"I didn't kiss you. You kissed me. Don't do it again and we'll be fine."
He pondered her words for a moment but decided, in an effort to keep things honest, he had to say more. "Yeah, that doesn't work for me, Isabel."
He watched as she swallowed, the delicate muscles of her neck moving with the action.
"I'm sorry, what?"
He stood and moved over to where she sat, stretching out a hand she reluctantly accepted, allowing him to pull her to her feet. "Go get ready. It's almost time for our date."
"We don't have adate. We have brunch—with mymother. Are you going to behave yourself?"
He grinned and lowered his head to brush a lingering kiss across her lips, reveling in the softness despite her sharp intake of breath. Point proven that he would steal kisses whenever he could, he released her and stepped back. "I guess not."
Tessa smootheda hand down the tunic dress she'd chosen to wear for the brunch, feeling every bit her age when her best friend's home began to fill with their children and grandchildren.
It wasn't that she was jealous of the girls, she'd been twenty and thirty something once herself. It was just that somewhere along the line she'd gottenold, and she'd never felt that as completely as she did this very moment.
What was she thinking, agreeing to go out with Kirk? Why on earth would she set herself up to be the subject of the island’s gossip? Were women over sixty called cougars? Or something worse?
"Hey, you okay? What's that about?" Mary Elizabeth asked.
Tessa glanced at her friend and slowly crossed the floor to accept the mimosa Mary Elizabeth held out for her. "What's what about?"
"That look."
"What look?"
"Uh-huh. What happened?"
Of all the Babes, Tessa was closest with Mary Elizabeth. Adaline and Rayna were twin sisters and always together, and while Cheryl was friendly with all five of the ladies, Tessa and Mary Elizabeth had always just been there for one another.
But knowing she needed to give her friend an answer that didnotinclude Kirk, she said, "I saw him again."
Mary Elizabeth—MeMe—raised the delicately arched eyebrow Tessa had just waxed earlier that week and gave her a stare down as only a lifelong friend could. "And?"
"And...I was on a date and it made me uncomfortable. Why do I keep seeinghim?"
"It's an island, Tessa. You’re going to run into your ex-husband."
That had also occupied her mind on the walk here. What hadBrucethought of her date with Kirk? It was obvious to anyone with eyes that Kirk was younger.
Why do you care what he thinks?
Tessa rolled her head to one side to ease the tension. "I know but…during all these years, I haven't seen him that often. Now it's like he's everywhere I turn."
"I think the real question is why does it bother you?"
Tessa glared at her friend and shook her head. "Do not go there."
"It’s a simple question."
"You’re implying more."
"That's your conscience prodding you," Mary Elizabeth said, straightening from her leaning position against her gorgeous quartz countertop when Cheryl and her mother, Georgia, the last of the living Babe mothers, walked in. "Welcome! Ms. Georgia, I hope you came hungry."
"I did, my dear, I did," the ninety-two-year-old spitfire said. "I'm sorry I missed the shower for Isabel's sweet friend, but my volunteer group had snagged those tickets ages ago, and I couldn't back out on them."
Mary Elizabeth kissed Georgia's softly wrinkled cheek before stepping back so that Tessa could take her turn. All of the mothers—and fathers for that matter—had passed except for Ms. Georgia, and the loving woman had taken each of them as her own as only a loving mama could.