After All

by McLaughlin, Heidi

  Bowie guided her as she reeled furiously. The fish was small and would have to be tossed back in the river, but not before he got a picture of her and her catch. Brystol held her pole in one hand and the line in another, while her fish flopped in the air. She smiled brightly for her photo and quickly handed her fishing pole and fish to Bowie to take care of.

  They stayed for a few more hours until they were both starving and in need of the best, greasiest burger Peggy could order them up. On the way back to his truck, Brystol stopped him. “I want to thank you for today. I’ve always wanted to fish, and my mom . . . it’s not her thing.”

  “I’m happy to teach you everything, Brystol.”

  She nodded and then surprised Bowie by launching herself into his arms. He held her tightly, wishing today was the day he could tell her he was her father.

  THIRTY-FOUR

  Brooklyn took her time showering, letting the hot water pound into her sore muscles. She was tired, emotionally drained, and also angry at Carly. Not only for her bombshell, but for refusing treatment and for not telling her when she found out she was sick. Brooklyn could’ve made sure Brystol had more time with her grandmother. Instead, they were planning her funeral and cremation.

  When she came out of the bathroom, Brystol was sitting crossed-legged on her bed, flipping through a magazine. “Hey,” she said as she made her way to her closet. “How was fishing?”

  “So fun. I caught a fish, but Bowie said we had to put it back because he was too small to keep. How was the adult stuff today?”

  Brooklyn winced. She didn’t want her daughter to have to worry about anything having to do with the arrangements and instead focused on the happy part of her daughter’s day. “Wow, congratulations. Where did you go?”

  “To some bridge. Everyone there fished. It was crazy fun, and everyone knows Bowie.”

  Brooklyn thumbed through her shirts, then pulled one off the bar, looked it over, and put it back. She had no idea what to wear on her date with Bowie and was tempted to cancel. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to go out and spend time with him; it was that she didn’t want to leave the house. She’d much rather curl up on the sofa with a blanket and turn on a good movie. Bowie wanted to take her out, wine and dine her, and she felt that she owed him at least one night.

  “I used to fish there.”

  “You fished?” Brystol sounded shocked. “I thought you hated fishing!”

  Brooklyn leaned against the doorjamb and looked at her daughter. “I never really fished, but I’d go with Austin and Bowie. Most of the time I would sit there and read, work on my tan, or visit everyone else who was there.”

  “Did you know everyone in town?”

  “Mostly.”

  “Did you think that was weird?”

  Brooklyn went back to looking for the right shirt for her date. Simone had insisted that Brooklyn take some time for herself, and Bowie was more than happy to help. “At first, it was crazy. Austin knew everyone, so I met a lot of people after I moved here. It didn’t take long for the hype of being the new person to subside, and people weren’t eager to meet me. They just knew me, from either Austin, school, or my parents. After a while, it became second nature to say hi to everyone.”

  “Right, but don’t you think it’s strange to know everyone?”

  “I don’t know,” she said as she finally settled on a flowy blouse that would look good with her distressed jeans and the new flats she had ordered online a few weeks back. “Did you go out to eat?”

  Brystol nodded enthusiastically. “Peggy makes the best burgers ever.”

  Brooklyn found herself smiling at how excited her daughter was. She remembered what it was like to go to the diner. It was one of her favorite places. She didn’t have the heart to tell her that Peggy wasn’t the actual cook, and the last she knew it was Peggy’s husband. Brooklyn and Brystol spoke for a bit more before Brystol excused herself to go watch television. She said something about making sure the living room was ready for Luke and how they planned to watch a movie with Simone.

  As soon as her daughter left her room, Brooklyn dressed quickly and decided to put her hair in a loose braid—a mermaid braid, according to Brystol. She pulled a few strands out to shape her face, added some mascara, and called it good before going downstairs to wait.

  Simone was in the kitchen when Brooklyn walked in, staring out the window with a content look on her face. She went over to her and stood next to her. “You’ll always have a place here, no matter what. This is your home.”

