conversation. “Look out the window, Marla. Isn’t this island beautiful? I’m so glad Dalton has you to share these adventures with him and Brie.”
She met her future mother-in-law’s warm gaze. “I hope we’ll be able to do more traveling. I’ve hardly been anywhere.”
“Dalton says you’re expanding your salon. Won’t that make you even busier?”
Here comes the reprimand , she thought. Kate will inform me how being a good stepmother means staying home more . “Actually, once we get up and running, I’d like to cut back my hours. But I’ve put too much hard work and effort into establishing a name in the community to step away entirely. Besides, I really like working behind the chair. It’s just so gratifying when a client looks great and feels better about herself.”
“Well, I really admire your skill and ambition. I couldn’t combine working and raising children myself, but things are different today. You’ll manage; you have lots of energy.”
Marla’s mouth dropped open. “Thank you, Kate. I appreciate having your support. It isn’t always easy,” she said, thinking of the dressing-down she’d gotten from Vail’s former mother-in-law, Justine.
“When you and Dalton are married, you’ll have to call me Mom. Unless that’s what you call your own mother?”
She laughed. “Ma is going to like you. I’ll bet you have a lot in common.”
“Yes. When am I going to meet her? We’ll have to coordinate our dresses for the wedding. Have you chosen a color scheme?”
Her bright tone notwithstanding, Marla caught a hint of underlying anxiety in her tone. Surely she isn’t afraid I’ll change my mind?
“Uh, not yet. Maybe something will strike me on this trip when we don’t have so many distractions.” Pointing out her window, she added, “Another McDonald’s? They’re everywhere.” Their bus chugged past a chain drugstore and gas station before turning onto the route to take them across the island.
Her attention diverted to the winding ride through verdant hills colored by flaming-red royal poinciana trees, pink azaleas, green banana plants, and white oleanders, along with hibiscus, bougainvillea, and frangipani. As the bus rounded a hairpin curve, they were met by an ocean vista. She glimpsed dark and mysterious islands rising from the distant sea.
Speaking of mysterious, Marla remembered she’d wanted to question the museum people about Martha Shore. Vail had advised her to forget about the woman for now, but she couldn’t dismiss her so readily. At the very least, she should talk to the woman’s colleagues to see if Martha had mentioned plans to remain in Puerto Rico. She hadn’t seen Helen among the tour groups. Had the widow stayed on board to track down her roommate?
Marla pushed aside her questions when they arrived at Coral World. Filing off the bus, she wondered if this excursion would be anything like Crystal Cay in Nassau. She’d enjoyed the underwater observatory there until someone shot at her in the Marine Gardens. Helping cousin Cynthia with a fund-raiser, Marla hadn’t expected her search for a saboteur to turn so deadly.
Brianna led the way to the structure poised over the water and they descended to a lower level where viewers peered at the coral reef through huge windows. Schools of tiny fish swarmed in unison like a wave, undulating in the current. Colorful parrot fish, funny-looking trumpet fish, and other varieties of brilliant sea life kept Marla entranced.
“Awesome, look at that brain coral,” Brianna exclaimed.
Marla nodded. “I like how that branch type of coral waves back and forth. There’s just so much to see down here.” The coral came in all shapes and sizes, waving or billowing as if blown by a wind. Watching it brought her a strange sense of serenity. Just beyond the window’s viewing range, the reef dropped away, and the water became a murky, impenetrable aqua.
Vail stepped up to her side. “It’s easy to forget about the
She met her future mother-in-law’s warm gaze. “I hope we’ll be able to do more traveling. I’ve hardly been anywhere.”
“Dalton says you’re expanding your salon. Won’t that make you even busier?”
Here comes the reprimand , she thought. Kate will inform me how being a good stepmother means staying home more . “Actually, once we get up and running, I’d like to cut back my hours. But I’ve put too much hard work and effort into establishing a name in the community to step away entirely. Besides, I really like working behind the chair. It’s just so gratifying when a client looks great and feels better about herself.”
“Well, I really admire your skill and ambition. I couldn’t combine working and raising children myself, but things are different today. You’ll manage; you have lots of energy.”
Marla’s mouth dropped open. “Thank you, Kate. I appreciate having your support. It isn’t always easy,” she said, thinking of the dressing-down she’d gotten from Vail’s former mother-in-law, Justine.
“When you and Dalton are married, you’ll have to call me Mom. Unless that’s what you call your own mother?”
She laughed. “Ma is going to like you. I’ll bet you have a lot in common.”
“Yes. When am I going to meet her? We’ll have to coordinate our dresses for the wedding. Have you chosen a color scheme?”
Her bright tone notwithstanding, Marla caught a hint of underlying anxiety in her tone. Surely she isn’t afraid I’ll change my mind?
“Uh, not yet. Maybe something will strike me on this trip when we don’t have so many distractions.” Pointing out her window, she added, “Another McDonald’s? They’re everywhere.” Their bus chugged past a chain drugstore and gas station before turning onto the route to take them across the island.
Her attention diverted to the winding ride through verdant hills colored by flaming-red royal poinciana trees, pink azaleas, green banana plants, and white oleanders, along with hibiscus, bougainvillea, and frangipani. As the bus rounded a hairpin curve, they were met by an ocean vista. She glimpsed dark and mysterious islands rising from the distant sea.
Speaking of mysterious, Marla remembered she’d wanted to question the museum people about Martha Shore. Vail had advised her to forget about the woman for now, but she couldn’t dismiss her so readily. At the very least, she should talk to the woman’s colleagues to see if Martha had mentioned plans to remain in Puerto Rico. She hadn’t seen Helen among the tour groups. Had the widow stayed on board to track down her roommate?
Marla pushed aside her questions when they arrived at Coral World. Filing off the bus, she wondered if this excursion would be anything like Crystal Cay in Nassau. She’d enjoyed the underwater observatory there until someone shot at her in the Marine Gardens. Helping cousin Cynthia with a fund-raiser, Marla hadn’t expected her search for a saboteur to turn so deadly.
Brianna led the way to the structure poised over the water and they descended to a lower level where viewers peered at the coral reef through huge windows. Schools of tiny fish swarmed in unison like a wave, undulating in the current. Colorful parrot fish, funny-looking trumpet fish, and other varieties of brilliant sea life kept Marla entranced.
“Awesome, look at that brain coral,” Brianna exclaimed.
Marla nodded. “I like how that branch type of coral waves back and forth. There’s just so much to see down here.” The coral came in all shapes and sizes, waving or billowing as if blown by a wind. Watching it brought her a strange sense of serenity. Just beyond the window’s viewing range, the reef dropped away, and the water became a murky, impenetrable aqua.
Vail stepped up to her side. “It’s easy to forget about the
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