After All by McLaughlin Heidi

Author:McLaughlin, Heidi
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-03-23T16:00:00+00:00

NINETEEN

Carly stood in the doorway of Brooklyn’s room. The two women stared at each other. Carly’s expression was unreadable. Brooklyn’s, however, questioned what Carly was doing. She was dressed in jeans, probably Gloria Vanderbilts or some other older-era fashion line, with a red polo and white sweater cuffed and draped over her shoulders. Every day since she had showed Carly the finished room, she had made an effort to dress better, which secretly made Brooklyn happy. She saw her daughter’s expression each time Carly came down for breakfast. At first, shock, which turned into the biggest, cheesiest grin she had seen on Brystol’s face. While Brooklyn and Carly hadn’t always been the best of friends, they were cordial and respected one another. Carly had expectations of Brooklyn, who failed to meet many of them. Mostly on a daily basis. And Brooklyn . . . well, the only thing she expected from Carly was for her to be present in her daughter’s life.

“What are you doing?” Brooklyn finally asked after Carly let out multiple audible sighs. She set aside the rendering she was working on and watched as Carly strode into her room. She stopped at the window and peered out. That was one of the best things about the house and the inn, so many rooms had a view of the ocean, and Carly had had the keen sense to decorate the rooms to reflect the beauty of the outside. The bedrooms were white with wrought iron beds. Small touches of navy blue created enough pop to make the room feel homey, beachy. Shells that Brystol had collected over the years added to the decorations. But it was the battery-operated candles in the windows that really set these rooms apart from the others. Brooklyn knew Carly did this so the seamen had a guiding light back home. Surprisingly, she felt at home here, despite the tension between the two of them.

“We should go out.”

Brooklyn was confused. This was a woman who not only refused to leave the house but who also hid her granddaughter from the town, and now she wanted to go out? Although Brooklyn knew she wasn’t much better. Last night she had a chance to go downtown with Simone and Brystol, but she chose to stay home, complaining of a headache when she was fine. Truth be told, she didn’t want to run into Bowie. Rumors had spread that he was married, which made Brooklyn feel like a total fool for thinking he was flirting with her. “Where exactly would you like to go?”

Carly turned. She smiled at Brooklyn before turning to gaze out the window. “Do you know what today is?”

Unfortunately, she did. She knew the date all too well despite many attempts over the years to forget it. “I do.”

“Tonight, your friends will gather on the beach . . . my beach . . . and celebrate the life of my son, their friend. They’ve done this every year, and tonight marks the fifteenth anniversary. Austin’s been gone fifteen years, Brooklyn.

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