Page 11 of Love Overboard
“Did you notice the artwork?” Daisy said. “Bless his heart.”
“I bet that python was a grass snake twenty years ago.” Gerry quipped from behind her novel.
Althea laughed and slapped her on the back.
Jon clocked a familiar shabby Hawaiian shirt and Collins’s face frowning above it in the distance. The detective made eye contact. His head jerked to the right before he headed for the stairs, and Jon pushed in his chair. “I’d love to stay longer, but I should continue my rounds. We’re docking in Cozumel tomorrow. A port call generates lots of questions. Are any of you getting off the boat?”
“Why yes,” said Daisy. “The ship’s manicurist recommended a little salon we plan to visit.”
“Be sure to tell me if you need anything.” He tapped the table with his knuckles.
“Good talking to you, Jon.” Emily rested her pen against her chin. “I’m glad the Lord brought you to our ship. I’m sure he had a good reason.”
“He always does,” Jon agreed.
“So you’re on speaking terms with the Almighty?”
“Every single day.”
Emily’s smile broadened. “That’s good to hear. I hope you and I can get better acquainted soon.”
“My pleasure.” Jon bowed his head in a courtly fashion and left the ladies on the upper half of the lido deck. He headed in the direction Collins had gone. As Jon descended the stairs, he spotted Lacey a few feet away, observing him. He jumped down the last two steps and approached her. “Good morning!”
“What were you talking about?” She manufactured a counterfeit smile with both rows of teeth showing, then pointed above his head.
Jon looked up. Three of the four women peered over the rail like a row of expectant children watching for Santa Claus. He waved with a big grin. “This and that. They’re quite the characters.”
“Keep on your guard.” Lacey turned her back to them, and her smile disappeared. “The Shippers will have you tied down before you can blink.”
“Tied down?” Jon’s muscles tensed.
“Married. They imagine themselves the ship’s unofficial marriage brokers. They already matched two couples in the crew and reconciled one set of passengers who were on the brink of divorce.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?” The left side of Jon’s mouth quirked upward.
“Absolutely. If you want to be married. But if you don’t, no amount of argument will dissuade them. Once they have you in their cross-hairs, you might as well start shopping for a tuxedo.”
Jon pictured himself in formal wear. His vision of the future quickly shifted to the woman beside him at the altar—Lacey in a flowing white dress. Beautiful. He tried to pull his attention back to the conversation, but a breeze playing with her hair distracted him. A shiny strand dipped and swayed above her long eyelashes in a flirtatious, silken dance. Should he fix it?
“Jon?”
“Hmm?” He ignored the blond temptation and focused on Lacey. Time to pull it together before he found himself dumped by the same woman again. The first experience hurt enough. Besides, he had bigger issues to worry about than dating. His family’s reputation was on the line, he had responsibilities, and Collins was waiting for him.
Emily and her friends didn’t miss a second of the drama playing out below. The Shippers observed everything from their chairs on the deck, except for Daisy, who lounged with eyes closed under her sun hat.
“This new candidate is a good choice.” Gerry nodded her head, settled back on her seat, and pulled her laptop from the canvas bag at her side.
“Isn’t he perfect?” Emily clasped her small hands and squeezed her shoulders so tight they formed tiny, euphoric points. “I’m sure we’re on the right track this time.”
“I see why you switched horses.” Althea patted Emily’s leg and gave her a thumbs-up. “If I were ten years younger!”
“If you were twenty years younger, you’d still be old enough to be his mother.” Gerry typed on her computer without looking at the keyboard.
“Age is just a number, baby.” Althea rose from her chair, took off her fanny pack, and smoothed the fabric of her bright-red swimsuit with sparkly pink strawberries on it. “Seventeen years separated me and my third husband, and he had zero complaints. I must admit, I enjoyed being the older woman. We never needed an electric blanket in our marriage.” She sashayed to the nearby hot tub, climbed in, and sat between two men.
“I’ve created a new file on Jonathan King.” Gerry paused with her fingers poised over the keyboard. “What did we gather from our conversation?”
Emily studied her binder. “He talks to God. A major point in his favor. Born and raised in Florida. Attended college somewhere else. Didn’t major in English literature. Likes poetry and tacos.” She threw her pen on the table. “Not much to go on. Are we losing our touch?”
