Cedar Cove Collection. Debbie Macomber

murmured.

      “After Stephanie was killed, I didn’t think I could ever love another woman. But I do, Rachel. I love you. I can’t impress you with a big diamond or a fancy house. I’m just a regular kind of guy trying to make a living and raise my daughter. I’ve been alone for years, but I don’t want to be alone anymore.”

      Rachel didn’t, either. She’d been lost, adrift, afraid. For the first time since her mother’s death, when Rachel was nine years old, she had a family.

      Emily Flemming sat down at the piano in the church sanctuary. She poised her hands above the keys. In quiet moments like this, she enjoyed playing the piano and singing hymns. They brought her a feeling of peace.

      Dave was due back at the church soon. He was on one of his routine calls to shut-ins. Her husband had a strong sense of responsibility and an equally strong sense of compassion. Being married to a minister wasn’t easy; the demands on Dave took him away from the family five or six nights a week. Lately, he’d been gone even later and longer than usual. When he returned to the house, their sons were always fast asleep, and Dave would be mentally and physically exhausted. That was one reason she was looking forward to a relaxing evening. It was their anniversary, and they were going to D.D.’s on the Cove.

      After she’d been playing and singing for about thirty minutes, her voice grew tired and she decided to wait for Dave in the church office.

      When she got there, Angel, the church secretary, was shutting down her computer for the evening. “I’m sure he’ll be back any minute,” the middle-aged woman said.

      “I’m sure he will, too.” Dave had promised to take her out for dinner before he met with the Finance Committee to work on the church budget for next year.

      She was afraid moving to 8 Sandpiper Way earlier in the year had strained the family’s already tight budget. Emily blamed herself; she’d seen the house and fallen in love with it. Despite her protests that they couldn’t afford a new home, Dave had insisted on buying it for her. She loved him all the more for it.

      “I’ll wait inside his office,” Emily said as Angel gathered up her things. “There’s no need for you to stay.”

      Angel hesitated. “Gary and I are going to a movie with friends tonight.”

      “Go,” Emily said, waving her out the door.

      Wandering around her husband’s office, Emily looked at the books in his bookcase and the objects on his desk. He seemed to accumulate books the way some women did shoes.

      His favorite jacket hung on the door. Apparently he’d forgotten it at the office this morning. Taking it off the hook, she draped it over her arm and then heard something hit the floor. Whatever it was rolled beneath the desk.

      Getting down on all fours, Emily discovered a woman’s earring. It looked expensive. Diamonds? She checked the pocket; there wasn’t another one. If this was a surprise anniversary gift, then there’d obviously be two. They’d be in a jeweler’s box as well. These were elaborate and somewhat old-fashioned—certainly not her style. Dave would know that.

      An eerie sensation came over her. Surely Dave wasn’t seeing another woman. He couldn’t be—could he? Her mind flashed back on the last few months, and she was startled to realize that their love life wasn’t what it had once been. When had this happened? Six months ago? A year?

      She suddenly grew cold as she recalled a recent visit by Sheriff Troy Davis. He’d come to question Dave about Martha Evans and her missing jewelry. Could this earring have belonged to the wealthy old woman? There was a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.

      She heard the church door open. “Emily?”

      “I’m here, Dave,” she called.

      Hurriedly shoving the earring in her purse, Emily forced a smile and went out to greet her husband. As she did, she wondered for the first time in her life if she really knew this man.

       Visit your friends in Cedar Cove again. Stop in at 8 Sandpiper Way, home of Pastor Dave Flemming and his wife, Emily. A man of the cloth is not immune to life’s problems, and Dave’s facing more than his share. Who stole Martha’s jewellery? Is Dave seeing another woman, as Emily fears? Will she trust him and believe in his innocence? You’ll want to find out how Troy’s doing—and Megan, of course—and whether his relationship with Faith has a chance. What about Olivia? And Maryellen and Jon—how will his new success affect their marriage? And now that Will Jefferson has made Cedar Cove his home again, what does his future hold?

      TALKING TO DEBBIE MACOMBER

      Debbie’s readers ask her many questions through her website, www.debbiemacomber.com. Here are some of the questions she’s answered recently. Some of these have appeared frequently.

      IN 6 RAINIER DRIVE, CECILIA AND IAN RANDALL MOVED TO SAN DIEGO. DO YOU PLAN TO BRING THEM BACK TO CEDAR COVE?

      At this point I don’t have any plans to bring Cecilia, Ian and their son back to the Pacific Northwest. However, I’ve learned never to say never. These stories can take twists and turns that even I don’t anticipate.

      Don’t forget that Allison Cox—currently at college—does keep in touch with Cecilia, and we might therefore get the occasional update. By the way, Cecilia and Ian are doing well, and their marriage is stronger than ever. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had a second baby—and if they do, Allison, or maybe Rachel, will let us know.

      WHICH CHARACTER’S STORY HAS BEEN THE MOST FUN TO TELL SO FAR? WHICH CHARACTER’S STORY HAS SURPRISED YOU THE MOST?

      That’s an interesting question. I’d say I’ve had the most fun writing about Grace, particularly when Dan went missing, and describing how her life has gone since. The mystery and drama inherent in that situation appealed to me. But Teri and Bobby Polgar come a close second. I fell in love with Bobby and the way he cares about Teri; I also like the fact that both of them amuse me—and, I hope, you!—in different ways. I think the storyline that surprised me most (so far!) is the one involving Bob Beldon. I didn’t set out to write about Vietnam vets, but that’s what ended up happening.

      YOUR CHARACTERS ARE SO REAL, LIKE THEY’RE A PART OF YOUR LIFE. HAVE YOU EVER BASED ANY OF THEM ON PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW?

      First of all, thank you for the compliment. I appreciate knowing that you’re enjoying the Cedar Cove characters. My characters are fictional, born in my imagination. But, like all believable fictional characters, they’re grounded in real life.

      I’m fascinated by people—what they do and why they do it—and by relationships of all kinds (friendships, romances, families, workplace relationships—everything). I’m always observing people around me wherever I am, listening to their stories. I guess I’m a natural observer—at least that’s what my editor says!—and I’m naturally curious. (In another life, I might have been a reporter. Or a detective. Or … Who knows?) All of that translates into storytelling, and storytelling, of course, is about people.

      In the course of creating a character, I might combine one trait I’ve observed in a certain person with a mannerism I’ve noticed in another, perhaps adding some little snippet of yet another person’s family history. For example, the character of Charlotte is loosely based on my own mother and on a good knitting friend. Also, two of the hairstylists in town prompted me to create Rachel Pendergast and Teri Polgar, although their personalities are distinctly different from those of my characters.

      THE INTIMACY BETWEEN THE CEDAR COVE CHARACTERS IS SO GREAT. HOW DO YOU COME UP WITH THEIR DAILY-LIFE SCENARIOS? THEY ARE VERY DETAILED, AND I WONDERED IF YOU USED YOUR OWN LIFE EXPERIENCES.

      The short answer to that is yes. As you might have guessed, everything that happens in my life eventually finds its way into a book. As well, any anecdote, any scrap of conversation, any newspaper article, can provide the basis for a character’s situation.

      Again, interest in others and curiosity about them is key. I also do research where necessary—by talking to