Ever a Song

by Karen Toller Whittenburg

  Relationships changed with time. She would have to accept that, and she would have to accept Marilynda and Jay as having a place, an important place, in Cade’s life. It was natural, Autumn supposed, to feel a little jealous. All right, she conceded to her conscience, more than a little, but, after all, she had grown up believing that Cade belonged to her. He’d always been her hero and she had a proprietary interest in his happiness.

  His laughter cut through the air to punctuate her conclusions. He certainly sounded happy now. If Cade were in love with Marilynda, then Autumn could only hope that everything worked out for them. But in her heart, she knew without having ever met her that Marilynda wasn’t good enough for him.

  What was she going to do when Cade was married to someone else? When he had a family of his own to take on picnics? She was becoming depressed just thinking about it.

  Anyone would think she wanted to spend the rest of her life taking her niece and nephew on outings. Her gaze settled lovingly on Beth, then Brian, turned to Jay, and finally found its way to Cade. If she had to share him, and of course she did, then she would be gracious about it. With a sigh of resignation Autumn wondered how Marilynda felt about cherry pie.

  Chapter Three

  Autumn paused outside the glass-paned, bow window of Eastport Boat Supply. Displayed on the wide sill against the shadowy interior of the store was a clutter of sailing gadgetry filling every bit of available space. Apparently Cade was still in charge of dressing the window, she decided with a shake of her head, a task he was both unsuited for and uninterested in.

  “No one walks into a boat supply because of something they see in the window,” he’d always said, dismissing her suggestions that he clean up the display. She had wasted tons of breath trying to point out that not everyone who passed the store was a seafaring enthusiast, that there might—-just might—be someone who would be intrigued by a few pieces of scrimshaw tastefully displayed in the window.

  She stood there, looking in, remembering all the hours she had spent inside wishing she were outside looking in, just as she was now. For years she had had the idea that life was passing by this window while day after day, after school and on Saturdays, she worked within the same four walls. Autumn touched the wooden window casing in belated apology and decided that from this point on, her love-hate relationship with Eastport Boat Supply would undergo a positive change.

  The store and the marina were words that had shaped the foundations of her childhood. From the moment her father had joined his World War II buddy, Kent O’Connor, in partnership, from the day the Tremaynes had moved next door to the O’Connors, Autumn’s future had been formed.

  How often had her father tucked her in at night with a bedtime story that centered on the latest sales figures for Eastport, Inc.? Autumn smiled, remembering how Ross had listened in rapt attention while she had yawned and begged for a “real” story. But despite her blasé attitude, she had learned, just as Ross had, that the store and the marina were her heritage and they demanded both her time and energy. While Ross had early on shown an aptitude for the maintenance work done at the marina, Autumn had tried hard not to show any aptitude at all. But she had been assigned to the store nonetheless.

  She had soon discovered the silver lining in that particular cloud—Cade. What she would have begrudged doing for herself, she did freely for Cade.

  A breeze drifted around the corner of the store to catch in her hair. She breathed in its salty tang and remembered how often she had stood on the dock behind the store, daydreaming about the far horizon. Cade had just as often found her there, but he’d never scolded or reminded her there was work to be done. He’d simply been with her, not sharing her dreams, but supporting her right to seek them out.

  She owed a great deal to Kincade O’Connor, Autumn thought as she pulled open the front door and stepped inside. Her senses merged with the sights, sounds, and smells of the store. It felt good, definitely right, and she wondered at the convoluted priorities of her youth. How had she failed to understand the satisfaction, the pride of ownership? Why had it been so hard to see that she belonged to this store, to this place, as surely as it belonged to her?

  Of course only a quarter interest in the business was actually hers. At his father’s death, Cade had assumed control of the O’Connor half of the partnership. Several years later Autumn and Ross had shared the other half when their father chose to retire and move—bag, baggage, and their mother – to

  Florida. Cade had continued as manager of the store, Ross had overseen the marina, and Autumn had followed her heart to the horizon.

