An Invincible Summer (Wyndham Beach), Mariah Stewart [best classic novels TXT] 📗

“Oh, sweetie. That would never happen.” Maggie hugged her.

Grace glared from the opposite side of the island.

“So who’s the father?” Grace asked.

“Mom, you don’t have to answer,” Natalie hastened to say.

“I’m not sure that is your business. In any event, it’s not something I feel like discussing right now.” Maggie crossed her arms over her chest. “When—if—I decide to share that with you, I’ll let you know.”

Their mother may have been forgiving of Natalie—Natalie, who’d started this whole mess!—but she wasn’t sending Grace the love. Not that Grace expected or wanted her to. She couldn’t understand how Natalie could cave in and forgive Maggie just like that. Natalie, who’d been so angry and indignant when she’d first told Grace about their mother’s secret love child, had backed down the minute Maggie had turned on the tears.

“So what are you going to do now?” Grace asked. “About him.”

“I need some time to think about it. I’ve been told he wants to meet me, and I’d like to meet him, but I need to think it through.” Maggie rolled an orange on the island top, back and forth between her hands.

“I’d like to meet him,” Natalie spoke up. “He sounds really nice. Maybe you could invite him here, and we could all meet him.”

“And do what, Nat? Hold hands and sing ‘We Are Family’?” Grace shook her head. “No thank you.” She glanced at her mother. “And if you invite him here, to this house, I won’t be here.”

“As you wish, Gracie.” Maggie tossed the orange into the bowl. “This is my house. You are my daughter, and you are welcome here. He is my son, and he is welcome as well.”

“Count me out.” Grace got up and walked out of the room and straight out the front door.

Grace walked toward the center of town, her mind replaying the facts over and over. Her mother had gotten pregnant by her high school boyfriend on prom night, had the baby, and gave it away. If Grace had been asked to guess the most unlikely scenario—her mother having landed a spacecraft on the moon or having a secret baby—she’d have been hard pressed to choose between the two.

Her anger kept her company while she walked. When she arrived at the corner of Front and Cottage, she turned left and walked two blocks before taking a right onto Jasper Street. She was just starting to calm down when she heard someone calling her.

“Gracie, is that you?”

She turned in the direction of the voice and realized she was passing Liddy’s house.

“Hey, Liddy,” she called but kept her stride. The last thing she wanted to do was talk to her mother’s best friend.

“Come on up here on the porch and have a margarita with us. Liddy makes the best margarita on the entire Massachusetts coast.”

When Grace looked closer, she could see Emma standing on the front porch with Liddy.

“Oh, thanks, but I just had some wine, and I don’t think . . . ,” Grace declined, but the ladies were adamant.

“Well, in that case, just have some of this delicious guacamole. We’re doing Cinco de Mayo, Wyndham Beach style.” Liddy came down the front steps, margarita glass in hand.

Crap. Seeing no gracious way out, Grace joined Liddy on the walk, then followed her up the stairs to the porch.

“May fifth was a month ago,” Grace said. “You know that, right?”

“So we’re a little late.” Emma tilted her glass in Grace’s direction as a sort of toast.

“Right,” a slightly tipsy Liddy said. “It’s Cinco de Mayo somewhere.”

“Actually, it’s Cinco de Junio, but whatever,” Grace said.

“So what are you doing out walking in the dark?” Liddy sat and pointed to a chair for Grace to sit in.

“It seemed like a nice night, so I thought I’d get a little air.” Grace sat and crossed her legs.

“Have some guacamole.” Emma passed her the bowl and a plate of chips.

“Oh, no thank you. My stomach’s a little unsettled.” Grace was already regretting having stopped. She should have simply waved a greeting, then continued on her way. Walking had helped dispel the anger and the hurt, but she was still on edge and uncomfortable, and she’d be foolish to think neither Liddy nor Emma would notice.

“What’s going on, Gracie?” Emma leaned over and patted Grace’s knee. “You don’t look like yourself.”

“Why, you’ve been crying,” Liddy announced. “Oh, sweetie, I hope you’re not still pining for that ex-husband of yours. Exes are always best left in the past, where they belong.”

Grace felt the tears well in her eyes. She shook her head, not trusting her voice.

“It’s the job thing, right? You’re upset about leaving your dad’s law firm. You’ll find another job with another firm, honey. I know it won’t be the same, but Art would totally understand. He loved you and was so proud of you,” Emma said softly.

“No. It’s not that. I’m okay about Zach, and I’m almost okay about Flynn Law. It’s Mom.” Grace began to cry and babble at the same time. “Natalie got an email from Joe and she showed it to Mom and now Mom wants to meet him, and I’m upset because we didn’t know about him. She never even told Dad about the baby.”

Liddy and Emma exchanged a long, confused look, then both turned to Grace.

“What baby?” they asked.

Chapter Seventeen

NATALIE

“Mom, where do you suppose Grace went?”

“She’s probably walking it off. My guess is one loop around town should be enough for her to calm down.”

“Who’d have thought she’d react this way?” Natalie paused. “I mean, I did at first. I was pissed off, too, but once I saw how devastated you were, I couldn’t be mad at anyone except myself for not talking to you privately. I made it about myself when it had nothing to do with me.”

“In a sense, it does have something to do with you. He—Joe—is your brother.”

“I always wanted a big brother when I was growing up.” Natalie was trying to sound upbeat. “Well, better late than