The Friends We Keep (Mischief Bay)

by Susan Mallery

  “Hi, Hayley.”

  “Hi, yourself. Noah, this is my husband, Rob. Rob, please meet Noah.”

  “Nice to meet you, Noah.”

  The two males shook hands. Hayley dragged over chairs.

  “You’re looking better,” she said, noting the slight color in his cheeks. “Today was a good day?”

  “It was. I didn’t throw up once.”

  Rob looked startled. “You need to raise your standards.”

  Noah leaned back his bald head and laughed. “You’re right. Not throwing up is a pretty sad benchmark.”

  “It could be worse,” Rob pointed out. “Like not finding rat turds in your food.”

  Noah grinned. “Or cockroaches in your bed.”

  “Or—”

  “So...” Hayley said, interrupting him. “Maybe we could talk about something else.”

  “Girls,” Rob said, his voice affectionate. “They can be delicate.”

  “Tell me about it.” Noah looked at Hayley. “Minerva said if I felt up to it, I could go down to the cafeteria for ice cream. Want to take me?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “I’m in charge of the wheelchair,” Rob announced. “And we’re going fast.”

  Noah pushed the button to call the nurse. When she came with the wheelchair, Rob lifted the boy onto the seat while Hayley made sure his IV line didn’t tangle. They made their way to the elevators. While they waited, Rob smiled at her and gave her a thumbs-up.

  Deep inside, she felt yet another piece of her heart heal. There would never be a baby of her own to hold. But there would be a family. Love and joy weren’t dependent on DNA. They were a gift. One for which she would be grateful every day of her life.

  Epilogue

  The Friday before Christmas was warm and sunny. It might be snowing across much of the country but on the Southern California coast, there was never going to be a white Christmas, and that was how the natives liked it.

  Gabby looked at the green shiny bow Kenzie had tied around Boomer’s neck and gave it about five seconds before the dog figured out a way to remove it. Jasmine, sensing trouble, and impending company, had hidden under the bed in the master.

  “Hurry up,” Andrew called. “I need pictures of my girls.”

  The twins were dressed in plaid dresses for the party. Makayla wore a plain black dress that did its best to conceal her condition. But she was far enough along to make that an impossible job. To celebrate the season, she had on a little crown of red-and-green glitter with ribbons that trailed down her back.

  Gabby wore a festive lightweight sweater over black ankle pants. She’d managed to lose the rest of the weight she wanted. Helping Makayla eat right had been a big part of it, as were the twice-weekly killer classes she took with Nicole.

  Andrew took several pictures, then released them as the doorbell rang. The Masons were the first to arrive. Jill and Carson hugged everyone. The young couple from Maine had been even better in person than they’d been in their paperwork. The first meeting, in October, had gone so well, there had been two more. They’d wanted to spend time with Makayla at the holidays and had flown out three days ago. They were heading home to Maine in the morning. Jill would return the week of Makayla’s due date and stay until baby Michael was born.

  Makayla hadn’t wavered in her desire to give up her baby. In fact meeting the Masons had seemed to cement her decision. She was doing well with her studies and looking at different colleges. What could have been a disaster for all of them had turned out to be the oddest blessing ever.

  Andrew got everyone drinks while Gabby took a very sad Boomer to the master. The dog was given a new rawhide bone to ease his loneliness. She returned downstairs to find that Hayley, Rob and Noah had arrived.

  “You look great,” she told the boy. He ran his hand over the inch of new hair that had grown in.

  “I’m thinking I’ll be getting a call from a modeling agency any day now. Because I’m so handsome.”

  Gabby laughed and hugged him. “I’m sure you will. But you’ll have to tell them no. There’s no way Hayley and Rob would let you out of their sight.”

  Noah looked at his foster parents. “Yeah. Isn’t that the best?”

  Gabby pointed Noah toward the far end of the room where Makayla sat with the twins, Jill and Carson. Noah picked up a soda on his way over. Hayley linked arms with Gabby.

  “Doesn’t he look good? His last checkup was perfect.”

  “He’s doing great. You all look so happy.”

  “We are,” Hayley told her. “The adoption is moving forward. It’s going to take close to a year, but that’s okay. He’s with us until it’s final.” She beamed. “Then we’re stuck with him forever.”

  “That is so wonderful.”

  “It’s not what I expected, and that’s okay. It’s so much better.”

  Andrew let in more guests. Pam arrived, along with Shannon and Adam. Nicole, Jairus and Tyler were right behind them.

  Gabby dragged Hayley over to greet them. “Did you do it?” she demanded.

  Nicole held up her left hand. Nestled against the diamond solitaire was a slim, platinum band. Gabby shrieked.

  “You did it! You eloped!”

  “Last weekend,” Nicole admitted. “We took Tyler and ran off to Lake Tahoe. It was wonderful.”

  Gabby wanted to hear all about it, but this wasn’t the time. Still, she hugged her friend, then Jairus and finally Tyler.

  She crouched down in front of the boy. “Does this mean Brad is your brother?”

  He beamed. “Uh-huh. I’m lucky.”

  “Good news?” Andrew asked.

