“No, I didn’t.” Surrounded by the scent of jasmine, the scent of Janey, Joe wished he could hold her and never let her go. But he deposited her into the front seat of his truck and went back for the bag she’d packed to spend a few days with David. Joe wanted to hunt down that son of a bitch and teach him a lesson he’d never forget. But he figured Mac would take care of that when he heard about what David had done to his sister. Right now, Joe’s top priority was Janey.

Before he joined her in his truck, Joe called for a tow truck to get her car. The operator asked for a contact number, and Joe rattled off his. He ended the call and rested his hand on the door handle, taking a moment to summon the courage he needed to get her through this—to get them both through it.

“I didn’t even ask if you were busy,” Janey said, swiping at the dampness on her cheeks.

“I wasn’t. I’m glad you called me.”

“I didn’t know who else to call.”

He reached over and rested his hand on top of hers. Even though it was summer and damn near eighty degrees, her hand was cold and trembling. “You can always call me. Anytime you need me. That’s what friends are for.” Her normally robust complexion was pale and wan, her eyes and nose red from crying, and looking at her in that condition, Joe discovered it was possible to feel someone else’s pain almost as acutely as they were feeling it themselves.

She ran her free hand over her face. “I must look horrible. I didn’t know it was possible to cry so much.”

Tucking a strand of her thick ash-blonde hair behind her ear, he resisted the urge to draw her into his arms. “You’re as beautiful as always. He’s a fool, Janey. Anyone who would disrespect you that way doesn’t deserve you.”

“Thirteen years,” she said, shaking her head. “I’ve spent thirteen years of my life waiting for something that’s never going to happen now.” She gasped. “Oh, God, the wedding. I have to cancel everything.” A shudder rippled through her petite frame, and he wondered for a second if she was going to be sick.

“You don’t have to think about any of that today. Right now, let’s just focus on getting you home.”

A panicked look crossed her expressive face. “I can’t go back to the island. Everyone will know. I can’t—”