Page 12 of Captiva Book Club

“What’s he like when you talk to him? I mean, is he cheerful or can you tell there’s a hint of sadness in him.

Maggie shrugged. “Not really. When I interviewed him, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He was pleasant, engaging, polite, and his cooking was incredible. Now that I know what he’s been through, I can see there was some reticence. He definitely didn’t want to get into the details of his time away from working.”

“And, of course, you didn’t want to pry.”

“Exactly.”

“Survivor’s guilt can be life-altering. I’m so glad he landed here on Captiva Island. He’s in a good place for solitude, quiet, and the best part is that he doesn’t yet realize he’s surrounded by the best family and friends he’ll ever meet. If it's the support he needs, he couldn’t be in a better place.”

Maggie raised her cup in the air. “Amen to that.”

Chelsea opened her laptop and searched for the Zoom application. “Are you ready for this?”

Maggie laughed. “I am so ready. I’ve missed these women more than I realized. When did we last meet for lunch-bunch?”

“Goodness, it has to be about six months ago. I don't think they've been getting together up north. Everyone has been so busy. This time, it’s Rachel who called the meeting. She’s dying to tell us her news. I think she’s getting married again. I can’t wait to hear the details.”

Chelsea logged into the video app and waited for their friends to appear on the screen.

As expected, Rachel was the first to show up.

“Hey, honey. How are you doing?” Chelsea asked. “I hear you might have some news to share with us.”

Rachel laughed. “I sure do, but I’ll wait until everyone is here.”

“Well, you certainly look radiant,” Maggie said.

“Hey Maggie, is that what they call it?” Rachel asked as she touched her face. “I feel like I’m perpetually blushing.”

“How’s Everly? How old is she now?”

“She’s four going on twenty-four. She is great, but definitely knows what she wants and how to get it.”

“Oh, I like that,” Chelsea said. “I’ll have to ask her how she does it. I could use the advice.”

Jane, Diana, and Kelly popped up on the screen, and not surprisingly, Jane dominated the conversation with talk of her latest travels.

“Brian and I have been on an extended honeymoon. We’ve been married for a little over a year, but we can’t seem to settle on which house to live in. I guess that’s what happens when you’ve got three houses.”

Chelsea looked at Maggie and rolled her eyes.

“That’s a problem we’ve yet to experience,” Diana said.

When the lunch-bunch visited Captiva Island last year, Diana had been going through a difficult time with her retirement. An amazing baker, she missed running her small bakery, even though she didn’t miss getting up so early every morning.

“Diana, how have things been since you retired? Are you having success with the cookbook idea?” Maggie asked.

Diana’s face perked up. “Oh, my goodness. I completely forgot. It’s in publication right now. I think it will be available for purchase in a couple of weeks.”

Everyone clapped. “Woohoo! That’s great news,” Kelly said.

“I’ll make sure to send you all a copy as soon as I get them.”

“Okay Rachel, you got us all here. Tell us your news,” Jane insisted.

“The rumors are true. Jack proposed and I said yes,” Rachel announced.

“Fantastic,” Kelly yelled out. “I knew he’d finally get to you. How many times has he proposed in the last couple of years?”

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