She chewed her lip, not knowing what else to say, giving him time to think.

At length, Gordon asked, his gaze still averted, “This isn’t a breakup?”

“No, not at all. At least, I hope not. It’s more a step back. It’s what we’d planned originally. You were going to come back, rent a house. We’d have another summer to spend together, to get to know each other better. This other… it’s all too much too soon. Really, don’t you agree?”

Gordon shrugged.

“You’re not hurt, are you?”

“Disappointed, maybe.”

Linnea looked at his hands, scraped from his work on the boat. Noble work. “I’m sorry.”

He didn’t speak, and Linnea thought of Cooper’s comment about how he held part of himself back.

Finally Gordon asked, “Do you think John will rent me his loft a bit longer?”

“Yes. I’m sure he will.”

“That could work. We could be near each other, see each other every day, but not officially live together.” He lifted his head and sought her gaze. “Would that be all right with you?”

Linnea released a heavy sigh of relief and leaped from her chair into Gordon’s lap. He laughed, his arms out in surprise. Then he wrapped them around her, seemingly relieved too that somehow they’d weathered the storm.

OUTSIDE THE STORM clouds were gathering. Cara hurried up the beach path hoping to avoid the first drops of rain. Her backpack of sea turtle supplies and an armful of wooden stakes and the red bucket slowed her progress. Thank goodness the nest was within walking distance. The turtles were coming in steadily now. The islands had ten nests already, a good start. No one had given the turtles the memo about the pandemic.

Hope was sitting on the sofa with David, reading a book. When Cara stepped inside from the patio, Hope leaped from the sofa to run to her.

“Did you see any turtles?” she asked, wrapping her arms around Cara’s sandy legs.

“No, no turtles. But we did find eggs.”

“Baby turtles?”

“Someday!”

The doorbell rang. Cara looked over at David. “Are you expecting anyone?”

“No.” He moved to rise.

Cara put out her hand. “I’m up. I’ll get it.”

She slipped out of her sand-crusted sandals, swept sand from her nylon pants, and hurried to the front door, smoothing her hair en route. Opening it, she saw Julia, her face flushed and eyes blazing.

“Well, hello! This is a surprise.”

Julia didn’t smile. “Do you have a minute?”

Cara felt a sudden wariness. Stepping back, she ushered Julia in and led her to the living room, hearing the clicking of her heels on the wood behind her. Julia was smartly dressed in pastel casual pants and top, and her ever-present pearls. Entering the room, Cara noted that David and Hope had disappeared.

“Can I get you some coffee? Water?”

“Coffee if you’ve got it. Don’t go making a fresh pot.”

“I have one of those fabulous Italian espresso machines. Makes a cup at a time, freshly ground beans and all. Cappuccino or black?”