The Newcomer (Thunder Point #2)(64)

She laughed a little bit. “We are. Yes, indeed.”

“Well, rest assured, Ashley won’t be at your party, serving or in any other capacity.”

“I compliment you, Gina. You and your daughter have both handled this situation so well. Rejection can’t be easy and Ashley has been so mature. A credit to you, of course.”

“And will your parents be attending the party?” Carrie asked.

“My parents?” she asked. “They don’t live around here.”

“Oh? Have they moved?” Carrie asked. “Didn’t they used to live between here and Bandon? Your dad worked on a big commercial fishing boat—he was a crabber. Your mother took in sewing and ironing. Right? Because I was just getting my business off the ground while still working here at the diner and they bought one of my first graduation cakes.”

“They wouldn’t come here for a cake,” she said, laughing nervously.

“I advertised,” Carrie said. “I ran coupons. I still have a picture of that cake. And they showed me your picture—so proud of you when you got your diploma. They wanted a flute on it—you played the flute. Nineteen years ago.”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “That would’ve been twenty-two years ago.”

Carrie shook her head. “I was disappointed they didn’t try me for a wedding cake. I so love making wedding cakes. It’s not my specialty, but I think I do a fairly decent job.”

“You’re mixed up, but no matter. No, my parents won’t be coming. They’re not doing very well.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that,” Carrie said. “Please, give them my regards. I’ll be bringing some other servers to your party, not my girls. Anything else you want to check? Still happy with the menu?”

“It’s fine,” she said a bit sourly. “I’d better finish my errands....”

“Till later then, Marjorie,” Carrie said.

When she was gone Gina turned to her mother. “What was that all about?”

“This isn’t her twentieth anniversary. It’s her nineteenth.”

“But Downy is nineteen!”

Carrie shrugged. “Must have taken some time to sort out. I know she didn’t graduate with her class. Her mother told me she dropped out and got a GED. She got pregnant in high school and didn’t marry her husband until after the baby was born.”

Gina was speechless for a moment. “After all the cruel things she’s said to me and about me?”

“I’m sure she thinks no one knows, she’s been lying about it so long. And when was the last time you saw Downy’s grandparents in town? They go visit them, they rarely, if ever, come here. But some of us have been around here a long time.”

“You’ve known this all along?” Gina asked. “And never said anything?”

“It’s not a good idea to make bad karma. It’ll bite you in the ass eventually. But I slipped—she just pushed me too far, bragging on that girl who sent texts of that awful picture of Ashley. In fact, I wouldn’t have taken on this job, but I can’t afford to turn away neighbors in a town of only fifteen hundred. And if they’re decent, I can keep their secrets, but Marjorie tries my patience.”

Gina let a huff of laughter escape her. “All this time...how on earth did you remember? Dates and everything?”

“I never forget a cake,” Carrie said with an innocent shrug.

Thirteen

Cooper set up the RV for Spencer and Austin to use on their upcoming weekend visit. Sarah helped him wipe down the dusty surfaces and she changed the sheets on the bed while he cleaned the bathroom and stocked the refrigerator. “If the boy is going to visit sometimes, he should have a house,” Cooper said. “He has a house in Texas.”

“Don’t be so jittery,” Sarah said. “He’ll love this.”

“It’s a tin can,” Cooper said. “Why have I never had a house?”

“Because you’re shiftless,” she told him with a laugh.

Not only did he make sure Rawley was on board to help him cover the weekend, but he also asked Landon to be there. He couldn’t serve drinks, but he could serve food and help with clean up. And Landon, trying to get ready to take his girl to the prom, was more than happy for the extra work.

Friday afternoon finally arrived and Spencer drove his rental car down the road to the bar. After parking the car, he and Austin headed to the deck surrounding the property. Spencer looked around the bay and promontories, took a deep breath of the coastal air and smiled. “You’re a lucky man, Cooper,” he said.

Austin was quiet, seeming very shy about the whole visit idea. He met the welcoming party—Sarah, Rawley, Landon—politely. He viewed the bay and ocean passively. “Are we going on that?” he asked, pointing to the Jet Ski.

“Sure, I’ll take you out on it,” Cooper said.

“What else will we do?” he asked, looking completely unimpressed.

“Well, we can take the Rhino into town. I can show you how to paddleboard. We can fish off the dock. We’ll find stuff to do.” Cooper felt as if he was drowning—this was not going to be easy.

Then Austin pointed at the toy hauler and asked, “Is that where we’re staying?”