She’d changed, but maybe that was what happened when the man you married always had his eye on the woman waiting behind you.

If the pictures told the truth, then Joanna led a glittering life. But the price she paid for that life was Cliff, and that price, Mel thought, was too high. Presumably Joanna had come to the same conclusion because she’d finally divorced him a year ago.

And now he was dead.

Mary-Lou put a fresh stack of bookmarks on the counter. “I always do a double take when I see her walking the red carpet at some event or other looking all fancy. I think to myself, that’s Joanna, who used to come in here and borrow books when my mother was running the store.”

Mel tilted her head. “She loved reading, but her stepmother thought books were a waste of money.”

“Don’t talk to me about that woman. I swear Denise modeled herself on all those wicked stepmothers we saw in the movies when we were kids. She was the reason my mother used to lend Joanna the books, even though there was no hope of selling them after. She used to say, That poor girl needs some escape from living with that woman. It used to bother her something awful, the thought of little Joanna being alone with her.”

It was an uncomfortable memory. Mel had tried to avoid spending time in Joanna’s house. They’d usually met at the beach, or Joanna had come and spent time with Mel in her home. When Mel had visited Otter’s Nest, she’d counted the hours until she could leave. It wasn’t that she was scared of Joanna’s stepmother exactly, but Denise certainly wasn’t a comfortable woman to be around. She’d mentioned it to her friend once.

Your stepmom doesn’t like me.

My stepmom doesn’t like anyone.

Mel had only good memories of Joanna’s father. She remembered him as a warm, fun-loving man who had adored Joanna. Widowed when Joanna was born, he’d finally remarried when Joanna was eight years old. “She used to tell Joanna she’d never wanted kids.”

“Can you imagine anyone saying that to a child?” Mary-Lou’s mouth tightened. “And if you feel that way, fine, but you don’t marry a man with a child.”

“I guess she never thought he’d die and leave her with sole charge. Anyway, it’s all in the past now.”

She’d once asked Joanna what was wrong with her stepmother and she could still remember her reply. Her life didn’t turn out the way she expected.

Did anyone’s life turn out the way they expected?