Overwhelmed by their support, Cait said, “That’s really nice of all of you to offer, but I have a lot going on right now. I still haven’t figured out my winter plans for the mural, and we just opened the Bistro. I don’t want to do anything that would shortchange Abby.”
“We’re fully staffed,” Abby pointed out.
“It would be great for you to have something of your own,” Deirdra said. “And I’d imagine that the mural will earn you a reputation for your talent. By next summer, you could have more work than you can handle.”
Their excitement magnified her own. “Do you really think so?”
All the women talked over each other about how big a clientele she’d probably garner, and that led to Leni and Deirdra talking about Cait expanding a business she hadn’t even started yet.
“We think you should do it,” Lenore said. “You’ll have the full support of the Bra Brigade.”
Everyone cheered.
Cait wondered if it was possible to fall in love with a group of women. “I don’t know what to say, other than thank you. But there’s a lot to consider. What if all these ideas don’t work, and I can’t make enough money to pay the rent? Then I’ll be in a pickle.”
“You’ll make the rent,” Deirdra said confidently. “You’ll be on the expensive side of Silver Island and right down the road from the Silver House. Chances are, you’ll get hundreds of little divas over the summer, spending Mommy and Daddy’s money like water.”
“That’s true,” Gail said. “Keira has mentioned that about the coffee shop. You do have a lot on your plate, but now is the time to take risks. When you’re young and you have the energy to put into them.”
“And the support of the community,” Shelley said.
“But it’s not my community,” Cait pointed out.
There was a collective gasp and a multitude of “Yes it is!”
“You became one of us the minute we found out you were Ava’s daughter,” Shelley said with that maternal expression Cait had come to appreciate.
Abby put her hand on Cait’s and said, “I love working with you at the Bistro, but that was my dream. I want you to have yours, to live your dream.”
Cait looked around at the women who had become her friends and the ladies who acted like they were all her mothers and said, “I kind of already am.”
Deirdra touched Cait’s shoulder. She and Abby nodded as if they knew exactly what Cait was thinking. Knowing they probably did made Cait even more emotional.
“Look at you girls.” Shelley sighed. “I miss your mama something fierce. I wish she were here with us. But I can feel her smiling down on you. This was what Ava had wanted, to have her girls come together and be happy.”
Cait imagined Ava there with her friends who loved her despite her faults, and her throat thickened.
“I’m sweaty, sandy, and sitting in my bra in public,” Deirdra said flatly. “As much as I like hanging out with everyone, a shower and a few margaritas might amp up my happiness factor.”
Leni popped open a cooler. “I’ve got the margaritas. You know I’d never leave you hanging.”
“You are a goddess.” Deirdra peered into the cooler. “You don’t have a fan hidden in there, do you?”
As the day wore on, clouds rolled in, bringing a refreshing breeze. The conversation turned to Abby’s wedding, and eventually they broke off into smaller discussions, some serious, some funny, but all meaningful. When Cait had first heard about the Bra Brigade, she’d thought it sounded silly, a bunch of women sitting around in their bras. But as she sat among three generations of women, she realized this was a family, too. A family of women letting their guards down, accepting one another for who they were without exception, and taking care of each other in ways Cait had never experienced or even hoped for, because she’d never known a group of women like this existed.
“I want a picture!” Daphne jumped to her feet, telling everyone to gather around.
They all crowded together behind Daphne. Cait stood with her arms around Abby and Deirdra, with Shelley and Gail behind her, their hands on her shoulders.
Daphne yelled, “Say Mommy’s booby party!”
As they shouted those words and Daphne took the picture, “Ladies, put your boobs away!” boomed from a speaker on a boat speeding into the cove.
The girls shrieked, running for their shirts and laughing hysterically. The older ladies settled into their beach chairs in their bras, as if they were the queens and everyone else had lost their minds. As Jules and Daphne strained to see who was on the boat, Cait didn’t care if it was the mayor himself seeing her shirtless, because after a lifetime of longing for a mother who would love her and siblings to lean on, she’d found more than she could ever hope for. The new part of her, the part that was trying to build a life separate from her past, felt like she belonged with these wonderful women and deserved their friendship and support. But at the same time, she felt like a fraud, hiding so much of herself from these friends who shared so openly, and she didn’t know what to do with those feelings. So for now she did what she knew best. She shoved those worries down deep, allowing happiness to rise to the surface.
Brant anchored the boat as Jock and the other guys lowered the inflatable lifeboat to the water. They were expecting storms later, but he hoped to spend a few hours on the beach with their friends before the rain hit. They loaded up the lifeboat with supplies for the bonfire and barbecue and tucked adorable Hadley in the middle of it all, surrounded by towels. Jock and Aiden held on to one side of the boat, and Wells and Grant held on to the other. Brant took up the rear, and together they swam the boat toward shore.
Brant held on to the raft, kicking his feet, eyes locked on Cait in her T-shirt and shorts, as beautiful as ever. Deirdra said something, and Cait laughed, covering her mouth, but her eyes never left his as they came to shallow water.
“Hi, Hadley!” Daphne waved.
“I at your booby party!” Hadley hollered, and everyone laughed as Jock reached for her. She shrugged away, scowling at her daddy. “Wells get me!”
“That’s my girl,” Wells said, reaching for Hadley. She threw her arms around his neck, and he carried her onto the beach.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Leni glowered at him. She had dated Wells in high school and he’d two-timed her with Abby. They were still friends, but Leni had never stopped giving him hell for it. “Daph, we need to have a talk. Your little girl’s taste has gone downhill.”
As the rest of the guys carried the supplies to the beach and Brant dragged the lifeboat onto the sand, Wells cocked a grin and said, “Don’t worry, Leni. There’s plenty of me to go around.”
“There wasn’t plenty in high school and there’s definitely not now.” Leni stalked away.
There was a flurry of activity as the guys greeted their significant others and the other ladies, and Brant focused on the green-eyed beauty he was gathering in his arms.
“How’s my girl?” He kissed her.
“Great, but what are you all doing here? Where’s Scrappy?” She glanced at the activity on the beach.
“My grandfather’s watching him. The guys and I were out fishing, and I missed you. I convinced them to make an evening of it with a bonfire and barbecue before the rain hits. Did you have fun?” He’d been a little nervous about how she’d feel about sunbathing in her bra.