An Invincible Summer (Wyndham Beach #1)(75)

“I’ll do it, Mom.” Natalie got out of the car and walked around.

“It’s different from the one she had before,” Maggie noted.

“Yeah, well, she’s growing.” Natalie proceeded to help Daisy out of her seat with ease.

The first clue Maggie picked up was the cool tone of Natalie’s voice. The second was the realization that her daughter hadn’t greeted her with a hug. The third? A refusal to meet Maggie’s eyes.

“Nat? What’s wrong?” Maggie took a step back.

“We can talk about it later.” Natalie went around to the back of her car to retrieve their bags.

“Here, let me help you.” Maggie reached to help but Natalie stepped aside.

“I’ve got them, Mom.”

“Mommy, where’s the beach?” Daisy stood in the driveway, looking around. “You said there was a beach at Nana’s new house.”

“We’ll go see it as soon as we get our things inside.” Natalie started up the walk to the front porch. “Come on, Daisy.”

Daisy reached her hand to Maggie, who gave it a little squeeze. Whatever had gotten under Natalie’s skin apparently hadn’t been shared with her daughter.

Daisy chatted away, accompanying Maggie into the kitchen for a snack. Seated on a booster seat at the island, Daisy drank a glass of milk and ate a freshly baked oatmeal cookie while she told Maggie all about the ride and how she kept asking when they’d be here and how far was the beach and was Nana going to get a dog or maybe a cat now that she lived here and could she see the backyard and was there a swing set . . .

“Daisy, you’re making my head spin.” Maggie laughed. “Let’s do one question at a time.”

But before Daisy could resume, Natalie came into the kitchen.

“What are you eating?” She peered into her daughter’s hand. “You know you’re not supposed to snack before dinner.”

Before Natalie could take the cookie, Daisy shoved the remains into her mouth. Her “Nana gave it to me” was barely discernable.

“Mom, we don’t snack between meals. You know that.” Natalie was clearly annoyed, but she did not look her mother in the eye. “Finish your milk, Daisy. We’re going for a walk.”

Natalie stood next to Daisy’s chair and watched her daughter empty the glass. “Good. Let’s go.” She helped Daisy out of the seat and stood her on the floor. Without looking at Maggie, she asked, “Where’s Grace?”

“She ran into town to pick up some things for dinner,” Maggie said softly. “Natalie, what is your problem?”

“Later.” Natalie dismissed her mother and started toward the front door. “When she gets back, tell her we went to the beach.”

“Natalie, you’re being very rude.” Maggie could barely keep the hurt from her voice.

“Sorry,” Natalie said, still on her way to the door.

“You’re not acting very sorry.” Maggie followed them to the foyer, her arms crossed over her chest. “And it’s not like you to be secretive.”

Natalie turned, her eyes blazing with anger. “Then that would make two of us.”

“What?”

A confused Maggie watched Natalie and Daisy walk toward the beach.

She went out onto the porch and relived every conversation she and Natalie had had over the past few weeks, but there’d been nothing—nothing—she could point to. There’d been no arguments, no cross words. On the contrary, they were both looking forward to this visit and the opportunity to spend some fun time together.

Baffled, Maggie was still standing on the steps, staring in the direction of the beach, when Grace pulled into the driveway and parked behind Natalie’s car. She opened the rear passenger door and took out a shopping bag and hurried toward the house.

“Yay! Nat and Daisy are here! Are they inside?”

Maggie gestured. “Your sister took Daisy to the beach.”

“I’ll run down and join them as soon as I get this stuff into the house.” Grace hoisted the bag onto her hip and went inside. When she came back out, she said, “I couldn’t get the wine you wanted, but I did find a really nice . . .” She fell silent, apparently noticing her mother’s demeanor.

“Mom, are you all right?”

“I was until your sister got here.” Maggie turned to Grace. “I don’t know what I did to make her angry. I’ve never seen her like this.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about Natalie. She’s being . . . obnoxious. Rude.” She made no effort to disguise the hurt.

“That’s so not like her. No hint why?”

Maggie shook her head. “I asked her, and she just said ‘later.’ Which I guess means after Daisy goes to sleep. She didn’t mention anything to you?”

“No. The last time I talked to her, she was excited about coming and spending some time with us. What the hell could have happened between then and now?”

“I have no idea.”

“Look, I’ll get the rest of the stuff out of the car, then I’ll walk down to the beach and see if I can figure out what’s going on.” Grace gave her mother a hug. “She’s probably in a snit over something that has nothing to do with you, Mom. Not that she should take it out on you, but we’ll get to the bottom of it and help her get through it, and all will be well.”