by Winnie Reed
“Don’t forget the white picket fence,” I teased. “It’s the whole package.”
“Hmm. The whole package. That sounds familiar.” He was smiling in a funny sort of way as he bent to kiss my cheek. “Can I get a rain check on our date?”
“Absolutely.” A tingle ran all through me from just the simplest little kiss. “And thank you. I know I tease you a lot, and we butt heads, but I really am glad you’re here. And I’m so grateful to you for being so understanding.”
“No problem. And if you need any help solving your mystery, let me know. I love that historical stuff, too.” Another kiss, this one on the back of my hand, before he backed away and started walking down the street toward the house he was staying in for the week. I knew it well, having walked past it nearly every single day of my life.
It wasn’t hard to imagine Miss Evesham, the mousy owner, being head-over-heels in love with him.
There was still a light burning in the living room, a light that reminded me of other matters that needed tending to. Instead of chasing after Deke and throwing my arms around him, the way impulse told me I should, I opened the gate and walked up the brick path to the front stairs.
Chapter Seven
“I’m not a child.” Mom accepted the cup of tea I’d just brewed with a grateful smile. “I knew this would happen—or that it was possible, rather. Just like it’s possible he’ll marry her. I don’t doubt that will happen someday, especially now with a baby.”
I sat next to her with a tissue box between us and did my best to stay quiet, to let her talk it out without my interference.
“It’s one thing to know something is possible,” she sighed. “And another to have that something happen. I don’t know why I’m so upset.” She pulled a tissue from the box and dabbed at her eyes.
“It’s understandable,” I whispered.
“Is it, though? We’ve been apart for so long. He’s moved on, and I knew he had. How could I not?” she chuckled. “It’s in my face all the time. I see them together and it’s not as painful as it was at first, but it still hurts.”
“I didn’t know you saw them together.”
“How could I not? There’s only so much square mileage in this town. Just because I don’t talk about it doesn’t mean it never happens.”
“I didn’t think. I’m sorry.”
“No, no. You have nothing to be sorry about. Don’t apologize.” She took a long sip of tea before sighing. “It isn’t as if I thought we’d ever get back together. Believe me, some things are best left where they are. But this…”
“Makes it real,” I murmured.
“Yes. There’s no going back from this. He’s starting a new family, for heaven’s sake. Not just shacking up with a girl practically young enough to be his daughter. They’re going to be parents together.”
I rested my head on her shoulder. “I know. It’s a whole new thing. I didn’t know what to think about it when I heard.”
“You already knew, didn’t you?”
I stiffened. “Yeeeeah? I mean, just since last night. I wanted to wait to tell you. Privately. Along with Darcy. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
Another sigh. “You didn’t. I wondered where all that talk about me dating came from.”
“It wasn’t just because of the baby,” I was quick to say. “And it wasn’t just dating we were talking about, either. You’ve worked so hard for so long. I know you’re proud of what you’ve built. I’m proud of you. You’re my hero.”
“Stop,” she scoffed.
“You are. I’m not just saying it.” I pulled back to look critically at her. “You didn’t know that? Do I not say it enough?”
“I don’t think you’ve ever said it before. I’m silly Mom. Flighty. Always butting in.”
“Mom, no. I mean… sometimes, yeah, with the butting in,” I admitted. “But it’s done out of love, and even my exasperation is loving, because I know your heart is in the right place. Otherwise? You’re a warrior. You built that business from nothing. While raising us. And teaching us about work ethic and the finer points of running a business from the office. Not to mention how to make everybody feel welcome and at home in the process. You’ve done it with grace. Not everybody could’ve done that.”
“You’re going to make me cry again,” she warned with a shaky laugh.
“You need to hear it. I’ll tell you every single day if that’s what it takes. You’re incredible. You’ve got the biggest heart of anybody I know.” I tucked a few stray strands of honey-blond hair behind her ear. It wasn’t like her to look so disheveled, but she’d had a real day.
“How is your sister taking it?” she asked, looking down into her tea with a frown. “I called her earlier, but she didn’t answer.”
“She’s upset. I knew she would be. I really didn’t want either of you to find out this way.”
“I know. These things happen. I guess she’ll get over it.” Her eyes cut my way. “It would be nice if she could enjoy having a little brother or sister. I don’t want to deprive either of you of that experience. I hope she doesn’t feel like she has to shut the baby out on my account.”
“You’ll have to talk to her about that. I think she needs to hear it from you.” I leaned over to pull my phone from my purse, resting on the floor at my feet. She hadn’t called or texted, not even to reply to any of my messages. Maybe she was with Karl. I hoped so.
“What’s that?” Mom asked, noticing the photo at the top of the pile of junk in my bag. I needed to clean it out, but it always filled right back up again.
“Oh, I didn’t show it to you?” I didn’t think she was genuinely interested, but there had to be a shift in the conversation at some point. “I found it in one of Darcy’s used books. Isn’t it neat?”
“She’s pretty,” Mom murmured, though a frown washed over her face for a second. Naturally, it was a picture of a pregnant girl. That was bound to set her off.
