Susan dug her toes into the sand and leaned back against the stone retaining wall that prevented Compass Bay from washing into the sea. Without waking Jed, she had gotten dressed and slipped out of their cottage. Now she wished she had paused long enough to grab her watch. The sun was rising to her right, and she could feel its heat on her cheek. The water was washing back and forth on the sand, but she slowly became aware of other sounds-cooking sounds. She got up as the lure of coffee became more compelling than the sea.
The dining area had been closed when they arrived last night, but now it was bustling with activity. Waiters in black slacks and white shirts were setting tables with bright-colored linens and heavy pottery. Two young men in swimsuits were raising gaudy umbrellas above tables on the patio overlooking the ocean. The scent of coffee brewing wafted from the kitchen, mixing with the salty air. Susan wandered toward its place of origin.
One of the young men dropped his umbrella and hurried to her side. “May I help you?”
“Is it too early to get a cup of coffee?”
“Of course not. You sit down and I’ll bring it.”
“That would be nice.” Susan chose a small pink table overlooking the water and sat down to resume her contemplation of the sunrise. She had slept well and awakened convinced that worrying about Kathleen and Jerry was pointless. Every marriage had rough spots. And this dreadful winter had probably made small problems appear to be big ones. But things would be different now that they were together in this wonderful place. Not just different, better.
A tray bearing a pot of coffee, cream, sugar, and a small vase of flowers showed up by her side. Susan thanked the young man who brought it and was busy stirring cream and sugar (it was her vacation, after all!) into the steaming brew when she noticed an attractive blond woman strolling down the long pier toward the charming gazebo that stood on stilts a good ten feet above the water. A long peach kimono fluttered behind her in the morning breeze. Susan had seen that robe just a few weeks ago in Bergdorf Goodman. In fact, Kathleen had considered buying it-before checking out its price. Now Susan realized that her friend must have been unable to resist, after all. She sipped her coffee and smiled. If Kathleen had worn the nightgown that went with that kimono last night, there was little reason to worry about the state of the Gordons’ marriage.
“What are you smiling about?” Kathleen Gordon slid into the chair across from Susan.
“I-” Susan looked out on the pier. “I thought I was watching you. Out there. I thought that woman walking on the pier was you.”
“I’m flattered,” Kathleen said. “She’s gorgeous. Jerry could hardly take his eyes off her yesterday. Of course, she was wearing the tiniest swimsuit I’ve ever seen then, not a robe,” she continued while Susan’s mouth dropped open.
“I… you know how men are,” was Susan’s inadequate comment. Both women had been married for many years. They did know how men were, but that didn’t necessarily mean they excused them.
Kathleen didn’t respond.
“Would you like some coffee?” Susan asked. “The waiter is around somewhere.”
“Someone will be over in a minute. The staff here is very attentive.”
“Have you and Jerry been having fun? What have you been doing? How was dinner in town last night?”
“Awful. I think we picked out the worst restaurant on the island. It was dirty, noisy, and the food was dreadful.”
“Why did you go there? Did someone recommend it?”
“No, we were just walking by. The menu was posted. It looked okay. You know how it is.”
“Sure, but… I don’t understand why you went into town. The food here is supposed to be wonderful. Don’t tell me it isn’t.”
“Oh, no! We arrived in time for lunch. The food here is fabulous! I had a piece of grilled fish-I think it was grouper-and it was delicious. Really light and the spices were so unusual. And Jerry had a shrimp salad that was sensational.”
“Then why did you go into town?”
“Damned if I know.” Kathleen frowned. “It was Jerry’s idea.”
Susan, who was happy to sympathize if a female friend wanted to criticize her own husband, but knew enough not to be the one to start it, changed the subject. “Was your flight on time?”
“Yes. Thank heavens. Alex was up almost the entire night before we left. He claimed to have had a series of nightmares, but I think he was worried about us being gone. I got on the plane and fell asleep almost immediately. I didn’t wake up until the pilot announced that we were about to land. So I arrived feeling wonderful. I only wish the same were true of Jerry. He says he didn’t even nap, and he’s completely exhausted from that mess at the agency. I’m really worried about him. I can’t remember the last time I saw him relax.”
“You mean that new account Jed and Jerry took over in December?”
“That and everything else,” Kathleen answered vaguely. “Oh, there’s that nice young man who keeps track of the kayaks. I watched a young couple paddling around in the water yesterday afternoon and it looked like they were having so much fun. I want to reserve two for Jerry and me. Do you and Jed want to try, too?”
“I… I think I’d rather watch first. To tell the truth, my plans for today include a short swim in the pool and lots of time spent with a paperback in one hand and a cool drink in the other. Maybe tomorrow I’ll feel more energetic.”
“Then I’ll just ask him to reserve two. Oh, there’s Jed! I’ll tell him we’re over here.”
“Great.”
Susan picked up her coffee and resumed her contemplation of the ocean.
“Hi, hon.” Jed leaned down for his morning kiss. “Sleep well?”
“Sure did.”
“I’m surprised you’re up so early.”
“I’m planning a leisurely day of dozing in the sun. Thought I’d get an early start.”
“Just be careful that you don’t get a burn,” Jed warned.
“I won’t. I packed three different sunscreens. Besides, there are umbrellas set up all over the place.” She looked around. “It’s really nice here, isn’t it?”
