Epilogue
Lynette snuggled under the cozy afghan Annie’s mother had given her at her Whispering Pines birthday party. As she sipped her iced cider out of a wineglass, her gaze swept over the blazing lights of New York City’s skyline. Her apartment was barely larger than an efficiency, but the views were expansive. She approved of the combination, knowing she was lucky not to be staring at the brick wall of a neighboring building. The temporary living arrangement would serve her needs just fine until June. Sure, a few essentials were lacking, such as glassware, but she’d already started a list of things to bring back from Ruby Shores after the holidays.
Her timely arrival on the afternoon of November 30th had allowed her to settle in at the apartment and then catch a cab downtown in time to watch the lighting of the Rockefeller Christmas tree. She’d considered calling a friend from her days in New York to meet for a late dinner, but ultimately decided the ease of a solo adventure held more appeal. There would be time to catch up with a few of her favorite people in the city later.
Her lawyer, Kevin, hadn’t loved the idea of Lynette returning to New York to act as a consultant for her old company, but after many debates, they agreed on the details. She was using these first three weeks of December to reacclimate herself to things, learn what changes the new owners had made, and prepare to start off strong in early January.
Despite the relaxed ambiance she’d created with glowing candles and soft music, she felt an inner excitement that had been missing from her life lately. Maybe it was the energy of the city itself. Or the mental stimulation she was already feeling back in the office.
She heard the ding! of the elevator in the outer hallway and a soft knock on her door. Jumping to her feet, she tossed the blanket aside and set her glass on the low coffee table.
No, while the city and her work were stimulating, the main reason for her excitement was standing on the other side of her apartment door.
It only took a few skipped steps to move from the couch, across the living room, to the apartment door. She flung it open, then caught her visitor up in a rocking hug.
Renee’s laughter filled the surrounding space, and Lynette’s heart swelled with cheer.
“I can’t believe I’m really here,” Renee said, following Lynette into the apartment. “Did you know that I’ve never been to New York before?”
Lynette shook her head. “Yes, you mentioned that this summer and again when you called, but I can hardly believe it. December is the perfect time to visit. I’ll take you to see all the holiday sights.”
Renee pulled off her stylish jacket and hat, tossing them over the back of the only side chair in the living room. “I only have Saturday and Sunday. My flight leaves late morning on Monday. I doubt that will be enough time.”
“Love those,” Lynette said, pointing to the warm-weather clothing. “You dressed appropriately for strolling around downtown.”
Renee walked over to the large windows, cooing over the view. “I am a true Minnesota girl. Winter has nothing over on me. This view is incredible! I think I’d sleep right out here every night, on the couch, if I was you.”
Lynette shrugged. “Lucky for you, this place is small. I was going to give you the one bed, and I’d take the couch, but if you like, you can sleep out here in the living room.”
“I do like,” Renee said, dropping onto the couch.
“Would you like a drink?” Lynette offered.
Renee seemed to notice the wineglass for the first time. Her head swiveled immediately in Lynette’s direction, concern etched in her expression.
“Relax, it’s apple cider,” Lynette said. “This apartment is cute, but our only two options to drink out of are plastic cups from a pizzeria, three mugs, or wineglasses.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions. Apple cider actually sounds perfect. But maybe hot instead of cold. My jacket is warm, but it is damp out there!”
Lynette smiled as Renee pulled the afghan over her shoulders. “I thought you said you could handle whatever weather winter threw at you.”
“I love this afghan,” Renee said, pulling it snug around herself.
“Don’t you recognize it? It’s the one Patsy gave me at my birthday party,” Lynette said. She moved to the tiny galley kitchen to heat some cider for Renee.
“That’s why it looked familiar. I wish my mother could crochet like this, but she’s too busy baking and experimenting with new recipes with my sister, Val.”
Lynette filled one of the mismatched mugs with cider and popped it in the microwave. “Don’t interfere with the magic those two create when they combine their talents in the kitchen. I’m sure Patsy would make one of these blankets for you, too. Annie said she has a closet full of yarn. I think she donates lots of afghans.”
Renee nodded. “My mom helped some of my nephews make tie blankets a few years back, and they donated them to local nursing homes.”
The microwave beeped, and Lynette dipped a finger in to test the cider’s temperature.
“I saw that,” Renee said from right behind her.
“Holy—” Lynette yelped. “Don’t sneak up on me like that!”