But that wasn’t what made her frown, as it turned out. “She looks a little like Millicent Montbatten. The nose, especially, and the little cleft in her chin. It’s barely noticeable, but it’s there. I can see her looking this way when she was a girl.”
“She never had children, though. And she wasn’t married, was she?”
“Not that I know of.” She looked up at me. “Why are you carrying it in your purse?”
“I don’t know. I felt drawn to the book the picture was tucked into, and I feel drawn to her. It’s weird. I want to know who she was, and why she looks so sad.”
“You think she looks sad? Hmm.”
“You don’t?”
“No. Wistful, maybe. Maybe she has regrets. But her eyes aren’t sad. They’re… determined. She’s a strong girl, whoever this is.” Mom shivered a little, then laughed at herself. “I guess I feel the same way about her as you do!”
“I’m going to the library tomorrow to research a little, specifically pertaining to that family. Now that you pointed out the resemblance, I’m obsessed with finding out if that’s Millicent. What a scandal that would’ve been, huh?”
“If there was a scandal, I never heard about it.”
“I think this would’ve been a little before your time, wouldn’t it?”
“Ah, you’re sweet,” she laughed. “And actually, yes. I would’ve been a baby, if that.”
I nudged her. “Hey! Maybe you’re really her daughter! And you’re actually an heiress!”
“Please,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “You remember your grandparents. I was my mother’s mirror image.”
“True. Besides, I doubt there’s any money left in the family. I wonder what Millicent did with her fortune.”
“It’s funny you mention that. There was a lot of speculation about what happened to her money after she died. You were away at school then. It was all people could talk about for days. Where was it? What had she done with it? There was no public reading of the will or anything like that. With no relatives in sight, who did it go to?”
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Though I reminded myself that I was there for Mom’s sake and that I should be comforting her, a buzzing sensation started in my head. Like a hive of bees had been overturned and the little suckers were going crazy.
What if it was Millicent in that picture? What if she had a baby out of wedlock back when that sort of thing was deeply frowned upon, especially in an old-money family like hers?
What if she’d left her wealth to her child?
It was silly. I shook my head, rising from the couch, determined to get my sweet fix on. “Do you have anything nibbly? Just a little something.”
“Who are you asking?” Mom snickered. “Of course. There are chocolate chip cookies in the kitchen.” I was already halfway out of the room by the time she finished.
“Good,” I called out, getting a glass of milk. “I skipped dessert tonight.”
“You?”
“Funny,” I snorted. “Considering you’re the one who got me hooked on the white stuff, woman.”
“Wait. You skipped dessert…” Mom’s face was stricken when I rejoined her. “Were you out tonight?”
“Yes? Is that okay?” I placed a plate of cookies on the coffee table.
“And you came here? What did Joe think?”
“It wasn’t Joe, smarty. I wouldn’t go to dinner with Joe.”
“But breakfast is acceptable?”
“Sure. I mean, it’s breakfast. Nobody goes on a romantic breakfast date.”
“Any meal can be romantic if you put a little effort into it.” There she was. Mom was back, and she’d be okay. I could breathe somewhat easier.
Even if the notion of a breakfast date with Joe filled me with confusion, making the bees buzz louder than ever. “It’s not romantic for us. No, it was Deke I was out with.”
“So he finally made it! And you chose to spend the evening with me? Instead of him?”
The accusation in her voice made me cringe a little. “Uh, you’re welcome? Hey, I was worried about you. I wasn’t in the mood for canoodling.”
She rolled her eyes. “Honey. You have to take your life into consideration. I’m touched, really, that you came to see me. I can’t tell you how much it means. But not at the expense of your life, for heaven’s sake! I’d rather see you out having fun, developing your relationship with Deke. Not sitting around with Mom, who will be just fine.”
“That’s not my style.” I shrugged with a grin.
She wasn’t smiling. “I know. And it worries me.”
“Why?”
“Because you need to work on your life. You have to have something for yourself, sweetheart. You can’t live through the people you love. You also take too many chances for the people you care about. They don’t even have to be close friends or relatives.”
“Like who?”
She blinked rapidly. “Like Robbie Klein. Nate Patterson. Georgia Steel. Ring a bell? You get yourself mixed up in their lives and problems, at risk to your safety. Don’t argue,” she added, holding a hand up in front of my face. “You know as well as I that you were darn lucky to escape with nothing worse than a sprained wrist last time. You’re a good person, honey, but your life is important. Your happiness is important. You can’t attain happiness through other people.”
“Funny. You’re not the first person to give me that sort of speech tonight,” I grumbled.
“Deke did? Good. You need to hear it from somebody who isn’t your silly mother.”
“Don’t do that.”
She gathered the ends of a throw blanket over her shoulders like she was donning armor. “Everybody thinks their mother is silly at times. I’ve accepted that. And I know I can go overboard—don’t tell your sister I admitted it.”
“My lips are sealed,” I whispered, fighting a smile.
“Don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater, is all I mean. My advice isn’t nonsense. You have to build something for you, the way I did. You’re already off to a great start. You turned your blog into something special, so special it caught the idea of a major publisher. Your articles are always well-received. You could become a famous food writer. I suspect you hold yourself back for my sake.”
