Abby nodded. “Do you think if I had stayed on the island anything would have been different?” She’d asked Shelley all of these questions right after her mother died, but she needed to hear the answers again.
“Yes. You would have resented her as much as Deirdra does, and you would not have had the chance to become the amazing woman you are.” She squeezed Abby’s hand and said, “You couldn’t have saved her, Abby. Nobody could have. We tried to get her help time and time again, but you know how that went, because you tried, too.”
“But why did you keep helping her? Why didn’t you . . . ?” She couldn’t even force the words to come.
“Why didn’t we give up on her?” Shelley asked carefully. “Because she was my friend long before she lost herself to alcohol. She was family, sweetheart, just like so many other people here on the island. I could no sooner turn my back on her than I could turn my back on you or Deirdra.”
“But those parties and dinners? Wouldn’t I have heard about you hosting some of those events?”
Shelley was quiet for a moment. “We didn’t host them, honey. We had them catered for the assisted living facility to keep income flowing through the restaurant.”
Tears welled in Abby’s eyes, and she tried to will them away. “Thank you doesn’t feel big enough, Shelley. You have a huge family, and you continually went out on a limb for ours. I need to pay you back.”
“You are, Abby. Yours and Deirdra’s happiness is our payback.”
Abby swiped at the tears sliding down her cheeks, and Shelley stood up and pulled her to her feet, enveloping her in a maternal embrace. “Let it out, baby,” she said, patting Abby’s back. “You are loved by so many. It’s okay. Just let it go.”
“I’m sorry,” Abby said through her tears.
“It’s okay, darlin’. No need to be sorry.” Shelley held her, doling out reassurances, along with the maternal love Abby had missed out on for far too long. She held her until she had no more tears to cry, and then she touched Abby’s cheek and said, “You okay, baby girl?”
Abby nodded, but her sweet words made her eyes dampen again. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m so emotional.”
“For years your life has been shaken up like a snow globe, and you’ve always been good at catching all those little pieces. But now those pieces are settling, and you’re realizing the storm is over. That’s why you’re crying, and crying is good. It cleanses your soul, gets all that sadness out so your happiness has room to breathe.” As they settled back into their seats, she said, “You know, before your mom started drinking, if the tables had been turned, I have no doubt she would have done the same for our family.”
“She was so different before my dad died.”
“I know, honey. I trusted your mother implicitly. She was a good friend. When you kids were little, she was always there for us. She got lost. I don’t understand why or how, but I know she’s in a better place now.”
“I hope she’s with my dad.”
“I believe she is, and I’m sure he’s taking good care of her.” She sipped her iced tea, giving Abby a moment to breathe, and then she said, “Now that you know all of my secrets, perhaps you can share one of yours.”
“What do you mean?” Abby asked as Shelley’s mother, Lenore, came out of the carriage house where she lived. Lenore was everyone’s surrogate grandmother, and Abby loved her dearly.
Lenore waved and headed their way. Shelley looked nothing like her mother. Lenore was tall, with a blond pixie cut, a flair for fashion, as evident in her wide-legged slacks and chic, colorful top, and a sense of humor as big and beautiful as her daughter’s.
“The grapevine is buzzing about you and your new beau. Should we be booking a winter wedding?” Shelley asked.
“Shelley! We just started dating, and I know I’m crazy to be redoing and reopening the restaurant and starting a relationship with a guy who has a life somewhere else. But he’s so damn easy to be with.” That was the hardest part. Being with Aiden was easy, fun, and exciting. She felt like she’d known him forever, and she was already looking forward to spending time with him after he left. And every day she learned even more wonderful things about him, like how he thought of everyone else before himself. Despite asking Remi for space, he’d been keeping in touch with her via texts so she wouldn’t worry about him, and he’d already bought skates for them and for Cait to use over the weekend. And then there were the other things, like that he enjoyed cuddling, and when he thought she was asleep, he whispered the sweetest, most intimate things, such as You’re so unexpected and How did I get so lucky to find you? Her heart squeezed just thinking about them. She was learning things about herself, too, like the fact that she loved cuddling as much as he did and how deeply words alone, and Aiden’s actions toward others, touched her.
“Sounds like I’m just in time for the good stuff,” Lenore said, and Abby got up to greet her.
“Hi. How are you?” Abby said as they embraced.
“If the rumors are true, I’m not nearly as good as you.” Lenore sat down and leaned her elbows on the table, setting her mischievous blue-gray eyes on Abby as she said, “So? Are the rumors true? Are you dating Mr. Coffee? Jules said he’s scrumptious.”
“Ohmygod.” Abby felt her cheeks burning. “I am going to have to duct tape Jules’s mouth shut.”
“That won’t stop her. She’ll send a group text,” Lenore said. “I love my Julesy.”
Shelley tapped Lenore’s arm and said, “I asked Abby if we should plan a winter wedding.”
“Why wait for winter?” Lenore asked. “Fall weddings are beautiful.”
“You two are impossible. We’re only dating. He’s on vacation, and believe it or not, he has a real life to go back to.”
“Don’t give me that nonsense,” Shelley said. “That man set up a romantic evening with all the trimmings at our vineyard. That means something, and I see that blush on your cheeks, honey. There’s no hiding your feelings for him.”
“Mm-hm,” Lenore agreed. “That’s a hotsy-totsy glow if I’ve ever seen one.”
“Oh my gosh.” Abby covered her face. “I’m not talking about this with you two.”
“Chalk one up for naughty Mr. Coffee,” Lenore said cheekily, sparking a litany of jokes between her and Shelley, which sent them all into fits of laughter and reminded Abby of even more reasons why she loved living on the island.
There was nothing quite as embarrassing or as fun as being teased by people who had changed her diapers. The people who loved her despite her family’s messes.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
EVENING ROLLED IN with clear skies and a brisk breeze for their dinner with Abby’s friends at Rock Bottom Bar and Grill, which overlooked Rock Harbor. Even though it wasn’t yet tourist season, the parking lot was packed. Wells’s restaurant was much larger than the Bistro, with ample indoor and outdoor seating and a boat dock with designated waitstaff so boaters didn’t have to leave their vessels to eat. The rustic restaurant had a nice setup, but it was very different from the romantic environment Abby hoped to create.