Violet sighed. The random scrapes and cuts on Trudy’s skin had transformed into dark, angry bruises, green and brown and yellow at the edges. Trudy tried to hide them, but there was only so much one sister could hide from another. Every time Violet asked about Jay or ran her finger lightly over another purple bloom—on Trudy’s jaw, at her hairline, on the back of a leg—she would smile her perfect smile and toss back her mane of blonde hair and the haunted, anxious expression with it. “It’s fine, Vi. Everything’s just fine.”

Trudy had said that so often, Violet was ready to take her sister forcefully from the home she shared with her husband. Either that, or give up on Trudy completely, which she couldn’t, wouldn’t, do.

“Violet?” Frank slowed their pace. “If it’s anything I can help with . . .”

He didn’t finish, but he didn’t have to. She’d known him less than two months, but already she could tell he’d go an extra mile—or ten—for anyone who needed it. It was his nature, both as a police officer and as the earnest, loyal, good man she was finding him to be. And the poor boy had love written all over his face when he looked at Violet. Could he see the same in hers?

“She’ll be fine,” Violet finally said.

“You’ll let me know if I can help?”

“I will,” she promised.

Satisfied, he kissed her, his lips cold and salty from the breeze coming off the water. She caught his bottom lip gently between her teeth, then let go and pulled back. Even in his casual clothes and a ball cap on his head, he still had a commanding presence—broad shoulders, sturdy chest, strong jaw. He was twenty-seven—a year older than she was—but he could’ve easily passed for thirty or more on bearing alone.

They’d met up as often as possible to bird-watch together, though they did less of that lately, as focused as they were on learning every little detail about each other that they could. And Violet let him in on everything.

Almost everything, anyway. It was easier to keep some things to herself.

“I have to tell you something,” she said, after kissing him once more and resuming their walk, not an inch of space between them. “I’m thinking about applying for a field study program this summer.”

“A field study? What does that mean?”

“It’s basically a temporary job, mostly for teachers and biologists. I’d be paid a tiny bit to work with scientists studying birds in their natural habitats. It’d be three months.”

“It sounds perfect for you. Where is it?”

“They have programs like this all over, but there’s one particular program in the Florida Keys. That’s the one I’d apply for.”

“Oh. Wow.” He rubbed his cheek. “That’s a long way away.”

“I know. I’ve been thinking about applying for a couple years now. Since I have summers off, I have the time, and I’ve always wanted to see the Keys. I never thought I’d actually have a chance to go there though.” She paused. “I have to turn in the application this week. I had it all ready back in January, but now I’m . . . well, I’m unsure.” She swallowed. “The program starts in late May.”