Chapter 27
twenty-seven
QUYNH
F our little words that can make anyone’s heart drop.
Ruth
We need to talk.
Words nobody should be allowed to say unless it was an emergency.
Oh, god, is my father okay?
Quynh
Everything okay?”
Her shaking fingers typed out the response. Quynh chewed on her lip as she stared at the three bouncing dots showing Ruth was typing a response.
Ruth
Can you meet me in an hour at the cafe ?
Quynh gulped as she read the message. This couldn’t possibly be good news.
Quynh
See you soon.
Quynh jumped out of bed. The movement disrupted Pickles from his perch.
She shot him an apologetic expression as she made a mental note to pick up some of his favorite treats on her way back.
She hurriedly got dressed in the clothes she’d brought over last night.
Rushing down the stairs, she forgot completely about the breakfast waiting for her.
She crossed the street and walked into the open garage bay doors. Griffin was working on Shelly when she walked in. He didn’t notice her at first, face frowning as he worked under the hood, muscles flexing with the movement.
Griffin rarely worked on Sundays, but because he was so behind recently, it became a new routine.
Noticing her in the doorway, his face lit up as her heart pounded. His usual frown softened into a slight smile. Her stomach churned with nervous excitement as she noticed how he acted differently around her.
“Morning, sunshine.” He took a step toward her, taking in her appearance. “Everything okay?”
“Oh, yeah, everything’s fine. I’m going to meet Ruth at the cafe.” She bit her lip anxiously, unsure why she needed to tell him her plans when she probably could have just texted him instead.
A part of her wanted to see him before the meeting. Waking up alone for the first time in weeks was disconcerting. She got used to seeing him first thing in the morning. And…she missed him.
“Need me to go with you?” Griffin wiped his hands on a rag as he stepped up to her.
She shook her head and met him halfway. He tossed the rag on the tool bench and reached for her. Quynh melted into his arms, grateful for his embrace.
For a moment, she breathed him in. He smelled of motor oil and grease, but underneath it, he smelled uniquely Griffin.
A blend of sandalwood, spice, and musk. A scent she was quickly becoming addicted to.
It centered her and calmed her. If only she could bottle his essence and bring it with her everywhere.
“No, I’ll be okay.” I think.
“Call me if you need anything.” He gripped her chin in a firm grasp, tilting her head back so he could look into her eyes.
She wasn’t sure what he saw, but whatever it was, it made his mouth tighten.
Quynh thought he’d object to her going by herself.
Instead, he surprised her by placing a gentle kiss on her lips and patting her butt as if to say, “Get outta here.”
Her lips tilted up in a grin.
Lightness filled her chest, a change from the heavy weight Ruth’s text left. It seemed like all she needed was a dose of Griffin to lift her spirits.
The walk to the cafe was uneventful. She waved to the pedestrians as she made her way to Main Street. The town was buzzing with activity as people went about their business. Sundays were a busy day for the otherwise sleepy town.
The bell chimed as she made her way into the cafe.
She didn’t see Ruth inside but waved to her favorite barista, Jodie.
By the time she made it to the counter, Jodie had already rang her order up.
She never thought she’d be one of those people who would be remembered by their order.
Back in the city, she brewed her own coffee at home.
There was never any time for her to stop at a coffee shop before work.
It was a luxury she didn’t have time for.
She would miss this part of her day. There were a lot of things she would miss about Willowbrook. A certain green-eyed, grumpy mechanic flashed through her mind.
Quynh grabbed her coffee and sat at a table in the back. Normally, she would enjoy people watching at the window, but since she didn’t know why Ruth wanted to meet with her, it was probably best if there were no witnesses if it was bad news.
Her gut churned with anxiety. The prospect of meeting with Ruth made her so nervous, even if she was technically family. Even if they met under unfortunate circumstances.
The bell chimed again as another guest arrived.
Glancing up from her coffee cup, she saw Ruth at the entrance.
The glare Ruth shot her way made her want to shrink in her seat.
Instead, she took in a calming breath and wrapped her hands around the hot coffee cup.
It was too hot to drink, and she was not a fan of burning her tongue.
Ruth marched toward her, each step bringing her closer to Quynh. By the time Ruth plopped down in the seat across from her, Quynh’s palms started sweating.
“Ruth. Good morning.”
“Hmmph.”
The silence between them stretched.
“Listen, Quynh. I don’t want to dance around the issue here, but I need to be upfront with you.”
Quynh waited with bated breath for Ruth’s next words. She gestured for Ruth to continue.
“I know you came all this way hoping to cash in on my dad’s inheritance, but that’s not going to happen.”
Rearing back in shock, Quynh gaped at Ruth’s harsh words, confused at the hostility radiating off the woman sitting across from her.
“I’m not here for…”
“Cut the shit. Everyone in town knows why you’re here. ”
Her heart dropped. The heat from her coffee no longer kept her warm.
Instead, she was chilled to her bones. Tentatively, she looked around the small cafe, noticing for the first time Jodie and the other customers averted her gaze, pretending they couldn’t hear every single word of the embarrassing exchange.
