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  “You didn’t get that time with him.”

  “Not really. We were mostly with Mom, at the café. He could hardly take us out on ride-alongs.”

  Deke snorted. “Understood.”

  “It’s selfish and immature, and I know it. I’m not proud of myself.”

  “You don’t have to rake yourself over the coals for this, you know. Anybody would feel the same way about a second family. I know I did.”

  Our entrees came then, just when I was ready to demand he tell me more. Instead, I had to play nice and be polite to the server. The scent of grilled shrimp and scallops combined with roasted garlic and butter, making my mouth water.

  There were more important things to worry about just then. “What do you mean, you did?” I asked the moment we were alone again.

  He lifted his fork and knife, set on tearing into his steak. “I mean, I have younger siblings. Much younger. Just like you, my father had a second family after divorcing my mom. There’s my sister, who you spoke to on the phone.”

  I had to look down at this. Yes, I’d spoken to her, and I’d thought she was Deke’s girlfriend before he explained the situation.

  “I also have a younger full brother. Besides them, I have a half-brother and half-sister who are both in their preteens.”

  “You never told me that!”

  “You never asked.” He winked before taking his first bite. His eyes rolled back a bit, and a groan escaped. “Oh, my God.”

  “I told you, they have some of the best food in town. Though I can’t imagine why you’d choose steak when you have the entire ocean to choose from.”

  “I’ll be here all week, remember. Let me pace myself.”

  I twirled fettuccine around my fork. “So, you didn’t totally love the idea of a second family?”

  “Not especially. I shared some of the feelings you have, too. About another set of kids getting the attention and affection we didn’t get a lot of while we were growing up. Topher, my younger brother, was barely out of braces when our parents divorced. He could’ve used Dad then, a male figure to look up to. Dad, meanwhile, was flying out to France all the time to see his mother—the one who recently passed—and that was where he met his current wife. They live in Manhattan now.”

  I bit my tongue rather than ask why Deke had to be the one to settle the estate when his father was still alive and well. It could’ve been too painful for him, I reasoned.

  “These things are always complicated, so you don’t have to put yourself down for being human and feeling the way so many people do when they’re faced with this. Okay?”

  “Okay.” Strange how my appetite came roaring back after that. I dug into my seafood with a lot more vigor than before.

  “What else is going on? Since all we’ve talked about is your upcoming baby brother or sister?”

  “I think I found a mystery to solve.”

  “Oh, boy. I think I just lost my appetite.”

  “Come on. Give me a little credit. Like a smidge.” I held my thumb and forefinger less than an inch apart. “It’s nothing dangerous.”

  “So you always say…”

  I rolled my eyes. “Anyway, I thought it could be a fun thing to get Darcy’s help with, now that she’s sorta down about the baby.”

  “Hmm. I know you wouldn’t deliberately bring your sister into something that could spell potential danger, so maybe this won’t end in near-tragedy.”

  “Why does everybody think I actively seek out opportunities to get myself killed?” I asked the ceiling, which had no answer.

  “It sure seems like you do.”

  “I don’t! As I said, this isn’t anything dangerous. I found an old picture. Wanna see?”

  “Sure,” he agreed in a tone that felt a little too indulgent. Like he was throwing me a bone.

  “You don’t have to sound so excited,” I grumbled as I reached for my purse.

  “Sorry. I don’t give a random, old picture the full treatment. Have we met?”

  I sighed without offering a response because he was right. I shouldn’t have expected anything else. He knocked me over not a few minutes after we met because he was too busy getting a good shot and either forgot I was standing there or didn’t care much.

  “Fine, fine.” I pulled out the photo and placed it in front of him.

  “Can I ask a question?”

  “Better than anybody I know.”

  He snickered. “Why do you carry it around with you. Are you related?”

  “I can’t explain why I carry it around. I see her and I feel… I don’t know. Connected, somehow. I know it sounds lame.”

  “Not lame at all. I was only curious.”

