15. Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Fifteen
“Here’s to the start of our best Girls’ Weekend ever,” Emma said, and held up her champagne flute in a toast.
Maddy cheered and clinked glasses with the women crowded around the island in Emma’s kitchen. They were a large group—her mom, Emma, Anna, Jason’s mom Tammy, who had flown in from Florida, Abby, Jenna, and Natalie.
“Where’s Dylan tonight?” Tammy asked.
“She’s staying with the guys at Evan’s,” Maddy said.
“I would have thought she’d want to be here with us girls,” Abby said.
“Let me guess—she was bribed with pizza and a water-gun fight,” Jenna added.
“That plus the promise of ice cream,” Maddy said.
In truth, it had been a little harder to explain to her daughter why Maddy and the other women wanted the Friday night of Girls’ Weekend as adults only. Tears and pleading meant to sway her to give in and let Dylan stay didn’t work, much to her daughter’s frustration.
Thankfully, Ty had suggested both a slip-and-slide and a water-gun fight. And Maddy wouldn’t be surprised if Dylan convinced them to take her on a few spins on the carousel on the way to pick up the pizza.
“Those poor guys,” Tammy said. “Do they know what they’re getting into?”
“Oh, they know,” Anna said.
“And love every minute,” Emma added.
Maddy was blessed with the best of friends. Ty, Evan, and the others didn’t hesitate to offer to take Dylan for the night. And bless her baby girl’s heart, she had every one of those alpha males wrapped around her little finger. If Dylan had that power at age four, Maddy could only imagine how things would be once she hit puberty and all her female hormones peaked.
Heaven help them all.
“Here’s to us and an evening of Magic Mike ,” Jenna added with a hoot.
They all raised their glasses and drank.
“One question, though,” Jenna said, and narrowed her gaze at Abby. “Someone here isn’t drinking alcohol.”
All gazes swung to Abby, who flushed.
“Okay, okay. She’s right. It’s sparkling cider,” she said. “Connor sort of knocked me up.”
They all cheered.
“It happened sooner than we expected, but we’re thrilled,” Abby added.
Maddy studied Emma, who also had a glow about her. “OMG. Did another Maguire brother also do some knocking up?”
Emma set her glass down and nodded. “Guilty.”
More cheers filled the room.
Maddy watched her friend wipe at her eyes. “What’s wrong, Em? ”
Emma sniffed. “My doctor said it could take months to get pregnant, so I went off the pill weeks ago. But now I’m pregnant, and I have a wedding dress to fit into next month. What if I can’t?”
Maddy slung an arm around her shoulder. “Usually, you don’t start showing for a few months. I think you’ll be fine.”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell her,” Anna said. “You need to eat healthy and keep up your exercise.”
“Have either of you been having morning sickness?” Maddy asked.
“Not so far, but I’ve gotten dizzy a few times if I’m working too long and forget to eat,” Abby said.
“All normal,” Natalie said.
“And easily handled by planning and eating regular meals,” Tammy added.
Abby held up a hand. “I know, I know. Connor has already been all over me about it.”
“We’ll make sure you take breaks, and we have enough coverage at the store,” Natalie said. “At least you don’t have morning sickness. When I was pregnant with Liam, I was sick the first six months.”
Maddy remembered her shock when the red lines stared up at her from the home pregnancy test. She’d started the birth control patch six months after she started dating Reece, mostly because keeping up with the pill had been a challenge with her schedule. The patch seemed easier, although it was less effective than the pill.
She had wanted kids, just not at twenty-four, during the prime of her singing career. But Reece had been thrilled, and together they worked out a plan to juggle their tour schedules around her due date. Once Dylan had been born, more of the responsibility lay on Maddy, since she nursed her. That was when things started to fall apart between her and Reece.
“Maddy, where are you?” Jenna asked .
Maddy blinked away the memories. “I’m sorry, what?”
