Bethʹs head jerked back as if Ivy had slapped her. ʺBeth, what are you doing?ʺ
Ivy demanded. ʺI canʹt believe youʹd try to—ʺ
ʺHeʹs hereʺ Beth said in a faraway voice. ʹThereʹs no stopping him now.ʺ
A loud knock made Ivy jump. She glanced toward the stairway — someone was at the cottage door. Beth leaned forward and calmly blew out each candle. Before she reached the last Ivy ran down the steps. Taking a deep breath, she opened the front door.
ʺOh, thank God!ʺ she said. ʺIvy, are you okay?ʺ Guy asked and quickly stepped inside. ʺYouʹre trembling. Whatʹs wrong?ʺ
ʺIʹm just — just spooked.ʺ It was too dark to see his eyes, but Ivy could feel Guy studying her. ʺSpooked by me?ʺ he asked. She laughed shakily. ʺNo. Beth—ʺ
How could she explain? ʺItʹs a long story.ʺ
ʺSo letʹs take a long walk,ʺ he said.
ʺTHE THING I LOVE MOST ABOUT BEING ON A BEACH IS that one half of the world is the sky,ʺ Ivy told Guy as they stood at the top of the steps that led down the bluff.
ʺOne half of the world is the stars,ʺ he replied. Ivy turned to him. Tristan, she thought do you remember? Do you remember kissing me in a cathedral of stars?
Guy gazed upward, his head back, taking in the stars. ʺTheyʹre so bright when youʹre away from town lights. They look closer.ʺ
ʺClose enough to touch,ʺ Ivy said. ʺThereʹs Orion, the hunter.” Guy pointed. ʺI recognize his sword.ʺ They walked down the steps together, removed their shoes, and followed the path through the dunes. ʺWant to walk by the waterʹs edge?ʺ Guy asked. ʺNow that I know how to float,” he added with a smile, ʺIʹm not afraid of drowning in an inch of ocean.ʺ
Ivy reached for Guyʹs hand and they walked toward the water. The tide was receding, leaving behind a cache of silver pebbles and shells. After they had walked a distance, Ivy turned to look at their footprints, his close to hers, matching strides. Guy turned too, then smiled and put his arm around her as they continued to walk.
ʺSo tell me what spooked you,ʺ. Guy said, ʺSomething about Beth?ʺ Ivy nodded.
ʺBeth is psychic.ʺ Guy slowed midstride. ʺShe is?ʺ
ʺYes, she truly has the gift. But itʹs a curse, too. What Beth sees, what she senses, often frightens her.ʺ
ʺYou said she helped you last year. Did she figure out that Gregory was the killer?ʺ
ʺShe figured out an important part of it.ʺ ʺWhat did Beth see tonight?ʺ he asked.
Ivy shrugged off his question. ʺIt doesnʹt matter. I overreacted. Sometimes I think that Beth mixes up what she sees and what she imagines. Sheʹs got a very fertile imagination.ʺ
With one hand, Guy turned Ivyʹs face toward him and gazed at her steadily. ʺI think it does matter, because it upset you. But youʹll tell me when youʹre ready.ʺ
Then he dropped his arm from her shoulder, and said, ʺWatch this!ʺ
He dashed into the water, up to his thighs, then turned to grin at her, letting a wave race past him. ʺAre you impressed?ʺ he asked. ʺTell me youʹre impressed.ʺ
ʺVery!ʺ
She ran toward him, kicking up the frothy surf. They held hands facing each other, as wave after wave rushed at them. Each time a wave receded, she felt him gripping her hand harder. ʺYou donʹt like the undertow.ʺ
ʺIt scares me more than a breaking wave,ʺ he admitted. ʺIt feels like the ocean wants to pull me back into the darkness.ʺ
ʺI wonʹt let the ocean have you,ʺ she said. ʺNothing can make me let go.ʺ
ʺHow did I ever get this lucky? I must have done something really good in my life.ʺ ʺYou did many good things.ʺ He laughed. ʺNo, I know it!ʺ she insisted.
Laughing still, he lifted her left hand and kissed her on the knuckle.
ʺAnd I believe in something much more than luck,ʺ she said.
ʺYour angels,ʺ he guessed. ʺYouʹve nearly made a believer out of me… Nearly.ʺ
They waded back to shore and followed their own footprints, returning to the path through the dimes. Halfway up the wooden steps, at the landing with the facing benches, Guy reached up and caught Ivy by the elbow. ʺCan we stop? I want to take a look,ʺ he said.
Together they gazed out at the sea and sky, a black and silver eternity.
ʺI feel like weʹre floating in midair,ʺ he said. ʺHalfway between heaven and earth,ʺ Ivy replied.
Guy turned to her. Holding her face with both hands, he tilted it up to him, then bent down to kiss her low, in the tender notch of her collarbone. His mouth moved up to her throat, softly pressing against it. ʺI love you. Ivy.ʺ
She rested against him. ʺAnd I love you.ʺ Always have, she said silently.
ʺI thought Iʹd lost all that a person can,ʺ Guy said. ʺBut I told myself that things couldnʹt get worse — without an identity, there was nothing left to lose. I was wrong. Iʹm terrified now that I will lose you. If I lose you, Ivy—ʺ
ʺHush!ʺ She stroked his cheek with her hand. ʺIf I lose you, it would have been better to drown.ʺ
ʺYouʹre not going to lose me.ʺ He shook his head. ʺBut if something should come between us—ʺ
ʺNothing can,ʺ she said. ʺI promise you, nothing in heaven or earth can come between us.ʺ They turned to climb the rest of the steps and walked slowly around the inn, his arm around her waist, her arm around his. There was no need to speak, no desire to.
Ivy didnʹt want to think about what had occurred in the past or what lay in the future. Tristan had come back to her. To live in the present forever was all that she wanted. All that she had ever wanted was here and now. ʺLuke McKenna?ʺ
Startled by the deep voice, Ivy looked up and was surprised to see two police officers. Guyʹs head jerked around and his arm let go of her.
ʺYouʹre under arrest,” the man said. ʺYou have the right to remain—ʺ
Guy took off, racing for the trees. The officers spun around, flashlights on, but he slipped between the pines and melted into the darkness. The younger officer, a woman, set off in pursuit. The heavyset man stayed with Ivy, arms folded, studying her.
Her mind was reeling. Luke, she thought. His name is Luke. And he had known it — she had felt him react when the officer spoke his name. How long had he known it — since the carnival? Before?
The police officer turned to glance over his shoulder, and Ivy followed his eyes.
Will stood halfway between the cottage and barn.
ʺAre you aware of how much danger you were in?ʺ the man asked Ivy. ʺDo you realize what Luke McKenna has done?ʺ
She stared at the officer and said nothing. A cool breeze blew off the ocean, chilling her. ʺLucky for you,ʺ the officer continued, ʺthat your friend alerted us.ʺ
Ivy glanced toward Will, then fixed her eyes on the officerʹs face. “What is Guy — Luke — being charged with?ʺ