“Old business.” Mai flicked it away. “I’ve made a considerable if unscientific study of that single-male element of our island population. For my own purposes, I have to eliminate males under the age of twenty-one and over the age of sixty-five. Both boundaries are a stretch as I’m thirty-four, but beggars, choosers. The pool’s shallow, Fee. It’s pretty freaking shallow.”
“I can’t argue with that. But if you add in tourists and seasonals, it’s a little deeper.”
“I do have some small hope for summer, but meanwhile? I took a hard look at James.”
“James?
“Yes, our James. Mutual interests, age appropriate. Low spark, admittedly, but you work with what you’ve got. The trouble is he’s got his eye on Lori, and there’s no poaching within the unit. There is one intriguing possibility on island. Single, age appropriate, dog owner, very attractive. Creative type. A little taciturn for my taste, but there’s that beggars, choosers again.”
“Oh,” Fiona said, and took a drink.
“Simon Doyle. Sylvia carries his work. Wood artist, furniture.”
“Mmm,” Fiona said this time, and took another drink.
Mai’s eyes narrowed. “You’re looking at him? Damn it, he might be all that’s standing between me and HeartLine-dot-com.”
“I’m not looking. Not exactly. He’s a client. I’m working with his dog.”
“Cute dog.”
“Very. Hot guy.”
“Very. Look, if you’re going to call dibs, call it, because I have plans to make. I have a serious need to get laid.”
“I’m not calling dibs on a man. Jesus, Mai. He’s really not the kind of guy you tend toward.”
“Shit,” Mai said, and took a slug of wine. “He’s alive, single, within the age boundaries and, as far as I know, not a serial killer.”
“He kissed me.”
“Two scoops of shit. Okay, give me a minute to hate you.” Mai drummed her fingers on the table. “All right, hate time’s done. Sexy kiss or friendly kiss?”
“It wasn’t friendly. He’s not especially friendly. I don’t think he likes people that much. He stopped by so I could work with Jaws. I was running the mock search with the Bellingham unit. So I invited him to stay, mix, have some brownies. I doubt he said five words to anybody. Except for Syl. He likes Syl.”
“Maybe he’s shy. Shy can be sweet.”
“I don’t think so, and sweet’s not a word I’d use in the same sentence with Simon. He’s an exceptional kisser, and that’s a plus.”
“Bitch, don’t make me hurt you.”
Fiona grinned. “And I don’t need a relationship, but I do require some basic conversation when I sleep with a guy.”
“You had conversation with the one-time guy nine months ago. Look where that got you.”
“That’s true.” Fiona was forced to sigh in remembrance. “But I’m not calling dibs. If the opportunity presents, help yourself.”
“No, it’s too late. He’s out of the running. HeartLine-dot-com, here I come.”
“We need to go on vacation.”
Mai choked out a laugh. “Yeah, sure.”
“No, I mean it. You, me, Syl. A girl trip, a girl thing. A spa,” she decided, inspired. “A long girl spa weekend.”
“Don’t toy with me, Fiona. I’m a woman on the edge.”
“Which is why we need a break.”
“Question?” Mai held up a finger. “When’s the last time you took a vacation—even a long weekend type vacation?”
“A couple years maybe. Okay, probably three. Which just cements the point.”
“And with your work, mine, Syl’s, the responsibility for the animals, just how do we manage it?”
“We’ll figure it out. We know how to plan things, how to organize.” Now that the idea popped out, Fiona wanted it like Christmas. “Massages and facials and mud baths, room service and sparkly adult beverages. No work, responsibility or schedules.”
“It may be better than sex.”
“It’s possible. What we’ll do is check our schedules and find the best time to clear three days. We can clear three days, Mai. We all have friends who’ll take care of our animals for that length of time. How often have we done it for them?”
“Countless times. Where?”
“I don’t know. Close so we don’t spend too much time on travel. I’ll start researching, and I’ll get Syl on board. What do you say?”
Mai raised her glass. “I am so in.”
Determined to seal the deal, Fiona swung by Sylvia’s before heading home.
Pansies spilled out of tubs in front of the tranquil bayside house. Fiona knew the greenhouse would be crowded with flowers and vegetables and herbs her stepmother babied like children, and would soon tranfer to her extensive gardens.
As much at home there as in her own cabin, Fiona opened the bright red door and called out, “Syl?”
“Back here!” Sylvia called out as Oreo raced to say hello. “In the great room.”
“I was just at Mai’s.” Fiona wound her way through the house where Sylvia had lived with Fiona’s father throughout their marriage. Like her shop, it was a bright, fascinating, eclectic mix of styles and art and color.
She found Sylvia on her yoga mat mimicking the twisting pose of the instructor on the TV. “Just winding down from the day,” Sylvia told her. “Nearly done. Did you bring the boys?”
“They’re in the car. I can’t stay.”
“Oh, why don’t you? I’m thinking of making couscous.”
“Tempting.” Not in the least, Fiona thought. “But I’ve got a project. Mai’s horny and her biological clock’s ticking. She’s thinking of trying one of those online dating services.”
“Really?” Sylvia untwisted, then twisted in the other direction. “Which one?”
“I think she said HeartLine-dot-com.”
“They’re supposed to be pretty good.”
“I don’t... Have you used that kind of thing?”
“Not yet. Maybe never. But I’ve looked around.” Sylvia lowered to the floor, folded.
“Oh. Huh. Well, anyway, what do you say the three of us take a long weekend and go to a spa?”
“Gosh, let me think.” Sylvia unfolded. “It’ll take me five minutes to pack.”
“Really?”
“I can do it in four if pressed. Where are we going?”
“I don’t know yet. It’s part of the project. I need to check the schedule, refine it with yours and Mai’s and find us a destination.”
“I’ve got that. One of my artists has a connection at a spa. Supposed to be fabulous. It’s near Snoqualmie Falls.”
“Seriously?”
“Mmm-hmm.” Sylvia lay back in corpse. “Tranquillity Spa and Resort. I’ll take care of it—but you might want to check out the website to make sure it’s what you have in mind.”
“Do they have massages, room service and a pool?”
“I can pretty much guarantee that.”
“It’s perfect.” She did a quick dance in place. “God, this is going to be great.”
“Can’t miss. But what brought this on?”
“I told you. Mai’s hormones.”
“And?”
Fiona walked to the window to look at the water. “I really haven’t been sleeping all that well since Davey told me about the murders. It’s just... there. On my mind. Keeping busy tamps it down, then when I’m not, it’s just