  “Autumn, when did you get in?” It was John, the shipping clerk, tall, lanky, balding, and with a grin to match the handshake that practically wrung her hand from her wrist. “Haven’t seen you in a month of Sundays. ‘Bout time you dropped in for a visit on your way to fame and fortune.”

  What a gadfly reputation she’d acquired during her absence, she thought, discreetly flexing her fingers as she withdrew them from his grasp. “How are you, John? And how’s your family?”

  “Fine. Just fine.”

  At his reply she smiled and let her gaze take in the familiar surroundings. Racks, shelves, and assorted tables held a wealth of equipment, everything from sailboat hardware to several styles of deck shoes. It wasn’t exactly neat, but any clutter was due to the variety and the multitude of odds and ends required for boating. Autumn knew to the last nut and bolt just how well organized the stock actually was.

  At the back of the large room was a door that opened into a storage area and to the right was a door leading to the office. When John was called back to his department, Autumn exchanged hellos with a few of the salespeople before making her way to the office.

  It looked much the same as it always had, except for the new carpet, the woven-woods that had replaced Venetian blinds at the windows, several healthy-looking plants, and six swivel chairs that Autumn strongly suspected were a matched set. The desks of the office personnel certainly looked the same, although there were new people behind them. She waved a greeting to the two employees she did recognize.

  “May I help you?”

  The smiling receptionist was new, Autumn thought, bringing the helpful smile into focus. “No, thank you, I’m—” Her gaze went past the receptionist to the name plate on the second desk from the front. MARILYNDA MEYERS, OFFICE MANAGER, it read. Autumn looked across the neat desktop to an empty chair. Disappointment and relief eased the tight curve of her mouth and she turned back to the young receptionist. “I’m Autumn Tremayne. Is Cade here?”

  “No, he isn’t back from lunch yet, but you can wait if you like. I’m sure he’ll be back soon.”

  Lunch? Autumn frowned at her watch. Almost three o’clock. Some lunch. Suspicion took her direct stare to the second desk from the front. The office manager appeared to be out to lunch, also, but Autumn tilted her chin and tactfully resisted asking that too obvious question. “I’ll just look around in the store then.” With that, Autumn retreated, wishing she had arrived earlier, but knowing that she probably wouldn’t have been invited to lunch even if she had.

  Restless, she wandered through the aisles and stopped beside the wooden railing that separated the display window from the rest of the store. She appraised the entire effect and found it less than appealing. Maybe she had worked in tandem with professional window dressers for too many months to overlook the possibilities here, but whatever the reason, Autumn knew she could improve Eastport Boat Supply simply by rearranging the window.

  Dropping her purse into the pullout drawer beneath the railing, she looked around for an empty box. Then she proceeded to fill it as she emptied the window space. About halfway through, she stepped back to view the result with a critical eye. If the Colburns had had such a lovely Cape Cod-type of window in their main store, Autumn had little doubt it would have increased sales. Why, right now, if she had a few swimsuits to display in this particular window....

  Inspiration came like a brea
th of wind on a summer day. Why not? Eastport offered little in the way of quality fashions and nothing at all like the trend-setting styles Autumn had in mind. It would be simple, just one corner of the store and some display space in the window. She whirled to appraise each individual corner before choosing. With a few modifications, shelf space could be added along each wall to accommodate the displaced stock and that would leave enough room for the mini-boutique she envisaged.

  Already she could see the possibilities grow. Customers would respond well to outfitting themselves as well as their boats in the same store. She just knew it. She would hold the inventory to basic sailing clothes, swimwear, shorts and shirts for summer, warmer but not bulky outerwear for other seasons. Of course sales would be slow in winter, but with a few accessories, maybe some nice pieces of scrimshaw, the boutique should be able to hold its own.

  Autumn smiled with enthusiasm. Eastport Boat Supply and Boutique. Well, maybe that was stretching inspiration too far, but it would work regardless of what they chose to call it. Cade, of course, would have to okay the idea and Ross, too, she supposed. But they would agree, even if she had to twist their arms to the breaking point.

