The cake she held looked absolutely delicious. Chocolate frosting and large enough to feed them all.
Presley smiled. “If that chocolate cake is in my future, I’m wonderful.”
Jill set it on the table. “It is. A goodbye and celebration of sorts.” She looked at Mr. D as she walked past, patting his arm. “Be right back with plates and forks.”
Mr. D walked to the window, adjusted the blind slats so he could see. There was a view of the hot tub and the woods.
“Beautiful place,” he said, almost to himself.
“It really is.”
Presley went to the bookshelf, looked at all of the titles. Unlike the rows of hardbound classics with perfect spines that they displayed in the meeting rooms at La Chambre, these books were well read and loved. Paperback novels, children’s books, multiple genres. More intriguing were the framed photographs that broke up the rows.
Jilly and Ollie, the three siblings, the entire family. Beckett and Gray looked like their father. Jilly, their mother. Presley searched her brain for memories of family photos. She had old holiday ones, but most of them were of her with one parent or her parents together in some and her alone in others.
“Both of my brothers hate that their photos are up but since this is typically a private room, I told them too bad,” Jill said, joining them again.
Grayson, Mel, and Richard joined them at nearly the same moment. Ollie’s excitement ratcheted up several notches, and while Presley was happy to see everyone, it was Beckett’s arrival that, for her, made the group complete.
He walked right to her, his hand going to her shoulder, like he wanted to touch her as quickly as he could, then reel her all the way in.
“Hi,” he said, looking down at her, both arms coming around her back.
“Hi, yourself.” He smelled a bit like fresh air, the start of summer, and happiness all rolled into one.
“I texted to let you know we were meeting up here.”
She grinned, looked past him to where Ollie was chatting nonstop at Mel and Richard. “I had a personal escort.”
He didn’t even need to look to match her grin. “We here at Get Lost pride ourselves on our top-notch hospitality.”
“As you should.”
The slight red of his cheeks suggested they’d gotten some sun, or at least some wind. She ran her hand over one shoulder, smoothing it down to his pecs. He wore a blue Henley that seemed to make his eyes darker, and his hair was still a bit windswept.
“Fishing was good?” she asked.
“It was. Julian and Chuck caught a couple of big ones. I told Grayson he has to barbecue them.” Julian and Chuck were the two newest guests. They were about Gabby and Libby’s age and had hit it off well with them. Presley had joked that maybe the lodge should be called Get Love, then realized what she’d said out loud and covered it with cringeworthy laughter.
“They can barbecue them,” Grayson called over, lifting his can of pop.
Beckett leaned in, the corners of his eyes creasing. “Cleaning and cooking fish grosses him out.”
Presley laughed at the irony but also at the way Beckett’s face transformed with his smile. He looked young and carefree when he was happy.
“Okay, everyone, please join us over here,” Jill said.
Since everyone other than Presley and Beckett was already there, they moved that way.
Presley smiled at Mel, her chest feeling like the time she’d tried a weighted blanket. Rylee had gotten her one because sometimes she struggled to turn her brain off and sleep. They had rave reviews but she’d felt like there was a Saint Bernard sitting on her chest. She couldn’t move, which stressed her out more, making her sure she couldn’t breathe.
Sadness and being crushed felt similar.
“I wish Bo and Morgan could have stayed,” Jill said, looking at the people who formed a circle around the table. Grayson had basicallyswapped them out for the two new guests. Those goodbyes hadn’t been easy either.
“We’ve been treading water since day one here, and we still have a lot of work to do, but you are a very special group of people. You feel like more than guests, and we are beyond grateful for your help, your support.” She cleared her throat, looked at Mel. “Your kindness. We will miss you and hope that you will visit again.”
Mel pulled Jill into her arms. “Oh, honey. You aren’t getting rid of us that easily. I already followed you on Instagram and requested to be your friend on Facebook. We’ll be back next year for sure.”
