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He nodded. “I don’t think you’ll find him. If he wanted us to know where he was, he’d reach out.”
“Well, we’ll see. I’m glad you went out and had fun tonight. Have a good night.”
Carter set the laptop on his nightstand, his mind churning with thoughts of his father and of Darcy. The last thing he wanted was to see his father—the man who had abandoned him, his mother, and his sister. But most likely, Shauna wouldn’t find him. At least, he hoped she didn’t. Their father was where he deserved to be, which was gone from their lives.
Chapter6
Darcy sipped a glass of sweet tea while she sat on her parents’ enormous back deck the following afternoon. She breathed in the fresh, warm, late-April air. Birds sang in the large trees lining her parents’ property, and bees buzzed among her mother’s colorful flowers. She looked out over the spacious backyard that included a large in-ground pool; a cabana house; her father’s detached, three-bay garage with the apartment above it; and a shed—all surrounded by a privacy fence.
She shifted toward her parents beside her, and a familiar feeling overtook her. Not for the first time, she contemplated how she’d never felt like she fit into the family. She didn’t resemble either of them. Both of her parents were tall—much taller than she was. At the age of sixty-eight, her mother still had gorgeous, creamy skin, along with glossy dark hair and deep-blue eyes. Very few wrinkles marked her complexion, and she had the warmest smile Darcy had ever known. Josephine Larsen stood at five feet ten, and while Darcy had always hoped she’d reach her mother’s height, she had stopped growing when she’d reached five feet, six inches.
Dad had had salt-and-pepper hair and a matching goatee for as long as Darcy could remember. With broad shoulders and dark-brown eyes, Ross Larsen was still fit at the age of seventy. He was so kind and gave the best hugs. And Darcy would always consider him, at six feet tall, larger than life.
Darcy ran her fingers over the condensation on her glass as thoughts of her biological mother filled her mind. Had Darcy inherited her blonde hair and green eyes from her? If or when she found a photo of her biological mother, would she recognize her? Would her birth mother recognize her if they ever met?
Her lungs squeezed, and she tried to abandon those thoughts before turning toward her mother. “What is your book club reading this month?”
Mom’s blue eyes lit with excitement. “Oh, it’s the newest Kathleen Fuller book. Darcy, it’s so good. Would you like to borrow it after I finish it?”
“Of course.” She enjoyed talking about books with her mom. She still remembered curling up on her mom’s lap every night as she listened to her read her favorite childhood stories.
Will Mom forgive me if I go looking for my biological mother?
Darcy turned her attention to her father. “Are you planning to take your truck to any car shows this year?”
Dad lifted a bushy eyebrow. “You haven’t gone to a car show with me since you were in high school. Why the sudden interest now?”
Because of Carter. “I actually went to one in Flowering Grove last night.”
“Is that right?” Dad grinned. “Did you go on purpose or stumble upon it?”
Darcy immediately regretted bringing up the subject since it would force her to talk about another failed blind date, but she pushed on. “Derek decided to set me up with another one of his friends. The date was a disaster, but the car show was fun.”
“How was it a disaster?” Mom asked.
Darcy summarized how Mason spent the entire night on the phone with his ex-girlfriend. “But I still had a good time with Haven and Derek.” She clutched her glass and then decided to share more details. “And I ran into Carter Donovan, the mechanic who rescued me when my car broke down.”
“Oh, so there’s the truth.” Mom pointed a perfectly manicured finger at her. “You’ve met someone.”
Ugh. “No, not exactly. We’re just friends.”
“Your dad and I started out as friends in dental school. Right, Ross?”
Dad gave Mom a sweet smile. “Yes, we did.”
“So you and Carter could turn into more than friends,” Mom sang.
Darcy shook her head. “I’m not ready for that.”
“But you need to get to know some new people, Darcy,” Mom continued. “You’re too young to be alone.”
“Josie,” Dad began, “let’s not push her. She’s been through a lot for someone her age...”
Dad’s words trailed off, but Darcy knew he was thinking of Jace. She swallowed as the familiar guilt and grief rose inside of her.
He placed his hand on Darcy’s shoulder. “Take your time, sweetie. But if you feel like your friendship may lead to something special, then follow your heart.”
Darcy smiled. Her dad always knew how to calm her. “Thanks. But back to the earlier question: Would you please let me know if you’re taking your truck to any shows?”
