“My shop’s on the boardwalk, and it has a small apartment upstairs. It needs a little work, but I hope to have it livable soon after my grand opening.”

“So . . . you’re staying here in the cottage until then?”

Something in his expression made dread spring to life in her chest. “Yes. Why? Is that a problem?”

“Of course not.” He stirred an egg around on his plate. “Have you checked the weather lately?”

“Not this morning. Why?” She reached for her phone. “What’s going on?”

“The, ah, tropical storm was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane.”

“Okay. Well, that’s not too bad.” She’d need to make storm preparations, but she planned on that anyway. She’d still have the afternoon and evening to start painting her shop.

“It’s also picked up speed.” The intensity in his eyes conveyed something more than his words. “It’ll be barreling down on us in a few hours.”

“So, what’s the big—?” Her stomach bottomed out as realization hit. “Your flight.”

He held her gaze for a full five seconds. “It’s already canceled.”

Sophie dropped her fork, and it clanked against her plate. That dread worked its way through her blood like poison. “And I suppose you’ll be wanting to stay here tonight.”

He tilted his head, giving her a helpless look. “I really don’t have another option, Soph.”

“Have you even checked the hotels?”

“Come on, you know they’re full up.”

“An Airbnb, then, or a—”

“In the middle of a hurricane? Everyone’s boarding up—which is what we should be doing here soon.”

Sophie sat back in her chair, her appetite gone regardless of the food still left on her plate. He was right, but that only irritated her more. She didn’t know why his presence bothered her so much. What they’d had together was long gone. She’d moved on and he was with someone else now.

She was a different person than she’d been then. More mature, more resilient, and yes, maybe a little more jaded, as Jenna had said. Although Sophie preferred to call it realistic. Having a few walls to guard herself was perfectly acceptable as long as there was an operable doorway.

But if she looked more closely at the situation, she could see Aiden was a threat to her mental well-being. She was afraid she’d open that door and wind up with more sorrow and regret. Maybe he wasn’t the same person either. But he still exuded a certain charm she found irresistible. And he definitely had a way of trampling hearts—she’d learned that the hard way.

On the other hand, how much damage could the man do in twenty-four hours? She was afraid she knew the answer to that one.

She closed her eyes. What are You trying to do to me, God?

“Sophie?”

She opened her eyes and fell right into those twin pools of blue.