A Very Married Christmas by Erika Marks

Author:Erika Marks
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Christmas, Southern
ISBN: 9781940296906
Publisher: Tule Publishing
Published: 2014-10-09T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8

‡

The caretaker’s cottage had been built on the island at the turn of the century as a vacation house for a prominent banker and his young bride but abandoned in the fifties when the island was turned over to a trust. The Historical Society of Magnolia Bay had restored the cottage in the seventies and for many years had offered overnights in the summer months.

“Wow.” Gina gazed up at the old house. “She’s looking a little rougher than the last time we were here.”

That makes two of us, Marley thought.

“Those Bloom Bitches must be falling asleep on the job.”

Marley grinned, reminded of the infamous sister team of Magnolia Bay’s Historical Society who had overseen the property’s renovation—and whose iron fists were the stuff of town legend.

Marley agreed that the building needed attending, but all she could see when she scanned its peeling exterior, its curtainless windows, was the sanctuary it had been the night she and Beck had been intentionally stranded.

“He looked kind of bummed out, didn’t you think?” Gina said.

Marley frowned. “Who?”

“Beck,” said Gina. “You think maybe he and Miss Size Zero had a fight?”

Marley doubted Beck’s somber look had anything to do with Denise Weathers. She knew this time of year was tough on him, that Ty’s birthday was nearing. God knew she’d been thinking about Beck’s younger brother lately too, remembering Ty’s birthday was the day after Christmas.

“I’m not sure it’s because of Denise,” Marley said somberly. “I’m sure he’s just missing Ty. He’d be turning thirty-two in a few days.”

“Oh God, that’s right.” Gina winced. “I totally forgot. He was such a sweetheart.”

“Yeah he was.”

“You know what?” Gina said. “I think this deserves a picture.”

Why not, Marley thought. What better way to close the past than with a picture from the present? She pulled out her phone and set it to self-portrait.

“Your arms are longer, you should take it,” said Gina, getting into position. “And make sure to keep it high—supposedly that makes you look skinnier.”

Marley laughed—having heard that trick too. She snapped several and then decided to tour the rest of the property, wondering why she hadn’t been taking more pictures this trip.

*

“I think the coast is clear,” Gina said as she and Marley slipped through the grass to reach the beach a few minutes later. “No Beck.”

Marley looked to the pier and saw that guests were filing onto Pono’s Palace. Relief settled in her stomach as she and Gina boarded; she’d be able to flee the island unseen by Beck after all.

“Take one more of us on the boat with the island in the background, will you?” said Gina, already fluffing her hair.

Gina reached into her purse and rummaged around. “Oh, crap.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I can’t find my phone. I must have set it down when we were at the cottage.”

Gina called over to Shari who was coming up from the galley. “How long do we have?”

“Not long.” Shari smiled. “Folks are anxious to get back for Christmas Eve—your Captain included. But there’s plenty of room on the other boat though if you want more time.

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