Page 103 of Sunsets at the Beach House

“All right,” Conrad said. “Here we go.”

Just then, his doorbell rang. He looked toward the front of the house. “Not sure who that could be.”

“Do you want me to check?” Margo offered.

“No, that’s all right. I could use a chance to stretch my legs anyway. Be right back.” He got up and went to see who it was.

She positioned her chair more in front of the screen and looked at their opening paragraph. It could stay, but immediately after that—

“Dinah!” Conrad’s surprise rang out loud and clear in his voice. “You’re a day early.”

A tinny laugh answered him. “Yes, I am. Surprise! I haven’t caught you up to anything, have I?”

Margo’s attention was no longer on the screen, even though her gaze remained focused there. Dinah was here. Conrad’s sister, the woman who, as he’d already informed Margo, would probably not like her or approve of her.

The same woman who’d run off Conrad’s other love interests.

Joy of joys. With a sigh, Margo stood, lifted her chin, and girded her loins. She had mentally prepared herself to meet Dinah tomorrow, but there was nothing she could do about it now.

“Not up to anything,” Conrad answered. “But Margo and I are hard at work writing.”

More laughter. “It’s so cute that you’re writing a book.”

Cute? Margo frowned. She already didn’t like the woman. That was not a good way to start. Should she kill Dinah with kindness? No, that was ridiculous. That wasn’t who Margo was. There was no point in being anything other than herself.

She could just hear Conrad sigh.

She stepped out of the office, facing the front door, a cool but civil smile on her lips. “Hello. You must be Dinah.”

Dinah was a petite woman with a slender build, her hair artfully highlighted with strands of soft, buttery blond that almost hid the gray. Her face was lined with age, but she wore a little makeup. “And you must be Margo.”

“I am. I wasn’t expecting to make your acquaintance until tomorrow.”

Dinah smiled. “I came up early to surprise Conrad.”

Margo tipped her head to look at him. “That’s funny. I didn’t think you liked surprises.”

“I don’t,” he answered. “Thankfully, the Corps taught me to roll with the punches.” He seemed less than pleased by his sister’s early arrival. He looked at Dinah. “Your bags are in your car?”

“They are.” She dangled her keys off one finger.

He took them. “I’ll be right back.”

Dinah took a few steps toward Margo as Conrad went to get her luggage. “You’re awfully tall, aren’t you?”

Margo stared down at Dinah’s petite frame, biting her tongue to keep the many retorts dancing there at bay. “I was blessed with some height, yes. I’ve always thought I would have liked to be taller.”

Dinah shuddered. “Not me. I don’t think men like a manly woman.”

“There’s nothing manly about being tall any more than there is womanly about playing dumb.” Margo smiled. “You know how some women act. Detestable, really.”

Dinah opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

Conrad joined them again, carrying a tote bag and a large, wheeled suitcase. “I thought you were only here for the weekend. This is a lot of luggage for three days.”

Dinah smiled and shrugged like it was amusing. “I just like to be prepared.”

Margo nodded with more enthusiasm than she felt. “Absolutely. It’s a woman’s prerogative to overpack. Our outfits take more thought and accessories than anything a man might wear.”

---