Getting Dylan off the boat is like pulling teeth. After all the sun and excitement and the swimming, he’s already cranky and wants to go to bed. “What about dinner?” I ask, and he shakes his head as we walk up the steps to the house. I walk in, and the cold air hits me right away.

“Hey,” Caroline says, getting off the couch and coming to us. Her long, tanned legs in the short white shorts that she is wearing with her blue tank top. She spots Dylan first, who just waves at her. “Oh, boy.”

“He’s tired,” I say, dumping the cooler on the counter and emptying it, and then setting it outside to let it dry. When I come back into the house, Caroline is in the kitchen, putting away the things. I walk to her and wrap my arms around her waist and kiss her neck. “Did you have fun?”

“As much fun as one can have shopping for five hours,” she says, and I laugh. “Go take a shower. You smell.”

“Of what?” I ask, and she scrunches up her nose.

“Fish, water, and sunscreen.” She shakes her head. “Not a great trio.”

“Fine,” I say, walking to our bedroom and taking a shower. When I come back out, the house is quiet, and I look for Caroline everywhere. I even check in Dylan’s room, and he’s on his back in his boxers passed out. I pick up his wet towel by the bed and toss it in the laundry basket before I go outside and find her in the hammock, watching the stars. The soft tea lights hanging make it glow around her. “Hey,” I say when I get to her side, and she looks at me.

“Hey.” She moves over, and I get in with her. She cuddles with me, her leg hitching over mine and her arm going around my stomach. “It’s a beautiful night.”

“It is,” I say, kissing the top of her head.

“I got a call today,” she says five minutes later, “from Father Rolly.” Her voice trails off. “Andrew died in an abandoned house. Someone called the ambulance, but he was dead for three days before someone was coherent enough to realize.” She looks at me.

“I’m sorry,” I say, and she shakes her head.

“Me, too,” she says, “but he did it to himself.” It’s taken a lot for her to get over the fact that it was always his choice to do what he did.