“I asked if you and Tyler have talked about having kids,” Jenna said.
Maddy flushed. “We’re a long way away from talking about having a family. I haven’t even agreed to move in with him.”
“He asked you to move into our old house?” Emma asked.
Maddy took another sip of bubbly. “He mentioned his plans for renovating it and that he wants Dylan and I to move in with him.”
They all started talking at once.
“How is he renovating it?”
“Are you going to do it?”
“Did he propose?”
Maddy held up a hand. “Whoa, girls. Let’s take a step back. I’m still working through making Pelican Bay my main base, plus there’s Broadway Betty’s. I can’t handle thinking about much more.”
“Sorry if we’re being presumptuous,” Emma said, holding a hand to her chest. “We’ve talked about being sisters since we were kids. Now it’s possible.”
Possibly, but Maddy wasn’t there yet. Plus, Ty hadn’t proposed. What if he only wanted to live together? She and Reece had lived together first, and then he proposed once she found out she was pregnant.
Maddy wanted to enjoy dating Ty and being a couple. If they got married, she wanted a real wedding with a long white dress, surrounded by her friends. Not the Vegas elopement Reece had convinced her made sense.
“I know you all have good intentions. There are too many balls I’m juggling,” she said.
“Start with one decision. I think you should go for Broadway Betty’s,” Abby said.
No better time than the present .
Maddy picked up her phone and sent a text to Cade. Seconds later, he sent a response. “Done. Cade will draft the paperwork and send it to me tomorrow.”
They all cheered yet again.
Jenna refilled Maddy’s glass. “Time for another toast.”
There was a knock on the sliding door and a familiar face smiled at Maddy.
“Oh my God,” she exclaimed, and ran over to open the door.
“Hi, love. We’ve been ringing the front bell, but when no one answered, and with the driveway full of cars, we came around here.”
“Marco, Aiden. I can’t believe you’re here,” Maddy cried, and hugged them.
“You wanted us to come early,” Aiden added.
“Looks like we’re interrupting a party,” Marco said.
“It’s Girls’ Weekend,” Maddy said.
Marco jutted out his hip and struck a pose. “That sounds right up my alley.”
“Oh, it is. We’re going to watch Magic Mike ,“ Maddy replied.
“You better mean all three of them.” Marco fanned his face. “Channing Tatum is sweet, but that Joe Manganiello really does it for me.”
Jenna whistled. “Hell yeah.”
Aiden rolled his eyes. “It’s going to be a long night.”
Introductions were made and more drinks were poured. Knowing her friends, Maddy handed Aiden a beer rather than champagne.
After a brief tour of the house, they coerced Aiden and Marco into making a fire outside. Maddy followed them because she wasn’t sure either of them knew how to light a fire other than by flipping a switch.
Once the wood caught, they got comfortable in the chairs.
“Where are the rest of your friends?” Aiden asked .
“We sent them and Dylan next door to Evan’s place,” Maddy said.
Marco pouted. “And we so wanted to see our sweet Dylan plus get a look at your hunky man.”
“Dylan will be up at six, maybe even earlier, since tomorrow is the Mermaid Parade.”
Aiden shook his head and drank more of his beer. “Heaven help us all.”
“I love it. Please tell me you’re marching in it,” Marco said.
“Of course,” Maddy replied. “All the ladies have costumes. Dylan has been trying hers on every day since it arrived in the mail two weeks ago.”
“Can there be mermen in this parade?” Marco asked.
She smiled. “There can, but there’s no way you can tell me you brought a merman costume with you.”
“No, but I have highly creative skills when I’m under pressure.”
“I’d look out, Mad, or else he’ll be wearing a Speedo and nothing more,” Aiden added.
Marco rubbed his chin. “Not a bad idea.”
“We can stop by Ty’s shop in the morning and see what he has,” Maddy said.
“Are you sure there isn’t a way we can meet your man tonight?” Marco asked.
