Chapter Twenty-Five
Twenty-Five
THE FOLLOWING MORNING, CHARLIE MADE plans to see the apartment near campus after the weekend. She and Gray would participate in the plan that the Keller family had spread throughout a large chunk of the community through a series of text messages. After that, they’d spend the night on the mainland.
She knew she was growing attached and wanted to say she was powerless to stop herself, but that wasn’t completely true.
She’d spent so much of her life being the rock, the steady and responsible one, it felt well-earned to let herself indulge in Grayson Keller.
Eventually, she’d go back to LA. When she couldn’t fall asleep the night before, she’d thought more about opening her own practice.
She had possibilities, but she didn’t need to decide anything right now.
This little cutout of time was hers, to explore her past, escape her present, figure out what she wanted, and just cater to herself.
Being with Grayson, his happy, easygoing energy and the genuineness with which he cared for those around him, was like an all-day spa package: refreshing and uplifting. He was the ultimate self-care.
Charlie was only going to know and be with Gray for a short period of time but had no doubt he’d leave a forever imprint on her heart, mind, and soul.
A knock sounded on the cabin door. Bernie had gone with Gray on the fishing expedition.
Gray had come by earlier to bring her some pretty yellow flowers that now sat in a vase on the table.
Wearing a pair of loose-fitting joggers and a tank top, she went to the door, pulling it open to find Presley and Ollie.
They both said hi at the same time.
Charlie laughed. “Hello. This is a nice surprise. If you’re looking for Bernie, he went with Gray on a fishing trip. He’ll be back after dinner.”
Ollie took her hand. “We came for you.”
Presley put a hand on Ollie’s shoulder. “Hang on there, sweet pea. We came to ask if Charlie wants to join us, but make it clear that there’s no obligation to do so.”
She couldn’t imagine that saying no to Ollie was easy, but she didn’t want to, anyway. Squeezing Ollie’s hand, Charlie looked at Presley. “I’m intrigued.”
Ollie let go of her hand and jumped up and down. “We’re doing wedding favors and they were my idea.”
Presley laughed loudly, pulling Ollie into her side, keeping her arm around the little girl’s shoulder.
“This is all true. The lodge is quiet today with people doing their own thing, visiting Smile, or out on day trips. Jilly, her bestie, Ollie, and myself are going to put together favors and we wanted to invite you. Levi left us a bunch of yummy snacks.”
Ollie looked up at Charlie, stepping right in front of her. “Plus, the favors are s’mores and Mom said if there’s any leftovers, we can make some tonight.”
Getting attached to Gray was one thing but she was pretty sure she was falling for his whole family. They made her think of what it would be like to have a large circle of people who loved unconditionally.
“I would love to. That sounds wonderful. Though I’m not overly crafty, so I hope I can keep up.” She slipped on a pair of flip-flops, pulling the door closed behind her.
“They’re very simple. We found the idea on Pinterest.” Presley walked slowly beside Charlie while Ollie ran ahead. “On my first night here, Ollie came down to the cabin and Beckett made her s’mores. I think part of me fell for him because of how he treated her. He was so good with her.”
“Everyone seems to be. It’s an amazingly familial atmosphere for a place where so many people come and go.”
“I thought the same thing when I showed up here. It’s part of what made me never want to leave.” She turned her head, grinned widely at Charlie with excitement shining in her eyes. “And Beckett, of course.”
They found the others in the dining room. The lodge was quiet with people off doing different things. Sure enough, the table had bowls of popcorn, chips, and a platter with fruit and veggies. Several dips sat on a lazy Susan in the center of the table.
“You must be Charlie,” a strikingly pretty woman said from her seat at the far side of the table.
When she stood up to come around the table and shake Charlie’s hand, she realized just how tall she was. With long, curly brownish hair and unique bracelets running up and down both arms, she seemed to radiate energy.
“I’m Lainey. Jilly and I have been besties since grade school. Ollie hasn’t stopped talking about you.”
Sending Ollie a warm smile, Charlie shook Lainey’s hand, not immediately concerned when the woman continued to stare at her.
“Ollie’s a sweetheart. In fact, I was just saying to Presley how wonderful everyone here seems to be.” It was when she stopped talking that she realized Lainey had tilted her head, a furrow setting in between her brows.