“What are you talking about?” Maybe I was a little huffy. Maybe a lot.
“You turn down work that would take you overseas, don’t you? Or even across the country for more than a few days at a time.”
Dang it. It was my turn to be evasive, the way she was earlier on. I studied the cookie in my hand like I’d never seen one before until the chips started melting against my skin.
“Do you deny it?” she murmured.
“How did this conversation take such a turn?” I asked. “Who squealed?”
“Raina.”
“Raina? What the heck? She’s gonna get an earful from me, no joke.”
“She was concerned about you rejecting opportunities to expand your career, and I agree with her.”
“Snitch,” I muttered before taking a huge bite of cookie. Even the sweet, creamy chocolate and caramel notes from the brown sugar didn’t do much to make me feel better. “Where does she get off calling you?”
“Don’t talk with your mouth full, or you’ll have my living room looking like a Jackson Pollock painting. His chocolate period.” She handed me a napkin. “She was concerned, and hoping I could talk some sense into you.”
“She’s so lucky she isn’t here right now.”
“I agree,” Mom repeated. “You have to expand your horizons. Don’t be so worried about me, or the café. You’re right. I should take on help. There are plenty of people who’d be glad for the chance to help. People who’ve retired but still want to be active. You should know. You see them all the time.”
“True,” I murmured. It was one of those moments when I didn’t want to give too big a reaction, afraid she’d take it back. I didn’t even want to move. “I’d love to see you ease up a little on yourself, too.”
“And I would love to see you take life by the horns. Your life, finally.” She put an arm around me and squeezed. “Don’t be hard on Raina. She’s only trying to be a good friend.”
I held my tongue on that one.
Chapter Eight
“I don’t appreciate it.”
“I was worried about you,” Raina pouted. Not that I could see her pouting, per se, since we were only on the phone—instead of FaceTime—while I walked to the library.
“Then tell me about it. Not my mom.”
“I did tell you! Remember? I very definitely expressed concern that you were closing yourself off from what could be fabulous opportunities. And you brushed me off.”
“So you called my mom and tattled. Thanks a lot.”
“Hey. I happen to love you and want the best for you. Though right now, I wonder why. And here I am, packing for a long weekend in Cape Hope. Maybe I should rethink my plans.”
My resolve started to weaken. “That would be fun.”
“Well, I did tell you I planned on coming down, didn’t I?”
“You did.”
“And I believe in keeping my word.”
“You sure Nate won’t mind?” I snickered.
“After what he’s already put me through? He can wait a few days while I catch up with my bestie. Besides, I can always swing down and see him later. And he’s neck-deep in the last phase of renovations. I’m so excited to see it.”
“I can hardly wait myself.” Having seen the “before” of the farmhouse and lands around it, it would be nice to replace those images with something fresh and new. Just as nice as it would be to see Nate realizing his hard-won dream.
“For now, I’m all about you, lady. And I can be down tonight, if that’s okay.”
“Of course it is! So long as you promise not to snitch on me ever again. We’re not children.”
“Says the girl who uses words like snitch.” She laughed. “I can’t promise, no matter how much you want me to. If I see you making a mistake I think you’ll regret and there’s no getting through to you, I�
��m gonna call on reinforcements. Just like I’d expect you to do the same.”
“We’ll never agree on this.”
“Guess not,” she agreed like it didn’t mean anything. “I just want you to be happy. I can also help you juggle two men, if you need me.”
“I’m not juggling two men.”
“Says you,” she snickered. “I’ll book a room and let you know when I get in. Okay?”
“You’re staying with me, obviously, and I don’t want to hear another word. Why would you take the trouble of trying to find a room last-minute in the middle of tourist season?” Even though I was still more than slightly annoyed with her well-meaning ways, it would be fun to have her around.
And maybe. Just maybe. She’d be helpful when it came to juggling two guys, both of whom wanted my attention.
Deke and I weren’t formally dating.
Joe and I weren’t anything. He’d snickered when I called him a friend only days earlier.
Why did instinct tell me to keep them apart, then?
I strolled into the cool, quiet library, sighing with happiness at the scent of so many books. There was nothing like it. Technology was great—having an e-reader meant not having to pack a bunch of heavy books every time I went out of town—but nothing would ever replace the smell and feel of an actual book.
Nell noticed me right away. “What on earth is that?” she hissed, glancing around.
I looked down. “A stroller. With a dog inside. Do you not recognize Lola?”
“Emma.” She looked at me from over the frames of her readers. “You can’t be serious.”
“You know how well-behaved she is. She won’t bark. She won’t do anything but sit there and be cute. Right, you little cotton head?” I bent down to give her a kiss, which she enthusiastically returned.
“You are entirely too much.” Nell sighed.
“And hey, if it makes you feel better.” I pointed out Lola’s harness, which I’d attached to the stroller. “She can’t jump out. We did the whole potty thing before leaving. She’ll be good. I just hate leaving her alone, since we’re apart whenever I leave town for work.” My lower lip may or may not have jutted out in a world-class pout.