  “You have a way of making curiosity sound like criticism. Anybody ever tell you that?”

  “Anybody ever tell you how you manage to take curiosity as criticism nine times out of ten?”

  “It’s that eyebrow.” I pointed. “It arches. I can always tell what you’re thinking. You need to Botox that bad boy if you plan on passing yourself off as just a concerned, nice guy.”

  “I’ll take that under consideration.” He chuckled. He seemed endlessly patient tonight. I remembered he was on vacation and maybe not in the mood for snarky banter.

  Turning his attention back to the photo, he cocked his head to the side. “Isn’t that the Montbatten house?”

  “You’re familiar with it?”

  “Aside from the fact that it’s a perfect example of seaside Victorian architecture, my distant relatives were close to the Montbattens in their day. I feel like there’s a picture of my great-grandmother playing on the front lawn when she couldn’t have been more than five years old.”

  “How neat! Do you recognize this girl?”

  My heart sank when he shook his head, though I couldn’t imagine why I expected him to know her. He said it was his distant relatives, didn’t he? “No, I don’t. The family died out, didn’t they?”

  “Yeah, the last surviving daughter died not long ago. The house was purchased by some tacky couple—hey, Holly said so,” I added to defend myself when he looked up with that eyebrow quirking again. “Now, it belongs to the town. It’s a wonder the old lady didn’t put that in her will.”

  “Some people don’t think of things like that by the time a will comes along,” Deke mused. “This can’t be her, then. She never had kids. That much I remember. Millicent, right?”

  “Right.”

  “Hmm. Maybe it’s a cousin, or a family friend.”

  “I found it in an old book donated to Darcy years ago, when she first opened the store. I’m fascinated by it. I don’t know why.”

  “Because you have such a vibrant imagination. And you’re deeply empathetic. You feel for people. Even people who aren’t alive anymore, whose names you don’t know.”

  “I guess.” I shrugged as I put the picture away. It was more than that. I wished I could put a finger on it.

  “Can I offer you two any dessert?” the server asked with a hopeful smile. “Coffee? Tea?”

  It was like another person’s voice came out of my mouth when I answered. “I’m okay, thanks.”

  Deke held onto the table like he was afraid he’d fall off his chair otherwise. “Are you serious? No dessert?”

  “Could you not?” I asked through a tight smile. “You’re free to do whatever you want, of course.”

  “No, thanks. I’m stuffed,” he told the server before turning back to me. “I’m worried about you.”

  “You make me sound like a glutton.”

  “I know you like your sweets. You’re still upset.”

  “Deke… I’m sorry.” I slumped back in my chair, helpless. “I am upset. For Mom. And worried about her. Here I am, out with you—and I’m so glad to be with you—while she’s at home. Probably still hurting.”

  “You should go to her,” he suggested.

  “But we’re out together!”

  “Your heart is with her. It’s okay, I have all week. Remember? Can I wa
lk you to her house?”

  “Please.” I leaned in, taking his hand. “Thank you. You’re too understanding.”

  “You’re right.” He winked. “It’s part of my charm.”

  Chapter Six

  It was a blessedly dry night with hardly a touch of humidity in the air for the first time in ages. For once, I wasn’t wasting my time when I did my hair for a night out.

  “It’s so weird,” I mused as we walked. “I feel… pleasantly full. Satisfied. Not stuffed.”

  “You realize that’s because you didn’t eat dessert, right?”

  “Don’t judge me,” I warned.

  “I’m not. If anything, I’m honored to be here while you’re reaching this deep understanding. It’s like watching a kid learn to balance on a bike for the first time.”

  “It’s been a while since I’ve wanted to hit you.” I sighed. “I was honestly hoping we’d turned a corner.”

  He reached for my hand, and I didn’t pull away. “Maybe I should keep at least one hand still, then, so you can’t use it as a weapon.”

