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day. There was only so much angst she could take in one night.
    She turned over and punched the pillow.
    Tomorrow she would think about how best to deal with Alec Jansen and the separate world that was Cannonball Island, and maybe tell Ruby that her engagement was off and try to explain why. Maybe she’d even try to paint. Tonight she would simply be happy to sleep beneath this roof again, where one floor below, Gigi, too, settled in for the night.

Chapter Two

    A lways an early riser, regardless of where she was or how late she’d been out the night before, Lis was awake before the sun her first morning on Cannonball Island. She was dressed and downstairs before the last wave of watermen stopped in to fill up their thermoses with coffee.
    â€œThat Kathleen and Jack’s girl I see coming down those steps?” Joe Compton had called from the ancient counter where Ruby set out the coffeepot.
    â€œIt sure is.” Lis smiled. Joe had been a friend of her dad’s. “How’s your family, Mr. Compton?”
    â€œRight as rain.” He nodded as he poured sugar into the thermos.
    â€œHow’s Judy?”
    â€œShe and Justin have three little ones now,” he told her. Half-and-half followed the sugar. “Living over outside of Baltimore. Justin owns his own shop, fixes computers and builds some custom. Got a nice little business going for himself.”
    â€œGood for Justin. Please tell Judy I was asking about her.”
    â€œWill do. How’s that pretty mama of yours? Did I hear she snagged herself another husband?”
    â€œYou heard right.”
    â€œNumber three or number four?”
    Lis laughed. “Husband number three. It’s been about three years now.”
    â€œShe always was something else, that Kathleen.” He hastened to add, “No disrespect meant. You tell her Joe was asking for her, hear?”
    â€œI sure will.” Lis knew exactly what Joe meant. From all she’d heard over the years, her mother had earned her reputation as a bit of a free spirit.
    Lis got in line behind a man she didn’t recognize. He gestured for her to go first but she shook her head. “No, no. I’m not in a hurry to get anywhere, but I suspect you’d like to be out on the water right now, checking your traps.”
    â€œTrue enough. Thanks.” The man served himself, nodded to Lis, then left the store with Joe, who’d apparently paid for both of them.
    Lis filled a paper cup with coffee and went to the counter, where Ruby was ringing up a customer.
    â€œGood luck out there this morning, Paul. Hope that storm they warned about stays down around the other end of the bay till you all get your business done and get on home safe and sound.”
    â€œThanks, Miz Ruby. I hope so, too.” The customer nodded to Lis as he was leaving.
    â€œYou still pack ’em in in the morning, Gigi.” Lis leaned on the counter.
    â€œNo place else for them to go this hour, less they want to drive to the mainland. I hear there’s a new place over to River Road that’s open at six or so. She gets the fishermen, they say. I get the crabbers and the oystermen. All works out.”
    â€œI can’t believe you still get up this early,” Lis made the mistake of saying. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she could have kicked herself.
    â€œAnd where else should I be, missy?” Ruby turned those blue eyes on her.
    â€œI just meant . . .”
    â€œI know what you meant. You meant I’m old and I should stay in bed and sleep away the rest of what I got coming to me.” Ruby shook her head. “Plenty of time to sleep when I’m done breathing.”
    The last of her customers having left, Ruby went past Lis to the pile of boxes that stood inside the front door. To the left of the door stood a soda cooler. Several crates of both Pepsi and Coke products were stacked side by side in front of the