She asked him to take her shoes off so she could feel the sand between her toes. Maybe tomorrow could be the day they sat here and watched the sunrise.

A cluster of bulging white clouds approached lazily from the other side of the lake. The sun was strong but the humidity low, especially with the wind blowing off the cool lake. On the dock, Kate dipped a bare foot in the water and quickly pulled it back.

“Check to see how many fish are in there,” she said.

Andrew laughed. “In the whole lake?”

“No, just around the dock.”

“You can see for yourself. The water’s clear as can be.”

She peered over the side and saw the sandy bottom. Most lakes she knew were murky because the bottom was a bed of black, moldy vegetation.

This was even nicer than the beach at Cape May. There were a few large stones and a couple of small branches, but no fish.

“It’s not like there’s anything big enough down there to eat you,” Andrew said. He took a pull from his beer, one hand playing with her hair.

“Fish skeeve me. I just don’t want them brushing up against me.”

“I’m pretty sure they’re going to do everything in their power to avoid that. We are a little bit bigger and more intimidating than them.”

Kate leaned into his chest. Her knee and hip still ached, but the pain had dulled. Andrew had found a sturdy stick during one of his runs and had presented it to her as a cane. She used it sparingly around the house – just when he was looking.

“It’s really beautiful out here,” she said.

A seaplane circled overhead before disappearing south.

“More so now that you’re out here to enjoy it with me. I vote we eat on the deck tonight. It should be plenty warm enough.”

“I second that. I’m not that hungry, though.”

He rubbed her shoulder. “You rarely are. How about grilled cheese sandwiches?”

“Half.”

“Okay, half.”

They stayed down at the lake for an hour, the water calm and empty save for a family of ducks bobbing about and a goose that flapped overhead.

Leaning on Andrew’s arm as they walked back up to the house, she said, “I’m serious, I never want to leave here.”

“I feel the same way. I’m getting very used to a life of leisure.”

“It’s kinda like the lake belongs to us and us alone,” Kate said. “It should make me feel lonely, but I don’t.”

As he helped her onto the bed – she was tired and in need of a nap so they could have fun outside later – he said, “I’d love to see where everyone lives. That path I take to run steers clear of any sign of civilization. It’s as if it was cut intentionally to avoid people.”