  “Thank you, Brooklyn.”

  “In fact, her will made sure of it. The job of managing the inn is yours, if you want it.”

  Simone smiled. “I may take the rest of the summer to think about it, if you don’t mind.”

  “Not at all. Want to watch a movie with Brystol and me?” As much as she wanted to spend time with Bowie, she didn’t want to leave Simone if she needed her.

  The older woman turned and looked at her. “I thought you have a date with Bowie?”

  She shrugged. “I can cancel.”

  “You will do no such thing, Brooklyn. You will go out with that man, tell him how you feel, and not worry about anything. Carly would want that. We can mourn tomorrow. Tonight, I plan to snuggle next to Brystol and will let my girl take all my cares away.”

  Brooklyn pulled Simone into her arms. “We love you. I will never be able to thank you enough for taking care of Brystol all these years.”

  “Hush now—it was my pleasure.”

  Simone and Brooklyn walked into the living room and joined Brystol on the sofa. For some reason, Brooklyn had a stomach full of butterflies. She thought it was silly to feel nervous about her date with Bowie because they already knew each other. They had been out a million times before, with and without Austin, so going out now wasn’t unheard of. What was new were the feelings she had for him. For years, she had fought the demons in her heart, loving two men at the same time, and not just two men, but best friends. Back then, it wouldn’t have mattered who she chose; her heart would’ve longed for the other. Her life was different now, changed, yet that still didn’t squelch the anxiety she felt. She was about to go on a date with Bowie Holmes. A real date where he picked her up, where they would undoubtedly kiss at the end of the night because she really liked kissing that man. The date wasn’t even a turning point—she already knew she wanted to be with him, to be a family, to give Brystol a mom and dad—yet she was still jumpy for no other reason than she was already in love with Bowie and wanted to tell him.

  When she heard Bowie’s knock, she leaped from the couch and sprinted to the door. Behind her, Brystol laughed. She thought about chiding her daughter for being childish but couldn’t muster up the strength to turn away from her mission—get to Bowie. Brooklyn threw the door open, and the scent of Bowie’s cologne washed over her instantly, and she barely noticed that Luke had bumped into her on his own mission to get to Brystol. She unabashedly looked him over, letting her eyes roam as slowly as possible. Bowie set his arm against the doorjamb and studied her as well. Their attraction to each other was undeniable. She wanted him. He wanted her.

  Bowie tilted his head and smiled, loving the attention she was happily giving him. “Sweet baby . . .” Brooklyn couldn’t finish her sentence. She was finally giving herself permission to look at the man he had become. Bowie had aged well. It wasn’t one of those fine wine–type moments—he’d simply aged the way a hardworking man should. The gray shirt he wore fit him like a glove. His triceps bulged from the tight sleeves, causing her to swallow hard. Later, he would hold her with those arms, making her feel safer than she had in years.

  “Are you going to stand there and stare at me all night, or are you going to come outside so we can leave for our date?”

  “Yeah, Mom, you look like you’ve never seen Bowie before,” Brystol added.

  Again, Brooklyn swallowed. She was speechless at being called out by Bowie and her daughter, and the only thing she could do was stand
there, looking back and forth between the two of them.

  Brystol stood and walked toward her mother. “I love you,” her daughter said. “Have a wonderful time tonight. You deserve it.” Brystol all but shoved her mom over the threshold and slammed the door behind her.

  Brooklyn stumbled. However, Bowie’s hands were on her hips, holding her upright. “I got you,” he whispered as one hand moved from her hip to her hair. He gently pushed her hair behind her ear and leaned in, bypassing her lips for her cheek. “I’m never letting go.”

  Her mind, heart, and body rejoiced. She didn’t want him to ever let go. “Me neither,” she managed to say. “I should’ve never left.”

  Bowie moved closer. He held her head in his hand and brushed his thumb over her lower lip. “You were right to leave, B. The only thing I wish is that I went with you. I would’ve followed you anywhere.” He didn’t wait for her to agree or tell him the many reasons why she couldn’t tell him before he pulled her into a long, deep kiss. When they parted, they were breathless and smiling. “Come on,” he said, reaching for her hand.