“Sorry. I’m starving. Got any chips? Or popcorn?”
Lynette opened the one cupboard where she kept a few snacks. Since she’d been back in the city, she did most of her eating at the many restaurants she had missed during her time away. “I don’t have much in the way of groceries, since I’m only here for three weeks. I’m going back to the house in Ruby Shores for Christmas and New Year’s. When I come back, I’ll stock up.” She spied a tube of Pringles and handed them to her friend. “Here. We loved these at camp. Those should take the edge off, then we can either go out for dinner or order in.”
When she pulled open a drawer, countless takeout menus threatened to spill onto the floor.
Renee laughed. “While I am dying to see some of the city sites, I’m exhausted. Plus, it’s nearly impossible to order in like this at Whispering Pines.” She pulled a handful of menus from the drawer. “What if we stay in tonight, catch up, then get an early start in the morning?”
“That sounds perfect,” Lynette said. She took the cider jug out to the living room and topped off her glass. “I know this adorable little breakfast place close to here. I hope you brought comfortable shoes for walking, because we’ll put on some miles tomorrow.”
“I take it your ankle is better?”
“It is, and I’ll wear my snow boots that provide good traction and support.”
Based on Lynette’s recommendations, they placed their food order, then settled next to each other on the couch with the afghan stretched between them.
“I can’t tell you how excited I was when you called to see about a weekend visit,” Lynette said, swishing the cider in her glass. “We’ve barely talked since I had to rush away from Whispering Pines to attend to my collapsing basement wall.”
Renee popped a potato chip into her mouth. “I take it your house is still standing?”
A bit of chip landed on Lynette’s hand. “Eww,” she laughed, shaking it off. “And you still eat your Pringles like that twelve-year-old I met at summer camp.”
“You’d think I’d know better than to eat with my mouth full,” Renee said, grinning. “Sorry. But seriously, why do we do such a crummy job of keeping in touch between trips?”
Her comment reminded Lynette of the gift she’d picked up with that very question in mind. She twisted and stretched for her Vuitton bag that she’d brought back to New York. The movement pulled the afghan off Renee, and she tugged it back.
“Speaking of doing a better job of keeping in touch, I picked you up an early Christmas present,” Lynette said, digging through her scuffed leather bag.
Renee set the tube of chips on the coffee table with a grunt of protest. “I didn’t bring anything for you!”
Lynette found the box in the bottom of her bag, pulled it out, and handed it to Renee. “And I didn’t take the time to wrap it. I just happened across this in a booth at a Christmas market I wandered through after watching them light the tree on my first day here.”
“Oh, this paper is so pretty! I love the tiny butterflies up in the corner. It reminds me of when we were kids, chasing butterflies at camp.”
Lynette nodded. “Me, too! The woman selling this stationery said they are her own hand-drawn designs. It made me think of how fun it used to be when I’d received one of your letters in the mail. And you know how I love to support woman-owned businesses. Do you think we could get back to being real pen pals again? Emails and texts aren’t quite the same.”
“Aww,” Renee said, holding up her gift. “I’d love that!”
“Perfect, because I bought myself a box, too. That one has a watercolor design that kind of reminded me of a kaleidoscope. So neither of us have an excuse now. Our first New Year’s resolution can be to get back in the habit of writing each other letters.”
“You’re on,” Renee agreed. “Speaking of kaleidoscopes, Jess mentioned Seth is working on that stained-glass window for your house. I can’t wait to see if the pattern will be like looking through a kaleidoscope. Seth is so talented. I bet he pulls it off.”
“I can’t wait either, but he said it will be spring before he can put it in. Which works, since I’ll be here until June.”
Renee pulled her portion of the afghan up to her neck. “I’m so glad I’m here.”
“I’m glad you are, too. Now, tell me what’s new in your life.”
She was sorry to see her friend’s shoulders slump at the question.
“I guess I just felt like I needed a break from the worries back home,” Renee admitted. She kept her eyes on the skyline instead of looking toward Lynette as she spoke. “Matt has had some close calls at work lately. As you know, law enforcement isn’t currently experiencing nearly the level of respect they used to have out in the communities. He doesn’t talk about it, but I know it wears on him.”
Lynette felt for Renee. “I’m sure you can never really prepare yourself for the stress of marrying someone with a job like his. I sure like Matt, though. Do you realize how lucky you are to have found not just one, but two amazing men in your lifetime? I never met your first husband, but you always seemed happy in the letters you sent to me back then.”
