Bennett didn’t like misleading Ivy. There was no client he needed to meet with—that had been an outright lie. Still, it was for a good cause, he’d told himself.
He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel of his SUV, watching travelers who’d been on overnight flights streaming from the baggage terminal.
An officer signaled for him to move on to keep the traffic flowing.
Bennett sighed. He’d been circling the airport for an hour. San Diego was quite a change from the quiet town of Summer Beach.
Once again, Bennett put his vehicle in gear to leave, but just before he pulled from the curb, a tall, trim man with thick silver hair and a backpack emerged from the airport. Ivy’s father had been on a long flight from Sydney, Australia. Quickly, Bennett waved, and the officer nodded for him to remain.
Sterling Bay hurried toward him. “Good to see you, son. Thanks for the lift to the inn.”
“My pleasure.” Bennett hugged his father-in-law. Despite the distance, they’d kept in touch via emails and calls when Sterling was in port. They both enjoyed boating, and Sterling had been a distance runner in his youth. Bennett eyed the backpack. Sterling was traveling light. “Any other bags?”
“I’ll need help with two big bags behind me.” Sterling grinned and turned toward the baggage terminal.
Just then, Ivy’s older sister and her husband, an active-looking couple, appeared in the sliding glass doorway. Bennett hadn’t expected them to come as well, but he was awfully pleased they had. And the family would be thrilled. “Well, would you look at this. I thought Honey and Gabe were taking the boat out while you were gone.”
“That was merely a diversionary tactic.” Sterling chuckled. “We wanted it to be a surprise.”
“Elena knows,” Honey said. “How could I not tell our daughter?” She greeted Bennett with a hug. “It’s so good to see you again, although it’s been too long.”
Gabe gave him a hearty hug as well. “Our Ivy has done well with the likes of you.”
“I’m the lucky one.”
“That makes two of us, mate.”
Bennett put their backpacks and luggage in the back of the SUV. For having been on such a long and connecting flight from Sydney, they were in remarkably good spirits. After months at sea, Sterling looked even more fit. His silver hair looked brighter against his suntanned face. “Looks like sailing is agreeing with you.”
“It’s been a real dream for us.”
Gabe leaned in. “I even got him up on a surfboard on Bondi Beach before we left.”
Honey wagged a finger at her husband. “And nearly missed the flight.”
“We’re here, aren’t we?” Gabe grinned and hugged his wife.
Bennett hoped he and Ivy would still be as happy as her parents and Gabe and Honey were after all their years of marriage. He suspected the lives they’d chosen had a lot to do with it. When a person enjoyed what they did, life had more meaning. Gabe ran a concession with surfboards and other beach gear near the famous Bondi Beach, and Honey owned a boutique nearby. Gabe had a health scare a few years back, so he and Honey had worked together to adjust his diet and lifestyle. He was certainly the picture of health now.
Bennett activated the ignition and eased the vehicle from the airport terminal. “Next stop, Summer Beach.” He imagined Ivy’s surprise when they arrived. That would be well worth his little fib.
When they reached the inn, Elena was waiting eagerly by the door. “Mom, Dad!” She flew into their arms.
“My goodness, you’re looking so thin,” Honey said, ruffling Elena’s short dark hair.
“Oh, Mom.” Elena smiled at her mother.
Gabe chuckled. “She’s perfect, aren’t you, snugglepot? Your mother just wants to cook for you.”
“Now, don’t call her that,” Honey said, feigning indignation. “Our Elena is all grown up and making a name for herself in Hollywood.”
“Wait until you see what we have planned,” Elena said, taking her mother’s hand. “Let’s go surprise everyone. They’re all inside having breakfast—courtesy of yours truly, along with Misty, Sunny, and Poppy. Since there are so many of us, we’re all helping out in the kitchen. You’re going to eat well this week. Mitch and Bennett are planning to barbecue for the luau.”
“I can help on the barbie,” Gabe said. “Even brought my special spice rub for you.”