“It certainly is bright.” Jed looked over his shoulder. “Where have Kathleen and Jerry gone?”
“Kath is trying to reserve kayaks for them to use today, and I haven’t seen Jerry yet. Maybe he’s sleeping late. Kath says he’s been exhausted.” She thought for a moment before asking a question. “Have things been going on at the agency that you haven’t told me about?”
“Probably. I don’t tell you everything, after all. But I gather you’re referring to something specific?”
“I don’t know. Kathleen mentioned problems, and you hadn’t told me anything unusual. Oh, here they come. Let’s order. I’m starving.” If she had been a bit less hungry, she might have noticed the change of expression on her husband’s face when she mentioned problems, but Jed had reassumed his relaxed facade by the time Jerry and Kathleen arrived at the table. They were followed closely by a perky waitress who offered menus and coffee.
They spent the next few minutes deciding on their orders. Jed and Jerry stuck to eggs and bacon, but both Kathleen and Susan threw caution-and their diets-into the Caribbean winds and decided on coconut French toast and fresh tropical fruit cup.
The food arrived promptly and it was wonderful. More and more hotel guests began to appear, many of them barefoot, dressed only in swimsuits and flowing cover-ups. Susan noticed that the casual atmosphere hadn’t forced some of the diners to leave their jewels at home. One deeply tanned woman wore gold chains around her neck, both arms, and one ankle. A thin gold chain draped around her hips just below her navel completed the ensemble. The man she was with had adopted a yachting theme-boat shoes, navy slacks, a navy and white striped knit shirt-and a hat proclaiming him to be the captain shielded his eyes from the already warm sunshine. Susan leaned toward Kathleen. “Look at the woman over there. She’s…”
But Kathleen wasn’t listening. She was staring at her husband with her mouth hanging open and a distressed expression on her face. “But I thought you wanted to kayak. Yesterday when we were watching that young couple, you said it looked like lots of fun.”
“No, you said it looked like lots of fun. I just didn’t disagree with you. Kath, I am not going to go out on the ocean in a little slip of plastic that could flip over at any minute. Period.”
“But-but I don’t want to go out alone.”
Susan realized the Gordons’ vacation wasn’t starting off on the right foot, and she hurried in to help. “I’ll kayak with you, Kath. I was just telling Jed that it sounded like fun.”
Jed looked up from his plate. “But I thought-”
“I was planning to lie around all day,” Susan admitted. “But now that I’ve consumed about a million calories, I think some exercise is an excellent idea. Maybe we could get another kayak if you want to join us. Right, Kath?”
“Sure. There are five or six available. Do you want me to check with James?”
“Who’s James?”
“He’s the young man who keeps track of the sports equipment and the towels and stuff like that. There’s a little cabana/kiosk building right in front of our cottage; he might be there.” Kathleen sat up a bit straighter and looked around. “There he is. He’s arranging the seats by the pool. I wonder if we could reserve the four chaises in front of your cottage. Maybe put books on them or something?”
Jerry glanced over at the seats his wife was talking about. A line of about a dozen wooden lounges stood on the patio between the cottages and the seawall that lined the beach. As they watched, a young man wiped the night’s dew from them and laid out heavy canvas pads and towels. “Aren’t those seats a bit exposed?”
“Exposed?” Kathleen said.
“To the sun,” Jerry explained. “I don’t want to get a burn. I was thinking of lying by the pool-under an umbrella-or maybe napping inside.”
“Inside? Jerry, we’re on an island in the Caribbean. No one stays inside unless it’s raining!”
“You’re the one who keeps telling me that I look sleepy.”
“You do look sleepy,” Kathleen agreed, looking guilty. “But we’re on vacation… and I thought… oh, I don’t know what I thought.”
Susan and Jed, simultaneously recognizing a marital argument in its formative stages, chimed in.
“I know just how Jerry feels. A long nap is on my schedule today, as well,” Jed spoke up.
“We need to remember to cover ourselves with sunscreen before we go out on the water, too,” Susan reminded Kathleen, hoping to change the subject and return to the relaxed conversation of a few minutes ago. “And are there life vests? In Maine we always wear life vests.”
“You know, I think that I did see someone wearing a life vest yesterday. We’ll ask James. We don’t have to go out very far, you know. The reef is only a hundred feet or so beyond the gazebo.”
“Reef?”
“Yes, there’s a gorgeous coral reef right out there. James told me all about it yesterday afternoon. That’s why I want to go out this morning. He said that the tide will be higher later in the day and it will be harder to see the fish and all.”
“Oh, Kath! A coral reef! I had no idea! I thought we were just going kayaking for the exercise. How wonderful! When is the best time to go? Now? Or should we wait for a bit?”
“I think an hour after eating is usually suggested,” Jerry reminded them. “That gorgeous blue expanse is the ocean, you know.”
“An hour. What can we do for an hour?” Susan wailed.
“There’s a really nice gift shop right next to our cabin,” Kathleen pointed out.
Susan smiled. “Perfect! Lead the way.” The women got up and set out for one of their favorite activities. But Susan, turning back to remind Jed where she had stashed the sunscreen when she was unpacking last night, was stunned to see the expression on Jerry’s face.
He had turned around so his back was to his friend and colleague and was staring out to sea looking completely miserable.