volunteer at the musuem.” Irene hunched her shoulders, morosely regarding her cocktail. A soggy chunk of pineapple decorated the glass.
Marla spotted Dalton snaking his way through the throng. “Excuse me, there’s my fiance,” she said, bouncing off her bar stool. “You’re welcome to use our extra lounge chair until after lunch, if you want. Brie may join us then.”
“Okay, thanks.” Her gaze lifted. “And darling, do me a favor? Don’t mention what we’ve been discussing to anyone at our dinner table.”
“No problem,” Marla replied, although gossip tripped on her tongue when she went to meet Vail. “Where have you been?” she demanded. “Did you see your dad? John was wandering around while your mom headed for the casino.”
The detective looked dashingly handsome with a towel draped around his neck, his chest bare, and swim trunks taut in tantalizing places. His affectionate smile had her wishing for more intimate quarters.
“I was in the fitness center. They have some good equipment and a great view of the ocean. The spa and salon are next door, if you want to check them out.”
“I’ll get there eventually. Did you happen to get tickets for the wine seminar this afternoon?”
“Yep, on my way back to the room.”
“Our chairs are next to Heidi. Oh look, Thurston finally got here.” Meandering over, she greeted the heavyset man, who wore a polo shirt and shorts. Beads of sweat covered his ruddy complexion and flattened his light brown hair.
“Howdy, folks,” he boomed. “Relax, lie back, and let the ship’s staff take care of you. These days at sea are the best part of the cruise. For scenery, though, you’ll want to try the Mediterranean. When we did the Greek islands—”
“Why, dearest,” Heidi interrupted, “you gave those Greek gods some competition, didn’t you? No one knows more about their mythology than you do. Tell them about the Acropolis.”
Vail cleared his throat, and Marla caught his cue. Snatching her things, she flashed an apologetic grin.
“Sorry, but we have to meet Dalton’s daughter. It’s almost lunchtime. Besides, if I get too much sun now, I won’t be able to lie out on the beach in Roatan. We’ll see you later at dinner.” Unless we change tables. I don’t know if I can stand another round of travelogues .
By the time they collected Brianna for lunch, Marla had regained her appetite. They sat outside by the Outrigger Cafe, in a niche protected from the wind by glass windows. The square wood tables were bolted to the deck, which rolled gently from side to side with the ocean swells. Marla, accustomed to the motion, had even begun to block out the incessant loudspeaker announcements.
Kate and John had met up with them in the buffet line, foregoing a formal luncheon in the dining room. Brie started telling them about her afternoon schedule.
“What did you say comes after the water balloon toss and gladiator challenge at the pool?” Marla asked. Oh yum, those roasted sweet potatoes with a palm sugar glaze just melted in her mouth. The dish didn’t necessarily go with the Thai chicken, coconut rice, and stir-fried vegetables she’d chosen, but who cared? Beside her, Vail stuffed his mouth full of carved turkey with cranberry sauce, pecan carrots, Lyonnaise potatoes, and red wine-braised beef, while Kate and John stuck to salads.
“After the pool, we’re having ice cream and seeing a movie.” Lowering her saucy eyes, Brianna bit into her slice of pepperoni pizza . She’d already tasted the Hawaiian and Margarita pizzas.
“Don’t eat too many sweets between now and dinner,” her grandmother advised from across the table. “Tonight is formal night. You’ll need enough time in the cabin to get dressed.”
“Like, I know that already.”
“Will you be going to the show with us tonight?”
“I’ll see, Grandma. I may want to hang out with my new friends instead.”
“Brianna,” Marla said hastily to ward off trouble,
Marla spotted Dalton snaking his way through the throng. “Excuse me, there’s my fiance,” she said, bouncing off her bar stool. “You’re welcome to use our extra lounge chair until after lunch, if you want. Brie may join us then.”
“Okay, thanks.” Her gaze lifted. “And darling, do me a favor? Don’t mention what we’ve been discussing to anyone at our dinner table.”
“No problem,” Marla replied, although gossip tripped on her tongue when she went to meet Vail. “Where have you been?” she demanded. “Did you see your dad? John was wandering around while your mom headed for the casino.”
The detective looked dashingly handsome with a towel draped around his neck, his chest bare, and swim trunks taut in tantalizing places. His affectionate smile had her wishing for more intimate quarters.
“I was in the fitness center. They have some good equipment and a great view of the ocean. The spa and salon are next door, if you want to check them out.”
“I’ll get there eventually. Did you happen to get tickets for the wine seminar this afternoon?”
“Yep, on my way back to the room.”
“Our chairs are next to Heidi. Oh look, Thurston finally got here.” Meandering over, she greeted the heavyset man, who wore a polo shirt and shorts. Beads of sweat covered his ruddy complexion and flattened his light brown hair.
“Howdy, folks,” he boomed. “Relax, lie back, and let the ship’s staff take care of you. These days at sea are the best part of the cruise. For scenery, though, you’ll want to try the Mediterranean. When we did the Greek islands—”
“Why, dearest,” Heidi interrupted, “you gave those Greek gods some competition, didn’t you? No one knows more about their mythology than you do. Tell them about the Acropolis.”
Vail cleared his throat, and Marla caught his cue. Snatching her things, she flashed an apologetic grin.
“Sorry, but we have to meet Dalton’s daughter. It’s almost lunchtime. Besides, if I get too much sun now, I won’t be able to lie out on the beach in Roatan. We’ll see you later at dinner.” Unless we change tables. I don’t know if I can stand another round of travelogues .
By the time they collected Brianna for lunch, Marla had regained her appetite. They sat outside by the Outrigger Cafe, in a niche protected from the wind by glass windows. The square wood tables were bolted to the deck, which rolled gently from side to side with the ocean swells. Marla, accustomed to the motion, had even begun to block out the incessant loudspeaker announcements.
Kate and John had met up with them in the buffet line, foregoing a formal luncheon in the dining room. Brie started telling them about her afternoon schedule.
“What did you say comes after the water balloon toss and gladiator challenge at the pool?” Marla asked. Oh yum, those roasted sweet potatoes with a palm sugar glaze just melted in her mouth. The dish didn’t necessarily go with the Thai chicken, coconut rice, and stir-fried vegetables she’d chosen, but who cared? Beside her, Vail stuffed his mouth full of carved turkey with cranberry sauce, pecan carrots, Lyonnaise potatoes, and red wine-braised beef, while Kate and John stuck to salads.
“After the pool, we’re having ice cream and seeing a movie.” Lowering her saucy eyes, Brianna bit into her slice of pepperoni pizza . She’d already tasted the Hawaiian and Margarita pizzas.
“Don’t eat too many sweets between now and dinner,” her grandmother advised from across the table. “Tonight is formal night. You’ll need enough time in the cabin to get dressed.”
“Like, I know that already.”
“Will you be going to the show with us tonight?”
“I’ll see, Grandma. I may want to hang out with my new friends instead.”
“Brianna,” Marla said hastily to ward off trouble,
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