Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Series, Volume 3 by Debbie Macomber Page B

could no longer sit still, she vaulted to her feet. “After Noelle was born, Ben let David know he had a daughter. You might expect him to contact me, but not so.” She started pacing, her arms tightly crossed. “Not that I
wanted
to hear from him, mind you. I might be a slow learner but once I figure something out, I don’t forget.” She wagged her finger at Mack. “I never want to see or talk to David Rhodes again as long as I live. I mean that.”
    â€œWell, I—”
    â€œI refuse to accept a penny from Ben Rhodes, either. He offered, you know. His son’s a real problem to him. Ben didn’t say that outright but I could tell. I thanked him—it was a lovely, gracious thing to do—but Noelle isn’t his responsibility. She’s David’s. I don’t expect himever to do the right thing, though. Neither does Ben. Otherwise he wouldn’t have offered.” Another quick breath. “I did let him set up a trust fund for Noelle, but that’s all.”
    Mack waited a moment before he attempted to speak. When her tirade was apparently over, he ventured a comment. “In my opinion, Noelle’s better off without David in her life.”
    â€œI agree with you! Not that I have any worries there. He doesn’t want anything to do with her—or with me. Which is just as well. But one thing’s for sure.”
    â€œWhat’s that?”
    She nodded once, in a slow, stately movement. “I won’t be so easily fooled again. Men aren’t to be trusted, especially the good-looking, sweet-talking kind. Like David—you could frost a cake with his words!”
    â€œYour brothers—”
    â€œDon’t get me started on
them,
” she broke in. “Linc’s a stubborn know-it-all, and as for Mel and Ned, they’re oblivious. A woman who got involved with one of my brothers would need her head examined.” She paused long enough to breathe. “Don’t get me wrong, I love my brothers. They’ve been wonderful about Noelle, but they’re clueless.”
    â€œWell, I—”
    â€œOh, I shouldn’t have said that,” Mary Jo blurted out. “It’s just that they’re at the garage all day and aren’t exposed to females in the workplace. Except for women who bring their cars in, of course. And
they’re
always impressed.” She rolled her eyes.
    â€œI was impressed with Linc, too, when I met him.” Mack felt he had to tell her this. He and Linc had talked for a good thirty minutes after the aid car had taken Mary Jo and Noelle to the hospital. At the time, Mack had been excited,and so had Linc. He was an uncle now and thrilled with the idea.
    â€œOf course you’d side with my brothers,” Mary Jo muttered. “You’re a man.”
    â€œWell, I—”
    â€œNo, I’m finished with men. Done. Forever. You know what they say, once burned and all that. Well, I’ve got third-degree burns and there is no way in this lifetime that I will ever trust a man again.”
    Mack didn’t like the sound of this. “What exactly does that mean?” he asked.
    The look she shot him said it all. “You don’t want to know.”
    â€œActually, I do.”
    â€œNo, you don’t, because you’d feel obliged to defend the male gender and it would only end with us agreeing to disagree. You can’t tell me anything Linc hasn’t already said.”
    â€œLike what?”
    Crossing her arms again, she sighed loudly. “That all men aren’t like David.”
    â€œThey aren’t.”
    â€œI realize that. My dad was a wonderful husband and father, and there are still a few decent men left in this world. Cliff Harding, for example.”
    He noticed
he
hadn’t been mentioned but decided not to take it personally. “If you believe that,” he said, “then why are you finished with men?”
    â€œBecause,”