After All (Cape Harbor #1)(97)

“I love it; thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“So now what?” Brystol asked.

“Now, we sail back and go have dinner with your grandparents and Bowie’s parents.”

“Who are my grandparents as well.”

Bowie and Brooklyn nodded.

“Do your parents want a grandchild?”

“Very much so,” he told her. “I haven’t told them yet. We wanted to tell you first.”

As the boat rocked back and forth, Brystol looked out over the water and fiddled with her necklace. “Mom, can we stay? Please?”

Brooklyn nodded again.

“We’re staying?” Brystol stood, and instinctively Bowie moved closer, ready to catch her if she wobbled.

“Nonnie left everything to you, Brystol. Technically, when you turn eighteen, the inn is yours.”

Her eyes went wide. “Does that mean I can paint it hot pink?”

Both Bowie and Brooklyn yelled out, “No!” and Brystol laughed. Her smile quickly diminished though, her mood changing.

“I’m going to need some time to process all of this, especially the dad part, but I think things are going to be good.”

“Understood,” Bowie said. “I’m still trying to process it all myself. One day, I’m just a guy, and the next day I have a teenage daughter who likes my dog more than she likes me,” he said, shrugging.

Brystol laughed a bit. “Do you think we could go back? I sort of miss him.”

“Me too, kiddo. Me too.”





THIRTY-SIX

After they pulled into port, Brooklyn showed Brystol how to tie the boat to the dock. She was surprised she still remembered after all these years. While they waited for Bowie, she played with her daughter’s necklace.

“This is beautiful.”

“Thanks.” Brystol looked into her mother’s eyes. “Are you sad?”

“Yeah, I am. I’m sad for you and Bowie. You’ve lost a lot of time together. It’s not fair to either of you. That’s time you’ll never get back.”

“But we can make new memories, right?”

“I know Bowie would love that. He wants to be a part of your life, any way you want him to.”

“And yours?”

Brooklyn smiled softly. “I’m going to ask Bowie to move in with us. I’m in love with him. I have been for a long time.”

“Then why did it take us so long to come back here?”

She chuckled. “Oh, sweetie. I’ve been asking myself the same question. I don’t know. I’ve carried a lot of guilt over your . . . Austin’s death and thought people in town wouldn’t want me.”

“I’ll always want you,” Bowie said as he jumped onto the dock. “Both of you.”

Brooklyn hadn’t expected Brystol to answer, and she suspected that Bowie felt the same. She made sure Bowie knew exactly what she wanted, though. “I was just telling Brystol here that I’m going to ask you to move in with us. That’s if you don’t mind living in Carly’s house.”

“How do you feel?” He directed his question toward his daughter.

“I mean, Mom loves you, and Luke would be there all the time, so it’s a win-win, plus you still have a lot of work to do on my inn.” She brought her hands up and shrugged. Her parents started laughing, and her mother put her arm around her shoulders, and they walked toward the parking lot. “If Bowie moves in, can Luke sleep with me?”

“I have a feeling he will no matter where I tell him to sleep.”

“Works for me,” she said.

Bowie drove them back to the carriage house. They’d have one more day of rest before construction would pick back up on the inn. Minus the work vehicles, everything on the outside was shaping up nicely. New asphalt would be poured soon, and the landscaping had started before Carly passed away, but it was the inside that tied everything together. Between the two of them, they had taken Carly’s vision and brought it to life. Everything looked pristine, and the rooms felt like the perfect tranquil getaway. They would start advertising as soon as Simone committed to running the operation. Brooklyn could do it, but she wasn’t ready to give up her design company just yet.

When they arrived back at the house, both sets of parents were there, inside and waiting. No one knew why they were called over, just that they were having dinner. Brooklyn was pleased to see the table set and the many casserole dishes spread out for them.

“I’m starving,” Bowie said as he entered the kitchen. Brooklyn’s parents and his stared as he went by.

“I think he lost his manners at sea,” Brooklyn muttered to them.

“I’m not sure the boy ever had any,” Linda added.

“I heard that, Mom,” he said from the other room.

“Well, you’re all here, so let’s eat. There’s a few things we need to discuss.” Brooklyn led everyone into the dining room, where they gathered around the small island, dishing various foods onto their plates.

“I can’t thank you enough for all your help, Linda.”

“Oh, Brooklyn, it was the least I could do. Gary and your father took the flowers over to the hospital and placed some at Austin and Skip’s marker.”