  “I’ve got a pretty strong grip, so don’t get too full of yourself.” I squeezed to prove my point. “I’ve spent my life stirring thick batters and carrying heavy pans and trays. Just sayin’.”

  “That’s a pretty firm grip,” he admitted. “My father always said a firm handshake is the mark of a worthwhile person. Somebody you can trust. He only did business with people whose handshakes were firm.”

  “Does he know you carry so much of his wisdom with you now?”

  His smile slipped. “He died a while back.”

  “Oh. Deke.” I slowed, then stopped. Being attached to me the way he was, he had no choice but to stop along with me. “I had no idea. You never talked about it.” No wonder he had to settle his grandmother’s estate in his father’s place. He said they lived in Manhattan, and I’d assumed he meant his dad. He was talking about his stepmother and her kids.

  “I mean, when was the right time to bring up something like that?” he asked with a shrug. “Come on. Let’s keep walking. It’s a beautiful night.”

  It really was. Rows and rows of Victorian homes were lit thanks to the old-fashioned gaslights lining the streets. Most of them were used as boutiques, art galleries, bed and breakfasts. People sat on porches, rocking slowly, enjoying drinks and laughing softly.

  “It’s idyllic,” he murmured with a smile. “I really like it here. You’re lucky to have grown up in the middle of it all.”

  My heart swelled with pride. “I know I am. It’s one of those things where I know I could take it for granted, but I don’t. If I’m meant to have roots, I’m glad they’re here.”

  “And you get to see people you know wherever you go.”

  “That’s true.” I looked at him, waiting to see what brought that up, and found that his eyebrows had somehow grown together over his nose. Just one single line.

  It didn’t take long to figure out why. Coming toward us was a couple holding hands the way we were. And the red-headed, pick-skirted female half of the pair looked awfully familiar. And awfully upset when our eyes met.

  “For the record, most people around here don’t look like they’re gonna cry when they see me,” I murmured as we continued on. What choice did I have? I wasn’t going to cross the street after seeing Nell.

  Especially not with so many people watching. Wasn’t I just saying how much I loved my home?

  Rather than introduce me to the stranger whose hand she held, she rushed my way. “Emma. I was so wrong. I don’t know how I’ll ever forgive myself.”

  I accepted her almost violent hug with a sigh. “It’s okay. I mean, it’s not strictly okay. I was planning on waiting to talk to her when we were alone, but I should’ve known better. Somebody was bound to spill the beans.”

  “I could’ve been much smarter about it,” she sniffled, pulling away. “I feel so terrible. It was bad enough when the problem was just the baby, but now…”

  “She was always going to hurt because of this,” I shrugged. “But yeah, it could’ve been timed better. I guess anybody else could just as easily have come in and asked how she felt about Dad’s new baby.”

  “So long as you’re not angry with me.”

  “I’m not angry,” I whispered. “So don’t worry about it.”

  The man behind her cleared his throat. “Nell…”

  “Oh!” Her eyes lit up. “Sorry, Rance. Didn’t mean to forget about you.”

  Rance? I looked him up and down. Very attractive, probably in his sixties, fit like he took care of himself. A thick head of salt-and-pepper hair. “I’m Emma Harmon.”

  “Sylvia’s younger daughter,” Nell explained. “This is Rance Peabody. He’s new in town. Comes into the library all the time.”

  “She finally noticed me.” He grinned, shaking my hand. Nice grip, strong handshake. “Nell talks about you and your sister all the time.”

  “The closest thing to daughters I’ve ever had.” She beamed. “And you’re Deke, right? It’s good to see you again.”

  “The same goes double.” He shook Rance’s hand and seemed impressed. “What are you two up to this evening?”

  No doubt, Nell blushed. She might as well have been a girl half her age or younger, practically giggling over her new beau. “We were going for ice cream cones.”

  Now, if I were my Auntie Nell, I would’ve invited Deke and myself to join them. I would’ve bulldozed my way into the situation. It occurred to me that this might be the perfect opportunity to turn the tables. Give her a taste of her own medicine.

