Cedar Cove Collection

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” So the in-laws would be there, too. Funny Megan hadn’t thought to mention that earlier. Not that it would’ve mattered. She had no reason to think he might have made other plans, since he rarely did anything outside of work. There hadn’t been room for anyone in his life except Sandy and of course Megan—until now.

Troy watched Megan pull out of the driveway and head down the street before he walked over to the phone. Without needing to look up Faith’s number, he punched it in.

“Hello.” She answered after the first ring, her voice cheerful.

“Hi,” he said, bracing himself to tell her the unhappy news.

“Troy! Don’t tell me you’re in the neighborhood already. Not that it’s a problem. I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. I’m afraid I went overboard with dinner,” she said with a laugh. “I baked fresh rolls from a recipe that was my grandmother’s. I can’t remember the last time I used that recipe. Thanksgiving, I think.”

“Faith …” All he could do was blurt out the truth. “Listen, I—”

“Do you remember the chocolate cake I made before you left for basic training?” she asked, not letting him finish.

“You baked a cake, too?”

“Yes. I hardly ever bake these days. There doesn’t seem to be much point when it’s just me. I’d nearly forgotten how much I enjoy it.”

He felt dreadful. “Faith,” he said, unable to hide his disappointment. “I can’t come.”

The line went silent.

“I’m sorry,” he added, “sorrier than I can say.”

“Something came up?”

He wasn’t sure how much to tell her. “Yes. Something … important.”

She paused and seemed to regroup. “These things happen, Troy. So much for the best-laid plans,” she said lightly. “We’ll do it another time.”

“It’s Megan, my daughter,” he explained. “She just found out she’s pregnant. She’s invited me to dinner to celebrate.”

“Troy, that’s wonderful news!”

“Yes, yes, it is,” he said. “The invitation came at the last minute.”

“I understand,” she said. “Of course you have to join your daughter and her husband.”

“Will you give me a rain check on dinner?” he asked.

“With pleasure.”

“I appreciate how kind you’re being about this,” he told her and meant it. Faith had apparently spent the entire day cooking in anticipation of their evening together.

“Troy, have dinner with your daughter tonight. I understand completely. Don’t worry about it for a second.”

“Thank you.” His gratitude made him feel lighthearted and almost giddy. Faith was every bit as compassionate, as good, as he remembered. He looked forward to seeing her again—seeing what the future held.

“It’s fine. Really.”

“About those rolls.”

“Yes?”

“Do they freeze well?”

Her soft laugh was like balm on a wound. “They do. I’ll put them in the freezer now.”

“And the cake?”

“I’ll take it to a sick friend of mine,” she said. “Neither of us needs to be indulging in sweets, anyway.”

Troy would’ve given just about anything to be with Faith tonight. Instead he’d smile and make polite conversation with his daughter’s in-laws. It wasn’t how he’d imagined this evening, but Megan was his child; she had to come first. Besides, there’d be other nights for him and Faith.

He was counting on that.

Fifteen

Bobby Polgar knew one thing for sure: he wasn’t going to risk losing his wife because of a chess match. Vladimir had done his best, but Bobby was unwilling to fall in with the Russian’s plans.

Bobby had to give the other player credit. Aleksandr Vladimir understood that Teri was Bobby’s weakness. Nothing on this earth, not his titles, not his money, was worth putting the woman he loved in jeopardy.

“Bobby,” Teri called to him from the bedroom, her voice husky with sleep. “It’s the middle of the night. Why aren’t you in bed?”

He could hear her moving around in their main-floor room and looked away from the chessboard he was studying. He was tired, so his thinking wasn’t as clear as it should be.

Teri ambled into the den where he sat. She wore a short black nightie made of silk that instantly reminded him of the pleasures of the marriage bed. Her hair, dark brown this week, was mussed and she covered her mouth with one hand as she yawned widely.

“I woke up and you weren’t there,” she complained. Her gaze fell on the chessboard and she shook her head. “How can you play like that?” She sounded perplexed. “Without chess pieces, I mean.”

“I play in my head.”

She grinned. “Who’s winning?” she asked.

Bobby frowned, not understanding her question.

“Never mind.” She held her hand out to him. “Come back to bed, okay?”

Nodding, he abandoned his chessboard and returned to the bedroom with his wife. He doubted he’d be able to sleep. The moves in his head continued whether he was in front of the board or not.

Once under the sheets, Teri nestled close to his side. “Can we talk for a minute?” she whispered.

“Of course.”

“I think dinner with my sister went well, don’t you?”

He did, but they both knew it wasn’t the meal that had brought Christie back to their home. The real attraction was James Wilbur. He’d been with Bobby for nearly ten years. Although James was employed by Bobby, he was also his friend. A true friend, one of the few. They’d always maintained a professional decorum, but they understood each other. However, when it came to the subject of Christie Levitt, James had remained suspiciously silent.

“Did you see how long it took him to get back to the house after he dropped Christie off last night?” James lived in roomy private quarters above the garage.