An ache spread through his belly, a yearning so acute, he didn’t know what to do with it. With a groan he ran his hands down his face, then sat up. He remained there a moment, his unfocused gaze directed toward the river, then he jumped down off the rock, pulled off his T-shirt, and grabbed the end of the rope swing, pulling it taut. “Hey, Cass,” he called, tipping his head. “Come on.”

She squealed and hopped out of the water, droplets clinging and dripping, catching the afternoon light as they fell. A quick moment later, she was wrapped around him, skin to wet skin. He hooked his feet around the bottom knot, she pressed hers on top of his, and together they flew.

* * *

Violet waved to their last customer of the day and flipped the sign in the window to show they were closed. Maya had come in so the three of them could discuss the possibility of her working there in the shop. Violet had been surprised when Trudy told her Maya was interested in a job. It was true they needed to hire another employee, and Trudy had grown to like Maya—especially her skills with the sculpture materials—but Violet had expected the person they hired to be someone local, someone they were familiar with, someone they knew they could trust. Maya fit none of these descriptions, but Trudy was pushing hard for her, and as their life had shown, Violet would do nearly anything for her sister.

Trudy and Maya were already seated at a table at the front of the shop, Trudy scribbling notes and Maya responding.

“Can I bring either of you some tea?” Violet walked to the back of the shop and flipped on the teakettle. As she waited for it to bubble, she unwrapped a peppermint tea bag and dropped it in a white mug.

The only answer she heard was the scratch of Trudy’s pencil, then soft laughter from Maya. Trudy glanced at the note in Maya’s hands, then tipped her head toward Violet.

“She wrote that there aren’t many people who drink hot tea when it’s hot as blue blazes outside,” Maya said.

“My sister can make fun of me all she wants. I’ve been enjoying a mug of peppermint tea every afternoon for more years than I can count.” She poured boiling water over her tea bag, savoring the minty scent that rose from the mug, then pulled another chair to the small round table where Maya and Trudy sat.

Violet blew across the top of her tea to cool it. “So, Maya, Trudy tells me you’re interested in working here at the shop.”

Maya glanced at Trudy. “I could use the extra work. The diner doesn’t pay all that much and Mr. Meyer just raised my rent.”

“On that tiny room above the bait shop?” Violet asked. “He can’t be asking for much—it’s the size of a pea.” Trudy lifted an eyebrow in admonition. “I’m sorry,” Violet said. “That was rude of me.”