After All (Cape Harbor #1)(100)
He had been looking forward to the homecoming game for weeks and was excited that Brystol wanted him to go. He wouldn’t care if she ran off to sit with her friends; he just wanted to be there with her.
“Where are you working today?” Brooklyn asked before Bowie left the room.
He walked over to her and pulled her into his arms. “I’m all over town. I’m bidding on a job downtown, and I need to check on the reno for the Goldbergs’ house. Going to go to lunch with Grady.” He, too, had been trying to rebuild his friendship with Grady. It was a process for all, but one that was definitely coming along.
“Do you need my help at the Goldbergs’?”
He shook his head. “The designer on the job is top notch and has laid out every detail for us to follow. I think I’m okay on this one.” They both smiled. While Brooklyn was busy with the inn, she hadn’t given up on her career, because Bowie had found a way for her to do both. She was a consultant for his company, helping him at night with designs. It was the best of both worlds—although she missed being knee deep in the process and watching a transformation take place, she also loved working at the inn. The place was going to be her daughter’s legacy, and she wanted to make sure the business was sustainable in the future. If their calendar was any indication, Brystol wasn’t going to have any issues when she took over.
“Well, you know where to find me,” she said.
“That I do.” He leaned down and kissed her until they heard Brystol thumping her way down the stairs.
Later that evening, while Bowie took Brystol to the football game, Simone, Monroe, Mila, and Brooklyn stood in the center of the ballroom and stared at the walls and ceiling. Brooklyn had drawn plans of what she wanted the room to look like, but bringing her ideas to life was another challenge.
“Remember when we had every school dance here?” Mila said, sipping her mocha-java-latte double shot of something that didn’t make sense to anyone but her.
“The light from the lighthouse would always spotlight us when we were dancing,” Monroe added.
“I think it’s very special that you’re hosting homecoming, Brooklyn. All of the parents dropping their children off tomorrow night will be able to reminisce,” Simone said proudly. For weeks, Brooklyn had had her seek out old photos from previous homecomings. The photos were now attached to boards, categorized by years. It was Brooklyn’s way of bringing the inn back to its former self.
“I think Carly would approve.” Brooklyn leaned into Simone a little and gave her a smile. She was very happy that Simone had stayed on as staff. The inn ran smoothly, and Brooklyn would be lost without her. “Okay,” she said, clapping her hands together. “These lights aren’t going to hang themselves, and these balloons aren’t going to get filled still sitting in their bags. Let’s do this, ladies!”
“I’m not sure I can handle your enthusiasm,” Mila retorted. Monroe gave her sister a dirty look before pushing her toward a box.
“You can and you will. I know this was where you had your first kiss, right under the chandelier.” Monroe twirled her sister in a circle. “Being here was always so magical. We can be part of the team that brought that back to Cape Harbor High.”
Mila rolled her eyes but smiled at her sister. They proceeded over to the mass quantity of balloons and the portable helium tank. As everyone got to work, the local DJ arrived. He brought in his equipment and tested out his new tracks as the decorations went up. While lights were strung around the room by Brooklyn, Simone put the linens on each table, and Mila and Monroe worked on the balloons. Bouquets of balloons would go on the back of every other chair, while some would be on the floor. In her mind, Brooklyn saw a fairy tale of a dance happening. She wanted to make it special, not just for the other kids but Brystol as well. This was her first homecoming of many, much to Bowie’s apprehension. He was adamant that his daughter be a wallflower because he knew all too well that male hormones were out of control at this age. Brooklyn, on the other hand, was happy to watch her daughter create lasting memories and excited to see her baby girl all dressed up.
As was tradition, the inn offered a dinner special for the teens attending the dance. There weren’t a lot of restaurants in the area to choose from—when Carly had started this, she had wanted to give the teens a fancier option and teach them how to make a reservation for dinner. Brooklyn was doing the same. She kept the menu simple, with roasted chicken or salmon, potatoes, and vegetables, along with rolls, butter, and a dinner salad. Dessert wasn’t offered because there was a cake at the dance, but she did place dinner mints on the table to encourage those who had the fish to freshen up.
There was a valet out front to park cars and open limousine doors. Girls in pretty dresses with corsages on their wrists and young men dressed in suits entered through the double glass doors and were greeted by their principal. The string of lights gave the ballroom enough of an ambience to make the teens feel like they’d been transported anywhere but the Driftwood Inn.
Brooklyn stayed in the shadows as her daughter walked in. She was with her new friends, and the group of them had spent the day downtown getting their hair and nails done. For dinner, they had been treated to a special meal prepared by one of the girls’ parents at their house, instead of coming back to the inn. Brooklyn had kept waiting for an invite from her daughter to take pictures beforehand, but it never came. She was hurt but knew Brystol was spreading her wings and discovering who she was. By the next dance, Brooklyn was confident she would be involved. Besides, she’d had a lot to do at the inn to get it ready.