The wine flowed as easily as the conversation, and not long after, we both stretched out. Ash put his hands under his head, listening intently as I described our lives in Brookmount, how he’d worked as a carpenter, and my job at the garage. I talked and talked, told him everything about my history, my relationship with my parents and brother, but I still couldn’t bring myself to share the sordid details about Dominic Martel, or my conviction. Not yet, I thought. Don’t give him a reason to leave.

“But we weren’t living together in Brookmount?” he said when I took a breath.

“Uh, no...”

“Why the hesitation?”

“Well, I went through your things because your landlord is selling the place, which reminds me—” I sat up and reached for my keys “—I put it all in storage. This is the key. You should have it now. I’ll give you their details and contact them to make sure they have your name in case you want to...” I waved a hand, not daring to finish the thought of him getting his stuff without me because our lives were no longer entwined.

Ash slipped the key in his pocket. “Thank you for doing that. And thank you for not giving up on me, for coming all the way to Newdale. It means...a lot.”

I glanced at him and smiled. “You’re welcome.”

“So...back to our living arrangements...”

“Ah...well, at the risk of being completely wrong—”

“Which I wouldn’t remember anyway.”

“Har, har. I see you haven’t lost your funny bone. Anyway, I found a gift you’d addressed to me.”

“Please tell me I got you something good.”

I laughed. “It was a key to your place. I think you were going to ask me to move in.”

Ash’s smile faded, the jovial banter popping like soap bubbles around our heads. “I wish I could remember that. Seriously, why the hell did I go swimming that evening? Who does that, anyway? Head into the ocean when a storm’s coming? What an idiot.”

“You swam almost every night, it wasn’t unusual, but there’s something else I have to tell you.” I hesitated, didn’t want him to think badly of me for going through his stuff even though I’d had little choice. There were so many things between us now, so much I wanted to say but to which I wasn’t sure how he’d react.

“What is it?” He rolled onto his side, rested his chin in his palm.

“I found money, in a cookie tin in your kitchen. Over two thousand dollars.”

He gave a low whistle. “Two grand? My emergency funds, maybe?”