“Aw, do you have to go?” Austin tugged at Olivia’s hand. “I thought you were taking some time off.”
“I have taken time off.” She shrugged. “I’m not very good at just sitting around.”
Austin cocked his head and gave her a mischievous grin. “So that’s what you call it? Sitting around?”
She blushed. “You know what I mean. I just… want to check on things at Sea Glass Cafe. See if Evelyn needs any help. She’d done so much the last few weeks while we planned the wedding, and now this week, too.”
“It’s Wednesday. We’ve only been married for four days.” He tugged her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her. “Can’t I convince you to stay?”
“I really should go.”
He kissed her.
“Really, Austin. I have responsibilities.”
“Uh-huh.” He nodded in agreement and kissed her again.
She sighed. “You don’t make it very easy, do you?”
“I’m not trying to make it easy.” His lips curled into a confident smile.
Her phone dinged, and she reached for it and read the text. “Oh, it’s Emily. She’s home from school and wants to know when I’m coming home. I’d told her sometime this week. I think… I think maybe I should go back today?”
Austin let out a long sigh. “It seems like our stay-at-home honeymoon is coming to an end.”
“And we still haven’t decided on the whole living situation. I can’t believe we didn’t sort it out before the wedding.” She shook her head.
“Well, we were a little rushed moving it up so quickly.” He pushed her hair away from her face. “What do you want to do? Where do you want us to live?”
“I do like my house. Living on the canal. Boating over to Mom’s. But my house is really small.” She climbed off his lap and walked over to the window. “And I do love having the view of the beach like you do here, but you’re renting. So if Emily and I moved here, we’d have to eventually move again.”
“So what if we look for a new house to buy? One on the beach?”
“Can we afford that?” She frowned. “We haven’t really talked about money, either, have we? The things most couples discuss before the wedding. Where they’re going to live. Finances.”
“We’ll work all that out. I promise.” He got up and walked over to stand beside her. “How about we pack up some of my things, and we’ll head back to your house? Emily is comfortable there, it’s the home she knows. We’ll be fine there for a bit. Then all three of us will start looking for a home, as long as Emily is okay with moving.”
“I think she’ll be fine with it.”
“Then text her back that we’re heading over and we’ll sit down and talk to her. Unless you want to talk to her alone?”
“No, let’s both talk to her.” She gave him a smile. “And you think we could take a quick stop by the cafe after that?”
He laughed, grabbed both her hands, and tugged her close. “Yes, we’ll go to the cafe, too. I’d do anything to keep my bride happy.”
They headed back to her house with a suitcase of Austin’s things. She pushed through the front door. “Emily?”
Emily came walking out from the kitchen. “Ah, it’s the happy married couple.”
Olivia gave Emily a hug. “Missed you.”
“Mom, it’s been like a couple days.” She shook her head. “I just made some tea. You guys want some?”
They headed to the kitchen and settled around the small table. Emily leaned back in her chair. “So, Austin. You’re not going to hog all the hot water in the mornings for your shower, are you?” Emily grinned.
He laughed. “Nah, I’m a quick shower guy.”
“Good, because usually Mom and I fight each other over the last drops of hot water.”
“Em, we were thinking… this house is kind of small for all three of us.” She looked at Emily carefully, judging her reaction.
Emily looked over at her and frowned. “So you want me to move out?”
“What, no!” Her eyes widened. “Of course not.”
Emily laughed. “Mom, I was just teasing.”
Relief swept through her. “Oh… of course. I knew that.”
Emily rolled her eyes.
“Your mother and I were thinking about looking for a little bit bigger house. Maybe on the beach on the gulf or the harbor?”
“I’m good with that.”
Olivia reached out and took Emily’s hand. “You’re sure you’re okay with moving?”
“Mom, I’m leaving for college soon, anyway. So wherever you guys want to live is fine with me. It will be kind of fun to go house hunting.”
“It will, won’t it?” She smiled at her daughter, grateful for her willing attitude. She turned to Austin. “Now can we go check in at the cafe?”
“Mom, you’re supposed to be off this week.” Emily shook her head.
“But I want to make sure everything is okay.”
Emily laughed. “Evelyn said you wouldn’t make it all week without going in. She was right.”
Olivia stood. “Well then, I’m only going in so that Evelyn was right about me.”
Austin stood. “Come, Liv. I’ll walk you over. Then I think I’ll treat myself to some ice cream.”
She turned to Emily. “So, dinner here tonight? The three of us?”
“Sounds great. I’m headed to the beach with Blake and Angela and some friends. I’ll be back by dinner.”
“Okay. See you then.” She and Austin headed out the door. Pausing at the bottom of the steps, she turned to him. “You know what? We’re going to have our first family dinner tonight.”
“One of many.” He kissed her gently. “So, what are we having?”
“We’ll have to pick up something on the way home. Maybe barbecue some steaks and a big salad?”
“And maybe some of Evelyn’s pie for dessert?”
