Her voice shook him out of his memories. “I won’t,” he vowed. Whoa. That had come out too intense sounding, like he still was the teenager pouring all his emotion into a stupid boat. He cleared his throat and tried to sound less like a creeper. “I won’t let go unless you tell me to.”

“This is stupid. I’m a grown woman. I shouldn’t be this afraid of water.”

“Fears aren’t rational.”

“Some of them are.”

He wanted to ask, so badly. But if he couldn’t ask back then, he definitely couldn’t now. “Just lie back and look at the sky.”

“That sounds like the outdoor version of ‘Lie back and think of England.’”

He chuckled. Evie had always been funny. Not everyone saw it, because she had a dry sense of humor that only came out when she was comfortable with someone.

He was stupidly proud to have witnessed it—then and now.

“Yeah, lie back and look at the sky,” he echoed, letting himself take a deep breath of that same coconut sunscreen aroma that had clung to her at the bar a few weeks ago. “That’s what I tell all the girls.”

He winked to show he was joking, and she smiled up at him. Something happened in his chest. It was like a twisting and an untwisting at the same time, which was impossible.

But it was also impossible that Evie Abbott should be here. In Moonflower Bay, in the lake, in his arms.

Sawyer had only ever wanted one woman in his arms. And now she was there.

If only he could say everything he wanted to say to her, but he’d lost that right.

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

Well, this is a piece of junk.” Law whistled as he strolled into Sawyer’s garage.

It was Saturday morning, and Sawyer had made the mistake of inviting Jake over to consult on the canoe. And telling him that they were starting a carpentry business whether he liked it or not.

And that he’d offered their services to Evie for the inn.

He had a lot to catch Jake up on, was the point, so that he didn’t end up looking like an idiot if Evie cross-referenced any of what he’d said. Sawyer did not need to give Evie any reason to get mad at him again. It was only just starting to feel like she was thawing a bit.

He had not invited Law, but of course here he was anyway, settling into a lawn chair and sipping coffee while Jake and Sawyer assessed the boat. “What happened to this poor excuse for a boat?”

“My father came at it with a garden shovel.”

Law whistled. “Recently?”

“No. Ten years ago.”

“Well, if you want to build a canoe, you’re better off starting over than trying to salvage this.”