It wasn’t lost on her that she’d just referred to her past with Sawyer like it was no big deal. Also not lost on her: the small smile he shot her that seemed like it was meant for her alone. “He’s always been quiet. Not shy, just not a guy who had a lot to say. But he’s even more so now.”

“He’s, like, existentially quiet now,” Maya said.

The group fell into a melancholy-tinged silence. It contrasted with the beauty around them. The Miskwimin River was bordered by forest on both sides. Most of the leaves hadn’t turned yet, but there would be the odd overachiever tree, its scarlet or yellow leaves standing out like jewels against the green. They had driven to a marina outside of town and boarded the boat there and were motoring back toward town and the lake. As they approached the bay, they had to slow because the lift bridge was down. They could have cleared it in their motorboat, but there was a big sailboat in front of them.

The bridge was operated out of a tower on one end. The tower was glassed in so the operator, usually Dennis Bates—though Jake had been known to fill in for him from time to time—could see in all directions and control the bridge according to the demands of both boat and motor traffic.

Because Eve lived downtown, and the little beach and Paradise Cove were on the downtown side of the bridge, the bridge didn’t figure that much into her day-to-day routine. But she had the sense that it could be annoying for people who lived on the other side. And Sandcastle Beach, the big beach, lay on its other side, so things could get quite jammed up at the peak of summer.

Today, though, there seemed to be no reason the bridge shouldn’t be lifting to let the sailboat through.

Except maybe that Dennis Bates was currently distracted.

“Is that Pearl up there with Dennis?” Eve exclaimed.

“It is!” Maya stood to get a better look at the tower. “I’d recognize that blue hair anywhere!”

“Careful,” Law warned. “I wouldn’t want you to fall in.”

“Oh, shut up, Benjamin.” Maya squinted at the tower and broke into a grin. “That is totally Pearl. Ha! Methinks the lady doth protest too much.”

“You know,” said Jenna, “Dennis is going to be in the bachelor auction this year. Maybe it’s time for our generation to do a little meddling.”

“I am all for that,” Law said. “Karl talked me into being in it, too, and I don’t even really know how it happened.”

“Are you going to be in it?” Eve asked Sawyer, though she immediately regretted it. What did she care? Maybe cute-as-a-button Sadie would bid on him. Didn’t matter to her.