Chapter 25

“He was the only love I’ve ever known. It’s so hard to let him go,” he said, and started sobbing.

I put an arm around his shoulders and hugged him to my side as he released all the grief and pain he’d held within for so many years. I’d never had a love like that in my life, someone that it would cause me pain to lose. At the age of fifty, that was depressing.

We sat like that for a long time, even after he quieted down. Eventually, we slowly made our way back to the house. The fire on the beach was out by now, and neither Tory nor Maury were in sight. The moon above us was beautiful.

When we got to the house, I suggested going on the deck. “I know it’s getting colder, but we have lots of warm blankets and pillows, and it’s clear. How about it? We can pretend to be kids again for a little while, camping out.” A little levity would do him good. Me, too, for that matter.

For a second, I thought he’d say “no,” but instead, the corners of his mouth quirked up and he nodded. “Okay.”