Page 65 of A Fall to Remember

“I’m good. I’ll see you back in Seattle, okay?” Shelby hung up. This weekend was turning into her worst nightmare. She didn’t know what had come over her with Pete. But her sister’s call instantly rooted her back in reality. It was time to forget about Half Moon Bay and any imagined fairy-tale endings. Her real-world problems weren’t going away. She needed to get out of here now. It was time to head back to Seattle. Regroup, and get the promotion and bonus she deserved before Jim had a chance to steal it out from under her.

50

MIRANDA

Miranda rose with the sun the next morning, feeling the weight of last night crushing down upon her. Jim was probably already packing and preparing to head to San Francisco for his flight back to Seattle. Just like that—he was gone. She went about the motions of prepping the store, but her heart wasn’t in it. The door jingled, and for the briefest moment, she thought it might be Jim. It was Pete.

“You’re up early, honey.” She turned down the music and gestured to the coffee. “Latte?”

“Can you make it a double?” He pulled up a seat at the counter and slumped into the chair.

“That kind of night for you, too?” She hated seeing him down, but truthfully, it was all she could do to pull herself up right now. She’d been so sure her future was with Jim.

“The worst.” He nodded.

Miranda steamed milk, added a dash of cinnamon and vanilla syrup to a mug, and then poured in strong shots of espresso. “You want to talk about it?” she asked, handing him the spicy latte.

“I kissed Shelby,” he blurted out, cupping his hands around the mug. His face turned boyish. Miranda could see four-year-old Pete looking up at her, admitting he’d snuck a gooey chocolate chip cookie before dinner.

“You did? Interesting.” Miranda hid a smile. So that explained it. He looked uncomfortable around Lacy because he was attracted to Shelby. “I wondered if there was a spark between you two.”

“I sort of thought so, too, but she took off after I kissed her, so probably not a good sign.” He sipped the latte. “It doesn’t matter now. She and Jim are heading back to Seattle today. What did he have to say about the video?”

“He swears it wasn’t a setup, but I’m not sure what to think.” Miranda’s cheeks sank at the thought of Jim leaving. She desperately wanted to believe him, but could she?

“Do you believe him?”

“Yes.” Miranda sighed. “And I also think maybe it all happened for a reason. Things were moving fast. I was getting ahead of myself.” She didn’t entirely believe that. She was old enough to recognize love.

“Mom, there’s more.” Pete wrapped his hands around the coffee mug and blew on it. “We got cut off yesterday, but there’s something I need to tell you.”

Miranda clutched the counter. Here it was. She knew something had been bothering him. She just hoped she was prepared to handle whatever it was. Her mind raced with every worst-case scenario. Was he unhappy in Half Moon Bay? Was it work? Had he lost his job? Or had she done something inadvertently to upset him?

“Anything, honey.” She squeezed his wrist. “There’s nothing you can do or say that would ever change how much I love you.”

Pete sat up taller, like he was working up the courage, but he didn’t speak. He stared at his coffee and nodded.

Miranda busied herself making another latte. She’d learned sometimes it was easier to take the pressure off and give him space. She steamed milk and glanced over her shoulder. “But this isn’t about Shelby?” she asked gently, returning her attention to the espresso machine.

“No. It’s about me.” Pete’s chest rose and fell as he took deep breaths. Then he pushed his coffee to the side and shoved his hair from his face. “Mom, I don’t know how to say this, so I guess I’ll just come out with it. I’ve been trying to find my birth father. I’ve been looking for him for a couple of years.” He blurted out the confession so quickly that Miranda had to pause for a minute to make sure she heard him correctly.

“Your dad. You’re looking for your dad.” The air deflated from Miranda’s chest with relief. She should have seen that coming. Over the years, she had tried to check in semi-frequently and had been nothing but forthcoming about her one-night stand. Miranda had attempted to find Pete’s dad, too, but had never been able to track him down. “Okay.” She let out a long breath and brought her coffee to the counter. Then she pressed her hand to her throat and met his eyes. “Let’s talk about it. I’ll follow your lead. And also let me say that I’m so honored you’re trusting me, and I am in full support of whatever you need.”

Pete glanced at her and drummed his fingers on the counter. His voice cracked a little. “Thanks, Mom. I know that. I truly do. I guess I needed to start this process on my own. For me. If that makes sense?”

Miranda nodded. It did make sense, and it mirrored her conversation with Jim. Pete needed autonomy as an adult, and now it was her job to take a step back and let him steer the ship. “It absolutely makes sense.” She sipped her coffee. “Have you had any luck? Do you need any help?”

He propped his elbows on the counter and rested his chin in his hands. “Not yet. I’ve had a couple of leads, but nothing has come of them. I’ve used the information you shared about the conference, but like you’ve always said, they didn’t keep electronic records of attendees, so I’ve hit a brick wall. I think I’m ready to hire a private detective agency to help in the search.”

“That’s a smart idea.” She smiled over the rim of her coffee. Her heart swelled with pride. She was so proud of him. Taking the lead. Pursuing what he needed and wanted. She could learn a lot from him.

“The agency isn’t far from here. They said they can get started soon, but I wanted to make sure you’re okay with this.” Pete attempted an apologetic smile. “I feel bad for not telling you.”

“No. Honey, no.” Miranda shook her head with force. “I’m not upset in the slightest. In fact, I’m beaming with pride internally. I always wanted to be truthful with you about your father and the situation, but I didn’t want to dictate it either. I think it’s important for you to be the one who decides whether you want to find him and if you want a relationship, and I promise I’m always on your side.”

Pete’s eyes welled with tears. “I appreciate that. I just hope we can find him, you know?”

She walked around the counter, wrapped him in the fiercest hug, and whispered, “We’ll find him. We’ll find him together.”