“Boats rock and mess up your hair. Maybe we’ll go on it next time I’m here,” Skylar said quickly. “I’ll take you.”

Lizzy looked at Emily. “Do boats make you sick?”

“A little.” Emily’s face was as white as new snowfall, and Ryan knew beyond a shadow of a doubt there was a reason she kept her back to the water.

They shared blueberry pie, and then Kirsti interrupted with a call for Ryan.

He excused himself and walked through to his office, but Kirsti stopped him as he was about to close the door.

“I think Skylar might be The One for Alec.” She spoke in a whisper so that whoever was on the phone couldn’t hear her.

Ryan laughed. “You have to be kidding me. They almost killed each other.”

“I know. I’ve never seen Alec like that. The chemistry was electric.”

“She almost blacked his eye.”

“Because he was rude to her and she wasn’t having it! Most people are daunted by Alec’s intellectual superiority. She squashed him like a bug.”

“And that’s a good thing?” Baffled, Ryan shook his head. “Skylar isn’t his type.”

“Ryan, how can such an intelligent guy be so clueless when it comes to relationships? She’s exactly his type. That’s why he was in such a filthy mood. He’s used to winning, and he didn’t win.” She turned away with an exasperated sigh, and Ryan stared after her, trying to picture brooding Alec with free-spirited Skylar.

Exactly his type?

He thought about Emily.

She was responsible for a child, which meant she wasn’t his type at all.

Chapter Six

Six

“Call me. I want to know how you’re both doing.” Skylar pulled her case out of the car and took a last breath of sea air. “There are days when I think I could live here. It would be a simpler life. The air is fresh and the light is wonderful. I’d find myself a little studio by the sea where I could paint and make jewelry.”

They were standing near the tiny runway, waiting for the Cessna 206 owned by Maine Island Air. The business was the lifeline for islanders needing rapid, easy access to the mainland. It delivered the mail, people and occasionally medical supplies.

Today, Sky was the only passenger.

“Just me and the mail,” she said cheerfully, leaning forward to hug Emily. “Ryan is hot by the way, and by hot I am talking weapons-grade sex appeal. And I’m willing to bet he doesn’t think your breasts are unfortunate. You really should use him to get over Boring Neil.”

Emily didn’t mention that Ryan had suggested the same thing. Or that, for one crazy minute, she’d actually considered it. “My life is already complicated enough.”