The Sisterhood Promise

by Susan Hatler

  “I disagree,” he said, moving toward me. He cupped my face in his hands, firmly. “Nothing in this world could take me away from the woman I loved.”

  I gulped, my heart beating against my ribcage. The air between us felt thick and electric. “Pretend there’s a blue moon out tonight. How would your legend go?” My breath rushed out, and the words hung there, the question waiting for an answer.

  The left side of his mouth hitched up. “Once there was a man and a woman . . .”

  I pulled my hands out of my pockets, pressing them against his chest as he pulled me closer to him. “That’s a nice beginning.”

  “I’m not finished.” His hands moved to my shoulders, squeezing, before resting down at my waist. “They met under bizarre circumstances. At first, the woman felt dating would conflict with her career. But after she got to know him a little better, she couldn’t resist his charm.”

  Laughter bubbled up inside my chest. “He sounds humble.”

  “Most definitely.” The corners of his mouth twitched. “The man and the woman danced around their feelings until one night they came upon a legend with a tragic ending.” His face sobered. “This made the man realize he could not let their ending suffer the same fate.”

  My breath caught in my throat as he dipped his head, his mouth brushing against my cheek. Tingles skittered across my skin, and my tummy fluttered uncontrollably.

  “I like you, Olivia.” His voice sounded husky and strained, making me wonder if his heart might be pounding as hard as mine. “Enough to want to know you more.”

  I lifted my lashes, heart pounding wildly now. What were we doing? What was I about to say? But I knew inside Brody was different. “Me, too.”

  The corners of his eyes crinkled. He bent closer to me, our mouths were so close I could feel the warmth of his breath on my lips. My breath caught and I held perfectly still. The smallest movement and his mouth would be on mine. But he waited, making every nerve ending in my body ignite with anticipation until I had to give in to the ache inside me. I arched into the pull of his arm against my back.

  Without a second thought, I pressed my lips to his. As soon as his mouth met mine, fireworks exploded in my belly, and a small sound escaped me. Oh, wow. His lips were hot and firm against mine, his fingers digging into my waist as he slanted his head and parted my lips with his tongue. Brody tasted delicious, like apples and wine on fire. I wanted more of him. . . .

  He murmured sweet words in my ear as we kissed over and over. I didn’t know how long we stayed there by the shore—maybe an hour, maybe more—but when we finally pulled apart, chills continued to vibrate through my chest.

  There was no more denying I’d fallen for Brody. He had my heart in his hands, whether I’d wanted him to or not. Surrendering, I snaked my arms around his neck. “Now tell me what happens next in your legend,” I whispered, my gazed darting over his beautiful face.

  “We make the next part up together,” he said, brushing a strand of hair from my cheek, and tucking it behind my ear. He pressed a kiss to my temple and then pulled me closer, resting his cheek on top of my head.

  I closed my eyes and sank into him, enveloped in his warmth as he made a comforting humming sound. I’d spent the week learning the reasons I didn’t need romance in my life, and yet my heart had melted anyway. I didn’t know what would happen when I got back to the mansion, but for now I’d savor this moment.

  Embraced in each other’s arms under the pale moonlight, I snuggled deeper into Brody’s arms, resting my cheek against his strong chest. I listened to his rhythmic breathing and steady pulse, soothing like the waves rolling against the shore. In this moment, nothing else mattered. I felt the magic of a new legend surround me—the promise of a perfect love that would never end.

  Chapter Sixteen

  My date with Brody last night had put me on an amazing high. Now reality was back this morning, and a feeling of dread settled over me. Greta’s anguish over Scotty felt like looking in the mirror. We’d all been there before. Her current state of sadness reminded me of the downside to risking my heart.

  As the women trickled into the dining room for breakfast, I stared out at the spectacular views of the bay. That morning the local windsurfing club was out in full force, so the sparkling blue water was dotted with splashes of color pushing along the breaking waves by the gusts that brought the salty smell through our open windows.

