She thought she’d said it too quietly to be heard, but his head whipped around. “You got in? And you didn’t go?”

“Someone had to stay home and care for my mom.” Duke had been close enough she could’ve come home weekends. But with her dad gone, she needed to be a full-time caregiver.

“Oh, Sophie.” His tone was weighted with compassion.

Her eyes stung with tears at the unexpected empathy, and she was glad it was almost dark outside. “It all worked out. I’m doing exactly what I want to be doing. Four years of college would’ve been a waste for me.”

Silence hung in the air for a long moment.

“Well,” he said finally, “you’ve always put your whole heart into everything you do. I have no doubt you’ll run the best bookshop around.”

His words warmed a place deep inside. Reminded her how much he’d always believed in her. “Thanks.”

They went quiet as the wind picked up. It buffeted the car, and Sophie had to fight to stay on the road. She’d be glad when this drive was over and they were safe at home again.

Or would she? Then there would be hours of quiet—and darkness. How would they occupy themselves until the storm passed? She didn’t even want to think about that right now. One thing at a time.

The storm only seemed to worsen as she drove. She took two detours due to flooding. She ran over something she hadn’t seen in the road, something big and solid. The loud thump made her grimace. How had she missed that? She slowed down.

Surprisingly, Aiden said nothing.

Several minutes later she turned into a full Marriott parking lot. “Finally.”

“Pull up under the shelter. While you run in I’ll check under the car for damage.”

Sophie grabbed her laptop, dashed inside, and found the woman she’d spoken with on the phone. They chatted a few minutes. The lobby was packed, people milling about, probably stir-crazy as they waited out the storm.

There were no open seats so once she was in possession of the password she found an unoccupied part of the counter, opened an email, and attached the document. Seconds later it whooshed into cyberspace, and Sophie released a sigh. All of that for thirty seconds of Wi-Fi. She texted her brother, letting him know the document was in his in-box.

“You be careful out there now,” the woman at the front desk called when Sophie thanked her again.

“Will do.”

Now she just had to brave the storm for another thirty minutes. In anticipation of the long drive, she stretched her neck and rotated her tense shoulders. A headache brewed at the base of her skull.

Aiden waited for her just inside the front doors.

“All done.” As her gaze locked on his, her smile slipped. “What is it?”

“We have an oil leak.”