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He froze. “Help? In what way? Does she want me to…sing?” He could barely get the word out.

“Sing?” Sadie frowned. “No, why? That never came up. She wondered if you’d be willing to help construct the stage. Ariel Sullivan and Dahlia Denton are headlining the concert.”

“Dani’s cousin? The country singer?”

“Yeah, she’s the one.” Sadie lifted a shoulder. “You know her?”

“Dani’s mentioned her a time or two.” He used the hem of his T-shirt and wiped the sweat off his face.

“Drake Hamilton will be there too. He’s a contemporary Christian artist.”

“Yes, I’m aware.”

“So, you’ll do it? Help with the stage construction?”

The last thing Asher wanted was to hang out in town. He’d heard enough whispers to know he was the island mystery. What was it Sadie had called him last night? The reclusive neighbor.

And he liked it that way.

He was better off alone.

“No.” He picked up the saw again.

She frowned. “No?”

He shook his head. “No.”

“No.” Her repeated word sounded more resigned.

“What part of that confuses you?”

“Wow, rude much?”

Asher waved a hand over his family’s property. “Listen, I have plenty here to keep me busy. I don’t have the time or the inclination to build a stage.”

“Not even to help Dani?”

Asher pinched the bridge of his nose. Sure, toss in his kryptonite.

Dani Sullivan, who’d become more like a kid sister, was one of the few people he could trust on the island. When she learned he’d be looking after his aunt and uncle’s place while they traveled, she’d showed him nothing but kindness.

Maybe he owed her a chance to hear her out.

He glanced over his shoulder and found Sadie still standing there with her arms folded over her chest as she watched his every movement.

“Dani will understand.” Not caring if he was being as rude as Sadie claimed, he turned his back to the pretty intruder and started the chain saw once again.

When he looked up again, he saw her marching across the grass and returning to her grandmother’s property.

Good. He didn’t need her to become a regular visitor.

While he was glad Hetty had someone looking after her since her daughter-in-law had to cancel her trip, his visits to her place would be less frequent now. The fewer people he got to know, the better.

With the tree finally cut into manageable chunks, he headed back into the barn for the log splitter. As he moved equipmentand dug out the splitter, his shoulder bumped against the hulking frame covered in a dusty tarp.

Asher straightened and gave the tarp a tug. Dust motes exploded as the worn plastic fell to the ground.

The skeleton of the surrey sat in the corner of the barn, cast in the shadows, almost abandoned and forgotten.