  “That sounds like fun.”

  “What about you two?” she asked with a knowing smile. Oh, terrific. Now that she had a gentleman in her life, she’d be even more determined to get me hooked up with somebody.

  “We’re coming back from dinner,” Deke ever-so-helpfully explained.

  “Oh? Dinner for two? That’s nice.”

  “Well, there are two of us…” I muttered.

  Deke elbowed me. I elbowed him back.

  Time to change the subject. “Hey, do you have lots of resources at the library where I could learn about family trees? The more famous, wealthy families in the area.”

  “Sure. You could go to the historical society, too, but I think they’re busy working on the new museum. Either way, your face is always welcome at the library.”

  “Are you a student of history?” Rance asked. “I was a history professor in a former life, before I retired.”

  “How interesting.” They’d make a great match. “I’ve always been interested in history, especially the town’s, but this is specific to a photo I found. I’d love to know who was in the picture. Maybe I can get it back to them somehow.”

  “Always thinking of other people,” Nell practically cooed.

  I stopped short of suggesting she tone it down a little. Loving and devoted was one thing, but she was a second away from licking her thumb and wiping the corner of my mouth.

  “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow. I don’t want to hold you two up.” Rance looked grateful. He was just trying to get his groove on with a new lady and didn’t want two whippersnappers getting in the way.

  Though I doubted he thought of us as whippersnappers. He wasn’t old enough for that.

  “Hmm. I wonder what your mom would think of that.” Deke snickered once there was enough distance between us after we’d parted ways.

  “Of Nell dating somebody who looks and acts like he just, I don’t know, rode a horse or played a game of tennis or something?”

  “What?” he laughed.

  “You know. One of those people who just exudes energy. Vitality. I’ve always wanted to be one of those people.”

  “I’d remind you the sugar in your diet is probably holding you back, but you’d only threaten to smack me.”

  “Yet you said it anyway.”

  “Yet I did.” He took my hand again. “And you’re not a sloth, Emma. You’re one of the most energetic people I k
now. I can barely keep up with you.”

  I took the compliment without argument, too busy reflecting on Mom and Nell. “It’s very nice for her, having somebody to date. Right now, I don’t think my mom would be too thrilled. Don’t get me wrong, she wants her friends to be happy. She wants everybody to be happy. That’s the whole reason why she’s such pain in the butt sometimes. She wants everybody to have what they want, what they need. And nobody can ever fault her for that.”

  “I would never dream of it,” Deke murmured.

  “But right now? I don’t think her heart would be in any happy reaction. If anything, it’ll feel like salt in the wound. I keep trying to convince her to put herself out there again.”

  “Ouch. That’s a lot to ask of a person. Some people can get back up on the horse with no trouble. Others, it takes time. Some people never remarry after a divorce or death. My mother never has. She very rarely dates. And when she does, it’s always in a friendly sort of way, not romantic. You know, like if she needs somebody to go with her to an event. She’ll have a date, but he’ll be more of a friend than anything else. It’s what makes her comfortable. I would never urge her to do anything that made her uncomfortable.”

  “I don’t want to make my mom uncomfortable, either. I just want her to be happy.”

  “You mean the way she just wants you to be happy?” he asked, and I had the sense he was teasing. “You don’t like it very much when she gets into your personal life and tries to tell you how to run it, do you?”

  “You know I don’t,” I muttered.

  “I’m sure it’s the same for her, if not worse. Just, you know. Keep it in mind. When she’s ready, she’ll do what she has to do. Only she knows what that is.”

  “You’re right. You’re absolutely right.” I smirked up at him. “How’s it feel?”

  “How does what feel?”

  “Being right for once.” We stopped in front of Mom’s house. “This is it.”

  He looked it over with an approving expression. “Beautiful. Just the sort of house I would imagine you growing up in. The gingerbread trim, the big porch, the flowers growing out front.”