1022 Evergreen Place-cedar cove 10 by Debbie Macomber

Author:Debbie Macomber [Macomber, Debbie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance, Contemporary, Family Life, City and Town Life, Love Stories, Man-Woman Relationships, Domestic Fiction, Washington (State), Cedar Cove (Wash.: Imaginary Place), Cedar Cove (Wash. : Imaginary Place), Community Life, City and Town Life - Washington (State)
ISBN: 9780778328063
Google: EuzmhRySiUMC
Amazon: 0778328066
Publisher: MIRA
Published: 2010-01-02T06:00:00+00:00

Eighteen

“Da-ad, I need your help.” Holding her math book, Jolene sat on the sofa arm.

“Algebra? You think I know this stuff?” Bruce asked with a short laugh.

“I would hope so,” Jolene said. “You’re the adult.”

“Yes, but it’s been a lot of years since I was in school.”

“Just look, okay?”

Rachel had finished the dinner dishes—by herself, since it was easier that way—and was enjoying the exchange between Bruce and his daughter. If Jolene was counting on his mathematical skills, then the girl was in trouble.

“I don’t understand why I have to do this,” she lamented.

“You’re going to need it in life,” Bruce argued, not sounding convinced.

“Why? You don’t,” Jolene said.

Bruce ignored that. He reached for his glasses, a recent acquisition, and opened the textbook she’d handed him to the page she’d marked. Next, he appeared to be studying the problem as if staring at it long enough would miraculously produce the answer.

“Get me a pencil and paper,” he commanded with the urgency of a surgeon requesting a scalpel.

“Just a minute.” Jolene hurried back to her room.

As soon as she was gone, Bruce turned to Rachel, who hovered in the doorway. “You’d be much better at helping her than me.”

“She asked you.”

“I’m going to look like a dope when I can’t figure this out.”

Rachel snickered softly. “Well, you know what they say about the shoe fitting.”

He scowled but didn’t get a chance to comment before Jolene returned with a pencil and yellow pad.

“I still don’t get why this stuff is so important,” she muttered.

“You need to solve for x,” Bruce said.

“I know that, but why?”

“Not y, x.”

“Daddy, you’re confusing me.”

“Good, because I’m confused, too.” He sent Rachel a look that pleaded for mercy.

As much as she wanted to step in, Rachel didn’t dare. The request had to come from Jolene; otherwise, the girl would reject Rachel’s offer and resent her for having made it.

After several minutes, Bruce threw in the towel. “Sorry, kiddo, I can’t do this.”

“I have the final at the end of the week and I’m going to flunk,” Jolene cried, as if leaving this one problem unsolved would ruin her entire academic career. “I’ll never get into college if I can’t pass Algebra I.”

“You’ve got years and years before you need to worry about college,” Bruce said, but if he hoped to reassure his daughter, his words fell flat.

“How can you say that?” Jolene wailed. “I have to get this right, I have to.”

“Ask Rachel,” Bruce suggested.

Jolene glanced in her direction. Pretending not to notice, Rachel began to wipe down the kitchen counters, which she’d already done once.

“Rachel,” Jolene said hesitantly, “do you think you could figure this out?”

“Would you like me to try?”

“Please.” This was not a word she was used to hearing from Jolene—and it gave her hope.

Pulling out a kitchen chair Rachel motioned for Jolene to join her at the table. “Let’s look at this together.” She had no intention of doing the work for Rachel. Her goal was to help the girl understand the concept so she’d be able to solve algebra problems logically.

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