The town of North Sound was in my rearview mirror as I drove down country lanes, past farms and old homes and the bay and the blue-gray ocean and turned into the ferry parking lot. I could not believe my luck: A space opened up and I pulled in. I ran to the ferry, though I do so hate running—what a ridiculous sport that is—bought a ticket, and ran onboard three minutes before it was leaving for Anacortes.

Now all I had to do was find Marco.

I went through both decks, no Marco. The ferry wasn’t crowded, so I should have been able to spot him right away. I turned around the outside deck . . . and I saw him.

Black hair. Sunglasses. Jeans and a sweatshirt. He was standing at the rail, staring out at the islands. He looked tired. His shoulders were slumped. He had lost weight.

I took a deep breath, then went to stand beside him.

“It’s a beautiful day,” I said.

“Evie.” He put his glasses on his head, his eyes hurt, wary.

“Hi, Marco. I heard you’re going to Alaska.”

“Yes. With my brothers.”

“Gayle told me. Marco.” I closed my eyes, took a breath. I would get right to the point. “Sundance was on the boat with us when you . . . you drowned.”

“I know.”

He remembered. “And Sundance is . . .”

“I know.”

“You were waiting for me to make that connection, weren’t you?”

“Yes. And when you did, which I knew you would, I didn’t want you to feel pushed into making a decision about me. About us.”

“I think I made that decision.”

“You have?”

“Yes.”

“And what is it?”

“Marco, if you will still have me, I would love to be with you. I love you. Every single time I’ve seen you, talked to you, I love you even more.”

He blinked rapidly, that black hair brushed by the wind, those shoulders broad, that face, tired but now hopeful, tough-guy but sweet, manly but filled with love.

“I am sorry for what I put you, and us, through. I am a messy human tornado.”

“It’s okay, Evie, it really is.”

“It’s not, but . . .”

He shook his head ruefully, smiled, a glorious smile, open and sexy. “Look, Evie. All I care about is right now. And our future. If you want to be together, that’s what I want, too. It’s what I’ve always wanted. It’s why I moved to the island. It was you, Evie. It was all about Evie. When we talked at your bookstore, when we talked through the e-mails, when we talked on the phone when I was still in Oregon, I knew I’d found my soul mate. I love you. I will always love you.”