Page 73 of The Glass Dolphin

He nodded, though he wore plenty of worry in his eyes too.

Alice joined Kelli. “How about the men can pass if they want to? Would that keep the integrity of the New Truth?”

“All the women have to say something,” Kelli said.

Robin folded her arms, but she didn’t argue again. Kelli wasn’t sure why she didn’t want to do the New Truth. Had she been expecting to send Duke away to some corner while they all talked?

“It’s a lot of people for New Truth,” Alice said. “But I think it’s probably the best thing we’ve got. Let’s just try to keep it brief, ladies? Trust me, you’re going to want to get to the dessert dips. They’re this monster cookie dough dip that I can’t stop eating.” She beamed around at everyone, nodded like her word was as good as gold, and looked at Kelli.

Kelli never started anything. She sat back and listened. She inserted her voice when it came her turn, but she never went on very long. Being brief wouldn’t be hard.

“New truth,” she said. “Being a mom to a newborn is really hard.” Her bottom lip quivered with unexpected emotion, but Kelli pushed through. “It’s been astronomically harder without all of you there beside me.” She met AJ’s eyes, and she’d already started to tear up. “I need you. All of you. I need us to be together—strong. So my New Truth is that I will do whatever I need to do in order to fix us.”

“You can’t fix us,” AJ said, stepping out of the shade of an umbrella. “I have to do that.” She slid her arm around Kelli and squeezed her. “I didn’t mean to be quite so polarizing.” She looked around at Alice, Robin, Julia, and Maddy, who stood closest to the bar.

Duke, Arthur, Ben, and Liam—their male counterparts manned the other end of the bar, and they too stood and watched AJ. Matt came to her side, as did Kristen. AJ had always prided herself on being smart and strong, but even she needed her family in times like these.

“My New Truth is that I was a huge jerk at the hospital. I let my temper dictate what I said, and I’ve regretted it every day since.” She reached up and swiped at her eyes. “I still have my opinions about the growth here in the cove, but Matt’s reminded me that there are better avenues for expressing them.”

“And that we can still be friends with you guys, even if you don’t agree with us,” Matt said.

“More than that,” AJ said, her voice breaking. “I can love you, even if I want the cove to keep expanding and you don’t.” She leaned into Kristen, then turned and hugged her. She wasn’t the only one sniffling, but Kelli could only feel joy and the miracle of forgiveness moving through her.

“New Truth,” Robin said. “Getting us all in the same place is the hardest thing we do.” She smiled at Alice. “Isn’t it?”

“It is,” Alice said. “We sure seem to know how to do it in style, though.” She grinned at Julia, and all eyes looked at her.

“New Truth,” Jean said. “Reuben and I aren’t going to adopt again. We love Heidi to death, but I’ve got my Seafaring Girls, and—” She looked around at everyone, her big brown eyes like that of a deer who’s run out in front of a fast-moving truck. “It just feels like my family is already big enough.” She indicated all of them, and Kelli reached up and pressed her hand to her heart.

She loved Jean so much, because Jean loved her first. She loved Parker unequivocally, and that meant so much to Kelli.

“New Truth,” Clara said. “I have missed the group texting more than I thought I would.” A slow smile crawled across her face. “I never thought I’d say that, but well, there you go.” Several people twittered with light laughter, and it was enough of a mood breaker for Kelli to actually feel the rifts between them start to close.

“New Truth,” Laurel said as she cleared her throat. She leaned into her cop husband and Kelli felt a flash of gratitude for the man who’d been there for Laurel in times when she’d needed him so desperately. “I am toying with the idea of starting a landscaping company.” She beamed up at Paul, who swept a kiss along her forehead.

“That’s incredible, Laurel,” Jean said.

“It’s seasonal,” she said. “So I won’t have to work all the time. Paul and I are still working through a lot of the logistics.” She looked across the seating area, and Kelli started searching for someone who hadn’t spoken yet.

Eloise stood next to Aaron, but she made no move to say anything. Kristen hadn’t spoken, and she still stood beside AJ. Alice hadn’t said anything either, and neither Julia nor Maddy had divulged a new truth.

“I’ll go,” Julia said. “Wait. I have to say New Truth?” She glanced at Alice, who nodded. Julia pushed her hair over her shoulder. “New Truth.” She looked over to Liam, her smile warming to the temperature of the sun that shone down on them. “Things are going really well with Liam Coldwater. I think I’m falling in love with him, which is ultra confusing and scary, and while he thinks we’re going too slow, it’s because I just…” She paused, and Kelli’s eyes shot over to Liam.

He wore a devilish smile, but he said nothing.

“You just need to be sure,” Maddy said as she linked her arm through Julia’s. “You just take your time to be sure, and that’s okay.”

Julia nodded, and Kelli’s heart warmed at these two new women in their group. She hadn’t had a lot of experiences with Julia and Maddy, but enough to know she wanted all the happiness in the world for both of them.

“New Truth,” a man said, and Kelli’s gaze flew to Liam Coldwater’s. He didn’t look away from Julia at all. “I’m falling in love with Julia Harper, and it’s fast and confusing and I’m trying to do what’s right for me, her, and my son.”

“New Truth,” Alice said at the same time as Maddy. They looked at each other and giggles broke out. “You go first.” Alice actually took a step back.

Maddy walked over to Ben and said, “New Truth. I’m so excited to marry Ben in only five more days.”

He pulled her in for a kiss, and Kelli whooped and cheered along with everyone else as Maddy kissed her fiancé.

“All right, all right,” Alice called as the kissing died down. “New Truth, I am so nervous for you guys to see me inKiss Me, Kate.”

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