“Sounds like a plan.” She slipped her hand in Austin’s and they headed down the sidewalk, side by side. A married couple planning what’s for dinner. She still couldn’t quite wrap her mind around that fact.
Donna looked up and laughed when she saw Livy and Austin walking into Parker’s. “Well, that honeymoon didn’t last long.”
“I just thought I should come check on things.” Olivia laughed. “And Austin was a good sport about it.”
“What she means is I was promised some ice cream.” He grinned and looked at Olivia with adoring eyes. “Plus anything that makes Livy happy, makes me happy.”
She smiled at the two of them, obviously so in love. What more could a mother hope for her daughter?
“I really tried to stay away. But Evelyn did so much while we were planning the wedding. And I know she has that charity event at the hotel on Friday. I just…”
Donna laughed. “I’m not blaming you. Parker’s gets in your blood. It becomes part of you.”
“It does.” Olivia nodded.
The door opened behind them, and Donna steeled herself when she saw it was Charlie. She’d clung to the faint hope that maybe he’d left town, but that hope was shattered now.
“I thought I saw my girl come in here to Parker’s.” Charlie walked up to them.
“Hi, Charlie. I didn’t know you were still in town.” Olivia glanced at Donna.
Donna shook her head in reply. “What are you doing still here, Charlie?” Ouch, that probably was a little too blunt. But really, the man had walked out on her, on Olivia. How civil was she supposed to be?
“Just wanted to stick around and see if I could have some more time with my girl.”
“She’s on her honeymoon, Charlie. I don’t think she has time for that right now.”
“And yet, here she is at Parker’s.”
“I’m just here for a quick check on things, then Austin and I are headed back home.”
“Mind my words, son. Parker’s will always come first with these women, not you.”
“I don’t mind. I love that Livy enjoys working at the cafe so much. I admire all she’s done to make it a success.”
Olivia frowned. “And Charlie, that’s not true. Emily has always come first for me. And now Austin, too.”
“I sure wasn’t high on your mother’s list when I was married to her. Parker’s always came first.”
“Maybe because I was trying to support all of us while raising our daughter.” Donna hadn’t meant to say that out loud, but Charlie had a way of getting under her skin. And he’d given up any right to comment on her life when he walked out of it so many years ago. Anger simmered just barely under the surface.
“Whatever. Maybe I would have stuck around longer if you’d acted like I was wanted around here.”
She stood in stunned silence. She’d tried everything to make their marriage work. Suggested counseling. Supported him when he popped from job to job, only to quit each one. Put up with his late nights out drinking with the boys. His spending money they didn’t really have. So what? Now it was her fault he left when things got tough? She glanced at Olivia. Did Olivia blame her for Charlie leaving?
Olivia stepped up to him, her eyes flashing. “Mom’s not to blame for you leaving. It was your choice. It was also your choice to not come and see me very often. You go years and years without visiting. That’s not Mom’s fault either. That’s on you.”
“Why is it always a drama with you Parker women? See, I can’t ever do anything right. Say anything right.” Charlie shook his head in disgust.
“And don’t you put the blame on Olivia, either.” Donna walked over and put an arm around Olivia’s shoulders.
“Right, everything is my fault. Always was. Always will be.” Charlie held up his hands. “I give up on you Parker women.” He turned and stalked out of the store.
“He gave up on us a long time ago,” Olivia said softly. “But you were always there for me, Mom. Always.”
“And I always will be.” She hugged her daughter. “I’m sorry Charlie can be so difficult.”
“Even though he thinks it’s us being difficult?”
“Even though. Charlie never was one to take responsibility for his actions or his words… or for anything.”
“Do you think he’ll leave town now?”
“I have no idea. I long ago quit guessing what Charlie was going to do.” Donna shrugged. “Why don’t you go get Austin that ice cream?”
“Mom is right. Let’s get ice cream.” Olivia took Austin’s hand, and they headed into the cafe.
Donna stood staring at the door that Charlie had just stormed out of and let out a long breath. The man still had a way of getting her all off-kilter. She really had tried everything to make their marriage work. She had. But Charlie would never see it that way. Would never take responsibility for any mistakes. Any of his choices. A different woman might have dragged him through court, demanding child support, but she didn’t have the time or energy. And besides the anger that he just up and left, she’d felt a bit of relief. At least she didn’t have to cover his spending and put up with his criticism and the constant arguing.
She shook her head, hoping that Charlie would leave town now. She was tired of his remarks. And even though he’d left, even though he rarely, if ever, sent anything to Olivia or helped support her, she’d never done a thing to keep him from having a relationship with her, if he’d wanted it. And yet… he’d never really tried.
Barry walked in the front door. “Was that Charlie I saw leaving?”
She sighed. “It was.”
“You okay?”
“I will be. He just… gets under my skin. I need to learn to not let him get to me.”
Barry kissed her gently. “I could go have a man-to-man talk with him, you know.”
“No, Charlie is my problem.” She smiled up at him. “And with any luck, he’ll leave now. Which probably means we have another ten years before we have to deal with him again.”