“What would you call him?”

“He defies description.”

Linda howled with laughter. “You have to tell me everything. Leave no detail unshared—especially the part about how you told Joe and Janey. How did he take it?”

“Better than expected, to be honest. He was extremely shocked, but he handled it quite well, all things considered.”

Over salads and iced tea, Caro related the story of how Janey had helped her to find the courage to tell Joe the truth. “So Joe went down to the ferry landing to confront Seamus. Janey and I were worried that Joe might punch him the way he did David that one time, so we went running after him. Joe wasn’t happy that we suspected he might get violent until Janey reminded him that he does have a bit of a track record.

Linda shook with laughter. “It sounds hilarious, even though I suspect it wasn’t all that funny to you.”

“It was excruciating, but your daughter was amazing. She really smoothed things over with Joe, and I think he took it better than he would have without her help.”

“That’s very nice to hear about Janey, but Joe wants you to be happy, Caro. You know that.”

“I do know, but…”

“But what?”

Carolina met her gaze, seeming tortured and uncertain. “Seamus wants to get married.”

“Oh wow! How exciting!” As Linda said the words, she realized Carolina didn’t seem excited. “Isn’t it?”

“It’s so complicated.”

“What’s complicated? Does he love you?”

“Apparently.”

“And you love him?”

“It seems so.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“Do I really have to spell it out for you? He’s almost twenty years younger than me, for one thing. For another, he says he doesn’t care about having children and a family of his own, but what if someday he regrets that? And what will people say?”

“If I have to guess, I’d bet a lot of the women will be jealous and the men will be looking at you with all-new interest.”

“Ugh, that’s gross! I don’t want their interest.”

“Carolina,” Linda said with a laugh, reaching across the table for her friend’s hands, “do you love him? Do you want to be with him?”

“Yes,” she said on a moan. “I want him, I love him, I was miserable without him.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“Just because I love him and love being with him doesn’t mean I have to marry him, does it?”

“It seems rather important to him.”

Carolina sagged into her seat. “He’s very old-fashioned sometimes.”

“Probably the way he was raised.”

Caro let go of Linda’s hands and flipped a spoon between her fingers. “Speaking of how he was raised… You know what I spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about?”

“What’s that?”

“His mother.”

“His mother?” Linda said with a laugh. “What about her?”