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She lifted a shoulder. “No clue. I’m working with some clients remotely, and I’m not having an issue with their stuff. But when Dani asked for my help, I kind of froze. Doesn’t make sense.”

“What do you have so far?”

Sadie pulled out her phone and opened her app where she’d written out her notes. She handed it to him. “Read for yourself, but it’s pretty blah.”

He took the phone and scrolled through her words. “I don’t know, Sadie. You have some pretty cool stuff here. I like the description of the music festival—‘Set against the background of the lake, the first annual Jonathon Island Summer Sunset MusicFest combines the sounds of nature with talented performances under the open star-studded sky. From sunrise to sunset, enjoy warm breezes blowing across the tranquil shores and soak in the last rays of summer while enjoying fare from local businesses. As the sun dips into the horizon, gather in the park for an unforgettable concert as vibrant voices come together in a kaleidoscope of music to bid farewell to another fabulous summer on our enchanted island.’”

She groaned and covered her face with her hands. “Hearing it read out loud makes it sound even cheesier.”

“Cheesy? No way. You’ve brought the island to life with your description.”

She peered at him through parted fingers. “Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously.” He held her phone out to her.

She took it and returned it to her hoodie pocket. “Thanks for being nice about it.”

He nudged her with his shoulder. “Believe it or not, I am a nice guy.”

“I’m learning that.”

“You have a way with words, Sadie.”

“Now you’re just trying harder to be a nice guy.”

“No, I’m dead serious.” He stopped and turned her to face him. Behind her, the glow of the moon cast a halo in her hair. “You’re very talented. Your words evoke emotion, and that’s not always easy to do. I think you’d be an asset as a tour guide for my family’s company.”

“If only it weren’t for that whole speaking in public thing.”

“What if you didn’t think about it as speaking in public? What if you were having coffee with friends and wanted to share your love of the island with them?”

“Are you going to offer free coffee with your tours?”

“If that’s what it takes to get you to relax, then sure.”

“Why me? Why not someone else, like Dani? She has plenty of experience with doing tours.”

“Dani has enough to do. You know as well as I do if I ask her, she will say yes. But I don’t want to add more to her already full plate. You want help with your bakery, and I can do that. I need help with my tour company. It’s a great opportunity for you to step out of your own comfort zone and do something new. Who knows—you may even surprise yourself and enjoy it.”

“Gran calls you the reclusive neighbor for a reason. Are you willing to step out of your zone to get to know the people on the tours?”

“I’ll drive the team. No one cares about me. They’ll be too busy staring at the pretty lady telling them about the history of the island.”

She laughed, a musical sound that wound its way around his heart.

“Pretty lady? Now I know you’re full of it.”

Asher laughed along with her, but Sadie’s words touched a chord. She was right—if he wanted to pull off having the tours in place for the festival, then he needed to put himself out there a little more. Even if it meant dealing with people like Russell Smith. But with someone like Sadie by his side, he’d give it a shot.

A week on island and Sadie’s personal and professional paths were at a crossroads. She needed to figure out a way to navigate both without losing herself in the process.

Her gritty eyes burned from lack of sleep. After returning from the midnight stroll with Asher, her brain refused to settle into a necessary slumber. Instead, she wrote copy in her head for Asher’s touring company, imagining his strong arms guiding a team of horses around the island.

Despite what he thought, hewaspart of the package. Female guests would appreciate his presence.

His very handsome presence.

As she studied the dining room in the dusty bakery, she took a sip of the caramel swirl cappuccino she’d picked up from Jill Kelley’s Good Day Coffee Shop and nearly dropped it when the scalding liquid seared her tongue. Tears pricked her eyes as she searched for her water bottle to cool her mouth.