  I’d had the caterer prepare stuffed French toast in various flavor profiles, and there was fresh squeezed orange juice with a hint of lemon zest. The combination brought out the citrus flavor to such an intense degree that I always ended up feeling like I’d eaten ten oranges. I needed the boost of energy after staying out so late with Brody.

  Just as I finished off the last bite of tiramisu French Toast, I heard sniffling coming from behind me. I turned to find Greta, wearing gray sweats and a sloppy ponytail. Her eyes and nose were red, and tears slipped down her cheeks.

  Before I could reach out to Greta, Erin crouched down next to her, handing her a tissue. “Greta? Are you all right?”

  “You’re very kind,” Greta said. She accepted the tissue, squeezed the white paper in her hand, then promptly began sobbing. “I . . he . . .” Her shoulders shook, and she couldn’t get out a full sentence.

  Erin glanced over at me and my gaze immediately darted around the room.

  Janine caught my eye and hurried over. “Can I help?”

  “Yes.” I leaned close to her ear, so the others wouldn’t hear. “I need to talk with everyone about what’s on the agenda today. Would you mind taking Greta to her room? She doesn’t appear to be up for activities this morning. Something’s going on and she asked me to treat her like one of the guests.”

  “Sure, whatever you need,” Janine replied, giving me a warm smile.

  I smiled back. “Please get her dressed and put together. Then read her a chapter from Men: Who Needs Them? for inspiration. Hopefully she’ll feel better after you finish. Thanks so much.”

  “Not a problem,” she replied, then put her arm around Greta, and helped her leave the room.

  My heart broke for my mentor. I still couldn’t believe we’d exchanged roles. But I’d made her a promise, and I wouldn’t let her retreat fall apart while she was grieving. She’d never forgive me. Maybe allowing herself to grieve in front of other women had more healing powers than going through heartbreak alone. Suddenly, my dad calling me so frequently made sense. He was grieving, and had reached out to me, in his way, by holding on to hope. I had to give Greta hope that she’d heal, too.

  Once Janine and Greta were out of sight, I clapped my hands to get everyone’s attention. “Today’s going to be super fun.”

  In response, I received a few arched brows and surreptitious glances.

  Grimacing, I forged ahead. “This morning we’re going to take some time for ourselves, and journal about what makes us really happy. Like soul deep. This afternoon, we’ll break into teams and have a sandcastle competition down at the beach. Doesn’t that sound great?”

  Sophia made an approving sound. “I’m thankful for any chance to soak up some of the glorious California sun. There’s no beach in Wyoming.”

  A few of the ladies chuckled. The room lapsed into silence as everyone turned back to their breakfast. I felt an unspoken question permeating the air, but was desperate to protect Greta’s privacy as much as possible. So, I threw out a new topic to the gals at the dining table. “How do you feel the temptation challenge is going with having the guys around? Do you feel like the retreat is giving you the strength to resist a man’s help and grow more independent?”

  As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I pictured my date with Brody. Laughing with him over dinner. Walking on the beach hand in hand. Kissing by the monument. I’d completely given in to temptation, but the funny thing was I didn’t feel weak at all. I felt empowered.

  “I’ll respond, since nobody else is willing.” Erin glanced around the table and a few of th
e women looked embarrassed. “Some of us have been talking. We’re here to get independent, but none of us want to become a hermit once the retreat is over. Greta’s book doesn’t really talk about this, but does being independent mean we can’t have a man in our life?”

  Before I could answer, Amy chimed in. “I’ve been wondering the same thing. Men: Who Needs Them? saved me when I needed the strength to get over my breakup, and Greta is obviously a literary genius.” She paused and everyone at the table nodded, murmuring words of agreement. “But what happens when we meet a guy we could get serious about? Will that make us less independent?”

