6 Rainier Drive by Debbie Macomber Page A

us.”
    â€œThere’ll be other babies,” Cecilia said. “We could fill those bedrooms in no time.”
    Ian’s eyebrows shot up and Cecilia giggled.
    She was so happy she could barely contain herself and she could see Ian was just as pleased.
    She thought he might have kissed her right then, except that the agent returned. “The owners are in town and they’ll be here in about ten minutes.”
    As Cecilia and Ian finished exploring the rest of the house, including the two upstairs bedrooms, she noticed that another car had parked out front. An older gentleman, wearing a large cowboy hat and boots, and a middle-aged woman started up the walkway toward the house.
    Judy Flint opened the front door for them and introduced Grace and Cliff Harding. Cecilia smiledshyly at the other couple. When Aaron began to fuss, she lifted him from the carrier and held him against her shoulder.
    â€œI know it’s unusual for the owners to ask for a meeting with potential renters,” Grace said.
    â€œWe don’t mind,” Cecilia assured her. She recognized Grace from the library. Before she had her own computer, Cecilia had made several trips to use the ones in the library whenever Ian was at sea, so she remembered Grace, who’d been helpful and friendly. “We like your home very much and we’ll take the very best care of it.”
    The older gentleman put his arm around his wife. “Grace and her family lived here for over thirty years and she wants to be sure it’s in good hands.”
    â€œIt will be,” Cecilia promised her. She understood why Grace would want to interview anyone who might be renting her house. It must be hard to let strangers move into a place that you’d lived in for much of your life. And yet Cecilia understood why she was willing to walk away from her home of thirty years. Cliff Harding cherished her. She saw it in the way he touched his wife, the way he looked at her.
    â€œYou’re in the navy?” Cliff Harding asked Ian.
    Ian nodded. “Yes, sir.”
    â€œSo you could be transferred,” Grace said, glancing at her husband. She seemed a little unsure.
    â€œWe could.” Cecilia’s heart would break if they had to leave Cedar Cove but she’d go wherever Ian was assigned.
    â€œMs. Harding is asking for a one-year lease,” Judy explained.
    Ian paused. “That could be a problem,” he said. “There’ve been a few rumors about the John F. Reynolds being transferred to San Diego. That might not mean anything, but then again, it could.” He’d mentioned this to Ceclia earlier, and she could only hope the rumors came to nothing.
    â€œWould you consider a lease-to-own option?” she asked. She should’ve talked this over with Ian first and wished she had, but if that was an option, she wanted to know.
    Again Grace looked at her husband. “I…don’t know. I’d like some time to think that over.”
    â€œSure… Ian and I aren’t even sure we could afford to own a house this big.”
    â€œWe’ll discuss all of that later.” Ian gestured around him. “As my wife said, we’d take care of your home the same way you have,” he told Grace. “But if you need a one-year lease, we won’t be able to sign it.”
    Cecilia held her breath while she waited for Grace’s response.
    â€œShould we look elsewhere?” Ian pressed.
    After the briefest of hesitations, Cliff Hardingshrugged and seemed to leave the matter up to Grace.
    Cecilia wasn’t sure what else to say, so she asked, “Is there space to plant a garden?”
    â€œOh, yes, I’ve always had a garden—roses and bulb flowers and perennials. Pretty well everything should be coming up, but there’s certainly room for more. And the yard gets plenty of afternoon sun.”
    â€œI’ve always wanted a garden,” Cecilia confessed. She patted Aaron’s