Renee sighed. “You’re right. I am lucky. I just need to keep reminding myself of that, and have faith that nothing terrible will happen to Matt. He does his job because he truly feels he can make a positive difference, even though that vision can be tough to hold on to some days.”
Lynette could sense that, even though her friend’s worries over her husband’s safety were valid and real, there was more. “And how are things going at Whispering Pines? Do you feel like things are solid in your business?”
Renee grabbed the chips again. “Not as solid as I’d like. In fact, I was hoping I might bounce some ideas off of you as to ways I might shore up my reserves again. When Celia first left the resort to me, she had set money aside in escrow to help with things like taxes and ongoing maintenance. She was an astute woman, and the piece for the taxes will be there for me to draw from for years to come. But the hit we took in 2020 because of the pandemic will be hard to come back from. I applied for and received an emergency PPP loan, but it wasn’t enough to make up for the lost revenue. The buildings out there are old, aside from our new house, and it costs money to keep them structurally sound and all the mechanical systems working.”
“I can only imagine,” Lynette said. If she thought her home in Ruby Shores was costly to maintain, the resort had to be that much more expensive. “I’d love to talk through your ideas, both this weekend and anytime. After spending nearly two weeks out there this summer, I have an even better appreciation for how special your place is. I’m fully committed to helping you keep it viable.”
There was another knock on the apartment door.
“There’s our food!” Lynette said, kicking off the blanket.
“The doorman let me in downstairs,” Renee said, looking toward the door in surprise. “But I saw my name was on a list. They’ll let food delivery people come up?”
Lynette laughed. “Only from certain restaurants, and I wasn’t kidding when I said we were ordering from a local landmark. You are going to love their food.”
“That was delicious,” Renee said, hanging up a dishtowel. “And easy cleanup.”
“I told you,” Lynette said, tossing the last of the takeout containers into the trash. “We ordered the perfect amount. What would you like to do now?”
Renee stretched. “Point me to your bathroom. Then, I’d love to settle back on the couch and hear all about what’s been happening in your life since August.”
Since the two of them were spending the weekend in New York City instead of Ruby Shores or Whispering Pines, Lynette supposed she had plenty to share with Renee. “Pass through the bedroom to get to the bathroom. It isn’t ideal, but this is New York.”
Lynette settled on the couch again while she waited for Renee. So much had happened. She wasn’t even sure where to start.
“Since when did you take up scrapbooking?” Renee asked as she flopped back onto the couch minutes later.
Shoot!
She’d meant to put that stuff away instead of leaving it out on the small table in the corner of her bedroom. “I wasn’t going to show you that yet. But you inspired that project, actually.”
“Me? I don’t do much scrapbooking. I have boxes of photos from when the kids were young, so I should do more of it, but I don’t make the time.”
Lynette figured she might as well fess up. “I loved the scrapbook you put together of the extra pictures that didn’t fit on your gallery wall in the lodge. You know, the one you keep in the library? Between that and the fun we had looking through the old letters your mom kept, I thought it would be fun to put together a scrapbook of our girls’ trips. I’m just doing a few pages per trip, since I hope there will be many in our future. Speaking of which, have you decided what we should do next year? I know you were pretty adamant about being the one to set things up, though Jackie offered to help.”
Renee nodded. “I love the album idea, by the way. As far as next year’s trip, nothing is definitive yet, but I’ll figure out whether my idea will work by January. I know we’ll need to book flights and that kind of thing.”
Lynette had left herself some flexibility in her consulting gig in case any personal travel came up. “Are you thinking before or after June for our trip in 2022?”
“Before I knew you would be here in the city until June, that was the month I was thinking, but if that wouldn’t work for you, we could push it.”
“Don’t worry about my schedule. I’ll make whatever you come up with work. But won’t you give me at least a hint?”
Renee tilted her head, as if considering her request. Then she grinned and got off the couch. “Where did you put my backpack?”
“Over there, behind the chair.” Lynette hoped she’d come back with some travel brochures, but when all she had was a half-full bottle of water, she sighed. “You aren’t going to tell me, are you?”
“You need to work on your observation skills, Lynette.” Renee took a sip of the water, then set the square bottle on the table.
Lynette looked at both her friend and the bottle again before she realized. It was the Fiji brand, the same kind Lynette usually picked up while flying.
