A slow smile spread over my face at his introspection. "Yeah."
That's when I noticed the paperback on the counter. "What are you reading?"
Marshall ducked his head slightly as if he was embarrassed, but then he slowly turned over the book so I could see the cover depicting a teen girl and the title Untangled. "It's supposed to help me understand teen girls."
My heart contracted in my chest. How sweet was that? I doubted my dad had read up on the subject, probably relying on Mom's expertise. "Is it helping?"
Marshall nodded. "I'm reading about how their brain goes through this big developmental change, and she feels the need to be independent from her parents. It's helping me understand that it's normal, that there's a reason for it."
"That makes sense."
He patted the cover. "There are also tips for how to handle the snark."
I smiled at the word snark. It sounded funny coming from him, and he'd lowered his voice so his daughter wouldn't accidentally overhear him. "What are those? I might need some tips too."
"If she asks for my help with something, after she's been rude, I can point out that people don't help others when they are mean to them. It's a good life lesson and makes me feel more in control of the situation."
"Interesting." He liked to feel in control of situations. Maybe because of his military experience. I could see how a moody teenager would set him off balance.
He nodded. "The book is helping me to feel confident that I'm on the right path and I'm not losing my mind. If I hadn't read that chapter, I probably would have taken away her phone, and that wouldn't have gone over well. Her phone is her connection to her friends back home."
I sipped my coffee. "She's upset about leaving them."
His lips turned down. "I don't think she'll ever forgive me for taking her from them."
"Have you talked to your brothers or their significant others about introducing her to teens on the island? Maybe she could make some new friends."
His eyes brightened. "That's a great idea."
"I'm glad I could help."
Then he sighed. "Billie warned me that she'd sleep until noon."
I could tell that pained Marshall. He was probably used to getting up early and working out first thing. He glanced around the space again, as if assessing it. "Did you need me to do any work around here?"
"You're a guest," I said as I blew the steam from my still-hot coffee.
"I'm going to go crazy lazing around here all day."
I nodded, setting my mug down. "I'd keep your workout routine. You're going to need it."
He grabbed the now-empty mug and refilled it with coffee from the carafe. "I'd still like to help with whatever you need around here. I can paint these cabinets white if you want. The old paint is chipping off. And if you want, I could do a different color on the island, maybe gray or a coastal blue."
"That would look gorgeous, but I can't ask you to do work on the house. You're paying to stay here as a guest. And I'm taking up the third bedroom. You're already being inconvenienced."
He winced. "About that."
I nearly groaned out loud. I shouldn't have even brought it up.
He set my full cup down in front of me. "I was thinking you could stay if you wanted. Hayden is interested in your work, and at bedtime, she said she didn't mind if you were here."
My heart rate picked up at his suggestion. "I don't want to be a buffer between you two."
Marshall shook his head. "You won't be."
"I'll give you privacy. I can work in my bedroom and explore the island in my free time. I'm sure Grandma will have me helping at the senior center too. I'll stay busy and out of your hair."
"You don't have to do that."
