“Well, what do you think happened? He went into woods. Like, went on long walks for days; he would disappear in the trees, away from people and machines and buildings and noise, and he had to ditch his newborn daughter for a while to do it, so that kind of sucked, but the point is—he walked into the wild, and it calmed his freaked-out heart. Being alone in the forest, out by himself, walking in the mountains brought him back to life. It saved him.”

Sean looked out at the water. “That is insane.”

“Oh, wait, so then years later he’s president, and who begs Roosevelt to come to Yosemite to convince him to save it from destruction? And who in, like, half a day of walks through the valley gets Roosevelt to, of course, completely understand and be all, I get it. I’m in. And then ten years later Roosevelt fulfills his promise and makes Yosemite a national park, safe forever, all thanks to who?”

Sean turned to me, his face earnest, so beautiful, so close to mine. “Pinchot?”

No sound but the water on the sand and the muted laughter and music from the bonfire.

“Pinchot met Muir in person only one time,” I said, low.

“I know.”

“Talking some shit about letting sheep graze in and destroy protected reserves. Remember what Muir said to him?”

“Maybe.”

“ ‘I don’t want any more to do with you.’ ”

He smiled, his face half in shadow, half in firelight.

“Pinchot knew Muir was right,” I said. “ ‘Earth hath no sorrows…’ ”

“ ‘…that earth cannot heal.’ Did I mention…where we walked after my dad, the Sierra Nevada? It was the John Muir Trail.”

Oh Lord. “Two hundred eleven miles.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

My heart ached.

“Muiriel, who named you?”

“The nurses at the John Muir NICU.”

“Do you have a middle name?”

“Medical Center.”

He laughed.

Two inches apart.

“Are you ever scared?” he whispered.

“Of what?”

“Being alone?”

“I’m not alone.”

Out in the dark water ship bells rang. I couldn’t take it anymore. I turned my face to his and kissed him.

He was surprised for maybe half a second, and then he kissed me back.

“Wait,” he said. “This doesn’t count as a date, does it?”

I opened my eyes. “I mean, there’s like thirty other people here, so…no?”

“Next Saturday?”

“Next Saturday.”

He put his hand in my hair and pulled me to him.

“Muir?”

Kira’s voice in the dark shot me up and away from Sean so fast he nearly fell back on the sand.

“Hi,” I called. “It’s me!”

“Sorry,” she said. “I’m sorry, I need— I’m going to take off, but please stay. Sean, can you bring Muir home?”

Sean stood on the driftwood. “What’s up? You okay?”

“Yes, I spilled beer all down my front. I’m going home to take a shower.”