CHAPTER FORTY

BROOKE

 

Brooke awoke with a sense of disappointment knowing her time in Boise had been too short. After dinner, she and Dylan had walked through the downtown area, loving the fun, active vibe of the city. She saw a lot of blue and orange shirts representing Boise State University and loved the support people of all ages gave to the football program and other local sports teams. It was like a real community, not just the capital of the state.

After they’d both showered and repacked, they went downstairs for breakfast and then grabbed an Uber to the airport. Once there, Dylan called his parents while waiting for their flight to take off. “Sorry we couldn’t meet for breakfast, but as I explained last night, Brooke has to get back to Florida. There’s a wedding coming up in a few days, the second in a week, and she has to help with the event because Charlie and Shane are going to be away for a few days.”

When Dylan hung up, Brooke said, “They understand?”

“Yes, but they hope to come to Florida sometime soon to see for themselves all you and your cousins are doing at the Inn.”

“It’ll be nice to have them visit. I know Mimi will be ecstatic.”

“I’m sure before the morning is over, she and my mom will have talked. I’m pleased that my parents like you.”

Brooke smiled. “My mother sent me a text early this morning. She likes you a lot and told your mother how sweet you’ve been to her. So, I guess we don’t have to worry about our families.”

“Nope, not at all,” said Dylan. “Time to board the plane. Let’s go.”

The trip, with a plane change in Dallas, took most of the day.

Late afternoon, when she saw Livy and Charlotte at the airport waiting for them in the baggage claim area as planned, Brooke’s eyes stung with tears.

She waved and moved forward to embrace each one as Dylan went to find their luggage.

“It’s great to see you,” Brooke said. “It feels as if I’ve been gone for weeks, not days. You won’t believe all the things I’ve done, what I’ve seen, and, Livy, all the interesting food I’ve eaten.”

Livy laughed. “I’m always up to listen to that. I love your necklace. That’s new.”

“You’d go crazy at all the beautiful jewelry in Santa Fe. And then we stopped in Boise to meet Dylan’s parents. It’s been a whirlwind trip, but wonderful.”

“I vaguely remember Dylan’s parents. His mother is a real live-wire,” said Livy.

Brooke laughed at the memory of her first impression of KK. “She’s a lot of fun and very kind. Gordon, Dylan’s father, is a sweetheart. I like them both.”

“That’s really important,” said Charlotte. “I’m thankful I like Shane’s father and stepmother. His mother was a disaster and could’ve made things very unpleasant for us.”

“I’m glad you won’t have to deal with that,” said Brooke. “How are things at the Inn?”

“The wedding over the weekend was a smashing success,” said Livy proudly. “The next one should be a lot easier because of it.”

“I think we have it down to a system. It too will be a late morning ceremony. That timing seems to work best—the service and then a lovely luncheon before the bride and groom leave for their honeymoon, and the rest of the wedding party unwinds at the Inn,” said Charlotte.

“From Tampa, one can fly almost anywhere easily,” said Livy. “Or even better, from Miami.”

“I still think we need a special bridal suite with privacy,” said Charlotte. “It would be lovely if we could have a small, separate building on the property, just for that.”

“Let’s work on a plan,” said Brooke, turning as Dylan approached with their bags.

“Already at work?” Dylan teased.

She laughed, but it felt good to be back.

###

That evening, she and Dylan discussed sleeping arrangements and decided that Dylan should stay at Mimi’s, but they’d carve out time to be together at Gran’s house where there was a better chance of privacy.

“Feels like I just took fifteen years off my life,” Dylan grumbled. “But I see Mimi’s point. With Skye in the house, we have to be careful. She doesn’t miss a thing.”

“We can be together as often as we can work it out,” said Brooke.

###

When Brooke wasn’t working at the Inn, she spent as much time with him in the studio as possible. It seemed as if once she started painting, she couldn’t stop. Ideas and colors flew around her. A blank canvas was no longer a challenge, but an invitation.

But work beckoned to her too. The upcoming wedding was a bit of a challenge because the groom was a veteran of the Afghanistan conflict and had trouble walking. But he wanted to be married on the beach.

Brooke quickly turned to Adam, who’d returned to Sanderling Cove with his ex-wife, Summer, and asked him to build a walkway to a platform they could move to the sand for the ceremony.

“Sure thing,” said Adam. “This will give me a chance to keep busy while Summer and Skye have time to be together to begin to heal.”

“Sounds like a good plan,” Brooke said, giving him encouragement. But she, along with Charlotte and Livy, were wondering if the self-absorbed woman who acted younger than her years would stick around. Livy had already had one run-in with her about Summer demanding catering service to her home during breakfast hour with the guests. Another time, Charlotte had to explain that the Inn wasn’t there for the cove families’ use unless they were paying guests.

###

The time for the wedding drew near. With fifty guests, the Inn would be fully booked. A late morning service, followed by a lovely lunch, was the beginning of a party weekend for the guests. The bride and groom had opted to spend their wedding night at the Inn to party with them.

Brooke helped Livy prepare frozen appetizers for their regular guests for the two evenings the wedding party would be in-house. They didn’t want to do anything to annoy their regular guests by cutting back on service. Extra staff was on standby, ready to serve.

Brooke handled the financial details while Charlotte followed the check list they’d drawn up for it. Livy, bless her heart, stuck to food preparation. Instead of a regular wedding cake, the bride wanted an assortment of cupcakes with fancy icing in different colors and flavors. The cupcakes could be made ahead of time and frozen, but the icing was a different story. Livy easily made rosettes and all kinds of designs. But she wanted to do something special combining both design and taste.

Brooke and Charlotte joined her in the kitchen one afternoon to help her.

“I need your advice,” said Livy. She’d made a number of icing flowers in different colors and placed them on a tray. “Some of the flavors make it a little harder to flow from my pastry bag. See which flavors you like best.”

“You want us to taste the flowers?” Charlotte said with a gleam in her eye.

Livy laughed. “Go for it! I want to get it down to four different flavors and styles.”

Brooke took a finger and swiped at a yellow flower. The taste of lemon filled her mouth. “I’m just getting started but I definitely vote for the yellow flowers.”

“I like the orange ones,” said Charlotte licking her finger.

“Those two are easy,” said Livy. “Taste the others.”

In the end, they kept the lemon and orange, and then went with a pineapple flavor and a white mint one.

“The cakes are white, chocolate, and orange,” said Livy.

“It’s such a fun idea,” said Brooke. “Perhaps one for your wedding, Charlie.”

Charlotte smiled. “We’ll see.”

“I’m feeling a little lonely, guys,” said Livy. “Charlie, you and Brooke are getting settled. But I haven’t even met someone I’m interested in.”

Brooke cocked an eyebrow. “What about Eric? You’re spending a lot of time on his boat.”

“We’re just friends,” said Livy. “That’s how I want to keep things.”

“When you’re ready, the guys will line up,” said Charlotte, placing an arm around Livy’s shoulders.

“Yes,” agreed Brooke. “You’re the one all the guys like.”

“Maybe,” said Livy. “I do make a mean cookie.”

Brooke and Charlotte laughed, and soon Livy joined in.