“Ruth…I-I don’t know what to say.” She fought the urge to sink further in her chair. If only the floor could open up and swallow her whole.
“Say you’re leaving town.” Ruth sat back, arms crossed across her chest. The glare she shot Quynh cut through her like a sharp knife. Any hope she had of getting to know her stepsister was gone like the wind.
“But…”
Her only remaining family didn’t even want her. Heat crept through her, the shame threatening to consume her.
Ruth rolled her eyes at her, which only made her feel ten times smaller.
“Look. Dad doesn’t have much time left. I’ve already talked to his lawyer and made sure that everything’s taken care of.
If you’re looking for a fat check, you’ll be sadly disappointed, so you don’t need to stick around anymore.
” Ruth paused, hands adjusting the thin scarf loosely wrapped around her neck.
“I only found out about you a few years ago, you know.”
Quynh’s brows pinched together in confusion.
“Dear old dad tried to find you for years. Hired multiple private investigators too, but it was like you vanished into thin air.” Ruth brought her fingers together and threw her hands up dramatically. “Poof. Gone.”
Hearing someone cared enough to look for her should have filled her heart with joy, but what she felt was the complete opposite.
“He was obsessed with finding you.” Ruth curled her lip up in distaste. “Couldn’t be bothered to care for the daughter he actually had.” She sat back with a huff of annoyance, blonde hair swaying with the movement.
At a complete loss for words, Quynh tucked her cold hands between her thighs.
“I’m sorry you feel that way…”
“Yeah, whatever. I mean, I get it. Mom was a complete bitch.” She let out a dry laugh.
“I didn’t even know I had a sister until a few years ago, so I’m sorry if it’s hard to welcome a new family member with open arms.” Ruth turned her head, looking off in the distance, chewing on her bottom lip in a familiar gesture.
“Sure…”
“He only found you because you started searching for him, you know. If you hadn’t put your information in the ancestral thing, he never would have found you.” Ruth leveled Quynh with a withering glare. What was left of her hope for a happy reunion shriveled under her gaze.
“I’m sorry.” The words were whispered under her breath. There really wasn’t much for her to say at this point.
Ruth glanced at her cell phone on the table.
“Yeah, well, I have to get going.” She got up to leave while Quynh sat glued to her seat.
“Oh, and let’s keep this between us girls, yeah?
” Her hand moved between them. “Dad doesn’t need to know that his girls aren’t besties.
Probably would kill him.” Ruth rolled her eyes and turned away.
Quynh’s lips parted, aghast at the implications. She watched helplessly as Ruth turned her back and left the cafe without a backward glance.
Fighting back tears, Quynh slumped in her seat.
Her cheeks heated as she overheard people whispering about the encounter.
Their harsh criticisms sliced her like a thousand paper cuts.
For the first time since she arrived in Willowbrook, her heart felt heavy.
Like heavy chains wrapped around the bleeding organ tied to a cement block weighing her down.
It threatened to drag her under her waves of despair.
Sniffling, Quynh covertly wiped away the tears that escaped despite her best efforts, breath shallow as she fought for control over her emotions. She couldn’t break down. Not now, and certainly not in a room full of strangers.
Strangers she was so hopeful of calling friends one day .
You’re a fool, Quynh.
That was the thing about hope. It was a dangerous emotion. One she wished she never had, but the illusion of a happy life here in Willowbrook was so irresistible. One where she lived in a town where she could plant her roots. A family to call her own. A man to call hers. But it was all an illusion.
Now, all she had left were the broken fragments of her dreams.
E scaping from the cafe was harder than she thought possible.
Trying to ignore all the curious glances and keeping her head held high was a testament to her strength.
It was embarrassing enough to have witnesses to her family drama.
She didn’t need to add letting complete strangers see her cry in public to the list.
The walk to the bookstore helped Quynh’s mood.
When she opened the doors, the scent of books lifted her spirits.
Just a tiny bit. Enough for her to forget about the last twenty minutes.
As she browsed the latest romance books on the shelves, she almost jumped with joy at the new fantasy book she requested, yanking the thick book off the shelf and hugging it tightly to her chest.
There was nothing a good book couldn’t solve.
Usually, she limited herself to one book at a time, knowing her pile of unread books was hopelessly longer than her lifespan, but today, she needed a pick-me-up.
An instant mood booster. There was no way she was going back to Griffin an emotional wreck.
He’d notice the change in her mood immediately, and she wasn’t quite ready to divulge any of her family drama quite yet.
She wanted to stay in the happy bubble just for a while longer.
The universe owed her that much.
So, she went up and down every aisle of the romance section, picking up books she had been eyeing for weeks until she held a stack so large she couldn’t see over it.
The bookstore owner, Lana, was more than happy to see how many books she picked out when she rang her order up. She barely resisted the urge to plug her fingers in her ears as she handed over her credit card. Her happy mood didn’t need to be ruined by how much she spent.
It was a problem for future Quynh.
Present Quynh was as happy as she could possibly be in this moment, and it was all she needed.