Just then, Carlotta flew from the kitchen door. “Mi amor!”
Sterling swept his wife into his arms. “My darling, how I’ve missed you.” They’d been apart these months since Shelly had given birth. “How are Shelly and Daisy?”
“Waiting for you.” Carlotta looked around. “Somewhere. They were just here a few minutes ago.”
“I saw them going upstairs to your place with Ivy,” Elena said. “They were with a friend.”
“Or a relative we haven’t met yet,” Sterling said, chuckling. “Too many Bays on this shore, am I right? Won’t be long before the grandkids start families.”
“Reed has a serious girlfriend,” Elena said. “She’s really nice, so we’re trying not to overwhelm her and scare her away.”
Bennett could understand that. He hoped they wouldn’t be too hard on Mitch, although he already knew the family from Southern California. It was the East Coast family that neither of them had met before.
“I’ll go upstairs and get Ivy and Shelly,” Bennett said.
Honey pressed a finger to her lips. “Don’t tell them Gabe and I are here.”
“I’ll let that be a surprise.”
“I can hardly wait to see little Daisy,” Sterling said. “Maybe I should have come earlier.”
“You’re here now, mi corazón,” Carlotta said, drawing a hand over her husband’s shoulder. “You had to tend to the boat repairs and spend time with Honey and Gabe. I understand. We have to spread ourselves around these days.”
While the group went inside to surprise the rest of the relatives, Bennett started upstairs. He wondered who was visiting Ivy, not that their house wasn’t open to everyone. As he climbed the stairs, he could hear murmured voices. Ivy, Shelly, and someone else. They sounded serious. Was Daisy alright? He hoped everything was okay, especially this close to the festivities they’d planned.
He opened the door, and the three women turned to him. Ivy, Shelly, and another woman who shared some of the same features. She had to be another relative.
“Welcome, I’m Bennett, Ivy’s husband.” He approached the group, ready to share the good news. Despite the happy occasion, he detected a cloud of tension in the room. He darted a look at Ivy, whose lips were pressed together as if she were holding something back. Turning to the new woman, he asked, “Did you just arrive from the East Coast?”
Instead of answering, the woman looked shyly between Ivy and Shelly, who was cradling Daisy. The baby was quiet but wide awake as if she was entranced by the new person in the room.
“This is June,” Ivy said evenly. “Bennett is also the mayor of Summer Beach.”
“Hello, June. I’m assuming you’re part of this wild family. Welcome, we have a lot of festivities and good food planned. Have you met the rest of the Summer Beach family?”
“About that,” Ivy said, looking flushed.
“June came to see me,” Shelly said quickly.
Their visitor looked up. “It’s nice to meet you. But I won’t be staying. I didn’t mean to be any trouble. I didn’t realize you were having a reunion. If I had, I wouldn’t have bothered you.”
“Please, stay,” Bennett said. “There’s plenty to go around. And we have a surprise inside.” From the corner of his eye, he saw Ivy give an almost imperceptible shake of her head.
“We have one here, too,” Shelly said, her eyes widening.
What was going on? All three women looked awkward and agitated. “Would someone like to fill me in?”
Ivy held her hand out to him. “Please sit down.”
Bennett eased next to his wife, but he didn’t want to keep the party inside waiting. “Ivy, Shelly, I came to tell you that your father has arrived. I picked him up at the airport this morning. He wanted to surprise everyone.”
“I thought you had a client meeting,” Ivy said. Her eyes lit, and Shelly smiled. “We’ll be right there.” Turning to June, Ivy added, “Our father has just arrived from Sydney for the reunion. We haven’t seen him in months, and he hasn’t seen Daisy yet.”
“I understand,” June said quickly, rising.
Ivy touched June’s hand. “But before you go, let’s ask Bennett for his opinion.” With what Bennett recognized as forced calm, Ivy began. “Shelly and Mitch had their DNA analyzed so they could examine their family health history for Daisy’s benefit. She’s fine, but there was another surprise.”