“Are we going to Matt’s house on Fiji?”
Renee laughed. “I don’t know yet. Maybe. I keep asking him, and he keeps telling me he’s working on his rental calendar. The only way he could justify keeping it when he moved from the island to live with me was to rent it out. We were supposed to go there the summer of 2020, but for obvious reasons, that wasn’t possible. He’s also still talking about the possibility of selling it, because it is kind of a headache, owning property so far away. It might not work out, so promise me you won’t tell the other girls.”
“I promise. Fiji would be amazing. I haven’t been anywhere tropical since we went to Hawaii, and after a winter in Ruby Shores, then New York, I’ll be ready. Donna is actually on a beach down in Mexico right now.”
“Good for her! I was going to ask what your mother was up to. Who is she traveling with?”
Lynette grinned. “Chester.”
“Chester, huh? Is this a travel buddy only, or a romantic interest?”
Lynette had been wondering the same thing. “All I know for sure is Chester lived in the same apartment complex as us when we were here in the city. His unit was on the opposite side of Donna’s from mine. Apparently, they kept in touch after we moved to Ruby Shores, and he’d been on her to take a trip. I’m so glad Mom is doing some of the travel she’s always dreamed of. I never appreciated how much she wanted to see more of the world.”
Renee tucked her feet under the afghan. “Speaking of mothers and travel, do you think our moms will ever pull a trip together? I know they all talked about it at Whispering Pines.”
“I think we should encourage that,” Lynette said. She knew Donna would love it.
“Say, if Donna is in Mexico and you are here, who’s watching your cat? What was her name?”
“Ebony. She’s actually spending a few weeks at Kit’s condo, since she’s my only other cat-lover friend. I’ll pick her up when I fly back into Minneapolis for Christmas, then she’ll come here with me in January.”
Renee nodded, then yawned.
“Maybe we should call it a night,” Lynette said. “I have extra sheets and blankets for you.”
Renee grabbed her hand. “Not so fast. We have one other important thing I’ve been dying to ask you about, but we haven’t gotten around to it yet.”
Lynette had a pretty good idea what, or who, Renee was so curious about. “Can’t it wait until breakfast?”
“No, it cannot. So. Storm. Have you talked to him since he rescued you from imminent death at Whispering Pines?”
Lynette snorted. “You are so overly dramatic.”
“Since I’m on husband number two, I obviously believe in romance. And romance is always more fun with a little drama thrown in. Now, come on. Spill it.”
Lynette turned her gaze back out to the skyline, and a crescent moon caught her eye. There were many things she loved about New York, but the way all the other lights seemed to mute the moon’s magic wasn’t one of them. She preferred the bright moonlight of Ruby Shores. Or Whispering Pines. Maybe she was a romantic at heart, too.
“Lynette?”
“Fine, but I might disappoint you. I’ve only seen Storm once since Whispering Pines. He reached out and wanted to talk about things,” Lynette said, keeping her eyes on the moon sliver.
“Talk?” Renee said. She sounded disappointed.
“We went out for ice cream. It was nice. He told me about the son he shares with his ex-wife. It sounds like they have an amicable relationship, but she has the boy most of the time. I think Storm said he’s twelve.”
Renee finished her water, then sighed. “This isn’t sounding like there was any kissing involved. I remember how you guys couldn’t keep your hands off each other at prom. Has the spark fizzled?”
From Lynette’s perspective, there was still plenty of zing between her and her first boyfriend, but there hadn’t yet been an opportunity to explore things further with Storm. She shrugged. “The only kissing involved the tip of my nose and one knuckle, but he does still intrigue me. I don’t know. He was leaving town the very next day, and I got so caught up in arranging all of this that our only communication since our ice cream date has been over the phone.”
They both sat quietly for the next few minutes. Lynette tried to imagine what Storm might be up to at this very moment.
“Well, I guess we’ll just have to wait to see what happens,” Renee said around another yawn.
Lynette slapped the couch and stood. “I’ll get those blankets.”
She went to her room to grab the bedding for the couch and checked her phone on the charger. A new email had come in from Storm. She clicked it and smiled when she saw he’d sent back a signed PDF of their rental agreement. Things were progressing on schedule, and she hoped his brother would enjoy living in Sybil’s old house.
Renee was pulling a set of pajamas from her roller bag when Lynette got back to the living room.
