Holidays at Crescent Cove by Shelley Noble Read Free Book Online Page B

didn’t want any potential relationship with Grace to be tied up with the anger that was swirling around tonight.
    Grace’s mainly. Holcombe looked tired, sort of the way his own dad looked when they had to close the carousel. And even though his dad sometimes irritated the hell out of him, he couldn’t imagine being estranged from him or any of his family. Not when they had a choice.
    He’d wanted to tell Grace that, but he knew she didn’t want to hear anything rational. Her father had basically rejected her, banished her like some Shakespearean king, but it looked to Jake like Holcombe was paying the most for it now.
    â€œHey,” Holcombe called out.
    Jake knew he should keep walking. Get in the truck and leave Grace and her father to work it out for themselves. But there was something plaintive in that one word. He turned back to the man. He was medium height, thickset. And there was a kind of charisma that emanated from him, even tired, that told Jake he could probably sway a jury with little effort.
    Holcombe moved toward him. “You’re a friend of my daughter’s.”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œA good friend?”
    â€œI think so.”
    â€œHer boyfriend?”
    â€œHer friend. The rest I don’t think is any of your business.”
    â€œIt’s my business to see that Grace doesn’t make any bad decisions.”
    â€œNo it isn’t. You gave up that right when you gave up Grace.”
    â€œListen. I don’t know what she’s told you—”
    Jake started walking again. He wasn’t about to listen to Vince Holcombe trash-talk Grace.
    â€œLet me buy you a drink.”
    Jake hesitated. What did the man want?
    â€œI have to drive home and so do you.”
    â€œI—I just want to hear how Gracie’s doing.”
    Gracie? Damn, he’s suckering me, Jake thought. “Fine, but we’ll go to the diner for a coffee, and under one condition.”
    Holcombe’s eyes narrowed. “And what would that be?”
    â€œNo bad-mouthing your daughter.”
    â€œIs that what she told you about me?”
    â€œShe hasn’t told me much about you. Only that you kicked her out of your law firm when she refused to represent a man who—”
    â€œI didn’t kick her out. I told her she had to choose.”
    â€œWhich she did.”
    â€œBut I didn’t mean for her to leave.”
    â€œPeople who give ultimatums rarely think that far ahead.”
    â€œWhat’s your name?”
    â€œJake McGuire.”
    Holcombe stuck out his hand.
    Jake reluctantly shook it.
    â€œFine. Now where can we get that cup of coffee?”
    They took Jake’s car. The lights were off in Dottie’s Diner. All of Main Street was shut up for the night. In the summer there would be people on the street until all hours, but during the winter most places closed early.
    â€œGuess it’ll be one of the fast food places out on the highway,” Jake said, half hoping Holcombe would decide to go back to get his car and go home.
    â€œThat’ll do.”
    Resigned, Jake turned the car toward I-95.
    â€œ S O WHAT DO you do for a living, Jake? You don’t mind me calling you Jake?”
    Jake shook his head as he tore open a sugar packet and poured sugar into a really bad cup of fast food coffee. “Why don’t you get to the point, Mr. Holcombe.”
    â€œVince, please. You work in town?” Holcombe continued, obviously having his own agenda and intending to stick to it.
    Jake began to wonder how soon he could get Holcombe back to his car and head him out of town.
    â€œI have a woodworking business, I do restorations and regular repairs.”
    â€œIs it lucrative, the woodworking business?”
    â€œEnough for me. Is this some kind of cross-examination?”
    â€œNo. I just want to know the kind of friends my daughter has.”
    â€œWhy?
    â€œI’m her father.”
    Jake gave up and pushed