“I see.” Since he’d polished off his cake, Nell nudged hers toward him and wasn’t the least bit surprised when he took a forkful. “I’d always thought New England Yankees were a taciturn breed. You know—ayah, nope, maybe.”

“We like to talk in my family. Ripley can be short-winded, but then she isn’t overly fond of people as a species. This is the best meal I’ve had since Sunday dinner at my gran’s.”

“That is the ultimate compliment.”

“We’d finish it off exactly right if we were to take a walk on the beach.”

She couldn’t think of a reason to say no. Maybe she didn’t want to.

The light was fading, going deep at the edges. A needle-thin and needle-bright swath of light swept over the horizon, and a blush of pink gleamed in the west. The tide had gone out, leaving a wide avenue of dark, damp sand that was cool underfoot. The surf teased it, foaming out in ribbons while narrow-bodied birds with legs like stilts pecked for their supper.

Others strolled the beach. Almost all couples now, Nell noted. Hand-in-hand or arm-in-arm. As a precaution, she’d tucked her own hands in her pockets after she’d pried off her shoes and rolled up her jeans.

Here and there were stockpiles of driftwood that would be bonfires when full dark fell. She wondered what it would be like to sit by the flames with a group of friends. To laugh and talk of nothing important.

“Haven’t seen you go in yet.”

“In?”

“The water,” Zack explained.

She didn’t own a bathing suit, but saw no reason to say so. “I’ve waded in a couple of times.”

“Don’t swim?”

“Of course I can swim.”

“Let’s go.”

He scooped her up so fast her heart stuck between her chest and her throat. She could barely manage to breathe, much less scream. Before full panic had a chance to bloom, she was in the water.

Zack was laughing, spinning her away from an oncoming wave to take the brunt of it himself. She was sliding, rolling, fighting to gain her feet when he simply nipped her at the waist and righted her.

“Can’t live on Three Sisters without being baptized.” Tossing his wet hair back, he pulled her farther out.

“It’s freezing.”

“Balmy,” he corrected. “Your blood’s just thin yet. Here comes a good-size one. You’d better hold on to me.”

“I don’t want to—” Whatever she did or didn’t want, the sea had its own ideas. The wave hit, knocked her off her feet, and had her legs tangling with his.

“You idiot.” But she was laughing as she surfaced. When the air hit her skin, she quickly dunked neck-deep again. “The sheriff’s supposed to have more sense than to jump in the ocean fully dressed.”