1105 Yakima Street

“Don’t leave, Rachel. Please.”

“It was pointless for us to talk,” she said, tugging her hand free.

“I don’t understand what you want. I’ve offered to go to counseling and that’s not good enough. So what do you want?” he demanded, irritated now.

“I want my husband to be a man who honors my place in his life. A man who doesn’t allow his children to dictate what goes on in his household. A man who’ll cherish his role and mine—and frankly, at this moment, you aren’t that man. And I don’t know if you ever will be.”

Bruce blanched. “Don’t hold back,” he muttered sarcastically. “See how deep you can cut me. I came here hoping you’d be reasonable, hoping to convince you of my love….”

She rolled her eyes. “You know what, Bruce? I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to talk again.”

“Fine. All I ask is that you let me know when the baby’s born.”

“Of course I will, but until then I’d appreciate it if you stayed out of my life.”

Anger flashed in his eyes. “You don’t mean that.”

While it was true that she might have a change of heart, right now she was dead serious. “I do mean it.”

And with that, Rachel walked out of the restaurant.

She didn’t sleep well that night or the next. Thursday afternoon she was with a client when she saw Bruce standing outside the salon. She turned her back, ignoring him.

Jane walked over to her and whispered, “Bruce is here.”

“I know.”

“He wants to speak to you.”

Rachel shook her head. Talking to Bruce wouldn’t help either of them. How many times were they supposed to repeat the same argument?

“Rachel, he’s only going to show up again and again. This is disruptive to you and to everyone here. I told you I didn’t want him back.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“Do you want me to call security?”

Having Bruce escorted from the mall was further than she was willing to go. “No. I’ll talk to him.” Setting the curling iron aside, and excusing herself to her client, Rachel stepped outside, where Bruce stood waiting.

He’d buried his hands in his pockets and shuffled his feet back and forth like a schoolboy called before the principal. “I didn’t feel good about how our conversation ended the other night.”

It had bothered Rachel, too, although she had no idea how to change anything.

“Won’t you please just come home?”

“No.” She hated to be so inflexible, but she didn’t have any choice. “I told you before and I meant it—I don’t want to talk about this anymore. I don’t want to see you, Bruce. It only upsets me.”

“I can’t stay away, Rachel. I’ve tried but I can’t make myself do it.”

“In other words, you’re determined to hound me.” Thank goodness she’d had the sense not to tell anyone where she was living, not even Teri.

“I want you back.”

Apparently he intended to wear down her defenses until he got what he wanted. It sounded as if he planned to wait outside the salon every day until she moved back to Yakima Street. For her, the problem with that was twofold. First, Jane didn’t want him hanging around, and second, Rachel feared that in time he would wear her down to the point that she’d agree.

“Leave me alone, Bruce.”

“I can’t,” he whispered. “I love you.”

She longed to believe they could make their marriage work. For her sake and for the baby’s. But every time she felt herself weakening, all she had to do was picture Jolene’s face, mocking her with that triumphant smile. The girl had won, and for Rachel there was no going back.

“Don’t come here again, Bruce. I’m warning you, if you do Jane will ask security to step in.”

“Fine, if that’s what it takes to talk to you, then I’ll gladly let them arrest me.”

Rachel didn’t respond to his comment and returned to the salon. She wasn’t sure how long Bruce stood there; she did her best not to look in his direction.

At quitting time, Jane asked the security guard to walk Rachel to her car. While she felt a bit ridiculous, she was grateful to be spared the risk of yet another confrontation with Bruce.

Once she got home, to the house she shared with Nate Olsen, she opened a can of tomato soup and had that and a few cheese slices for dinner. She wasn’t hungry but she ate because of the baby.

Nate arrived around seven. Rachel was sitting in the recliner with her feet elevated. She had the television on and was reading a magazine at the same time. She needed as many distractions as she could get.

Her housemate took one look at her and frowned. “Bad day?”

“You could say that.”

“What happened?”

Unsure how much to tell him, she considered what she should say.

“Wait.” Nate held up one hand. He sat on the edge of the sofa. “Bruce showed up at work again.”

She nodded, but didn’t divulge the details of their conversation. “Jane isn’t happy about it, either.”

“Did he make another scene?”

“Not really, but he threatened to show up every day until I change my mind.”

“That’s awkward. It’s going to cause problems for you, isn’t it?”

She hadn’t mentioned this part of the conversation to her boss. Jane was already upset with her over what had happened a week earlier.

“I might have a solution,” Nate said slowly.

“What?” At the moment everything felt hopeless.

“A temporary position has been posted at the shipyard,” Nate told her. “One of the clerks just had a baby and she’ll be out for five months. The job requires basic computer and administrative skills. Do you think you might want to apply?”