“Are you... upset that she’s changing things?”
Sylvia made a face. “Why would I be upset? That place needed shaking up. If she’s got the energy for it, more power to her. I’m more than happy to step back and give her a chance to shine.”
“I’m not pushing you out, Mom,” Rosie said carefully. “I’m so grateful for all your help. You’ve kept the bookstore going all this time and I can never thank you enough.”
“Don’t be silly. I loved it. Who wouldn’t love working at a bookstore?” Sylvia said. “Maybe after a few months, I’ll see if Emma might be willing to give me a job there, just for fun. That way I can take time when I want to travel, without all the responsibility.”
Had she been holding her mother back all this time from doing what she wanted by asking her to run the bookstore? She should have sold The Rainy Day Bookshop years ago but her mother would never hear of it whenever Rosie brought it up.
“If I worked there a few afternoons a week, I could still hang out with customers, which is my favorite part. I could dowithout any of the management responsibility. I’m more than happy to pass all that nonsense along to Emma.”
Rosie felt a deep relief. She had been trying to figure out how to gently talk to her mother about her desire to keep Emma there longer than the summer.
“I love you, Mom. I know I don’t tell you that nearly often enough.”
“I love as you as well, my dear,” Sylvia said, taking another bite of her crepe.
Their relationship had not always been easy. Sylvia had argued long and hard against her marrying Gary at such a young age and tying herself down to one place. Rosie knew she carried some lingering resentment for that as well as for the nomadic nature of her childhood that prevented her from establishing any roots.
Still, she always knew her mother had her best interests at heart. Just as Rosie had Emma’s.
She frowned, remembering what had started their conversation. “I really wish you would tell me what you and Emma were talking about.”
Sylvia looked unconcerned. “And I wish I could still do the splits. Too bad we can’t always have what we want.”
She sighed, recognizing her mother’s obstinacy.
She wanted to ask Emma again when she and Olive came back downstairs while Rosie was clearing up the kitchen, but she didn’t have the nerve. She didn’t want to risk anything that would damage the fragile peace they had built.
“We’re going on our hike,” Olive announced, looking exactly as Emma had at her age, feisty and adorable.
“I hope you have a wonderful time,” Rosie said, drying her hands so she could hug her granddaughter.
She had a fleeting wish that she had changed her mind andagreed to go with them, but she quickly squelched it for the same reasons as before. She really did need to weed her garden and Emma needed time alone with her daughter.
“Maybe we will find some shells. I want to find a purple one.”
“I hope you do.” She hugged her again and then on impulse hugged her daughter. Physical affection had been limited between them since Emma’s return. Rosie hadn’t wanted to overwhelm her daughter by being too effusive in her affection.
As she felt Emma hug her back, first awkwardly and then more genuinely, her heart seemed to give a happy little flip. She could not ask for anything more than to have these two people she loved so much back in her life on a daily basis.
She would do whatever necessary to keep them close.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Andrew
This wasn’t a bad way to spend a morning, Andrew thought as he adjusted Finn’s helmet, double-checked Zara’s, and put on his own.
The morning was sunny and bright, with the air smelling fresh and clean from all the rain and sunlight gleaming on the water. A few more days like this and he might begin to think living here in Oregon hadn’t been the worst idea ever.
“Okay. Ready to do this?”
The kids grinned at him.
“Yes. Let’s go,” Zara said.
They took off with Finn in front. Zara followed behind him on her pink mountain bike and Andrew took up the rear so that he could keep a careful eye on both of his children.
