Epilogue
HAVEN HARBOR, ONE YEAR LATER…
Sauntering across the sand with her kaftan floating behind her in the warm sea breeze, Deedee stopped and glanced back at the beautiful beach house. Fully renovated and her permanent home now, it was the perfect place to live. Rosie had done an incredible job in helping Deedee to create a tranquil haven with a sky-blue-and-white nautical theme mingled with the nostalgia of old Hollywood movies in memory of Joe.
Two tripod lamps designed like filming cameras stood in corners of the lounge at the front of the house with an old clapperboard from a Marilyn Monroe film sitting on a shelf. Hanging on the wall in the hall were a trio of small black-and-white photos of Joe on movie sets laughing with famous friends – Robert De Niro, Barbra Streisand and Robin Williams.
And by the front door, hung a framed copy of the photo that Lara had found of her mom, Gill, and Joe, as teenagers sitting on the driftwood log by the porch. Of course, the log was still there, although now with an abundance of delicate blue forgot-me-not flowers flourishing all around it. Deedee had come up with the idea of replanting the flowers that Joe had chosen especially for her birthday party so there would always be something here to remember him by, and Gill too. Over the last year, Deedee had loved getting to know Lara and her grandson, Nate, and yes she had managed to come to terms with him calling her Grandma, or Gran Dee, as he liked to say and which Deedee thought was pretty cool, or ‘gas’ as Nate would say. Having a young person in her life was a true gift and Deedee treasured it, constantly buoyed by the energy Nate brought to every occasion when they met up. Last week he had taken her to a silent disco in a basement club in Greenwich Village and she’d had the time of her life feeling exhilarated and most definitely not old as she had feared being seventy might be.
‘There you are! Come and sit with me so we can watch the sunset together.’ After Deedee snuggled down beside Yiannis on the swing chair set up on the deck, he handed her a cocktail glass containing her favourite raspbouzo, first discovered a few summers ago in Greece and he knew how to make it perfectly for her. ‘What took you so long?’
‘Well, this little fella managed to pull a bundle of paperwork off my desk and onto the rug and then proceeded to roll around on it all while I tried to tidy up,’ Deedee laughed as she reached her free hand down to help Skipper, her caramel-coloured cockapoo puppy, climb up onto the swing seat beside her. ‘And then I was sorting out the details of a fantastic holiday for four women of a certain age all travelling solo to the same hotel in Croatia. I’ve sent each of them a personalised invitation to a cocktail-making class that I’ve arranged with the hotel’s bar manager for the first night… I have a feeling they are all going to get on brilliantly and become firm friends.’
‘Just like that last group of solo travellers you sent to Hawaii and signed up to a beach barbecue cookery lesson together?’
‘That’s right. And that same group are all off to Mexico this summer and looking at New York for Christmas – Anthony is lined up to tour them in the limo and treat them to his legendary Bellini and Bagel Brunch Bar.’
‘Dee, I’m so proud of you,’ Yiannis said, swinging his arm around her shoulders. ‘The way you’ve turned your travel agency business around is incredible.’
‘Well, I have had lots of help from Rosie, and Molly too. I’m so pleased I was able to bring her in as a full-time manager. Selling my house in London so I was able to clear the loan and live here permanently has truly changed my life.’
‘And it’s changed my life too.’ Yiannis pulled Deedee in close, gently lifted her chin to his and kissed her passionately on the lips. ‘I’m so pleased you decided to give me another go,’ he said as they parted.
‘And I’m so pleased that I did as I was just thinking how wonderful life is again… especially here on this beautiful beach in my new home and with you in the world.’
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