The fishy smell of storm-whipped waters joined the odors of old rope, mildew, and gasoline that had seeped into the wood. An opera she didn’t recognize was playing softly. As she slipped inside the boathouse, she saw Panda sitting on the bench seat in the stern of the powerboat, his back to her, his bare feet propped on a cooler. He wore a T-shirt and shorts, and his hand was buried inside a giant bag of potato chips. “I’ll only share,” he said without turning, “if you promise not to talk.”

“Like my only pleasure in life is talking to you,” she retorted. And then, because she liked the idea of being rude, “Frankly, Panda, you’re not intelligent enough to be all that interesting.”

He recrossed his ankles on the cooler. “Tell it to my Ph.D. adviser.”

“You don’t have a Ph.D. adviser,” she said as she climbed into the boat.

“That’s true. Getting my master’s was all my brain could handle.”

“Your master’s? You are so lying.” She plopped onto the cushion next to him.

He smiled.

She stared at him. Long and hard. “Tell me you don’t really have a master’s degree.”

His smile turned into fake apology. “Only from Wayne State, not an Ivy.” He snapped a potato chip between his teeth, then bent down to flick off the music. “It’s one of those night and weekend degrees favored by us working slobs, so it doesn’t count in your world.”

That bastard. She glared at him. “Damn it, Panda. I liked you so much better when you were stupid.”

“Look on the bright side,” he said as he held out the chip bag. “I’m still no Ted Beaudine.”

“None of us are.” She reached inside and grabbed a handful. “He and my best friend are hooking up.”

“Meg?”

“How do you know M—?” She moaned as the salt from the chip hit her tongue. “Oh my god, these taste so good.”

“Meg and I had an entertaining chat at your farce of a rehearsal dinner.”

“I’m not surprised. You’re totally her type.” She stuffed more chips in her mouth.

“Meg’s my type, too,” he said as a clap of thunder shook the boathouse. “Can’t see her with Ted, though.”

But Lucy could, and right now that was all that counted. Rain began pummeling the roof. She grabbed more chips and curled her toes around the edge of the cooler next to his feet. “Do you have any other goodies stashed away down here?”