  “I agree with Erin and Amy.” Silvi sat across the table, drumming her manicured nails on the table. “I’ve been having the time of my life getting to know all of you, catching a fish for the first time, and even changing the tire on a car.” She laughed, a soft melodic sound. “The whole point of the retreat is for us to learn to rely on ourselves, right? But, I’m fully capable of relying on myself and still having a boyfriend. Well, once I meet someone I like anyway.”

  “All good points.” I nodded, not knowing how to answer them. While the women seemed to have gotten Greta’s message loud and clear, their questions were completely valid. I’d been wondering how dating applies to independence as well. “There’s not a section in Greta’s book about how to handle new relationships. Maybe the next edition will be another bestseller,” I joked.

  The women laughed and began to discuss the topic with each other. I realized now that Greta didn’t mention what happens after independence, because she herself hadn’t gotten over her ex. Clearly she was still hung up on Scotty, so she couldn’t move on from him and find someone new to love. She remained independent and alone.

  Still, that didn’t tell me what lay ahead for Brody and me. Even as I’d been taking the lessons from Greta’s book to heart, somewhere along the way, I’d fallen for Brody. So what guidance could I give these women who had very legitimate questions about life after the retreat? Greta should write a book called, Independence: Now What?, or something like that. As soon as she got her own love life figured out, of course.

  When the conversation came to an end, I raised my hands. “Hopefully, all of our questions will be answered by the end of the retreat. Sounds like the perfect topic to ponder during our journaling assignment, though. Doesn’t it?”

  “I’ll probably use all of my pages.” Silvi smiled at me.

  I returned her smile. “Let’s all think about what makes us happy in general. Then journal on how that relates to our newfound independence. Next, write about how you could be happy with a partner, and what that means to you as far as your independence,” I said, thinking about how Brody had bought me dinner, but his gift hadn’t made me feel dependent in the slightest bit. “Those who want to can share their answers before we head down to the beach.”

  “That sounds like fun.” Erin’s face lit up, then she paused. “Will our neighbors be joining us for the sand castle activity?”

  “Not today.” I shook my head, and was about to elaborate on our sand castle event when Janine hurried into the room. Huh? Why wasn’t she with Greta? As soon as I saw the look on her face, those wide eyes and her gaping mouth, my heart sank into my stomach. I turned to the ladies. “Excuse me a minute.”

  “Thanks, Olivia,” Janine said, keeping a frozen smile on her face that looked more than a little scary. Once we were safely in the hall and out of earshot, she grabbed my arm. “There’s a call for you on the home line. The person said they couldn’t reach you on your cell, and there’s some kind of emergency.”

  My thoughts flew to my dad. I’d known the divorce was imminent, but maybe my mom had finally served him the papers. The thought made me nauseated. Janine thrust the phone into my hand, gave me a sympathetic look, and walked away.

  “Hello?” I said, my voice shaky.

  “Olivia? It’s Erika.”

  Relieved there wasn’t an emergency with my dad, I wondered what my manager from The Market wanted. Her voice from the real world invaded my luxurious retreat like an unwelcome intruder. What could be an emergency amongst frozen lobster tails?

  I paced the hall. “Hi, Erika. What’s up?”

  “Disasterville.” She groaned, her normally calm voice echoing through the phone. “I’m in Michigan for a funeral, and two people from the day shift got food poisoning. There’s nobody to cover for them. I need you to fill in for their shift right away.”

  I held the phone slightly away from my ear, unable to believe what she’d just asked me. “I’m sorry, Erika. You gave me these two weeks off for my retreat. I can’t leave.”

  “Look,” she said, her voice tight. “I know you’re trying to start your new business and I totally applaud you for that and all. But we’re having a crisis at work and that takes precedence.” Her tone left no room for argument. “If you don’t come in to handle this shift in the next thirty minutes, you’re fired.” Erika hung up without letting me say another word.