  Nicole showed him the ring.

  “Congratulations.” He hugged her and shook Jairus’s hand. “A little bird told me it was a possibility, so we have some champagne ready. Let me get it out and then you two can make the announcement.”

  When the glasses had been filled, everyone gathered around. Gabby looked at her friends and family and knew this was a year she would never forget. They’d all been through so much. Tragedy had turned to joy and what had once seemed broken had been made whole.

  She raised her drink to the happy couple and let her gaze shift to her husband. Andrew tipped his glass toward her and winked. The twins gathered close, as did Makayla. Her family, she thought with gratitude. Three beautiful daughters, a circle of friends and a promising future. For all of them. Honestly, it didn’t get any better than that.

  * * * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt from DAUGHTERS OF THE BRIDE by Susan Mallery.

  THE

  FRIENDS

  WE

  KEEP

  Susan Mallery

  Reader’s Guide

  Questions for Discussion

  Please note: these questions contain spoilers. You should wait to read them until after you’ve finished the book.

  Visit www.MischiefBay.com for a printable PDF you can hand out at your book club meeting.

  The Friends We Keep has three intertwining story lines—one each for Gabby, Nicole and Hayley. What are the common themes that tie together these three plots?

  What does the title mean to you?

  How did the events of the story change Gabby, Hayley and Nicole? What lessons did they learn? Do any of those lessons make you think differently about something that’s happening in your own life?

  Susan Mallery is noted for her keen insight into our inner lives, and her ability to elicit deep emotions from her readers. Which scenes were the most emotional for you? Which parts made you laugh?

  Susan makes a promise to her readers that they can relax into the reading experience knowing that the characters will pull through, even after facing the hardest of circumstances. Did you find the ending sa
tisfying for each character?

  Which of the three stories was your favorite, and why? Which of the three women is most like you? Did your opinion of any of the characters (including secondary characters) change as you read the book?

  Did you feel that Gabby was being selfish by refusing to raise Makayla’s baby as her own? What would you have done in her situation? Have you or has anyone close to you had a baby at such a young age?

  Did Hayley’s husband do the right thing when he left her? Why or why not? What else could he have done to get through to her?

  Did you expect Hayley to adopt Makayla’s baby? Do you think that ending would have been better or worse than what happened in the book? Explain.

  What did you think of Jairus? Why do you think Nicole was so reluctant to meet him, and then to go out with him? Go around the room and state whether you read the start of Nicole’s journey in The Girls of Mischief Bay. Does the perception of those who read that book differ from that of those who did not?

  Join the mailing list at www.SusanMallery.com to be notified of upcoming new releases, contests and news!

  Book Club Menu Suggestion

  Chicken Enchilada Casserole

  from Supper’s in the Bag

  15-ounce can of tomato sauce

  10.5-ounce can of cream of chicken soup

  2 teaspoons chili powder

  1 teaspoon garlic salt

  15-ounce can of black beans, partially mashed

  6 cups cooked chicken, shredded (1 rotisserie chicken works nicely)

  1⁄2 cup sour cream

  1⁄2 cup frozen corn

  2 cups shredded cheddar-jack cheese, divided

  12 corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch slices, divided

  2 cups baby spinach leaves

  Sour cream, green

  onions, and tomatoes

  for garnish (optional)

  Mix tomato sauce, cream of chicken soup, chili powder and garlic salt. Set sauce aside.

  Mix beans, chicken, sour cream, corn and 1 cup cheese. Set filling aside.

  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a 13 x 9–inch pan with foil and spray with nonstick spray. Spread about 3/4 cup of sauce into the prepared pan. Layer half of the corn tortilla strips on top of the sauce, partially overlapping. Put the filling on top of the tortillas, and the baby spinach on top of that. Spread another 3/4 cup of sauce over the spinach leaves. Cover with the rest of the tortilla strips. Top with all of the remaining sauce.

  Cover with foil and bake for half an hour. Top with remaining cheese and bake for another 5-10 minutes, uncovered, until cheese has melted and started to brown, and mixture is bubbly. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. If desired, garnish with a dollop of sour cream, green onions and tomatoes.

  #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery invites you to celebrate the event of the year with her brand-new story:

  Daughters of the Bride

  (August 2016)

  Three sisters, three love stories, one reunion—just in time for the chaos of their mother’s wedding.

  “Susan Mallery is one of my favorites.”

  —#1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber

  Experience the best in contemporary romance with the charming Fool’s Gold series by Susan Mallery. Be sure to get all of the titles in this captivating series full of hope, laughter and love to last a lifetime.

  Best of My Love

  Marry Me at Christmas

  Thrill Me

  Kiss Me

  Hold Me

  Yours for Christmas (novella)

  Until We Touch

  Before We Kiss

  When We Met

  Christmas on 4th Street

  Three Little Words

  Two of a Kind

  Just One Kiss

  Halfway There (novella)

  A Fool’s Gold Christmas

  All Summer Long

  Summer Nights

  Summer Days

  Almost Summer (novella)

  A Christmas Bride

  Only Us (novella)

  Only His

  Only Yours

  Only Mine

  Finding Perfect

  Almost Perfect

  Chasing Perfect

  Love. Laughter. Happily-Ever-After.

