His rich, wicked-sounding laugh sent a bolt of heat rippling through her body. He was sexy all the time, but when he laughed or smiled, his sexiness reached incendiary levels. “You’re on, babe.”

And she liked when he called her that and sweetheart. She liked it an awful lot.

Chapter 3

When they went to pay for the lights, Grace Ryan was working the register with another woman who was also wearing a white pharmacist’s coat.

“What’re you doing up here and not doling out drugs in the back?” Slim asked.

“This is what happens when you own the place and someone calls out sick,” she said with a wry smile. “This is Fiona Connolly, also a pharmacist. Fiona, meet Slim Jackson, resident summer pilot, and Erin Barton, lighthouse keeper.”

“Nice to meet you.” Fiona shook hands with both of them. She was tall and fair-skinned with reddish brown hair and pretty brown eyes.

“Another pharmacist on Gansett?” Slim asked.

“She’s covering when I’m away for the wedding and possibly longer if I can talk her into staying.”

“Where’re you going?” Slim asked.

“Evan has decided to make a go of his music with Buddy’s label, and I’ll be traveling with him. Fiona is one of my pharmacy school friends. She’s thinking about holding down the fort for me here while we’re on the road.”

“I’m spending a few days here before the holiday to see how I feel about the isolation,” Fiona added.

“That’s amazing news about Evan and the plans to tour,” Slim said. “I wondered what he’d do after his song hit number one.”

“He’s doing what he should be doing, and I’m going with him. So we need to show Fiona how much fun we have here on Gansett, even in the off-season, so she’ll want to stay for longer than a week,” Grace said, smiling at Fiona.

“Are you coming to Alex and Jenny’s tonight?” Erin asked.

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

“Bring Fiona. Jenny won’t mind. The more the merrier.”

“That’s our motto on Gansett,” Grace said for Fiona’s benefit. “Which is why our circle of friends seems to expand exponentially.”

“Sounds like fun,” Fiona said. “I’d love to go, if you’re sure your friend won’t mind.”

“I know she won’t,” Erin said, “but if you’d feel better, I’ll text her to tell her I invited you.”

“That’d be nice. Thank you.”

Grace rang up the sale of the lights, which Slim paid for before Erin could get her wallet out of her purse. He was too quick for her.

“Are you counting down to the big day?” he asked Grace as he pocketed his wallet.

“I can’t wait.” To Erin, she said, “You should come with Slim. We’d love to have you.”

“Come where?”