Summer Island: A Novel

Ruby leaves a note telling Nora that she is going to her father Rand’s home. As she heads to see her father, she thinks about the fact that her family has lived on Lopez Island for generations. While the family originally owned a lot of land on the island, Rand slowly lost most of it. Rand works as a fisherman and has always struggled to make ends meet. When Ruby arrives at her childhood home, she prepares herself to go in. Her father has remarried a much younger woman, and they have a son that Ruby has never met. Ruby knocks on the door. When no one answers, she goes inside.

Inside, she finds her father adding logs to the woodstove. He is surprised to see her. Ruby is happy to see him even though Rand wants to move on with his new family. He tells her that his wife and child are off the island at an appointment. The two make small talk, and Rand reveals that he may need to sell off more land. Ruby offers to give him the money and writes him a check. Rand is surprised she can help and takes the money.

The two decide to take a walk down to Rand’s fishing boat.