  My hands trembled as I clicked the phone off. I couldn’t lose my job at The Market. Greta was in the middle of a major breakdown, so it’s not like I could count on her to hire me as event planner for future retreats. I had thirty minutes to get to The Market, or my main source of income would be gone. I just hoped that wouldn’t mean the end of my dream.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Still shaking from the phone call, I left Janine in charge of the retreat’s journaling project, and stepped outside to get a quick breath of fresh air to calm myself. Sunshine slanted down through the large leafy palm trees that lined the driveway, creating a serene effect that mocked the turmoil twisting inside my chest.

  The questions from breakfast coupled with the call from The Market reminded me of the real world that existed beyond this lavish retreat. Making Olivia’s Occasions succeed was the only choice to make me happy, but I needed my job at The Market until my business took off. The work in their seafood department was boring and tedious, not to mention smelly, but the paychecks made financial investments, including advertising, for Olivia’s Occasions possible.

  By the time I came to that realization, however, I found myself hurrying up Brody’s driveway, and knocking on the front door. I waited until I heard footsteps approaching, and the nerves in my stomach changed to tingles of anticipation. Brody opened the door, and his grin widened to a knee-weakening smile when he saw me.

  “I was just thinking about you,” he said, giving me a kiss, and slipping his arms around me. “Missed me already, huh?”

  “More than you know,” I said, burrowing into the spot between his neck and shoulder. This was exactly what I needed right now. I breathed in his salty ocean scent, which indicated he’d probably been surfing this morning.

  “Olivia?” He pressed his lips against my temple, then rested his chin on top of my head. “Is something bothering you?”

  I peered up at him, surprised. “How did you know?”

  “You’re tense. Shaking.” He gently massaged my shoulders. “Plus, you look like someone torched your copy of Men: Who Needs Them?” He grinned at his own joke, but I didn’t have the energy to laugh. “What’s going on, lovely lady?”

  “Actually, I have to go to work.” I watched him raise a brow, and added, “To my part-time job at The Market. They’re having an emergency, and if I don’t go I’m fired. Seems to be the story of my life lately.”

  “Anything I can do for you?” he asked.

  “Maybe we could meet later?” I played with the edge of his short-sleeved shirt, my fingers brushing against his warm, muscled arm. Shiver. “And you and the guys could help Janine with the sand castle building.”

  “Done. Can you get away for dinner?” he asked, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. “We could be sneaky again, so you wouldn’t get caught rendezvousing with your temptation teaser.”

  I giggled, feeling lighter already. “The retreat has scheduled ‘alone time’ after dinner. So, I think I could sneak away for a late dinner t
onight, if that works. Greta’s still so upset about seeing Scotty, I could probably leave for the rest of the retreat and she wouldn’t notice. Have you had a chance to talk with him yet?”

  He shook his head. “No, we’ve been pretty busy.” He paused for a moment. “I received another call from Heather, our captain’s widow. She left a voicemail wondering if I’d spread his ashes out to sea yet. I need to call her back.”

  I touched his cheek. “I’m sorry. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”

  “That means a lot.” He cleared his throat. “I’ll let you know after I talk with her. I’m meeting Scotty today for lunch, so hopefully by dinnertime I’ll have something to tell you about the mysterious woman on the boat.”

  “Thanks for doing that,” I said.

  “It helps Scotty, as well,” Brody said. “He’s been devastated by that breakup for a long time. I don’t think he’s even looked at another woman, let alone been out on a date. Maybe we can help them find closure, one way or another.”

  My brows came together. “That doesn’t sound like someone who plays around.”

  “Like I said, he’s a good guy.” He fingered a long strand of my hair. “When I told your friend in the bar that I only had eyes for redheads, I had no idea how much I meant that.” He pressed his lips to mine in a soft, sweet kiss.

  I kissed him back, then pulled away with a sigh. “I’d better get going. I have about ten more minutes to get to work or, you know.” I rolled my eyes and shook my head. It was sad how my professions seemed to teeter on the edge. But I wasn’t going to let go of my dream. “You’ll remember to ask Scotty about the woman on the boat?”

  “As delicately as I can,” he promised. “Though, I should warn you that’s like taking the proverbial bull into a china shop.”