‘‘Can’t, Aub. Got bombs to blow.’’ When he swam off to join the other boys, Aubrey began to sniffle.

‘‘He’ll come back and play later,’’ Grace assured her.

‘‘Now!’’

‘‘Soon.’’ To ward off what Grace knew could turn into a fine temper, she tossed Aubrey up, catching her as she hit the water. She let her paddle and splash, then let her go, biting her lip as Aubrey reveled in the freedom.

‘‘Swimming, Mama.’’

‘‘I see that, baby. You’re a good swimmer. But you stay close.’’

As Grace expected, the sun and water and excitement combined to tire the child out. When Aubrey blinked and widened her eyes as she did when she fought sleep, Grace drew her in. ‘‘Let’s get a drink, Aubrey.’’

‘‘Swimming.’’

‘‘We’ll swim some more. I’m thirsty.’’ Grace lifted her, braced for the minor battle that was bound to come.

‘‘What you got there, Grace, a mermaid?’’

Mother and daughter looked up onto the wet slope and saw Ethan.

‘‘She sure is pretty,’’ he said, smiling into Aubrey’s mutinous face. ‘‘Can I have her?’’

‘‘I don’t know. Maybe.’’ She leaned close to Aubrey’s ear. ‘‘He thinks you’re a mermaid.’’

Aubrey’s lip trembled, but she’d nearly forgotten why she’d wanted to cry. ‘‘Like Ariel?’’

‘‘Yes, like Ariel in the movie.’’ She started to climb out, then Ethan’s hand was there, clasping hers firmly. And when she gained her balance, he plucked Aubrey out of her arms.

‘‘Swimming,’’ she told him, rather pitifully, then buried her face in the curve of his throat.

‘‘I saw you swimming.’’ She was cool and wet and curled against him. He reached out, took Grace’s hand again and pulled her to level ground. This time, his fingers twined with hers and held. ‘‘Looks like I’ve got two mermaids now.’’

‘‘She’s tired,’’ Grace said quietly. ‘‘It makes her cross sometimes. She’s wet,’’ she added and started to take Aubrey from him.

‘‘She’s fine.’’ He released her hand only because he wanted to skim his over Grace’s damp and shining hair. ‘‘You’re wet, too.’’ Then he slipped an arm around her shoulders. ‘‘Let’s walk in the sun for a while.’’

‘‘All right.’’

‘‘Maybe around the front of the house,’’ he suggested, smiling a little as Aubrey’s breath fluttered against his skin, evening out into sleep. ‘‘Where there aren’t so many people.’’

With surprise and a low surge of pleasure, Carol Monroe watched Ethan take her daughter and granddaughter walking. With a woman’s eyes she saw more than aneighbor and friend strolling with a neighbor and friend. Impulsively, she tugged on her husband’s arm, distracting him from his absorption in the current round of horseshoes.

‘‘Hold on, Carol. Junior and I are playing the winners of this round.’’

‘‘Look, Pete. Look at that. Grace is with Ethan.’’

Vaguely annoyed, he flicked a glance around, shrugged. ‘‘So what?’’