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The blonde woman looked at Mia. Mia felt like curling up in a ball. She’d slicked her hair back in a ponytail and didn’t have on any makeup. She wore an old pair of khaki shorts and a tank top, as opposed to the blonde woman’s Rodeo Drive ensemble.
“Right,” said Candice. “Do you work here, too?”
Mia stood up. “No. My name is Mia Tennyson. I’m Blaine’s—” She took a deep breath. “I’m Blaine’s girlfriend.”
Candice didn’t say anything at first, and for a moment Mia was sure she was going to be informed that Blaine was very much still married. Finally Candice opened her mouth. “Oh, I see. Well, thanks for holding down the fort until I got here.”
Wait, thought Mia. What does that mean?
Once again Tim seemed to want answers as well. “You Mr. Blaine’s sister?” he asked.
“I’m his ex-wife,” said Candice. “His parents know we’re still friends so they asked me to come and wait for news.”
Mia and the marina manager exhaled in simultaneous relief.
Candice was all business. “What has the coast guard had to say?”
“They went out twice. Searched the fishing holes where I assumed he’d be. Nothing.”
Candice sat on the bench Mia had recently occupied. “It’s odd,” she said. “From what I could tell from Noah, the weather isn’t that bad. Windy, but nothing he hasn’t handled before.”
“Is Noah a friend of Blaine’s?” Mia asked.
Candice laughed. “NOAA. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.”
Mia felt like an idiot. “Oh, right. Of course.”
“Do you have any wine?” Candice asked Tim.
“No,” he said. “I got a couple Coronas in the fridge.”
“That will do,” said Candice. She slipped her feet out of her pumps. Even her toes were perfect. White French manicures. Mia scrunched her pink toenails into her flip-flops. Tim brought Candice a beer and they settled into uncomfortable silence. Mia played with her phone and tried to ignore the silent, unfriendly supermodel sitting beside her.
Tim brought them each a sandwich from the marina shop, but Mia didn’t have any appetite. Candice looked as if she never ate, but she scarfed the sandwich down fast enough. The evening dragged on with no word, except that the Coast Guard was going back out for one last evening run.
Apparently Candice didn’t plan on waiting them out. “I booked a room at the Marriott down the road,” she said. “It’s not the Ritz, but it will do.” She tucked her hair behind her ears and stood. “Please call me if you hear anything. Even in the middle of the night.”
“Will do,” said Tim.
“Goodbye,” Candice said to Mia.
“Bye,” said Mia. She added, “Thanks for coming.”
Candice might have whispered a reply under her breath, but Mia couldn’t make it out.
“You going home too, Mia?” asked Tim.
“I—well—“
“You want to sleep on the cot again?”
“Do you mind?”
“Course not,” said the manager. “You’re sweet to look out for him.” He raised his eyebrows. “Sweeter than some, for sure.”
Mia gave him a smile of real gratitude and followed him into the office. She’d brought her own pillow and blanket in the hope of waking up without neck pain. She had enough pain in her heart. She asked Tim for another of his over the counter sleep aids. She’d never sleep if she didn’t take one.
Mia woke for the second time in two days to someone shaking her foot. “Mia,” the voice said. “Mia?”