  “Romance novels don’t get much better than Mallery’s expert blend of emotional nuance, humor and superb storytelling.”

  —Booklist

  Available wherever ebooks are sold.

  Connect with us on Harlequin.com for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!

  Other ways to keep in touch:

  Harlequin.com/newsletters

  Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks

  Twitter.com/HarlequinBooks

  HarlequinBlog.com

  “Mallery has again created an engrossing tale of emotional growth and the healing power of friendship.”

  —Library Journal on Three Sisters toodles

  If you enjoyed your trip Mischief Bay, California, for The Friends We Keep, be sure to discover the first book in the Mischief Bay series, where three women learn that through romance and heartbreak, laughter and tears, life is richer with friends at your side:

  The Girls of Mischief Bay

  Available now!

  “Mallery’s series debut is an emotional lesson in triumphs and tragedies, told in her iconic eloquent style.”

  —RT Book Reviews on The Girls of Mischief Bay

  Looking for more incredible stories of friendship from #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery? Then you won’t want to miss a single chapter in the Blackberry Island trilogy, available now!

  Barefoot Season

  Three Sisters

  Evening Stars

  Complete your collection!

  Connect with us on Harlequin.com for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!

  Other ways to keep in touch:

  Harlequin.com/newsletters

  Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks

  Twitter.com/HarlequinBooks

  HarlequinBlog.com

  Daughters of the Bride

  by Susan Mallery

  Chapter One

  One of the advantages of being freakishly tall was easy access to those upper kitchen cabinets. The disadvantages...well, those were probably summed up by the word freakishly.

  Courtney Watson folded her too-long legs under her as she tried to get comfortable in a chair incredibly low to the ground. Adjusting the height wasn’t possible. She was only filling in at the concierge desk while Ramona hurried off for yet another bathroom break. Apparently, the baby had shifted and was now reclining right on her bladder. From what Courtney could tell, pregnancy was a whole lot of work with an impressive dash of discomfort. The last thing she was going to do was change anything about the chair where Ramona spent a good part of her day. Courtney could pretend to be a pretzel for five minutes.

  Late on a Tuesday evening, the lobby of the Los Lobos Hotel was quiet. Only a few guests milled around. Most were already up in their rooms, which was where Courtney liked the guests to spend their time at night. She wasn’t a fan of those who roamed. They got into trouble.

  The elevator doors opened and a small, well-dressed man stepped out. He glanced around the lobby before heading directly to her. Well, not to her, she would guess. The concierge desk at which she sat.

  Her practiced smile faltered a bit when she recognized Milton Ford, the current president of the California Organization of Organic Soap Manufacturing, aka COOOSM. Mr. Ford had arranged for the annual meeting to be held in town, and everyone was staying at the Los Lobos Hotel. Courtney knew that for sure—she’d taken the reservation herself. But the meetings, the meals and all the i
ncome that flowed from them were taking place at the Anderson House.

  “Hello.” He looked at the name plate on the desk. “Uh, Ramona. I’m Milton Ford.”

  Courtney thought about correcting him on her name, but figured there wasn’t much point. Despite his giving all that pretty catering money to one of their competitors, she would still do her job—or in this case, Ramona’s—to the best of her abilities.

  “Yes, Mr. Ford. How may I help you this evening?” She smiled as she spoke, determined to be pleasant.

  Even if Mr. Ford had decided to hold his stupid awards luncheon at the Anderson House instead of in the hotel’s very beautiful and spacious ballroom, Courtney would do her best to make sure his stay and the stays of his colleagues were perfect.

  Her boss would tell her not to be bitter, so Courtney returned her smile to full wattage and promised herself that when she was done with Mr. Ford, she would head to the kitchen for a late-night snack of ice cream. It would be an excellent reward for good behavior.

  “I have a problem,” he told her. “Not with the rooms. They’re excellent as always. It’s the, ah, other facility we’ve booked.” “The Anderson House.” She did her best not to spit the words.

  “Yes.” He cleared his throat. “I’m afraid there are...bees.”

  Now the problem wasn’t a lack of smiling but the issue of too much of it. Joyce, her boss, would want her to be professional, she reminded herself. Glee, while definitely called for, wasn’t polite. At least not to Mr. Ford’s face. Bees! How glorious.

  “I hadn’t heard they were back,” she said sympathetically.

  “They’ve had bees before?”

  “Every few years. They usually stay outside of town, but when they come into the city limits, they like the Anderson House best.”

  Mr. Ford dabbed his forehead with a very white handkerchief then tucked it back into his pocket. “There are hundreds of them. Thousands. Entire hives sprung up, practically overnight. There are bees everywhere.”

  “They’re not particularly dangerous,” Courtney offered. “The Drunken Red-nosed Honeybee is known to be calm and industrious. Oh, and they’re endangered. As a maker of organic soap, you must be aware of the issues we’re having keeping our honeybee numbers where they should be. Having them return to Los Lobos is always good news. It means the population is healthy.”