  Happily Autumn returned to the window, stepping up and over the railing to the inside. It had been a long time since she’d felt so excited. The idea was a perfect answer to her search for a business investment. It might be somewhat risky at first, but she knew merchandising and she knew that her experience gave her an edge on success. The boat supply store would benefit, and best of all she would be close enough to consult Cade about....

  Her thoughts filtered into the realization that she was under observation. She looked outside to see Cade, watching her through the glass, laughter hovering at the corner of his mouth. Late afternoon sunlight tossed his hair with gold and etched the angles of his face in shadow. Blue eyes beneath questioning brows asked what she was doing to his window. She wrinkled her nose in reply and motioned him to join her.

  As he turned toward the front entrance, Autumn noticed the crisp lines of his suit with surprise. She’d never before seen him dressed so formally on a workday. He’d always worn casual clothes, just like every other employee. Running a boat supply wasn’t like having an office in downtown Baltimore. It often involved everything from repairing broken rigging to restocking the shelves. Autumn shifted position. At times even the display window had to be cleaned, and that was definitely not a job for a three-piece suit.

  Carefully putting one foot over the railing and steadying herself with a hand on the wall, she backed out of the window. A patch of warmth came to rest on either side of her waist and Cade lifted her down. “If I didn’t know better,” he said, “I could almost believe I saw you working.”

  She turned, letting his hands exchange places at her waist, letting her good spirits bestow a smile. “If I didn’t know better, I could almost believe you’re wearing a suit.” Her fingers ran teasingly along the lapels, liking the feel of the nubbed fabric, liking the smooth rise and fall of his chest, liking the aura of controlled strength beneath her touch. “Did you have a nice lunch? A nice, long lunch?”

  “I got started late.” He pursed his lips in grudging admission. “Didn’t even leave the office until—”

  “…ten after twelve?”

  “Fifteen after, Miss Know-It-All. Besides, it was a working lunch.”

  “Hmmm. Where did you go? Bernie’s?” Bernie’s boasted the one and only sit-down dining room in Eastport. It had always been Cade’s favorite place for a quick, good meal, but somehow Autumn knew it was not where he’d had lunch today.

  “There’s a new restaurant not too far from town,” he explained easily. “Whitecliffs. Speciality of the house—Maryland blue crab. You’d love it, Autumn. Maybe I’ll take you there someday.”

  “Maybe I’ll let you ... someday.” She arched one brow in flirty challenge. “But I think you’re trying to change the subject. Let’s go back to the new restaurant, new suit, and long lunch. Sounds like there could be a woman involved. Are you trying to make me jealous, Cade?”

  “Are you trying to make me think I could?” he countered, his hands leaving her sides suddenly cool and lonely. Her flirtatious mood drooped a little with the lessening of his smile. “I know better, Autumn. Just like I know that whatever you’re doing to my window, I’m not going to like it.”

  “What a vote of confidence, but just as a matter of interest, one-fourth of this window belongs to me.”

  “Really? Which fourth? And be careful how you answer. This could be a trick question.”

  “Complete with glass cleaner or dustrag, depending on which section I choose. That trick I remember.” She tilted her head back, eagerness dancing impishly in her eyes. “But now I have a trick question for you. What will entice new customers into the store, increase sales, improve the appearance of our clientele, and will take only one small corner of floorspace?”

  His eyes deepened to a cautious blue. “A hot tub?”

  Autumn smiled and slid her palm down his jacket sleeve until she could take his hand in hers. “Come with me.”

  He resisted the tug she gave and Autumn turned to question his hesitation. As she encountered his shadowy gaze, an odd, trembling sensation coursed through her. It was a curious unfolding of emotions that parted her lips with a slow intake of air and drew her brows to a softly inquiring frown. Under the pretext of loosening his tie, Cade regained his hand and Autumn regained her equilibrium.

