In a fabulously cheesetastic moment, the actor turned adoring eyes on Edna and said, “I’d cross the oceans for you, my queen. I’d slay dragons for you.”

AG shook his head in disgust, and Gabriel said loudly, “Thomas, I’m sure Ilena and Milagro would love to hear about your experience as an underwear model. We all want to hear it again,” and everyone fell silent for a moment.

Thomas said, “If you insist.”

And Gabriel responded, “Oh, I do.”

AG said, “I don’t have to waste my time listening to this idiocy,” and went into the house.

Thomas led Edna to the table, pulled out her chair, and took the seat beside hers. He smiled his dazzling toothpaste commercial smile and said to her, “You are always sexier than I remember.”

Just as she had looked suddenly weary in the cottage earlier, now she looked vivacious. She narrowed her exotic green eyes and said, “Tell your story.”

Oswald handed Thomas a glass of wine and he took a sip, then said, “I had only been in Hollywood for a week when I heard about the audition …”

Although Thomas’s monologue was one of the most enthralling tales I’d ever heard, my ookiness level increased until I could barely listen to the conversation.

When everyone moved inside, I lagged behind and walked out into the inky night across the field. The grasses brushed against my legs and crickets chirped.

As I reached the boulder by Daisy’s grave, I was startled to see Ian right behind me. “I didn’t hear you,” I said, and sat down. “You’re too quiet.”

“Weren’t you enjoying the company?” He sat on the stone beside me.

“Something feels different tonight,” I said. “This is my dog’s grave. I planted it with rosemary, for remembrance, but I don’t remember her, just as I don’t remember Wilcox. Rosemary shouldn’t remind us to remember; it should represent how essential the act of remembering is to our humanity. It’s an important distinction.”

We were only a few inches apart and now I looked into the night sky and pointed with my gloved hand. “Those stars are Pollux and Castor, the twins raised by wolves,” I said, but I didn’t know who had taught me that. “I wonder if anyone out there is looking at us here on Earth.”

“I should think so, when the view is so captivating.”

Ian was like me, reflexively flirtatious, but he had no idea how powerfully I was drawn to him. My strong reaction must be engagement jitters.

“Your girlfriend is stunning.”

“I think she’s the most dazzling creature in the world.” His dark eyes shone in the darker night. “I love her more than I thought possible.”

“She’s fortunate to have you.”

“Not in the least. I’ve only brought her pain and misery.”

“She seems happy enough.”