“This is a hide-a-bed, so I’ll make it up for you if you want to use the bathroom to change quick. These gigantic windows are amazing, but they offer little privacy.”
After zipping her bag shut, Renee stood and faced her. “So when will you see him again?”
“Who?” Lynette said, but she knew exactly who her friend meant.
“Storm! Because you are seeing him again. Even from across the room, over breakfast in the lodge the morning after Storm and Matt rescued you from, well, you, we could all still feel the attraction between you two.”
“You talked about us behind my back?” Lynette asked, trying to sound surprised.
It was like they were right back to being teenagers again.
Renee smirked. “Talked about you? Heck, we took bets on how long it would take Storm to thaw you out again.”
With a mortified shriek that could have won her an Emmy Award, Lynette pretended to be appalled at the notion. She even whipped a pillow at Renee, knocking her friend onto the chair.
Both women dissolved into laughter, and Lynette thought how wrong Renee was when she said she hadn’t brought her a gift for Christmas.
Renee’s weekend visit to help Lynette reacquaint herself with this city, and maybe even say a proper goodbye to this kind of life instead of the rushed one she’d experienced, was the only gift she needed.
I hope you enjoyed this fourth book in The Kaleidoscope Girls series! I loved traveling back to the Whispering Pines resort with these women. It has become such a special place in my heart. My first series revolved around Whispering Pines and revisiting some of those storylines, along with Renee”s extended family, made this book especially fun for me. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it!
Ever since the characters of Kit, Annie, Jackie, and Lynette first came to life in Better with Friends, I”ve felt particularly drawn to Lynette. Maybe it was her glamorous lifestyle. Her relationship with her mother was also something I wanted to explore further. Finally, having the chance to pull her long-ago bad-boy first love back into the picture left me with plenty of ideas as I sat down to write.
My initial outlines for each of the books in this series always have an annual girls” trip that will make up about one-third of the timeline. I drew on personal travel experiences when trips took the girls to Hawaii and Arizona. But writing about vacationing on a lake in the Midwest feels like home to me. Up until about ten years ago, we”d take our family on summer vacations to various resorts in Minnesota lake country. Then we purchased a cabin back in our hometown in North Dakota. Now I spend as much of my summers there as possible, working and playing, with the water only steps away. I can easily ”see” full scenes at Whispering Pines playing out in my mind and imagination as I write.
The next book, Life with Friends, will take the girls to a place with plenty of walks beside the ocean, lots of sunshine, and happy memories for Renee. Any guesses as to where they”ll go? It”s somewhere I”ve never visited, so I”m immersed in lots of videos and books about their destination. If only I could have managed a research trip there in advance of my writing! It wasn”t to be, but maybe someday!
Not only will the fifth book include a trip to an exotic locale, but the girls still need to help Owen figure out what to do with their old summer camp land. Maybe Lynette won”t be the only one who gets to reconnect with someone from her past. Most importantly, I can”t wait to reveal more ways these amazing women will continue to support each other through the unending changes that seem inevitable during midlife.
There”s nothing quite like the love and support of old friends.
The Kaleidoscope Girlsis my second fiction series. If you also read my first series, did the title of this fourth book resonate with you? Did you remember how each chapter in the books in that series was titled ”Gift of . . . ”, a nod to the idea that life is full of gifts? Even the most challenging chapters almost always include important lessons. That fun naming convention was the inspiration behind this book”s title.
At the same time I was writing Gift of Friends, I was also doing a refresh of that first series. I learn new things with each book I write, and I realized I wanted to give my first novels the gift of brand-new covers. New artwork also allowed me to tweak a few other things, too. I renamed the series from Celia”s Gifts to Gift of Whispering Pines. I made minor updates and reformatted the interiors, and wrote new sales blurbs for all seven books. I even tweaked the reading order because too many people were missing my Capturing Wishes title since it wasn”t always included on the series page for some of the online vendors.
Diving back into so many different aspects of my earlier books has reminded me of how fun it is to spend time with Renee”s extended family at Whispering Pines. Maybe I”ll have to do more of it in the future. What do you think?
You”ll find more information on all my books and links to them on my website. While you”re there, be sure to sign up for my newsletter so you”ll never miss the latest news including release dates, glimpses into what goes into creating my books, and more.
Thank you for coming on this writing journey with me. I love reading and writing alongside you!