Shelly looked up. “It seems that June and I—Ivy, too, I imagine—are somehow related.”
Bennett took a moment to process this. He drew a hand over his chin, considering the options.
June’s face flushed, and she stood up. “I shouldn’t have come.”
“No, we’re glad you did,” Ivy said. “It’s just that it’s a surprise.”
Bennett laced his hands and leaned forward toward June. “Do you have a birth certificate or other documents that might explain how you’re related?”
“I can bring a copy of my mother’s birth certificate, but it doesn’t mean much. Her mother told her she was adopted when she was a teenager, but her birth certificate was amended, so she doesn’t know who her biological parents are.”
“Does she want to know?” Bennett asked.
June hesitated, seeming to choose her words with care. “She did at one time, but she told me that she was happy with her parents, and she was afraid that if she found out who her birth parents were, it might bring up a lot of unpleasant history. My grandparents were wonderful people. He was a surgeon, and she was a nurse. My grandmother would only say that it was a private adoption. I’m not sure what that means, other than the records were closed. If they even existed. Back then, things were done differently.”
Ivy held up her hands. “I don’t know what to do. If the DNA is correct, then someone in the family is concealing a secret. We want to acknowledge June, but we’re not sure what the connection is or who to talk to about this.”
Shelly cleared her throat. “I ordered the DNA through Beth. Her staff can help us figure this out. That’s what they do.”
“You have a point,” Bennett said. “Of course, that would mean outing someone. Is Beth planning to make this an episode on her show?”
The three women traded looks.
“My mother and I wouldn’t want that,” June said softly. “I understand this is awkward for you.”
Bennett tried again. Turning to June, he asked, “Is there anything else you have that might be helpful?”
June began to shake her head, then she paused and seemed to recall something. “My grandmother saved a few mementos. My mom didn’t know if they were real or something her mother created to make her feel like her birth mother really loved her. I know that sounds strange, but my grandmother loved to make up stories.”
Shelly nodded. “I think people did that back then. Without the internet or social media, they could recreate entire histories. Old movie stars often did that and usually got away with it. Until now.”
“That’s exactly what I suspected,” June said. “This all seems so complicated, but I would really like to know. See, it’s just my mom and me now. I’ve always thought if I could find some of her kin, she wouldn’t feel so lonely. My father passed away when I was young, and she never remarried.”
Ivy reached for June’s hand. “I’m sorry about your father. My daughters lost their dad, so I understand.” With a quick look at Bennett, she added, “Could you come back tomorrow? We’ll figure out what to do, but if you could bring those items, maybe someone in the family will recognize them. It might help you find some answers.”
“For all of us,” Shelly added.
June dabbed her eyes. “I can do that. Tomorrow will be a special day. I knew this would be difficult, and I appreciate your being so understanding.”
“I’ll walk you out,” Bennett said. “I know Ivy and Shelly are eager to see their father.”
They all agreed on a time to meet the next day before Ivy and Shelly left. Bennett walked June out.
The younger woman paused by her car. “Thanks for listening in there. I know this is unexpected and that Ivy and Shelly are doing their best.”
“Those two have a way of figuring out the nearly impossible. And for the record, you couldn’t find a nicer family.” He chuckled, thinking about the festivities they had planned. “Maybe a little competitive, but they like to have fun.”
June gave him a quick smile and tucked her hair behind her ear. The small motion reminded Bennett of Ivy. June’s eyes were nearly the same shade as Ivy’s unusual, deep green eyes. Two percent of the population, he recalled, thinking about the statistics he’d read about green eyes. That narrowed the odds quite a bit. He held the car door for June and then watched her drive away.
Bennett could see the family resemblance in her, even if Ivy and Shelly couldn’t. The question was, who in the family had given up a child? Or who—what man, that is—might have had a child they didn’t know existed? Bennett thought he knew the Bay family well, but this situation revealed that even the best among them might still harbor secrets.