“Mrs. Connor called to tell me she had to leave because her grandson got sick at summer camp, and she had to go pick him up. She locked up before she left, and Mom was here alone for maybe twenty minutes. When I got here and found her standing naked in the yard, I ran into the house to get her robe. In the time I was inside, she went down the driveway toward the greenhouse, calling for Dad.

“I chased after her, and when she saw me coming, she started shrieking at me to leave her alone and go get Dad. People came out of the store and the greenhouse to see what all the noise was about. You know the rest.”

Alex got them each a cold beer, opened them both and handed one to Paul before he sat in one of the other chairs.

“How long had you been there when I got home?”

“About fifteen minutes.”

“Shit…”

“Yeah. Exactly.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner.”

Paul waved off the apology. “You had no idea what was going on.”

“Where do we stand with the nurse candidates?”

“We set up a Skype interview in an hour with one of them, Hope Russell. She’s the one who has the young son. The other candidate bailed out because she doesn’t think island life would suit her. So it’s down to Hope”

“Her name is ironic, huh?”

“No kidding. I said that to David. He’ll be by around six to sit in on the conversation.”

“Will Mom be here?”

“Mrs. Feeny is due to pick her up a little before six for bridge night.” Though Marion could no longer play the game, her friends were faithful about making sure she got to attend anyway. “We planned the interview for a time when she wouldn’t be here. Can you make it then?”

“Yeah, sure. I’d like to hear what she has to say, too.” He thought of Jenny and how badly he could use another hour or two wrapped up in her softness, but the despair on his brother’s face took priority at the moment. “After that—you and me? We’re going to eat a couple of gigantic, artery-clogging steaks and then go see Evan and Owen play at the Tiki.”

“Oh, we are?”

“We are. Mom will be out until at least eleven, so we’re going out, too. Maybe we’ll even get totally fucking hammered.” As much as he couldn’t wait to see Jenny again, Paul needed him more.

“You’re on,” Paul said grimly, raising his beer bottle in Alex’s direction.

***