“But I need Mr. Jonah too,” Aliyah said. She reached into a beach bag and brought out her neon-green swim goggles, fastening them over her new eyeglasses.

The three of them trooped down to the water’s edge and Aliyah waded in without hesitation.

“Watch this,” she said, turning her back to an incoming wave, then diving headfirst into the crest and allowing the wave to carry her into the shallow water.

“You’re body surfing,” Drue said. “That’s great. Pretty soon we’ll have to get you a wakeboard.”

“Okay, but I really want one of those,” Aliyah said, turning to point at the same teenage kiteboarder who’d seemingly staked out this part of the beach over the past year. As they watched, the kite soared into the air, and she and her board skimmed over the surface of the water, the girl’s face etched with glee.

“Soon,” Drue promised. “First, why don’t you show me your new trick?”

Aliyah turned and pointed at Jonah. “Okay, but I need a diving platform.”

Jonah groaned good-naturedly and sank down into the water to allow the girl to clamber onto his back, and then stand on his shoulders.

He raised his hands and Aliyah clutched them in hers, one foot on each of his broad shoulders.

“Ready?” he asked.

“Ready!”

“One, two, three!” Jonah called, and Aliyah pointed her toes and gracefully dove, her body slicing into the water with an almost imperceptible splash.

“Amazing,” Drue cried, clapping her hands in approval when the girl resurfaced a few yards away.

“I can hold my breath for a really long time now,” Aliyah bragged. “And when I’m under the water, I open my eyes and I look at the little fish, and I’m not one bit afraid.”

“Just like a mermaid,” Drue said. “But with goggles.”

Aliyah paddled back to where Jonah stood in the waist-deep water.

“Again?” He rolled his eyes and let his body sag in feigned exhaustion.

“Again! But this time let’s do the really cool new trick you showed me.”

Aliyah climbed onto Jonah’s shoulders and stood, perfectly balanced, her arms wide-stretched.

“Ready?” Jonah called.

“Ready!”

He grasped each of her feet with his hands and pushed her off, launching her high into the air as Aliyah screamed with pure joy.

She swam back and looked up at Jonah, water streaming from her face.

“Again?” she said hopefully.

“Again,” Jonah said.

The aroma of charcoal smoke and roasting meat wafted down from the direction of the deck. Corey walked down to the seaweed line, cupped his hands and yelled.

“Come on, you two. Steaks are almost ready.”

“Ten more minutes,” Drue called back. “Tell Wendy I’ll toss the salad when I come up.”