“I bet it is nice to live on the beach.”
“But you’re right on the waterway.”
“We are, and I love having the boat right out the door to go for boat rides. We often take it over to Mom’s. It’s faster than driving over.”
“I pulled up a map of the town the other day. The canal system is fascinating. You can wind your way from the harbor or the coastal waterway or out to the gulf. There’s that peninsula Jesse lives on that’s lined with cottages right on the gulf. It’s like the town has a little bit of everything.”
“It does. I love living here.”
“I bet. And you have your family here. That’s nice.”
“Where’s your family?”
His lips spread into a wide grin.“Ah, my family. They are spread all over, but we always head home for Christmas.”
“Where is home?”
“Home is in Michigan. Moved there when I was a kid. We’re all planning on heading back there for Christmas, and I’m trying to schedule a trip at the end of the summer. My mother…she hasn’t been doing that well. Cancer. But she’s a fighter and determined to beat it.”He glanced away, then back at her.“I’m sure she will.”
“I’m really sorry, Austin.”She reached out and covered his hand with hers.
He looked down at her hand, then back up into her eyes.“She’ll beat it.”He reasserted his conviction.“And they are great parents. Went to every sports game I ever played in. Every event at school.”He paused, then continued.“I’m lucky to have them.”
She realized she was still holding his hand and slowly took her hand back and settled it in her lap.
“How about you? I know you have Emily, and your Mom, and Heather and your aunt. Any more family here?”
“My grandmother lives in Naples at a retirement place.”
“That must be nice.”
“It’s…complicated. I love her, I do. She’s just very critical of most everything. She’s a hard woman to…well, to be around. And my grandfather was the hardest, most critical, most judgmental man ever born. They mostly left my mom and Evelyn with my great-grandparents. My grandparents traveled a lot, and I wasn’t ever certain why they had kids. They weren’t involved in mom and Aunt Evelyn’s lives very much. Always off somewhere for business or pleasure. But Mom and Aunt Evelyn loved living with their grandparents. She said they had the best times there. So I guess it all worked out.”
“Some people just aren’t cut out to be parents, I guess.”
“I guess not. Like my own father.”
Austin didn’t ask, but his eyebrow did raise up questioningly.
“He left my mom when I was young. I rarely see him. And he’s seen Emily once when she was a young girl, just a toddler really.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. Like you said. Some people just aren’t meant to be parents. I lucked out in the Mom department though. Mom is great. I don’t know what I would have done without her when I got pregnant with Emily. She let me move home and helped with…everything, really.”
She could see the questions brewing in his eyes and decided that now was as good a time as any to explain about Emily’s dad.
“And I guess you’re wondering about Em’s dad.”
“I admit to being a bit curious.”He nodded.
“We never married. We were so not ready for that. We weren’t right for each other, either. Not for something permanent. He moved away, finished college up East. He calls Em occasionally. Sends presents now and then.”Like the stupidly expensive cell phone for no reason.“And he visits her sometimes. Hasn’t been here in over a year, though.”
“She’s good with that?”
“She understands it. Not an ideal parental situation, but she’s had Mom around her whole life, too. And Evelyn. And Heather. Anyway, we’ve all adapted to how it all turned out.”
She spied the server heading toward the table and got ready to snatch the bill when he put it down, a bit worried to see the total, but determined it was hers to pay. She glanced up as the server got closer.
