The Bookstore on the Beach - Brenda Novak Page 0,147
there no way?” He knew the answer before he asked that question, but he couldn’t help himself.
She shook her head. “Nick’s a good husband, a good father. And he’s been through hell, through no fault of his own. How can I leave him?”
Quinn didn’t have an answer for that. “Okay,” he said. “I understand.”
“I want you to know that...this summer has been the best summer of my life,” she said. “I’ll always remember it—remember you.”
He sucked in a deep breath to help mitigate the sting of what was happening and so that he’d have the strength to do what he knew he should do: release her. “I won’t be able to forget you, either. But... I want you to let go of whatever you feel for me and give Nick everything you gave him before. Although it kills me to lose you—” he had to clear his throat to be able to keep speaking “—I want you to be happy more than anything else, and I know that’s what it will take. So don’t worry about me, okay? I’ll be fine.”
Fresh tears appeared, and she sniffed. “We’ll be going back to Tampa soon.”
His throat grew even tighter. “You’ve already made that decision?”
“He doesn’t know it yet. But going back is the only way I can do this. I can’t stay here where...where you are, so that will be my only stipulation to...to picking up where we left off.”
He closed his eyes. This was going exactly as he’d thought it would. “What about Taylor?”
“She can homeschool there as well as here.”
“She’ll be willing to leave Sierra?”
“She won’t like it, but...”
“Right. Well...tell the kids I’m happy for them.”
“I will,” she said, and covered a sob as she got up and walked away.
35
Autumn sat in the kitchen with her mother at five o’clock in the morning. It was still dark outside. Even the birds weren’t chirping quite yet, but she, Caden and Nick were going to drive home today. The car was already packed, and she planned to wake Nick and Caden soon so they could get an early start—it was a long way. But first she was going to enjoy these last few minutes with her mother.
“What a summer,” her mother commented, sipping the coffee she’d made for them.
Autumn turned her mug around and around without lifting it. She didn’t seem to have much of an appetite anymore. “No kidding.”
“Everything hit at once, but you weathered it beautifully,” she said.
“Not so beautifully,” Autumn argued. “I feel like I’ve been dragged behind a horse.”
“Emotionally, you have.”
“How are things going with Tammy?” They’d discussed having her meet Tammy, and Autumn was interested, but it wasn’t something she’d been willing to take on in the middle of everything else. They were hoping to plan a rendezvous—just the three of them—in Nashville once Autumn felt she had her life on track again.
“Good. I’m enjoying her.”
“She’s determined not to let Nora back into her life?”
“One hundred percent, or I couldn’t have anything to do with her.”
“You trust her?”
“I do. Her mother wouldn’t have gone to all that trouble to try to find me if she felt she had an easier way. That must’ve cost her several thousand dollars, and we know she doesn’t have much.”
“Did you ever find out where she got that money?”
“Tammy says she must’ve gotten it from her brother. He’s the only one who could or would help her.”
“So how often are you talking to Tammy these days?”
“I’ve only spoken to her a few times, but she’s texted me quite a bit. I think she’s excited to have reconnected, and she’s anxious to meet you.”
“Does she know what’s going on with me?”
Mary nodded. “I told her. I hope you don’t mind.”
“No. It’s not a secret. Everyone in Sable Beach knows.”
“The people in this town do love to gossip.”
“And Mrs. Vizii is happy to lead the pack now that they’re talking about someone other than her daughter.”
“She’s immature and frank to the point of rudeness sometimes, but it’s just because she’s hurting.” She leaned to one side, apparently checking to see if Caden was still asleep, and lowered her voice. “Are you sure you’re doing the right thing—going back to Tampa?”
Autumn knew her mother was really asking if she was doing the right thing staying with Nick. “If going back isn’t the right thing, what could be?” she responded, lowering her voice, too.
“It’s got to be hard for you to leave Taylor behind.”
It made her sad that her daughter’s high school career had come to