She was about to explain that ladies’ night was a sacred tradition that the men wouldn’t dare break without fear of suffering the wrath of Emma. But before she could get the words out, the ladies exited the house with trays of drinks and food at the same time there was a bunch of commotion from the side of the house and all the men, with Dylan in the lead, came marching in.
“We heard the ‘no guys’ rule has been broken, so we’re crashing,” Ty said.
And with that, a new tradition had been started.
“I’d never believe it if I wasn’t seeing it with my very eyes,” Evan said.
The Mermaid Parade had been started five years after Samantha to boost the spirits of the townspeople and entice visitors to the town. Craft and food vendors set up tents and tables along the boardwalk. Following the parade, the tents were open for business until midafternoon.
Ty was used to this by now, but it was a new experience for Jason, Connor, and Evan. They stood to the side and cheered as their friends and family approached them in full-on mermaid attire. Maddy and Dylan wore matching outfits, with purple bikini tops and form-fitting green sequined skirts with fishtail hems. They’d attached colored extensions in their hair, which they curled. Even Marco had joined in and improvised a merman outfit with a sarong over board shorts and a shirt fabricated from fishnet.
Aiden snapped a photo with his phone. “I am so putting this up on Instagram. Fans go nuts for this stuff.”
“Shouldn’t you be out there too?” Ty asked.
“No way, man. I’d rather be the photographer than the subject.”
“Ditto that,” Jason added.
“What are they handing out?” Evan asked.
“Abby thought it would be fun to hand out shell-shaped soaps and a coupon for the soap shop,” Connor said.
“Smart idea,” Ty said. “The stores will be packed today. I bumped up staffing, anticipating the crowds.”
“Abby did the same thing at the soap shop. Nat’s there now and Abs will go over after the parade. It’s been so busy, they’ve hired four part-time workers,” Connor said.
“It’s a beautiful thing,” Ty said.
He knew better than any of them what it was like living in the empty shell of a town Pelican Bay had become after Samantha. Seeing it bloom into its full potential, and knowing he was part of it, filled him with pride.
“You ready for the big day Tuesday?” Evan said.
Tuesday…reveal day for Jersey Boy Paddle Company. For national TV! Ty wasn’t sure if he was excited or sick to his stomach.
Connor nudged his shoulder. “It’s all good, man. We’ve got this.”
“I know,” Ty said. But had he misjudged the need? Would it draw the interest of residents and tourists?
“It’s going to be an enormous success,” Evan said.
“I’m a surfing man at heart, but paddleboarding sounds interesting,” Aiden said.
“I haven’t seen it, but Connor and the crew have been working late nights making sure it’s perfect. The only downside will be if I lose the challenge,” Jason added.
“You mean when you lose the challenge,” Connor teased.
“It will be a win for the town regardless,” Evan said.
“The network has gone all out with publicity,” Jason said.
“Who are the celebrity judges?” Aiden asked.
“We don’t know, although Con has tried to sweet-talk his way into finding out,” Jason said.
“And I’ve tried a lot,” Connor agreed.
“Whatever the result, I’ll be glad once the construction zone is dismantled and I’m open for business,” Ty said.
Truth be told, while he was excited for the opening of his new business, it paled compared to his anticipation for the changes to his old house…his house, hopefully one where he’d live with Maddy, Dylan, and any future children they would have. But he needed to seal the deal and convince her he was one hundred percent behind sharing in her singing career .
“I have the next Maguire Brothers renovation project and could use everyone’s help,” he said.
“Help with what?” Aiden asked.
“Help convincing a beautiful redhead that three thousand miles can’t stop us from having it all.”
After a busy Monday morning finalizing details for Dylan’s birthday party next weekend, Maddy took a sip of her iced coffee and sighed. Her baby was going to be five, and while Maddy hadn’t yet one hundred percent committed to staying in Pelican Bay permanently, she had enrolled Dylan in kindergarten at the elementary school.
