“Option three,” Kathleen continued, “is a cooking class. But not just any cooking class. Isabel wants us all to make a fancy dinner, something we’ve never attempted before. She suggested French cuisine.”
“That’s very Isabel,” Susan said with a smile. “Always thinking about food, books, and culture.”
“There’s more.” Kathleen scrolled further. “Option four: a hike followed by a picnic. Isabel found a trail that leads to a waterfall, and she thinks it would be beautiful this time of year.”
Susan frowned slightly. “In December? Won’t it be freezing?”
“That’s what I said,” Kathleen replied. “But Isabel insists the water will be flowing. She said the trail is sheltered and not too difficult. She even suggested we could do a shorter version if the weather’s bad.”
“What does Lynda want?” Susan asked.
Kathleen set down her phone. “You know Lynda. She says she’s happy with whatever we decide. She doesn’t want anyone going to any trouble.”
“Which means we need to make it special without making it feel like too much fuss,” Susan said. “Lynda’s never been comfortable being the center of attention.”
“Exactly.” Kathleen picked up her water glass. “So, what do you think? Should we do one big activity, or several smaller ones?”
Susan thought for a moment, remembering all the bachelorette parties she’d catered over the years. The ones that worked best weren’t necessarily the most elaborate.
“What if we combined a few things?” she suggested. “Start with something relaxing, like the spa, then do something more active or creative. That way, Lynda gets to unwind but also feel like we’re celebrating her properly.”
Kathleen’s face brightened. “That’s a great idea. We could do massages in the morning, then maybe the cooking class in the afternoon? That way we’re all together the whole time, but there’s variety.”
“Or the wine tasting,” Susan added. “That could be fun and educational without being too formal.”
“True.” Kathleen made a note on her phone. “What about a progressive dinner? We could make it a French theme.”
Susan nodded. “That sounds like fun. We could have the appetizers at my cottage, and the main course at your place. Isabel’s still doing some remodeling at her house, so she might be happy for us to have dessert at the bookstore.”
“I love that,” Kathleen said warmly. “The day will be special without being stuffy. Just the four of us, celebrating friendship and love.”
“Five of us, if we invite Amy,” Susan pointed out. “Lynda would want her daughter there.”
“That’s a good idea.” Kathleen added another note. “We could invite Matt’s daughter, too. So we’re thinking: spa morning, cooking class or wine tasting in the afternoon, and then a progressive dinner in the evening?”
“That sounds perfect,” Susan agreed. “But we should check with Isabel and make sure she’s okay with making the bachelorette party into a full day of activities.”
“Oh, she’ll love it,” Kathleen assured her. “She’s already mentioned wanting to have something at the bookstore. She has a vision of us sitting amongst the books with fairy lights and candles everywhere, eating cake, and sharing stories.”
Susan felt her throat tighten with unexpected emotion. “That sounds beautiful.”
“It does, doesn’t it?” Kathleen reached across the table and squeezed Susan’s hand. “We’re lucky, you know. To have found each other again after all these years. To have this second chance at building the lives we really want.”
“I think about that all the time,” Susan admitted. “Six months ago, I was in Georgia, alone in my too-big house, wondering if selling my business was a terrible mistake. And now?—”
“Now you’re here,” Kathleen finished gently. “Creating beautiful food with a man who clearly adores you, surrounded by friends who love you, and planning celebrations instead of just catering them.”
Susan blinked back tears. “That sounds amazing to me, too.”
They both laughed, and the moment of intensity passed, but the warmth remained.
“What about the decorations?” Kathleen asked. “Apart from the lights and candles at the bookstore, should we do anything special?”
Susan considered it. “Nothing too over-the-top. Maybe some flowers at each location? Something simple but elegant, like Lynda.”
They spent the next fifteen minutes working out the details. By the time Jenny appeared with their main meals, they had a solid plan in place.
After they’d finished, Susan leaned back in the booth, feeling more settled than she had in weeks. Planning Lynda’s party reminded her that it was important to celebrate the special moments in your life.
