He was silent for several heartbeats. “Then what do you want?” he asked, sounding less angry now, but not overly pleased.
“I want my aunt’s happiness.”
“She’s a successful artist and—”
“So you’ve followed her career.”
He didn’t answer right away. “Yes.”
“Then you know she never married?”
Again the slight hesitation. “Yes.”
“Did you?” Beth ventured. She had this romantic picture in the back of her mind that she would bring these two people who had once loved each other back together again. There would be roses and champagne and they would still be madly in love after all these years.
“I did. Are you Ellie’s daughter?”
“Yes.”
“Listen, Beth Prudhomme, I’m a busy man. I have a client waiting. I don’t know what you expect from me, but I want none of it. I made my choice, your mother made hers, and so did Sunshine. Let’s leave it at that.”
Before Beth could say another word, the line was disconnected. Beth sat in her car, staring at her phone, unable to believe her aunt could have loved a rude, arrogant man like Peter Hamlin.
“He was awful,” Beth told Sam later that evening.
“Babe, what did you expect?”
“Not that,” she admitted as she tossed together a salad for their dinner. Sam had offered to take her out, but Beth wasn’t in the mood. She wanted to vent, and doing it in a restaurant wasn’t the best idea.
“I’m sorry you’re disappointed.”
“I had this fantasy built up in my mind of the two of them reconnecting and discovering their love had never died.”
“That’s in the movies, Beth. Real life is different.”
“I can’t believe my aunt could love such a jerk.”
Sam tucked his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck. “They fell in love years ago. Time changes people.”
“I know.” Inwardly, she prayed it would never change the way she felt about Sam.
“What does Sunshine have to say about him?”
“Nothing. Every time I ask about her first love, she changes the subject. The most information I’ve gotten out of her is that he likes fish tacos.”
“You did your best.”
Beth tried, but she couldn’t help being disappointed.
Hours later, as she tossed and turned, unable to sleep, she couldn’t accept that this bad-tempered, unfriendly man was the same one her aunt had loved. And from all outward indications, Sunshine loved him still.
Saturday morning Beth waited until after her three piano students had come for their lessons before she reached out to her aunt. She wouldn’t tell Sunshine what she’d done, but she had to know more about Peter if she was going to make this work. There was a missing piece in this family drama—actually, there were several such pieces missing—and Beth was determined to lock it into place.
She brought Sunshine lunch at her studio. Her aunt had always made Beth feel welcome and special.
“What did you bring me?”
“Humus and fresh cut-up veggies, a hard-boiled egg, and a huge peanut-butter cookie.”
“Perfect. That’s a well-rounded lunch. Let’s start with the cookie.”
Beth couldn’t contain her smile. “We always ate dessert first when I was a kid, too, remember.”
“I’m not likely to forget.”
“Do you remember the time you wanted to take me on a picnic and Mom wouldn’t let me go because she said I had hay fever?”
Sunshine rolled her eyes. “Which time?”
Beth pretended not to hear the question. “We ate under the dining room table.”
“And your mother had a fit.”
“We got crumbs on the carpet,” Beth reminded her.
“A federal offense for sure.”
They both laughed. Beth took care peeling away the plastic wrapper around her cookie. “I’ve never asked why you and my mother avoid each other.”
“It’s a long story, honey, and best left as it is.”
“Perhaps,” Beth agreed. “Still, I’d like to know.”
“Have you ever asked your mother?”
Beth had, years ago, after a short visit with Sunshine. Her aunt was appropriately named. Her visits were like scattered rays of beaming light that came into Beth’s life when she seemed to need it most. She often wondered how Sunshine knew the best possible time to visit.
“I did ask Mom and she brushed me off and said I should ask you and then warned me against it.”
Sunshine laughed. “That sounds like something she would do.”
“She means well,” Beth said. She did, too, and hoped she wasn’t about to make a fool of herself. “Won’t you tell me?” Beth asked, growing serious.
Her aunt waited a few moments before she answered. “I’m thinking this isn’t the time or the place. I will, my love, but not now. Another day.”
It was hard to accept but she agreed. “Answer one question; that’s all I’ll ask for now.”
“Okay, ask away,” Sunshine said, with a classic wave of her hand.
“Was whatever happened between you over a man?”
Sunshine’s gaze shot to hers and her eyes widened. “Yes,” she whispered.
“Is his name Peter?”
“You said one question.”
“This is part B.”
“That’s two questions.”
“Louise, tell me the truth.” To the best of her knowledge, this was the first time Beth had used her aunt’s given name.
“Yes,” she whispered, her eyes filling with sadness. “His name was Peter.”
“And he loved fish tacos?”
“And sculpting, and, oh my, he was talented. He loved to laugh and sing songs he’d composed in my honor, and read aloud to me until I fell asleep in his arms. We connected on every level. I never loved anyone the same again,” she whispered, lost in the perfect love in her past.
This was the same Peter Hamlin Beth had spoken with over the phone? It didn’t sound like she’d found the same man at all.
Chapter 23
Sam
Sam had been in a sour mood all week without any real reason that he could name. Everyone noticed, not that there was any hiding how he felt. This wasn’t like him, and he felt he owed his entire staff an apology.
It took him until Thursday to figure out what was bugging him when it should have been obvious. It was Beth. He hadn’t been able to think straight since their stint babysitting Matthew. Their being together was all wrong. He knew it then but didn’t know what to do about it and so he’d pushed the thought out of his mind. Not that it’d done any good. He’d made excuses to avoid her ever since that night—well, other than the two nights they performed together at the rehab center.
Beth had tried to talk to him, but he was having none of it. After a while she gave up and he was grateful. Everyone was entitled to an off day, or, in his case, an off week.
Friday afternoon following work Sam asked Rocco to join him and his crew. As was their habit, Sam and the other mechanics met at a nearby tavern for a cold draft beer and downtime. They were just finishing off the last of their beers when Rocco strolled through the door.
Sam was slouched over his mug, his mind whirling with his dilemma. He was glad to see Rocco and hoped his friend would help him sort through his thoughts. He lifted his beer, silently inviting Rocco to join him.
“Sup?” Rocco asked, as he slid out the stool next to Sam.
“Not much,” Sam answered.
Rocco gestured toward the bartender and asked for a beer. He had his own mug within minutes.
“Been thinking,” Sam said, and kept his gaze focused straight ahead.
“About?”
“Been troubled all week,” Sam admitted. “Ever since you had Beth and me watch Matthew.”
“About what?”
“Beth.”
Rocco was silent for a short moment. “You two have a falling out?”
“A minor spat, easily settled. And that’s just it, we should have had a big one by this time and we haven’t.”