Chloe nodded. “Sounds good to me. What do you think, Tegan?”
“Yes, perfect. I just started reading this month’s book.” A shimmer of excitement flared in Tegan’s eyes. “Have you started it yet?”
“Yes,” Chloe and Daphne said in unison.
“Talk about being thrown right into the fire. I’d let that sexy chef”—Chloe glanced at Hadley—“lick my muffins any day.”
“I like muffins,” Hadley said around a mouthful of eggs.
Daphne stifled a laugh as she wiped Hadley’s mouth. “That’s because you’re my mini me.” But unlike her daughter, Daphne smiled often. She’d been through enough with her ex-husband to realize how precious good times and close friends were, and to appreciate them all.
Desiree cradled Aaron in her lap as she fixed her nursing bra and said, “I can’t read those books without turning bright red.”
“Why do you think I hide in my chair and read at night when it’s dark out and nobody can see my face?” Daphne said. When she and Chloe had first started the book club, they’d planned to read all types of romance. Daphne had never even read erotic romance until a member had chosen an erotic book. It had taken some time to get comfortable with the raw sexuality in erotic romance novels, but once she had, it hadn’t taken much for her to allow herself to fantasize about being one of the heroines. Now erotic romances were all their book club read, and she couldn’t get enough of them.
“We all know why you read those books. To rev you up for that boyfriend you’ve had for three years,” Emery said with a wink.
There was some truth to that. Her life was so focused on work and taking care of Hadley, she couldn’t remember the last time a living, breathing man had made her feel wanted. Not that she’d ever be brave enough to be as open, passionate, and dirty with a real man as the heroines in her books were, but fictional boyfriends knew all the right things to say and do to make a woman feel safe enough to want to let go. To make her want to let go too.
“I don’t know how you guys keep track of all those members,” Desiree said, drawing Daphne back to the conversation.
“Daphne is a pro at keeping track of people and what they need,” Chloe said. “We share the answering of posts on the forum, but Daphne does the heavy lifting when it comes to handling the online discussion questions each month, coordinating in-person meetings and Skype sessions, and coming up with ways to keep the forum fresh and exciting for new and existing members. She amazes me.”
“You do just as much, Chloe, and planning meetings and coming up with ideas for discussions are what I love doing the most.”
Before taking the job at Bayside, Daphne had worked at other resorts where she’d handled events, and she missed it desperately. She’d thought the book club might fill that longing, but as much as she enjoyed it, she still missed real event planning. Now that Hadley was getting bigger, she had more time to think about her future—their future—and the things she wanted for them. Like a small home of their own someplace where there were other children for Hadley to play with and a job where she had new, exciting things to look forward to. When Daphne had taken the job at the resort, events had been on her bosses’ agenda for a year or two out, but it had been two years and she was still waiting. Her mother had been urging her to talk with them about the event ideas for the resort she’d been jotting down and tucking away. Maybe it was time to feel out the situation. What better way than to ask her bosses’ wives?
“Can I get your opinions about something?” Daphne asked.
“Of course,” Emery said.
“Ever since Desiree and Rick’s wedding here at Summer House and Harper and Gavin’s wedding on Silver Island, I’ve been really missing event planning. I’m thinking about asking the guys how they’d feel about hosting weddings and other events at the resort. We get calls about it all the time. I’ve turned down two people just this week. Do you think they’d be open to the idea?”
“You’re already so busy,” Chloe said.
Daphne shrugged. “I know, but I love planning events. They’re fun for me.”
Chloe shook her head. “I hate to tell you this, but Serena said that Drake’s time is stretched so thin between the resort and his music shops, I doubt he has anything left to give.” Drake’s wife, Serena, was Chloe’s younger sister. In addition to co-owning Bayside Resort, Drake owned a chain of music shops along the East Coast. He and Serena were away for the next few weeks setting up a new shop in another state.
“And with Aaron, I want Rick to work less, not more,” Desiree said. “I’m sorry, Daphne.”
“Me too, with Dean,” Emery agreed. “He’s already splitting time between the resort and his landscaping business. I think the guys really like how low-key the business is. It’s manageable for them, and they’ve worked hard to get here. You’ve worked hard to get it there. Maybe you can do smaller events for the renters? Like game nights?”
“Maybe,” Daphne said, feeling deflated. “We’d better get going or I’ll be late for work again. Finish up, Had.”
Hadley pushed her finger through the top of her croissant. When she pulled it out, it was covered in chocolate. “Wick want dis?” She sucked the chocolate off.
Emery stifled a laugh and said, “Oh boy. You are going to have your hands full when she’s a teenager.”
“Tell me about it.” Daphne hoped Hadley would grow up to be less shy about sex and her body than she was but still have enough respect for herself to demand it from others. She had no idea how to teach that to her, but she was due a trip to the library and it never hurt to do a little research. She wiped Hadley’s hands and said, “Are you ready to go to school?”
Hadley nodded, climbing off her chair as she said, “Kiss my baby bye-bye.”
Daphne watched her toddle around the table, kiss Aaron’s head, and tell him she loved him. The girls mooned over her. Hadley might not be a smiley child, but she was loving, thoughtful, and kind. Maybe it shouldn’t bother Daphne that Jock didn’t stick around long enough to appreciate those things about her, but it did. The same way it bothered her that the one man she should stay away from was the only man who made her body go up in flames.
Chapter Two
ANOTHER DAY SHOT to hell.
How many days did that make it? Three hundred and sixty-five torturous days and as many unbearable nights? For ten years?
No. Not ten. The time Jock had spent with Harvey had been anything but a waste.
He tried to focus on the heavy bag as he beat it to smithereens, blocking out the din of the boxing club and the self-loathing permeating his mind, but the morning had been replaying in his head like a bad movie all damn day. He couldn’t escape the sounds of Hadley’s cries or the hurt and anger in Daphne’s eyes as he’d stood there without saying a word like a fucking prick when that adorable little girl had come running toward him. He’d been pounding the heavy bag for forty minutes, and still Hadley’s pleas brought back the sounds of his baby’s weak cries and the crushing feeling in his chest when his son had taken his last breath.