  “Come on. Let me show you my brilliant idea.” Striving for a lighter tone, she walked toward the corner she had in mind and hoped he’d follow. She knew that the simple act of taking his hand, something she’d done countless times before with never a passing thought, had annoyed him. It was childish to let that bother her, just as it was childish to have noticed his discomfort at her entirely innocent touch. But childish or not, it hurt just the same.

  She stopped at the end of a long row of shelves and waited for him to join her. When he did, she made a broad sweep with her arm. “Imagine this, Cade. A store within a store. A mini-boutique, right here.” She turned to him in her budding enthusiasm, then turned back to visualize her words. “It will be small in size, but not in quality. We’ll offer only clothes practical for wearing on a boat— swimwear, shorts, shirts, easy-care slacks, comfortable clothing, but still everything will be brand-names, the latest fashions. ‘Chic clothes for the discriminating sailor,’ that sort of thing.

  “I know exactly the type of merchandise I want and I also just happen to know where and how to get it.” Laughter rippled through her voice and she clasped her hands in pleasurable excitement. “Can’t you just see it? Everything for both boat and owner. A one-stop shop, so to speak.” Glancing at his pensive expression, she paused, waiting for a sign of encouragement. “What do you think?” she asked finally.

  His smile was quick and full of restrained laughter. “I think it sounds like something you’ve considered carefully for at least ten or fifteen minutes. But I’d suggest you give it at least another five minutes of your imagination before you start tearing out walls.”

  She frowned at his teasing. “I didn’t plan to tear right into it.”

  “Do you remember the time you had the idea about the intercom? I had to call in the electrician—”

  “Cade, stop teasing.” She interrupted his anecdote without hesitation. “I’m serious about this and please refrain from mentioning that I’ve said that before. I know I have, but it was a long time ago and this is different. I know what I’m talking about. A specialized boutique inside the store could be very profitable. It’s certainly worth investigating, don’t you think?”

  He pushed aside the edges of his jacket and thrust his hands into his trouser pockets. His smile changed to serious contemplation. “I think it’s a hell of a risk, Autumn, not to mention the expense and the inconvenience of revamping the store. It would require an enormous outlay of capital, and you couldn’t expect to even begin recovering your initial inves
tment for a year or more. Besides that, I’m not sure our customers would be responsive to the idea. Boat supply stores are supposed to sell boat supplies. No one has ever asked for the latest fashion in swimwear.”

  Autumn blinked at the magnitude of his objections and drew her confidence around her to bolster her resolve. “No one asks, because no one ever thought that a boat supply could offer anything except boat supplies. If supermarkets can sell socks and underwear, I know we can sell clothing.”

  “We?”

  The one-word qualification held more discouragement than anything else he’d said. It sank to her toes, taking along her high spirits, but she managed to keep her chin up. “If you don’t want to help me, I’ll do it on my own.”

  His mouth tightened impatiently. “It isn’t that I don’t want to help you, Autumn. I just don’t have the time or the energy to finish this kind of major undertaking for you when you tire of it.”

  Her eyes widened in disbelief and then discouragement fled before a wave of resentment. “I think you’d better apologize for that remark, Cade.”

  His gaze locked on hers for a seemingly endless, uncomfortable moment. “I’m sorry if I upset you, but I’ve known you too long to be fooled by a burst of enthusiasm. Over the years you’ve had dozens of ideas about improving the store and I know for a fact, you never followed through with any of them. Every last one of the projects you started either wound up on the back shelf or I finished them for you.”

  “I was a child, Cade. It isn’t fair to make such a generalization.”

  “Life isn’t always fair. I can only go on past experience with you, Autumn, and that tells me that you won’t stay around here long enough to see this idea to completion. You’ll be chasing rainbows again in no time.”

  Her breath came hard and fast, forcing her to take a step back from him. She wasn’t willing to accept that Cade could actually be saying this to her. “Your faith in me is underwhelming.”