Aiden searched the darkening sky. “It’s looking like rain.”

“Smelling like it too.”

Her phone buzzed with an incoming call, and Sophie checked the screen. “I hope Jenna isn’t calling to say she can’t come tomorrow.”

“She knows what this means to you.” But the tone of his voice conveyed his concern.

“Hi, Jenna, what’s up?”

“Hey, Sis. Still at the shop?”

“We actually finished a few hours early if you can believe it.”

“Oh, good. I was hoping you’d say that. I have a favor to ask you.”

Sophie pushed back the feeling of disappointment sweeping through her. “What’s up?”

“Well, you know Grant’s twenty-fifth birthday is in two weeks. I’ve been looking for a Jet Ski for him, and I wasn’t having any luck finding one in my price range. But the exact model he admired on our honeymoon popped up on Craigslist today, and it’s in my budget.”

“That’s great. So what’s the problem?”

“The seller’s in New Bern, and I thought that would be ideal, right? Since it’s only forty-five minutes from Piper’s Cove, and I’m coming there tomorrow anyway. I can borrow Dad’s truck and tow it back—the Jet Ski comes with the trailer and everything.”

“Okay . . .”

“But I’ve been talking to the seller today, and he has a serious buyer coming in the morning. I could PayPal him the money now, but I’m afraid to pay him without making sure it’s legitimate. Could you go check it out? If everything goes well, you could tow it back to the beach house.”

Sophie’s stomach shrank. She could do it; she’d gotten her Tahoe back from the shop yesterday.

“I know it’s a lot to ask when your grand opening is tomorrow, but you said the shop was all ready . . .”

“Right.”

Aiden gave her a searching look as he closed the grill lid.

“I’m afraid if I wait,” Jenna continued, “it’ll sell in the morning, and this is the perfect gift for Grant. He gave me the ideal honeymoon, and I want to give him something special for his birthday.”

Aiden was still studying Sophie, but she turned her gaze to the undulating ocean. The first drop of rain hit her cheek.

“Sophie? Can you do it? Please, I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”

Sophie sighed. It wasn’t as if Jenna was being selfish. It was a gift for her new husband, after all.

Hopefully Aiden wouldn’t mind the change in plans. They could enjoy his steak dinner first. And they could still spend time together if he rode to New Bern with her. In fact, he knew a lot more about Jet Skis than she did.

“Um, sure,” Sophie said finally. “I guess I can do that.”