She nodded, but she didn’t know what that meant. “So after this summer, you’re going to—”

“The Caribbean, yeah. Monaco’s the dream, but Dave’s doing winter down in the Caribbean. It won’t be easy. I’m going to start at the bottom. A deckhand. I have a lot to learn, but I want to get my captain’s license and…” He couldn’t squelch a goofy grin. “I’m really excited, J.”

“Did you tell your parents?”

“Yeah.” His smile evaporated. “I told them in Michigan, before we left for Corfu.”

Joey nodded, stung that he’d told them first but not wanting to make a deal out of it. “And what did they say?”

“My father thinks it’s his fault. That he never should have given me the idea that boating is blissful. Because boating is a hobby.” Leo mimicked Rand’s lulling drawl. “A hobby you get to partake in once you become a success. And you only become a success if you go to college and get your MBA and prove yourself on Wall Street and then, of course, take over the family business.

“You won’t be able to make a living and have a stable life, Leo.” Leo cast his eyes out to sea. “He’s hoping he can change my mind still. Get me back to Michigan. He’ll probably never do the Leo Winn thing again. Thank the Lord.”

Joey laughed even though this was clearly not funny. “Leo what?”

“You sound like a chain-smoking football coach.”

“I said Leo what?” She had to keep going with the shtick or she was going to lose it. “I can’t hear you!”

“Winn,” he said drily. “Leo Winn. Only now I’m a big fucking Loser to my father. It’s okay. I don’t care. I’m not him. I don’t want to be him.”

“And Maisy? What did your mom say?”

“Maisy.” Leo sighed. “Maisy said she’d forgotten something in her garden.”

“Oh.” The sun was fiery on Joey’s shoulders, and yet she shivered. “But, like, Leo, I don’t get it.” She shaped sand into a mound and then punched it spontaneously with her fist. “If you do this, you’re gonna be living in the middle of oceans. And if we’re going to stay together…” The if part paralyzed her. She didn’t know how to continue.

“We’ll figure it out, Jonesey. I don’t know how, but we will. I want to be with you. You’re the best part of my life. This doesn’t change that.”

Joey nodded. She didn’t trust herself to speak.

Leo touched her hat. “I like that you’re wearing the Jonesey hat.”

“It hasn’t been the same since the strawberry gelato incident.” She tried to crack a smile but couldn’t force one out.