“You look familiar,” she said.
Her stomach spun like it was on a merry-go-round. Taking slow, measured breaths, she stopped herself from reacting in any visible way.
Redirect. “I love your bracelets.” She walked to the end of the table to sit next to Presley.
Lainey went back to her seat, next to Jilly, who was looking somewhat pale.
Jilly found a smile, aimed it at Charlie.
“Lainey is also known as the Bracelet Babe. Her online shop blew up during COVID and she decided she could no longer live far away from me, came home, and opened a shop on Tourist Lane. Between that and the Eras Tour, her bracelet game is strong.”
Ollie extended her hand, showing a bracelet around her wrist with different-colored beads set in a very specific pattern. “She made this, but it’s from Levi. It says I love you in Morse code. Mom has one, too, and so does Levi. Lainey made them all.”
“You’re very talented,” Charlie said, meaning it. They were delicate and pretty. “I’d love to see your store. I should pick up a little something for my mom while I’m here. Grayson is taking me to Tourist Lane tonight, but I’m sure all the shops will be closed.”
“You’re here for a while, right? I host a monthly friendship bracelet night. We drink wine—”
“Or juice!” Ollie lifted her hand as she spoke.
“Don’t interrupt, sweetie,” Jilly corrected.
“Or juice,” Lainey added. “We make a lot of simpler bracelets, but if anyone is interested, I can do more complicated ones as well.” Lainey moved the platter of veggies closer to Jilly, who loaded up a side plate, put it between her and Ollie.
“That sounds really fun. And yes, I’m teaching at the university for the fall semester.
Things are up in the air after that.” If she didn’t go home, Vivi would descend.
She wasn’t entirely certain that her mom wouldn’t try to show up before the end of the month, which was why she continued to be cagey with her about her whereabouts.
“Okay,” Presley said, clapping her hands. Her dark hair was tucked up into a fashionable bun and she wore a bright yellow shirt that matched her personality. “Wedding things now, please. Sorry, Charlie.”
Laughing, Charlie offered a dismissive wave. “Please. Tell us what to do.”
Presley then explained that every sealable plastic bag would hold four graham crackers, two flat wrapped pieces of milk chocolate, and two individually wrapped marshmallows.
Once everything was in, an adorable circle sticker closed the bag.
It read WE COULDN’T LOVE EACH OTHER S’MORE, with the word s’more in the middle, and under that it said: PRESLEY & BECKETT.
“These are so adorable,” Charlie said.
“Aren’t they? We special-ordered the marshmallows and chocolate, but it was still a really reasonable price overall. We need to make one hundred.” Presley started passing out the supplies sitting on the table, giving some to everyone.
“Can I eat one?” Ollie asked.
“When we’re done, cutie,” Jilly said, smiling at her daughter with so much warmth and affection that Charlie felt a pang of missing her mom.
Just because she knew she needed to take this time didn’t mean it was easy on her. She’d been away from her mom plenty in her life, but had never limited contact this way.
As they ate and created wedding favors, the women talked about anything and everything, sometimes breaking into code for Ollie’s sake.
It took Charlie a minute to catch on when Presley started talking about the book they were all reading and said she was more than happy with Beckett’s delivery of Cheerios, drawing the o out for a few seconds, but complained that the book was a bit unrealistic in that regard.
Charlie couldn’t figure out what she meant until Lainey laugh-coughed, saying, “I don’t know. I was with a guy once who gave me three big helpings of Cheerios.”
Jilly shook her head. “This conversation would be better if we weren’t talking about my brother and…” She looked at Ollie, then back at the women. “His love of cereal.”
Presley snort-laughed.
Ollie looked up from working hard on her gift bags. “Uncle Beckett likes Mini-Wheats, not Cheerios.”
All of the women laughed, and even though Charlie was absolutely certain that Ollie had no idea what they were really laughing at, the little girl giggled along with them.
Charlie was starting to realize, rather slowly, that in her efforts to finish school, become a counselor, and then specialize in child therapy, she’d isolated herself.
She’d worked so hard to build a career, she’d forgotten to build a life outside of it.
“Tell us about California, Charlie,” Jilly said.
“Have you been to Disneyland?” Ollie asked.