When she reached the shop she ducked into the building, then closed the door before sand and leaves could make their way in. Pippa danced under her feet, welcoming her as if she’d been gone days.

“Who’s a good girl? Mommy’s so glad to see you too. Yes, she is.”

“I was afraid you’d blown away.” Aiden was seated on a tarp, the deli food spread before him. His hair was windblown, somehow making him look both boyish and irresistible.

She dragged her fingers through her own hair. “It’s like a hurricane out there.”

“Without the rain, thankfully.”

He took the coffees from her while she carefully lowered herself to the floor, then they dug in. This week they’d made a habit of eating lunch at the gazebo overlooking the harbor. Sometimes their conversations outlasted the food, and they had to drag themselves back to work. Today’s accommodations were far less scenic, but it was too windy to eat outside.

After a while Pippa gave up hope of getting scraps and hopped up in the box window where she watched passersby and kept an eye out for squirrels.

“We’re making good headway on the books, don’t you think?” Aiden took a bite of his sandwich.

They’d worked until after midnight last night and returned at dawn this morning. “I think we’ll finish today. If you don’t mind working on that, I think I’ll clean the windows and set up my window display.”

“Sounds good.”

She sipped her coffee, watching him from beneath her lashes. The things Jenna said were rolling around in her brain like marbles. It wasn’t as if she needed reminding about their chemistry. It was still there in spades. Working together gave her many opportunities to appreciate his broad shoulders and sculpted biceps.

But it also gave her opportunities to notice other, newer qualities. Aiden was meticulous about his work, not settling for anything but excellence even though it wasn’t his store. If he didn’t know how to do something, he was quick to figure it out and plunged in headfirst, fearless. He also seemed to make friends everywhere he went. He was now on a first-name basis with everyone at the deli, the hardware store, and several neighbors he’d met while walking Pippa.

All of that, in addition to the fact that he’d made a substantial sacrifice to stay and help her.

He lowered his sandwich, his gaze sharpening on her. “What?”

She’d been staring. Heat bloomed in her cheeks. “What?”

“You’re looking at me funny. What are you thinking?”

Even though they were in the largest room of her shop, the setting suddenly felt close and intimate. A little impromptu picnic, just the two of them, the wind whistling in the eaves.