Tommy stiffly passed him the can, then in a tight voice said, “Have the whole thing. Party’s over. I’m going home.”

“But the party can’t be over. I am the party and I just got here.”

“Then you got here late.” Tommy made to stand but Jude grabbed his arm, pulled him back down.

“I know,” said Jude. “Let’s play a game. How about, I Never? What do you say, Crash? One round, then I’ll go to bed like a good boy, no fussing, no fighting.”

Tommy didn’t reply, but he didn’t try to get up and leave again, either. Tentatively people began moving closer to the fire, dropping cross-legged into the sand.

When everyone was gathered around, Jude clapped his hands, rubbed the palms together gleefully. “Why don’t you do the honors, Crash, and go first?”

Tommy didn’t say anything, didn’t even look up.

“You know how to play, don’t you? It’s easy. You make a simple but true statement that begins with the words I never. For example, you could say, I never made a girl scream in the good way. And the people in the circle who have done what you haven’t, like me for instance, would take a drink. Get the idea?”

Tommy continued to ignore Jude and glower into the fire.

“Ok, Crash,” Jude said amiably, “we’ll come back to you after we’ve warmed up a bit. Don’t worry. You’ll get the hang of it.”

Jude let his eye start traveling around the circle. This guy scared Alice. There was something wild about him, something potentially out of control. And her heart jumped into her throat when his gaze stopped on her, and she saw the focus burning through his blurry-drunk eyes. He took a breath like he was about to speak, but didn’t speak. The silence was terrible. And then, at last, he said, “It’s the ghost.”

Simultaneously relieved and upset—she wasn’t that pale, was she?—she said, “Actually, I’m, um, Alice.” She hated the way her voice sounded: girlish, nervous, eager to please.

“And where are you from, Um Alice?”

Again she flailed around for a response. (Another reason she needed a tan: so she could camouflage her emotions. Blushes were so glaringly visible on pale skin.) Finally Cybill responded for her: “She’s from here now. Mr. Flood just married her mom.”

Alice’s attention was momentarily hijacked when she saw a look of what might have been pain flash in Tommy’s eyes. Pain or a trick of light? Before she could determine which, Jude was addressing her again.

“Before we start the game, can I ask you a question?”

She nodded cautiously.

“Is that dress for real?”

“What?”