She nodded. She wore a lightweight white sundress with her strappy gold sandals and carried a change of clothes for the race in her bag. She’d oversee the regatta’s preliminary events, then hand everything off to Ally when it came time for the race.

All the details had been handled, though at the moment, she wished she’d left something undone so she could busy herself.

“You’re probably well-rested since you bailed on me yesterday.” He started walking toward the water. “We’re going to tie the cutter ship up right over there. Give people tours, and then right next to it, we’ll have water-safety information. I told the guys to make sure it wasn’t boring.”

She’d followed him but only half listened. “I didn’t bail on you.”

“I was just joking.”

She crossed her arms, aware that she was being overly sensitive but somehow helpless to stop herself. Ninny. “Well, maybe I just thought you needed more sleep after your busy night out.”

Shut up, Louisa.

He frowned at her. “What are you talking about?”

“Nothing, forget it.” She sounded like a jealous girlfriend when she knew she had no right to sound that way. She turned to go—she would check on the food stations and see if anyone needed anything—but he grabbed her arm.

“Louisa.”

She could feel her cheeks were flushed. Heat crawled up the back of her neck. She plucked her sunglasses off the top of her head and stuck them on her face as if they could conceal her emotions.

“Sorry; I think Ally might need me.” She raced off, leaving him standing there, probably wondering when she’d lost her marbles—and she would happily tell him she’d lost them the day he rescued her from the angry ocean and maybe he should’ve simply left her there. Maybe if she’d floated off in the sea, she would’ve landed on another island, one that wasn’t inhabited by haunting memories or men she desperately wanted and couldn’t have.

“Morning!” Ally had arrived and now approached Louisa, clipboard in hand. She rattled off her list of to-dos, not pausing for breath until she reached the end. “I think we’re in really good shape.”

Louisa forced herself to sound normal. “Good. Maybe you could touch base with the food vendors as they arrive and I’ll go check on the silent auction. I’ll bring the items out and line them up on the tables.”

Ally’s eyes drifted over Louisa’s head. “He’s here early.”

She didn’t have to turn around to know who her friend was talking about. “Yep.”

Ally’s eyebrows traveled toward her forehead. “Yep?”

“Yes, he’s here early.”

“Oh, and look,” Ally said. “So is she.”