Someone nearby shook ice in a metal drink mixer.
But all of it moved farther away.
I looked at Lauren.
"You spent a couple of hours with him yesterday."
She folded her arms.
"We were sitting by the same pool."
"You told me you were alone."
"I was alone when I texted you."
"That isn't what you said last night."
Lauren glanced toward the people around us.
A few had started noticing.
"Can we please go upstairs?"
"No."
"Adam."
"No."
I turned back to the stranger.
"What's your name?"
"Cole."
"Last name?"
"Brennan."
Lauren made an irritated sound.
"Oh my God."
I looked at her.
"What?"
"You're interrogating him."
"I don't know him."
"Exactly."
I stared at her.
"Exactly."
Cole took another step backward.
"I'm going to go."
Lauren immediately said, "Cole."
That was the second moment.
Not the fact that she knew his name.
Of course she knew his name if they'd spent hours talking.
It was the way she said it.
Like she didn't want him to leave.
Cole noticed too.
His face became more guarded.
He looked at me.
"For whatever it's worth, man, I didn't know this was going to be a problem."
"What did you think was happening?"
Lauren's head snapped toward him.
"Don't."
He frowned.
"What?"
"Just go."
Now I knew.
There was more.
Cole stared at her.
Then at me.
"I thought you guys were basically separated."
Lauren went completely still.
There are moments when you can actually feel your life divide itself into before and after.
That was one of mine.
I looked at my wife.
"What?"
She closed her eyes.
Cole immediately said, "Okay. I'm definitely leaving."
I moved one step into his path.
Not threatening.
Just enough that he stopped.
"What exactly did she tell you?"
"Adam."
Lauren's voice had changed.
The casual laugh was gone.
Now there was fear underneath it.
I kept my eyes on Cole.
He looked genuinely uncomfortable.
"I'm not trying to cause trouble."
"You didn't."
Lauren flinched.
I continued.
"Tell me."
Cole looked toward her.
Then back at me.
"Yesterday she said you were here together because the trip was already paid for."
I felt my stomach turn.
"And?"
"That things had been over between you for months."
Lauren whispered, "Cole, stop."
He frowned at her.
"You told me that."
I looked at her.
"Did you?"
She did not answer.
Cole continued because now he seemed irritated too.
"You said you were probably telling him officially when you got home."
The two water bottles were still in my hands.
I realized I had been squeezing one hard enough to crush the plastic.
Water ran across my fingers.
I dropped both bottles onto the sand.
Lauren reached toward me.
"Adam, listen to me."
I stepped away from her hand.
"No."
"It's not what it sounds like."
"What part?"
"I was venting."
"To a stranger?"
"I was upset."
"About what?"
"Us."
"We came here to work on us."
"I know."
"Then why did you tell another man our marriage was already over?"
She looked around again.
"Please."
The embarrassment on her face irritated me more than anything.
Not embarrassment over what she had done.
Embarrassment that other people might hear about it.
I looked at Cole.
"Did anything happen between you yesterday?"
Lauren said, "No."
I didn't ask her.