The Bookstore on the Beach - Brenda Novak Page 0,104

to dinner beforehand, but I didn’t want to go that far. A Fourth of July celebration seems less... I don’t know...in their face, especially because you’re going with us. It’ll be just like we celebrate every year—except Quinn will be with us instead of Nick.” She heard herself and frowned. “Actually, on second thought, that isn’t such a small change. What was I thinking?”

Mary kissed her temple. “Like I said, stop worrying. Caden and Taylor are nearly adults. They’ll understand.”

“They understand too well,” she muttered. “This would be much easier if they were little.”

“That’s true, I suppose. Little children are so flexible.”

Although Autumn would rather have had them meet Quinn at the celebration, which would make it even less like a date, parking was going to be a nightmare, so she’d suggested he leave his car in her mother’s driveway and they all walk.

“There he is,” Mary said, spotting Quinn’s Audi at the same time Autumn did.

He parked and got out, wearing a pair of golf shorts, a polo shirt and some topsiders, and the excitement that lanced through Autumn—at just the sight of him—made her feel maybe she was doing the right thing. At least for her.

She prayed it would be okay for her kids, too.

“Is everybody ready?” she called.

Caden came out. Taylor was still blow-drying her hair, but Autumn didn’t rush her. She shot her son a smile and waited for him to return it before she answered the door.

“Hi,” Quinn said good-naturedly, but she could tell he was a little nervous, too.

* * *

It was always warm and humid in the middle of the summer, even at night, but there was a breeze coming in off the ocean as everyone gathered for the fireworks that helped compensate. Quinn knew Autumn and her family had already eaten dinner, but he’d asked Darby, one of the cooks at the restaurant, to add a few hot dogs to what he was grilling for his own family just in case.

They found Darby exactly where he’d said he’d be, but Caden was the only one who’d accept a dog. Quinn showed him how he liked to make it—with grilled onions and green peppers piled high, a few jalapeños and plenty of Dijon mustard and ketchup. After they’d both finished their first, they lamented the fact that they were too stuffed to have another.

“How about a slice of grilled pineapple for dessert?” Quinn asked.

Not surprisingly, Caden accepted despite complaining about his stomach being full only seconds before. Quinn chuckled; he’d been able to eat a tremendous amount at that age, too. “What about you?” he asked Taylor. “Have you ever tried grilled pineapple?”

She shook her head.

He couldn’t tell if she wasn’t interested in opening up to him, or she just didn’t like him. Of the two kids, he got the impression she was going to be much harder to win over than Caden. “You should have a bite, at least. It’s delicious.”

“Okay,” she said grudgingly.

“I’ll definitely have some,” Mary said. “Your father’s given me a slice before, probably on another Fourth of July when we were out here to watch the show, and I loved it.”

“Great.” He turned to Autumn. “What about you?”

She grinned. “Of course. I’m not missing out.”

They all exclaimed at how good the smoky, caramelized pineapple was, thanked Darby and moved down toward the water, where Quinn’s parents had two blankets stretched out on the sand.

“My folks were nice enough to come early and get us a spot,” he said.

Although his father stood when they arrived, his mother remained seated. She looked so weak that he asked if she’d rather go home. “I’ll drive you,” he offered. “Dad can stay, since the show’s about to start.”

“No. I don’t want to be home alone when you’re all here,” she said, and while everyone else was busy choosing one of the cookies and drinks Mike was passing out, she leaned over to add, “I want to see how you get on with Autumn. My dying wish is to see you happy.”

He kissed the sharp angle of her cheek. Even her skin felt different since the cancer came back—papery thin. “Don’t talk about dying. Just focus on getting well. You don’t have to worry about me.”

“I will, anyway. But if you’re with a good woman, I’ll worry less.” She’d liked Sarah in the beginning, but once they got married and Sarah became so difficult, Beth had struggled to fully embrace her daughter-in-law, and he couldn’t blame her. Sarah had been far more jealous