She lifted the tattoo gun and wiped the excess ink from Jagger’s rib cage. His eyes remained closed, so she took a minute to look at the twenty-five-year-old shaggy-haired guitarist and chef who had surprised them when he’d shown up one evening in a Baja hoodie with a guitar strapped to his back, looking for Ava. Apparently they’d been close friends, although Abby and Deirdra hadn’t ever heard of Josiah “Jagger” Jones. They’d learned that he was a bit of a vagabond and had worked for Ava on and off when he’d come to the island. He’d even stayed in the apartment above the garage where Cait was now living. He and Ava had been so close, Ava had known his brother Gabriel, who had nonverbal autism, and she knew Gabriel well enough to have sung to him on a video call the Christmas before she’d died. That had shocked Abby and Deirdra, as they hadn’t heard their mother sing in years. Cait knew how hard life with Ava had been for her sisters, but she liked knowing that even though their mother had battled demons, she’d still had the ability to make new friends and had brought joy to them.
“How are you holding up, Jag?” she asked.
Jagger opened his eyes and blinked several times. “Whoa. That was wild. You sounded just like Ava.”
“I did?” Cait’s pulse quickened. “Did she sound different at times? Or do I?”
He tucked his hand behind his head lazily. “Both. When she sang, she sounded angelic. You had that soft tone just then.”
Goose bumps rose on Cait’s arms, and she wondered if he’d ever heard Brant call her angel. “I like knowing that.”
As she leaned over to start tattooing again, he said, “She would be glad you’re here.”
Cait stilled, her eyes meeting his. She’d met Jagger shortly after she’d met her sisters, and while they’d become friends, they hadn’t really talked about Ava much. “Did she mention me to you?”
“Not really. Not by name or anything specific. Sometimes we’d sit on the hill by the house looking out at the water late at night, and she’d talk about forgiveness and leaving someone special behind but it being better for them. I always thought she was talking about an old lover, but I think she was talking about you.”
“Maybe so. I wish I could have met her.” She began tattooing again, and Jagger closed his eyes.
A few minutes later the office door opened, and Abby breezed in, looking cute in a short colorful sundress. “How’s the secret tattooing going?” Dolly popped up to greet her, tail wagging, and Abby gave her some love.
The Bistro wasn’t an approved tattooing facility, but Cait had sworn Jagger to secrecy. She finished the letter she was working on and lifted her tattoo gun. “You tell me.”
Abby peered over her shoulder. “Lookin’ good. You must really trust her, Jagger. She could write whatever she wants on you with that thing.”
“It’s cool. I trust her,” Jagger said.
“Good. Can I trust you to close your ears for a minute?” Abby asked. “I want to ask my sister about something.”
“No worries. I can totally zone out.” He lay back and closed his eyes.
Abby sat on the edge of the desk, eyes dancing with curiosity. “So? Are you going to dish about your very long weekend with Brant?”
“I thought she was smiling an awful lot,” Jagger said.
“I thought you were zoning out,” Cait snapped.
He flashed a grin. “Girl, you’re glowing brighter than the North Star. I felt your vibes before I even came into this room.”
Abby laughed. “I felt them from the other side of the island.”
Cait didn’t even try to dispute it. She’d been grinning like a fool for days. “Let’s just say I think I understand why you’re happy all the time.” She set down the tattoo gun. “It’s pretty wonderful being with someone who gets me and likes being with me as much as I like being with him.”
“Yay! I’m so glad.” Abby hugged her. “I knew it was a good sign that you’d stayed with him over the weekend.”
“Yeah, it was. I thought I’d hate sharing a bed because I’ve slept alone my whole life, but I’m kind of wondering how I’ll get through the next three nights at the Cape.”
“Take him with you,” Jagger suggested.
“He has a job, and I’m not dependent on him.” Cait wasn’t surprised by his response. Jagger was the kind of guy who preferred to keep things loose rather than follow a consistent schedule. He’d been a reliable employee, and Cait liked his laid-back attitude, but she had a feeling if the wind blew a certain way and caught his attention, he would follow it.
Jagger leaned up on one elbow. “It’s not about being dependent. You only live once, and we don’t know when our number is going to come up. If you two are vibing, go with it.”
“I understand where you’re coming from.” All too well, unfortunately. “But I think I’ll survive without vibing for a few nights.”
He shrugged and lay back down.
“I love that you and Brant have gotten closer,” Abby said.
“So does Dee, although she won’t admit it. She’s been texting and giving me crap because she says I sound like you. Oh, and you’ll love this. Remember when I found a trail of your clothes leading upstairs when you and Aiden first got together?”
Abby giggled again. “Yes, and I remember the reason why very explicitly.”
“Well, guess what. Gail found my clothes leading to Brant’s bedroom Saturday morning.”
“Ohmygod!” Abby cracked up.
Jagger chuckled.
“I can laugh about it now, but it was mortifying.”
“Nah, Gail’s cool. I dig her,” Jagger said.
“I like her, too, but trust me, it was embarrassing,” Cait said. “She is super cool, though. Brant and I met his parents and grandparents for breakfast on his grandfather’s boat this morning, and Gail was gracious enough not to bring it up. But I was so nervous thinking she might, I felt like a ticking time bomb. I finally just blurted out an apology.”
“Oh, Cait, you poor thing.” Abby touched her shoulder.
“I’m glad I did, actually. Roddy made a joke, which cut right through the tension. His parents told me stories about catching Brant and his brothers and sisters in compromising positions and embarrassing situations, and we ended up laughing for twenty minutes.”
“I bet Brant loved that,” Abby said.
“Brant had already told me about his teenage indiscretion, but the way his parents told it was much funnier. And his grandparents are the warmest, kindest people I’ve ever met. His grandfather told me all about what Brant was like as a kid following him around as he worked on boats. Can’t you just see Brant as a little boy, asking a million questions?” She warmed all over, thinking about how fun the morning had been and how close she’d felt to his family.
“Those kinds of mornings are good for your soul,” Jagger said.
“It was. I swear, it’s like the universe knew I needed good people to help me through all the changes in my life. Speaking of changes, I feel bad that I haven’t seen Shelley since she and Steve came in for dinner the week we opened, and she’s the one who brought me to the island. I should call her and catch up.”