Page 80 of Deadly Misfortunes

Then they enjoyed shrimp, lobster, scallops, salmon on picks, just all kinds of great seafood. Grapes, watermelon balls, strawberries, peaches, and plums were arranged like a toucan on another platter.

Soft rolls and butter were scarfed up quickly. Each of the women had their own tray of dips—tartar sauce and cocktail sauce — and dipped away while sipping their cocktails.

“After we enjoy our refreshments, we’re going to play in the water and then walk along the beach and take pictures,” Kat said. “Henry said he’s a photography hobbyist, so he’ll take all our pictures.”

“That’s great.” Sascha wanted everyone in the pictures.

After they finished eating, they all went into their rooms and put on their bathing suits, pulled on their new shirts, flip-flops, hats, and sunglasses. They grabbed bags containing sunscreen, bottles of water, and their phones, then headed out the door to the stairs leading to the beach pathway.

The bodyguards wore beachwear too, to blend in, but they kept guns in holsters under their floral shirts. Sascha had purchased their clothes for the trip, and they looked ready to have fun while taking care of business.

Chaise lounges and umbrellas had been set up for them, courtesy of Aunt Meg and Mrs. Landry, so they would be comfortable on the beach. Even the bodyguards had chairs so they could watch out for the women.

“One of you can watch our bags,” Lucy told the bodyguards.

That was an advantage on the beach trip, so no one would steal their bags.

Mrs. Landry and Aunt Meg sat down on the chairs and got comfortable though, so they could watch things too. Omar went with the cousins so they could play in the water, while Henry took photos.

Sascha was having a ball, but she thought it would be fun to do this with Gregory, too.

They played in the water, getting dunked by rogue waves, crying out in surprise, and laughing like crazy.

“This is so much fun,” Sascha said. “I’m so glad we decided to come here.”

“We’ll have so much to do, we won’t even notice the time go by. Boy, being pregnant makes me even more buoyant. I thought I would be more like a heavy anchor,” Kat said, floating on top of the water until a wave washed over her.

The ladies laughed.

After playing in the water, they encouraged Aunt Meg and Mrs. Landry to join them to cool off.

They did, and then they all walked down the beach. Both bodyguards stayed with them to ensure they stayed safe. Lucy pointed to an ice cream shop off the beach. “Ready for a cold, frosty treat?”

“Oh, yeah, let’s do it,” Sascha said.

18

After grilling hamburgers at the rental house, Gregory and his companions sat in the ice cream shop, enjoying sundaes after a long hike on the beach. Gregory glanced out the shop’s window, which had a view of the beach, and saw the love of his life, Sascha, and the other ladies and their bodyguards trudging through the sand, headed in their direction. “Oh, there’s Sascha and her entourage.”

He instantly rose from his seat in a panic.

“Let’s get plastic tops for our ice cream and take them on the run,” Camden said, jumping up from his chair.

They all hurried to the ice cream counter and asked for take-out containers so they could leave the shop without losing their ice cream sundaes.

The kid at the counter looked annoyed and was moving too slowly, but Prescott said, “He’s the groom.” He pointed at Gregory. “And the bride-to-be is coming in with her ladies from the beach. We need to get out of here before they see us.”

The kid worked faster now that he had a really important mission.

“Thanks,” they all said to the kid and gave him a twenty-dollar tip.

Gregory and the others grabbed their sundaes and headed out the front door, where all the shops were, as the ladies entered through the beach entrance, smiling and laughing.

In a hurry, they moved past the large shop windows, though they figured the ladies would be at the ice cream counter, looking at all the selections, concentrating on what they were ordering and not really noticing the customers making a hasty retreat past the shop windows.

“I hope they didn’t see us,” Prescott said.

“I’m sure one of us would have gotten a text,” Gregory said, as they headed back to their house to finish their sundaes. “Since the ladies have been to the beach, we could go to the water and swim and walk along the beach.”