Roane squeezed his eyes closed, his arm tightening around me as he let out a little groan. When he opened his eyes, his voice was thick as he clarified, “The photo. Give me the photo.”

The sensible side of my personality was screaming to wriggle out of his hold, but the part that wanted to reassure him stayed where I was. “I like it. You’re adorable.”

“Every man’s dream, that,” he said gruffly. “To be called adorable.”

“You were a boy then. You can be adorable when you’re a boy. What you did for Caro is adorable. If I give it back, don’t destroy it. It means something to your cousin.”

“I wouldn’t destroy it,” he replied, his eyes dropping to my mouth. “It was just an excuse to put my arms around you.”

My eyes widened at his confession, and he gave me a self-deprecating smile as he gently let me go and stepped back.

“But that wasn’t such a great idea after all.”

Disappointment I tried to hide washed over me.

As if he read my mind, Roane whispered, “It’s a form of torture, Evie.”

Aware that Caro was still on the beach with us, within hearing distance, I could only gape at him like a landed fish.

“Evie!” A voice carried along the beach, interrupting the tension-fraught moment.

My befuddled gaze moved past Roane. First, I saw Caro, who was watching me and her cousin with open fascination. Beyond her was a stretch of sandy beach, shadowed beneath high sand dunes.

Hurrying alongside the bottom of the dunes was Penny.

I strode out of the water, avoiding contact with Roane, and hurried to meet Penny. Shadow beat me to it, almost knocking Penny over with his exuberance. She laughed and petted him, but her eyes never left mine. I’d sensed Roane and Caro following me and knew they were at my back when Penny’s eyes moved over my shoulder.

“Hey, what’s up?” I asked as the bookstore owner and I drew to a halt a few feet from her.

Shadow loped away from her, pressed his cold nose to my hand, and then stopped beside Roane, who absentmindedly petted him. He was too busy staring at Penny in concern.

In truth she looked agitated, which was concerning.

Penny gave Roane and Caro a tight smile before turning her attention to me. “Evie, can we speak in private?”

My pulse started to race.

What if Penny needed to cancel the last week of my vacation?

No!

I wasn’t ready to leave yet.

Heart pounding, I tried to hide my distress as I suggested to Roane and Caro that they walk on ahead and I’d catch up with them.

They seemed reluctant to leave, but they did, with Shadow bounding through the shore ahead of them. Worry seized my chest.