Charlie holds it out, and I lunge so quickly I almost fall into the water. He steadies me by the arm, smiling. “Not a word.” He lifts his hands. “I didn’t say a thing.” Charlie steps onto the dock just as I hear Nan’s voice. “Alice, are you going to introduce me to your friend?” I stare at the deck, where she stands with her walker. “He’s not my friend,” I call back. “Rude,” Charlie says. “Bring him up for tea.” Charlie turns to me, grinning. “Bring me up for tea, Alice.”