They had gone together, and Dylan clutched her hand tightly as the assistant principal gave them a tour. Maddy remembered her first day walking down the hallway and how large everything looked…the signs, the billboards, the desks, the doors, and the gymnasium. Now, holding on to Dylan’s hand, it didn’t look nearly so intimidating. But based on the wrinkle in her brow, Dylan was as terrified as Maddy had once been.
Thankfully, she’d planned for this possibility and asked if Becca and her mom, Leanna, would come with them. Both girls looked scared but adorable as they held hands and listened to their guide as she showed them the two kindergarten classrooms.
Seeing the girls together, along with Dylan’s smooth adjustment to island life, gave a reason to stay. And if Maddy were honest, there were more pros for staying than cons. Her primary concerns were about her music, her daughter, and Ty.
She’d spent most of her life pushing away thoughts of him and wanting a life bigger than Pelican Bay could offer.
But now …
Could she have the small town, her career, and the man?
The alarm on her phone beeped, reminding her to leave to meet Aiden and Marco at Broadway Betty’s.
After finishing the tour and accepting Leanna’s offer to watch Dylan, Maddy made the short drive and pulled into the parking lot as Aiden and Marco were shaking Cade’s hand.
Exiting the car, she hoisted her bag on her shoulder and affixed a smile on her face she didn’t completely feel. “Sorry I’m late.”
“We just got here, love,” Marco called out.
A rental car pulled into the lot.
What the hell? Who was the man behind the wheel with her mom in the passenger seat? Was that who she thought it was?
She took a step toward them as they exited the car. “Gabe?”
“Hey, Maddy. Surprise.”
Understatement. “I guess you got my long-winded voicemail to call me,” she said.
“There was enough vagueness and worry in your tone, and after Linda dodged my questions, I booked the next flight.”
So much for having a private discussion with him.
After quick introductions and a brief explanation of the place and why they were there, the group headed inside.
Nervously, she wiped her hands on the hem of her sundress. What if they thought owning a singing ice cream parlor was a stupid idea? What if they wanted no part of spending part of the time in a tiny, barely-a-dot-on-the-map beach town in New Jersey?
She took a deep breath to steady herself. It would be okay. Besides, she’d already given Cade the okay to approach the owner with an offer. He was out of the country, and she anxiously awaited news.
Gabe and her mom followed Cade inside the building.
“Did either of you know he was coming?” she asked her friends.
Aiden held his hands up. “Nope. ”
Marco walked alongside her. “He didn’t tell us anything. Stop worrying,” he said, and put an arm around her shoulders.
“I’m not worrying,” she said with little conviction. Much.
Marco snorted. “Yeah, right. You forget how well we know you.”
Maddy leaned against him. “Please keep an open mind.”
“Always for you, hon.”
The thrill of stepping inside never failed to cause her heart to beat a little faster.
“It’s a large space,” Aiden said. “I love the retro counter and barstools.”
“Maddy used to be one of the servers who sang and danced on that counter,” Cade said.
“We wouldn’t expect anything less of her,” Marco said. “And look at that stage.”
“We used to put on a fifteen-minute performance every hour between servings. And once a night, a longer performance,” Maddy said. “We hosted birthday parties and other special events for kids. It was a lot of fun.”
“The jukebox looks like an original,” Gabe said.
“It is,” her mom said, and pulled him over to get a closer look. “This was here when I was a kid.”
They continued the tour of the downstairs before Cade led them upstairs.
“It’s not much, and it needs a lot of work,” Maddy began.
“I’ll say,” Aiden agreed. “What are you thinking for renovation?”
“I’d like to keep the open-concept kitchen and the dining and living room spaces, add a second bedroom, reno the bathroom, and create a recording studio.”
Aiden was rubbing his chin, a sign that he was thinking over the possibilities. “Maybe instead of a second bedroom, a private practice area. ”
“Ditto that,” Marco said. “It’s not like you can live here.”
