At the word “bath,” Holden squealed and chortled. It was his favorite time of day.

“Come on, my little sugar doughnut,” Shane said. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

“Make sure you rinse all the cracks and crevices,” Laura said.

“We got this, don’t we?” Shane asked Holden, who clapped with glee.

Shane laughed and headed for the stairs with his bundle.

“They’re so cute together,” Owen said as he watched them go.

“I was thinking the same thing earlier. Shane is crazy about him.”

“And vice versa.”

“Shane seems better, don’t you think?” Laura asked.

“A thousand times better than he was. Gansett has worked its magic on him the way it does for everyone.”

Laura leaned her head against Owen’s shoulder and watched the sunset explode into deep magentas and oranges and purples that cast a warm glow upon the flat, calm water. “It certainly worked its magic on me.”

He took her hand and linked their fingers. “And me.”

He’d been unusually quiet all evening, allowing her and Shane to carry the conversation and Holden to entertain them.

“Are you okay?” She needed to know but was almost afraid of his answer.

“Yeah.”

“O?” she asked, shortening his name the way Evan often did.

“Hmm?”

“I know it’s your way to go quiet and keep to yourself when you’re troubled, and that’s okay if it’s what you need to do. But I hope you know I’m right here, and I want to help if I can.”

“I know you do, and I’m trying to let you in. It’s just… It’s hard.”

The pain she heard in his voice killed her and made her wish there was something—anything—she could do to spare him the awful ordeal that loomed so large for him. Though she wanted to encourage him to talk to her, instead she gave him the silence he seemed to need. As darkness encroached upon their slice of paradise, Laura reluctantly withdrew her hand from his grasp.

“I should go feed Holden and put him down.”

“I’ll clean up down here and be right along.”

She kissed his cheek. “Don’t take too long.”

“I won’t.”

Sensing he needed some time to himself, Laura left him staring out at the water and walked up the stairs that led to the deck. At the landing, she used the hose to wash the sand off her feet and then stepped on the towel she’d carried from the beach to dry them. The sound of happy voices, the clatter of dishes and the tinkle of crystal stemware coming from Stephanie’s Bistro in the lobby followed her up the stairs to the third floor.