“We heard about it. What are you doing?” Mary Alice asked.

Millicent’s smile became a grin. “You’re looking at an officer of the Blue Bay Ranch Corporation, honey. A lot of it’s PR, like making talks to groups about the advantages of community living. Even made a video. Anyway, I decided the plump old resident manager look wouldn’t get it.”

“The resident manager look was fine,” I said.

“Sweet Patricia Anne.” Millicent gave me a light hug. Her earrings banged against my shoulder. “How are you, Haley?” she asked.

“Fine, Mrs. Weatherby. And I can see that you’re fine.”

Millicent swirled around, giving us the view from all directions. “I don’t look like a sixty-year-old broad from De Funiak Springs, do I?”

“No, you don’t,” we assured her.

“I don’t even have angel wings anymore.” She bent her elbow to show us there was no loose skin swaying in the breeze under her upper arms.

“I’m impressed,” Sister said. “Where’s Fairchild? Is he overwhelmed at having a new glamorous wife?”

“He’s home watching the Braves. I’m meeting someone for a drink, and then the Blue Bay folks are having a birthday party for one of the sales staff.”

I noticed Millicent hadn’t answered the question Sister had asked about Fairchild’s reaction to her new image. I tried to imagine how Fred would react if I showed up completely renovated. He’d have a fit probably.

“Come over and see the development while you’re here,” Millicent said. “Jason Marley’s doing it. Do you know him, Mary Alice?” Sister shook her head no. “Well, he’s just the best. It’s new and yet old-fashioned at the same time. You’ll love it.”

We promised her that we would. She gave a little wave goodbye and disappeared into the crowd around the bar.

“Can you believe that?” Sister asked.

“Jealousy over you probably drove her to it, not sudden wealth,” Haley said.

“It seems so out of character,” I said. “Millicent has always struck me as being very comfortable with her life and her looks. Down-to-earth. You know what I mean?”

“The broad from De Funiak Springs and no bones about it,” Mary Alice said.

“Right.”

We paid our checks and went down the steps to the beach. The Redneck Riviera is only a short distance from the condo so we had walked. We pulled off our shoes and waded in the edge of the water. There was a slight breeze, and we could hear music from the radios of lovers hidden in the dunes.

“I hope they’re practicing safe sex,” I murmured as we heard the romantic “Unchained Melody.”

“I hope they’re not practicing,” my sweet daughter said. “Sex in the sand can be painful.”

I trusted she was talking about an experience with her late husband Tom. They had come down here frequently.