Maddy bit her lip and looked at her feet.
Marco’s eyes widened. “No. No way, Mad. You’re going to take our darling Dylan and live here?”
“It’s something I’d been considering,” she said. “Until recently.”
“There’s lots of rental options nearby if you want to rent a house,” Cade offered. “Renovations here may take a while.”
Maddy knew he was right. Even with her “in” with the Maguires, it could take months to get Betty ready. And it wasn’t like she didn’t have the funds. Between her own personal savings and the life insurance policy from Reece, she was well set. Of course, a good chunk would go toward a down payment for the business. Plus, after her conversations with her mom and Ty, Maddy agreed it made little sense to live in the apartment.
And Ty’s offer to live with him was still out there.
“I’ll let you know, Cade,” she said.
Gabe was closely taking in the space. “Recording studio, huh?” He rubbed his chin. “If it were me, I’d gut the entire place and start from scratch.”
“You could use part of the space for singing or music lessons,” Marco added.
Maddy hadn’t thought of that, but it was a good idea. “I’ve reached out to a few friends to see if they’d help with a summer camp program.”
“Why just summer camp?” Aiden asked.
“Why not year-round? Maybe a talent agency,” Marco added.
“You have a lot of options,” Cade said.
Almost too many at this point. Maddy wanted to start out simple. “How about the recording studio?” she asked .
“It’s a large undertaking, but once you open up the space, it could work. You’d have to hire the right people to staff it and manage it,” Gabe said.
“And that’s on top of managing the restaurant business,” her mom added.
Did they think she didn’t understand all that? “I know it’s going to be a lot of work, and I’ll need to hire people.”
“There are people who used to work here who are still local,” Cade said. “They may jump at the chance to come back.”
Good to know.
“You’ll need to make sure the recording people are topnotch,” Gabe added.
“Of course. Let me know if you know of anyone who wants to move to Jersey,” Maddy said.
Her mom and Gabe exchanged a look. What was going on with them?
“It just so happens we know of two people who are interested,” her mom said, and linked hands with Gabe.
Maddy looked between them. “Seriously? You’d move here and work with me?”
“No, sweetie. We’d work for you,“ her mom said. “With my restaurant experience, I could help manage Betty.”
“And I’ve been wanting to try something new and not travel for business as often. Besides,” Gabe said, “how can I convince your mom to marry me if we’re living on separate coasts?”
“Marry? We talked about living together,” Linda said.
“For starters,” he said, and kissed her hand. “I’m ready for the next step whenever you are, love.”
Maddy was speechless. Her mom and Gabe wanted to move to Pelican Bay, and he’d all but proposed in the middle of this crappy apartment .
She cleared her throat. “Are you serious about all this?”
“We are, honey,” her mom said.
Maddy turned to Marco and Aiden. “We haven’t worked out our plans to start a band and launch Aiden’s solo career, but what do you think? Would you be willing to come out here to record?”
“Honey, don’t you know we’d do anything for you?” Marco said.
Maddy swung her gaze to Aiden. “A? You okay with this?”
“Two things. One, we seriously talk about forming a band and my solo career.” He broke into a smile. “And two, you promise to sing and dance on the counter when I’m here.”
“Now you’re talking,” Marco said.
Maddy smiled. “That’s a deal.”
“Speaking of deals,” Cade added, holding up his phone, “Mr. Rafferty is back from his trip and saw my messages about your offer.”
Maddy winced, afraid to hope.
“He accepted and requested a quick close. Congratulations, Maddy, you’re going to be the new owner of Broadway Betty’s…or whatever you’re going to call it.”
Tears spilled freely now, and everyone hugged her.
“Broadway Betty’s…It has a nice ring to it,” Aiden said.
It did, and Maddy didn’t have plans to change the name at all.
She’d figure out the rest of it, including where to live.
It really came down to: what did she want?
When she figured that out, she’d know what to do.