An ally. Brooklyn smiled back. She’d met Raelynn days earlier, when she’d come up to the house to chat about the gardens and Raelynn’s plans for winter upkeep. The New Yorker was quick to learn and really entertaining. Brooklyn had laughed more in her company than she had for ages.
“Me, too. Dan picked me up. He’s a nice guy, your husband.”
Raelynn blushed. “We’ve been together for about six years. When Cole hired us to work as a team, well, it was a dream come true.”
The couple wouldn’t stay on the island in Cole’s absence but would travel back ahead of him when the house was open. Apparently they’d be the ones maintaining everything during the retreats when Cole wasn’t present, too. When Raelynn had told her that, Brooklyn had realized how much Cole must like and trust them.
Raelynn stepped aside. “Come on in, and I’ll get you a glass of wine.”
“That sounds lovely.”
Together they walked through the foyer. Brooklyn expected to see Cole and his company seated in the vast living room, but instead laughter came from the kitchen. She entered and Cole’s gaze found hers, his eyes lighting up with pleasure.
“You’re here! Everyone, this is Brooklyn, my favorite neighbor. Brooklyn, this is Jeremy and Tori, their baby, Rose, and Branson and Jessica.”
Jeremy reminded her a little of JFK Jr., only with shorter hair, and Branson...well. His nearly black hair tumbled over his collar and he looked a bit like a sexy pirate. She could see why Jessica stared at him with stars in her eyes. Tori and Jessica were both lovely in a way that made Brooklyn comfortable and not awkward. Maybe she’d expected them to be different—more coiffed and manicured, perhaps. Instead Tori snuggled Rose on her arm and smiled widely, her hair in slight disarray, and Jessica had the most adorable smile and freckles on her nose.
“I’m your only neighbor, so thanks for that dubious distinction. I’m very pleased to meet you all. Well, Tori and I have met before, briefly. It’s good to see you again.” She thanked Raelynn when she was handed a glass of wine. “Welcome to Bellwether Island.”
“I hope Cole hasn’t been a jerk,” Jeremy offered. “When he sets his mind to something, he goes after it.”
Her face heated but she hid behind taking a sip of wine before she answered. “Not at all. He knows my position on selling and so the subject is dropped. We’ve become friends.” She smiled sweetly. Very sweetly.
Branson burst out laughing. “You were right, Cole. She’s a firecracker.”
Tori came over and touched her arm. “Good for you. Cole needs someone to put him in his place from time to time.”
Jessica was grinning, leaning against Branson’s arm. “I think you’re pretty great,” she said. “It takes a tough cookie to live out here full time.”
The warm welcome was a pleasant surprise, so Brooklyn smiled and relaxed a little more. “You’re a painter. I don’t know if anything on the island inspires you, but you’re welcome anytime.”
Jessica nudged Branson. “See? That’s what you should have said when I showed up at your lighthouse.”
Branson rolled his eyes and everyone laughed.
Raelynn was working behind them and finally shooed them out. “Okay, you bunch. I have work to do in here and you’re in the way. Starter course in ten minutes.”
Starter courses. It reminded Brooklyn of the fact that in her life, a starter course meant maybe a platter of vegetables and dip before a meal. How many courses would there be?
They moved into the living room and Brooklyn paused at the threshold. Cole had definitely decorated differently than his predecessor. While the glow of the lamps threw a warm and welcoming light, the color scheme was vastly different from Ernest’s. Instead of cream and gold and brown, the room was painted a light gray, with a darker gray sofa and chairs, a glass-topped coffee table and a massive rug that covered the floor in shades of gray, blue and white.
It reminded Brooklyn of the gray waves and white caps of the ocean on a blustery day, brought inside, and she loved it. It was an extension of the landscape, blending in rather than keeping it out.
“Do you like it?” Cole asked, once he saw her face.
“I do. It’s very different from what was here before. But it suits the house and...you.”
“Thank you.” He smiled at her. “Did you want another quick tour? I’ve made some other changes. I nearly forgot that of course you would know what it was like before.”
She was curious. “I’d like that. But we can do it another time. You have guests.”
He waved a hand. “They’ll be fine for five minutes. Come on.”
He’d taken a den and made it into a boardroom, complete with a huge table and executive chairs, and some sort of smart board. “Some of our retreats will be team building or brainstorming getaways.”
The common areas had all been repainted into that same restful gray, cool and relaxing. Artwork decorated the walls, though Brooklyn didn’t recognize any particular artist. In the main areas, the artwork was black-and-white: driftwood and dunes and cliffs. Cole had moved in and brought the ocean with him, and she had to say she loved it a lot. It felt fresh and modern and yet peaceful, with an underlying energy she couldn’t quite pinpoint but made her feel grounded and strong.
“Did you have a decorator?”