The Bookstore on the Beach - Brenda Novak Page 0,47

definitely weren’t as close then as we are now. I do know that you have his hair and eye color, though. She’s said that before.”

She offered that last bit by way of consolation, but Autumn wasn’t necessarily interested in what features she’d inherited from her father. She wanted to know who he was, if, perhaps, he’d changed, how he felt about her—if she had half siblings. “That’s it?”

She cleared her throat. “There isn’t much more I can tell you.”

“Was it a...a married man? A school teacher who took advantage of her? A cousin or uncle? It has to be something terrible like that, doesn’t it?”

“She doesn’t like to talk about it, so I don’t bring it up.”

Autumn couldn’t help noticing that Laurie didn’t answer the overarching question. “I get the impression that you don’t want to talk about it, either,” she said, disappointed.

“It’s not that,” Laurie argued. “It’s just...like I told you, I don’t know a lot. All I know is that your mother was glad to have you and has always loved you more than life itself. That’s what matters.”

As nice as that was, Autumn had trouble letting the rest go. There were a lot of other things that should’ve mattered, too. “I’m surprised you’re not angrier at whoever my father was for not contributing anything, financially or otherwise.”

“Oh, trust me,” she said, her voice suddenly bitter, “I hate him. But like I said, you came out of it, and we’re grateful to have you.”

Hate was a strong word. Laurie obviously had an opinion, which meant there was more she could say, and Autumn was tempted to keep pushing. She might have, except the door opened and her mother walked in.

“Hello,” Mary said, splitting her gaze between them.

Autumn felt instantly guilty, as if she’d been caught doing something wrong. Maybe she should leave well enough alone. It hadn’t been easy for her mother to raise her. Autumn owed her so much. And if her father wanted to be part of her life, he would’ve made some attempt to look her up, wouldn’t he? That was her mother’s position on the matter.

But what if he’d tried, and he couldn’t find her?

She was so torn when it came to him, and had been since she was a child. She kept shoving the curiosity away, but the older she got, the more it plagued her—and it seemed to be worse now that she was back home without Nick. She didn’t know where her husband was, and she couldn’t find him. But maybe it would be different with her father. She couldn’t tolerate having two big question marks in her life.

“What are you two doing?” Mary asked.

No doubt she was wondering why one of them wasn’t in the front, watching over the store. “Nothing.” Laurie went right back to her work on the computer. “Just trying to get the website updates over to Caden.”

Autumn checked out front to make sure they weren’t neglecting any customers. She hadn’t heard anyone come in, but she’d been so caught up in the conversation she hadn’t been paying attention. “How was Richmond?” she asked once she was reassured the store was empty.

Her mother put her purse on the shelf next to Autumn’s. “Fine.”

“Just fine?” Autumn said. “What’d you learn there?”

“I think adding the coffee shop is going to be a good thing.”

“That’s vague,” she said, once again feeling there must be something she was missing.

“It’s a risk,” her mother said. “Any investment is a risk.”

But Mary didn’t have to drive all the way to Richmond, when she didn’t like to leave town, just to learn that taking a loan out to add a coffee shop to the store would be a risk. She was already well aware of that.

“I ran into Chris when I stopped to get gas,” her mother told Laurie.

“What’s he up to?” Laurie asked.

“Said he was going to pick up a special painting from the framer. He spoke to Mike about the possibility of doing a community fundraiser for Beth—and got him to agree—so he plans to auction it off.”

Autumn’s ears perked up at the mention of Quinn’s parents.

“He talked Mike into a fundraiser?” Laurie swiveled around to face her. “He hasn’t even told me.”

“Sounded like he’d just come from The Daily Catch. I’m sure he’ll tell you tonight.”

“Did he say who’s going to chair this fundraiser?” she asked.

Mary gave her a sheepish look. “My guess is he’s hoping you will.”

“Well, he’s going to need more help than I can give him,” she exclaimed.