Creating disaster in her head, she parked, grabbed her bag and scooped Lizzy out of her seat, knowing that every second she waited increased the risk that Zach would decide he didn’t need to risk his neck for a woman and a child that weren’t his responsibility.

From what Brittany had told them, he wasn’t big on responsibility or social conscience.

The plane sat on the runway, small and insignificant compared to the driving force of the weather.

Emily glanced at the wild, foaming fury of the sea, so different now from the still calm that had allowed her to swim with Lizzy only days before. Struggling to walk against the wind, she realized how tired she was. After two nights with virtually no sleep, her legs threatened to give way.

“I’ve got her.” She heard a deep, male voice through the relentless howl of the wind and felt strong arms lift Lizzy from her.

Only when they were safely inside did she allow herself to look at the man she was entrusting with their lives, and decided that the photo Brittany had pinned to the wall all those years ago hadn’t done him justice. Years had passed, of course, but muscles and maturity had only improved Zachary Flynn.

There was a daredevil gleam in his eyes that she would have expected to see in a man who had tempted her friend to throw away everything for love. There was also hardness, a toughness that suggested he knew more about life than most people ever would. Brittany had told them his childhood had been bad, but they’d all agreed that nothing excused the way he’d treated Brittany.

And now here was Emily, needing him, relying on him.

She felt like a traitor.

“Strap in,” he ordered. “It’s going to be rough up there.”

Reciting apologies to Brittany in her head, she did as he ordered. “But visibility is good?”

“Yeah. That’s because we have a hell of a crosswind. Wind gives great visibility.”

Digesting the news that the visibility was bad news, not good, Emily sank back in her seat. “But you’re confident? You think it’s safe to fly?”

His gaze flickered to Lizzy. “I’ll get you there safely, but you’re going to be shaken up some.”

She sensed from his low drawl that it was an understatement and took her eyes off Lizzy long enough to glare at him.

“I just hope you’re a better pilot than you were a husband.” The words left her mouth before she could debate the wisdom of antagonizing the man responsible for their lives.

He gave her a long, steady look and then turned back to the controls without comment.

Emily breathed deeply, hoping this wasn’t going to turn out to be the worst decision of her life.