The champagne arrives, and I can tell from the label it’s expensive. Once the glasses have been poured, Caroline clears her throat and holds up her glass.
“Oh no. Here we go.” Everly giggles.
Her mother gives her a look. “Hush, let me be sentimental for a moment,” she tells her. “Anyway, what I wanted to say was, this is the first time in a very long time that we have all been together on holiday as a family.” Her eyes start to turn glassy with emotion. “Seeing Charlie back to his vibrant self again fills me with so much joy. Everly, thank you,” she says, moving her glass in her direction. “And, Derrick, thank you too,” she says, giving me a nod. “Things haven’t been great for this family these past few years …” A couple of tears fall down her cheeks before she quickly wipes them away, “but I feel like things are looking up for us.” Her eyes land on us. Caroline lifts her glasshigher. “To my family. To all of us being here, together, in this ridiculously beautiful place. To my girls, who keep me young. To my husband, who puts up with me.” She grins at Robert, who lifts his glass and smiles adoringly at her. “And to Charlie and Derrick. To watching you both be so happy,” she continues. “To the way you make each other better. To finding someone who feels like home, wherever you are in the world.” She pauses, eyes bright. “And to the future. Whatever it looks like. I know it’s going to be wonderful.” I swallow hard. “Cheers,” she finishes.
“Cheers,” everyone echoes.
We all clink glasses. Charlie’s eyes hold mine as our flutes meet.
“To the future,” he repeats quietly.
My chest gets warm and tight at the same time. “To the future,” I whisper back.
We drink.
The champagne is crisp and perfect, bubbles fizzing on my tongue, and my head feels light in a way that has nothing to do with alcohol.
“Way to make me feel single, Mom,” Faith teases.
“Not all of us can find someone as great as Derrick,” Everly adds.
“Please, you two ladies are catches. You’re just looking in the wrong places.” I wink at them.
“Yeah, we’re not going to a gay bar,” Everly says, bursting out laughing. Faith clinks her glass with hers. I just shake my head.
Course after course arrives, tiny works of art on oversized plates. Little towers of something foamy. Perfect slices of something I have no idea what it is, with gold flakes on it. I lose track of what’s what somewhere between the truffle something and the scallop whatever, but it all tastes like heaven.
Everly leans over at one point and whispers, “I’m going to need fries after this.”
Faith nods. “I’m already planning my room service order.”
Robert catches my eye, then discreetly mimes biting into a giant burger. I almost snort champagne out my nose.
Later, between courses, Caroline leans in a little, her voice softer. “So, Derrick, do you see yourself in LA long-term?”
“Mom,” Charlie warns her.
“I’m just curious, sweetheart.” She shrugs.
My brain stutters. “Uh … yeah. I mean. Mostly. My work’s there. My clients. My studio.”
“My job is there, as is Everly’s,” Charlie adds.
“I know, it’s just, I wouldn’t want to bring my kids up in LA, that’s all.”
“Mom,” Charlie groans.
“Okay. Okay,” she says, zipping her mouth.
“I get it. The Dirty Texas crew has been thinking the same thing. I know Sienna and Evan love being back home in Australia. Axel and Olivia split their time between LA and England. Vanessa and Christian are always up in Big Bear. Stacey and Oscar have just moved back but are looking for a farm in Malibu. Isla and Finn commute back and forth to Hawaii,” I explain. “I did fall in love with Montana when I was there, it felt like home. I know that is where Charlie is his happiest.”
“I’m happiest with you,” Charlie reassures me.
“I know,” I tell him. “I’ve been told I need to check it out during winter, that it’s just like this.”
“It truly is. Europe just has better bread and cheese,” Caroline jokes. “It’s a special place,” she says. “I always wanted it to feel like home for my kids. I’m glad it feels like that for you, too.”
“It does,” I say quietly. “It really does.”