  In all their years growing up, Bowie had always opened the car door for her. She was surprised when he only opened the driver’s side to his truck and motioned for her to get in. “If you think you’re sitting by the door, you’re crazy. I want you next to me when I drive.”

  All in a matter of seconds, he made her feel like a teen all over again. She climbed in and scooted to the middle. He followed, and right after turning his truck on, his hand rested on her thigh. “I feel like I’m in high school all over.”

  He laughed and then quickly groaned.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Brystol—she’s going to start high school in the fall. Some dude is going to want to take her on a date. He’s going to want her to sit in the middle so he can touch her, like I’m touching you.” Bowie looked at Brooklyn and couldn’t resist kissing her. “He’s going to want to kiss her.” He gripped Brooklyn’s thigh and started bringing her closer to him, only his truck lurched forward, causing them both to laugh, and panic a bit.

  “Maybe we should make out later,” Brooklyn suggested.

  Bowie shook his head. “I don’t want to make out, B. I want to be with you. I don’t know if you want to wait or . . . shit, I don’t even know what you want.”

  “Shh.” She pressed her lips to his cheek. “We want the same thing.” He nodded, smiled, and returned to driving.

  There was a time when Brooklyn couldn’t remember much about Cape Harbor, a time when she couldn’t remember how to get to certain places when she’d tell Brystol about her former home. And when she had returned, she’d felt lost and out of place. Driving down the road with Bowie, she knew exactly where they were going. On instinct, she turned around and looked in the back of his truck. Sure enough, there was a blanket and a picnic basket. After all these years, he remembered what her favorite thing to do was.

  When they stopped along the side of the road, she and Bowie rushed out of the truck. Brooklyn grabbed the blanket, Bowie the basket, and they set off down the path, stepping over exposed roots, ducking under overgrown branches, and walking through bushes that hid the trail. They came into the clearing, and she paused—it was exactly like she had remembered. A haven away from their hectic lives—even as teens, they’d come out here to destress—and he had brought her back knowing this was where she would want to be. Wildflowers of every color stood tall along the seagrass. The water of the inlet moved slowly, barely creating any waves, and the sand looked pristine. Some of her happier times had happened here, most of them with Bowie.

  “Where is everyone?”

  “As many times as I’ve been out here to think, I’ve never seen anyone.”

  “Remember when we spent days here, clearing away the dead shrubs?”

  “I do. We created this place without even knowing it was here.” He paused. “What are you doing?” he asked as she spread the blanket haphazardly on the ground.

  She kicked off her shoes. Next, she took off her shirt and shimmied out of her jeans. Without answering him, she dove into the water, staying under until she couldn’t hold her breath any longer. When she surfaced, Bowie was standing at the edge of the water, staring at her.

  “Are you going to come in?”

  “I’m having a little trouble here, B.”

  Her eyes went right to his jeans. “No one is around. I think you should join me.”

  “I’m going to be honest. Fifteen years is a long time to wait for the love of your life to return, to get back to where we were when things went south. It only took once, but you’re burned into my soul, and from the day I saw you in your car, I’ve wanted you. If I come in, it’s only to get you out and finish what we started at my house. I fully intend to lay you down on this blanket and make love to you. I don’t know if I can wait any longer.”

  “What are you waiting for then, Bowie?”

  Her man stripped out of his clothes, leaving him fully exposed for nature to get an eyeful. He dove into the water, much faster than she’d hoped. She wanted a minute or two to look him over, to really study him. Growing up, she had seen him change from a gangly teenager to a man, and their one time together had been rushed. They didn’t have to rush anymore; however, Bowie had other ideas.

  Brooklyn tried to look for him in the water but couldn’t tell where he was. She circled and waited for him to pop up out of the water, and when she felt something touch her legs, her first instinct was to scream.

