  She smiled, and his whole reason for being in Templeton seemed to lose some importance. Even if only temporarily. Mac fell into her dark brown eyes, his body yearning to be close to her like they’d been at the Coast. If he kissed her again, held her, he wasn’t so sure he’d leave Templeton with the speed he’d been planning. She wasn’t only beautiful, she was smart, savvy and kind, attributes that appealed to every part of him.

  She picked up a chip. “No one can sing and play guitar like you and not be sensitive. Your music is beautiful.”

  “Thanks.” Pride swelled inside him, and he turned back to his plate, trying to find the right words to explain how he felt. “If Marian’s my grandmother and you think there’s a chance she’ll send me away, why do you consider her such a good person? From what you’ve said about her caring for people, she sounds pretty maternal to me.”

  “She is. That’s why I know she would only have given up a child if she had no other choice. She has every right to keep silent about the adoption, but I can’t believe that’s something Marian would’ve found easy to do, considering her friendships in town. Which means she has a really good reason for not wanting anyone to know. Maybe she still feels guilty or bitterly regrets the decision.” She paused, her eyes shadowing and her cheeks flushing. “Or maybe something happened back then that she never wants to speak of again.” She stared into his eyes, and he could’ve sworn she was holding back tears. “What if having you turn up unannounced rips open old wounds? We have no idea what was going on for her then. What if you evoke memories she doesn’t want to be reminded of?”

  Culpability weighed heavy on Mac’s conscience as he fought to maintain eye contact with her.

  She sighed. “What if this ends up hurting more people than Marian? Would you seriously be okay with that?”

  “I just need to meet her, Kate.”

  She stared at him, her gaze considering. “Are you sure that’s all?”