92 Pacific Boulevard by Debbie Macomber Page B

apartment and move there and live on my own, free of my brothers and free of men entirely.”
    Mary Jo looked over at him as if daring him to comment.
    “This wouldn’t be a good time to ask you out on a date, then, would it?”
    Her head reared back in surprise and she smiled. “Are you sure you mean that?”
    Mack grinned up at her. “As a matter of fact, I do.”

Chapter Ten
    G race Harding was working in her small office at the library when Sally Overland, a recent hire, knocked politely at her half-open door. Grace wondered how she’d be able to concentrate on the endless stack of paperwork if she was constantly interrupted. The morning was already gone, and she’d hardly made a dent.
    “Come in,” she called. None of her other assistants would’ve waited for permission.
    Sally stuck her head in the door. “There’s someone by the name of Olivia who’s here to see you. She said she’s a friend.”
    Grace leaped to her feet, nearly upending her chair. “Olivia’s here?”
    Sally, who was young and somewhat lacking in confidence, widened her eyes. “Yes. I hope I did the right thing. I told her you were busy, but she said you wouldn’t mind.”
    “Of course I don’t mind.”
    Sally stepped aside and Olivia entered the office wearing her long black wool coat and a bright red knit cap.
    Grace walked around her desk and gave her closest friend a careful hug. Olivia was pale, but then she had been for months. Pale and thin…and now bald.
    “What are you doing here?” Grace demanded.
    “What do you mean?” Olivia asked in the same tone of voice. “I brought back a library book and wanted to see if you’d had lunch yet.”
    “No. Do you feel good enough to be out and about?”
    “Yes. I wouldn’t be here otherwise,” Olivia stated with perfect logic. “Where would you like to go?”
    “You choose,” Grace said. She knew Olivia didn’t have much of an appetite and whatever appealed to her was fine with Grace.
    Olivia shrugged. “Anyplace will do. What sounds good is a cup of tea.”
    “That’s all?”
    “Maybe some soup.”
    “Pot Belly Deli?”
    “Great.”
    Olivia smiled, and Grace grabbed her coat, scarf and purse. Together they headed toward the main library door. Grace quickly told Sally where she’d be.
    Although the deli was less than three blocks away, Grace insisted on driving. She didn’t want Olivia to risk catching a chill while her immune system was compromised because of the cancer treatments. Nor did she want her to get tired out from the walk.
    Just before Christmas, Olivia had been hospitalized with a massive infection. A shiver of fear skittered down Grace’s spine at the memory of how close they’d come to losing her. No, she wasn’t taking any chances.
    “You’re treating me as if I’m made of porcelain,” Olivia complained, but not too strenuously, Grace noted.
    “Don’t waste your breath arguing.”
    “You always were bossy,” Olivia said as she slid into the passenger seat.
    “Uh-huh.” Grace wasn’t about to let her friend have the last word.
    Thankfully, she found a parking spot directly in front of the deli. It was late enough that the noon crowd had left, so they had their pick of tables.
    As soon as they were seated, Grace smiled at the young waitress. “What’s your soup for today?”
    “Cream of broccoli,” the girl, who didn’t look more than eighteen, told her.
    “We’ll both have that,” Grace said.
    “With tea,” Olivia added. “Earl Grey, please.”
    The girl made a notation on the pad and disappeared. Once she was out of earshot, Olivia leaned forward. “Mom’s got the best broccoli soup recipe. I think she had it here first and then went home and created her own version. My mother should have a cooking show, don’t you think?”
    Grace laughed. “Can’t you picture it? Chef Charlotte making muffins and chatting up celebrity guests.” She removed her scarf and unfastened her coat, then folded it over the back of her chair.