  “People could hear you,” he said after he rose out of the water. He pressed his chest to her back, making her shiver. He kissed the droplets of water from her skin, nipping along her collarbone until he got to her ear. Bowie tugged lightly on her lobe before he turned her around in his arms, picked her up, and carried her to the blanket.

  Brooklyn didn’t care that they were soaking wet or that they were outside, and someone could happen upon them. What she cared about was that this was where they spent most of their time growing up, this was where she saw Bowie as more than a friend, and this was where she was going to tell him she loved him. Brooklyn cupped his cheek as he hovered over her. “I love you, Bowie.”

  THIRTY-FIVE

  Bowie stood in the sunroom and watched as the Austin Woods trawler left port. The crew stood starboard and waved. Its flag flew at half-mast. They would be the only ship leaving port because of the current rainstorm, and Carly’s family would be on their way to church by the time the ship returned. Bowie raised his coffee cup in salute and glanced down at Carly’s empty rocker. Her afghan lay folded over the armrest. It was hard to believe that little over a month ago his life had changed because of her.

  He heard his girls laughing. They were upstairs, getting ready for the funeral. He smiled at the thought of them being his girls and looked to the sky, sending up a silent prayer. The weather needed to change. He needed the rain to stop because by the end of the day he wanted Brystol to know he was her father, and the plan was to tell her after they spread Carly’s ashes. The past few days had been hard on him, and he was ready to tell her the truth.

  The Hewett women came downstairs just as he walked into the room. He was taken aback by their beauty, even in these somber times. He reached for Brooklyn’s hand and pulled her into his side, kissing her temple. Being free to love her any way he wanted had always been a dream, and now that it had come true, he couldn’t get enough of her.

  While everyone walked to the SUV, Bowie looked to the sky. The rain had turned to a light drizzle, the sun was working hard to penetrate through the clouds, and there, in the distance, he thought he saw the faint colors of a rainbow.

  “Do you see it?” Brystol asked, pointing to the sky.

  “I do.”

  “Nonnie never liked the rain, so I guess this is her way of making sure her day is even more special.”

  Bowie stared at his daughter in awe. She was something else. The entire drive to the church, he watched her in the rearview mirror as she stared o
ut the window. He figured she was looking for the end of that rainbow.

  Unlike the last time they had attended a funeral together, for Carly’s, they were some of the first to arrive. There weren’t any news cameras there to follow their every move, the school buses weren’t being used to transport people who had to park miles away in order to attend, and there wasn’t a line of mourners waiting for Austin’s family to arrive so they could tell his mother how sorry they were. Carly’s passing had less fanfare and would be more private.

  Bowie kept his hand on Brooklyn’s lower back while she held Brystol’s hand and met Simone near her car. She carried the urn that contained Carly’s ashes. Bowie’s parents were already there, and Linda waited briefly on the steps leading to the church with the minister. She introduced everyone to Pastor Mann, having known him most of her life.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said. “I’m sorry it’s under these circumstances. If you’ll follow me, I’ll show you the receiving line. Mrs. Holmes indicated that there would be only three of you in line today?”

  Brooklyn spoke. “Yes, it’s myself, my daughter, and Carly’s best friend, Simone.”

  “No other family?”

  “There are nieces and nephews from her husband’s side, but I don’t know if they’ll be in attendance.”

  “Very well.” Pastor Mann led everyone into the vestibule and showed them where to stand and then had them follow him into the church. The first two rows of pews were reserved for family, but it was unlikely they would all be filled. The pastor showed Simone where to put the urn, and the family stood there, taking in the altar. A large picture of Carly with Austin sat on an easel. The picture had been taken about twenty years ago, and it had been years since Bowie had seen a picture of Austin. But now Austin was staring back at him, with his beaming, infectious smile. Bowie checked Brooklyn to see her expression, but she was on the stage, rearranging flowers, not even paying attention to the photo. Neither was Brystol. She was off with her grandmother. Bowie took one last look and decided he needed to shut the door on the past. After today concluded, he was done worrying about Austin.