Beach House Reunion (Beach House #5)(39)

Cara added, “You learned from the best.”

Linnea accepted the probe stick with reverence. “You can’t know how much this means to me.” She couldn’t put all the emotions into words. How being back on the turtle team, working with these dedicated women, teaching Hope and then Willa and hopefully many more curious young of all ages, she felt again the passion that had brought her to study environmental science years ago.

Suddenly, with a brilliant clarity, Linnea knew what she wanted to do with her degree—and more, her life.

“Thank you,” she said, realizing that sometimes a few words said the most.



Chapter Ten



Female loggerheads have great endurance. During the three months or so that a female loggerhead breeds, she will travel hundreds of miles to nest, lay thirty-five pounds (sixteen kilograms) of eggs—or more—and swim back to her home foraging area, all without eating anything significant.

AFTER A LOVELY dinner of poached salmon, salad, and biscuits with a crisp chenin blanc, Cara put Hope to bed while Linnea cleared the table, stacked the dishwasher, tidied the counters, and picked up the last of the toys. The days flowed by and they’d fallen into this pattern, which turned out to suit them both. While she did the dishes, Linnea heard the water splashing in the tub while Hope got her bath, then the melodic tones of Cara’s voice as she changed her into pajamas and sang Hope to sleep.

Linnea lingered in the kitchen to bake a few healthy snack cookies. She loved to cook and bake, unlike Cara, and enjoyed reigning over the kitchen. Cara was a grateful recipient who let Linnea plan the menus and cook anything she wished within reason, footing the bill.

She knew her aunt was struggling financially. But Cara always made her feel like they were well-off and never let her worry if she wanted a good piece of fish. “Life is too short to eat badly,” she always said. Cara had worldliness, a self-confidence and straightforwardness that Linnea admired. One always knew where one stood with her. There was no subterfuge or false smiles, like with Linnea’s mother.

Her father had often told her that though she looked like her grandmother, in fact she was a lot like his sister, her aunt Cara. He usually said this whenever she argued back or “gave him lip.” Linnea chuckled, relishing the comparison. This summer she vowed to be more confident and unafraid to trust in her choices, just like her aunt.

She hung the towel on the rack, flicked off the lights, and walked across the living room, intending to watch a little television. A noise on the windward deck caught her attention, so she detoured through the sunroom and slid open the sliding door. She spotted her aunt sitting on the deck in her robe with her long bare legs up on a spare chair, a glass of wine in her hand. On the teak table were a bottle of wine, a spare glass, and a flickering candle. It was a balmy, sweet-smelling night, perfect for sitting outdoors.

“Am I disturbing you?”

“Not at all! I was waiting for you. Sit down. Want some wine? I have a glass for you.”

“Why, thanks. Love one.”

She poured a glass for herself while Cara moved from her chair to pull a large old-style steamer trunk toward her. Linnea drew near, her curiosity piqued.

“First of all, I’m loving the old steamer trunk.”

Cara smiled mischievously. “You’re going to love what’s in it more. Go ahead. Open it.”

Cara sank back in her chair and watched as Linnea set her wineglass on the table and approached the chest. The aura of Christmas was in the air. She pulled out the lock and lifted the lid. The smell of mothballs tickled her nose. The trunk was filled with women’s clothes. Linnea reached in and pulled out a sage cotton shirtdress with white piping that looked like it was from the 1950s.

“Oh, it can’t be!” Linnea exclaimed. “Are these Lovie’s clothes?”

Cara had to laugh at her expression. “Only the best. She saved all her favorites and the designer clothes. There’s quite a collection. She was tiny, but so are you. I’m thinking you’ll find some winners in there.”

Linnea was beside herself. This was a treasure trove! She dove in and began pulling out skirts, one more beautiful than the last. Tops and sweaters and— Oh! She unfolded a cocktail dress with a twirl skirt that was breathtaking. Linnea put it against her body and spun in a circle.

“Cara, I can’t believe you’re giving all of these to me! Thank you! I love them.”

“Who else would I give them to? They belong to you.”

“I’m going to spend every free minute tomorrow trying each piece on. We’ll have a fashion show.”

Cara stretched her legs back out on the opposite chair. “I remember whenever we came back from a shopping trip on King Street, Mama would have me show my new clothes to my father before dinner. She called it the fashion show.” Cara smiled. “Those are some of the happier memories with my father.”

Linnea put the clothing back into the trunk and closed it with a sigh of contentment.

“You look like the cat that caught the canary,” Cara said.

“Don’t let Moutarde hear you say that, but yes, I’m content.” She picked up her glass and clinked it with Cara’s. “Here’s to the best summer.”

“I’ll drink to that.”

“The baby is asleep?”

“Blissfully,” Cara replied. “What’s that heavenly scent wafting from the kitchen?”