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“I’ve tried. He won’t respond. That’s the problem.” Sadie pushed to her feet and wrapped her arms around her waist. “I don’t want to end up humiliated again.”

“Well, I can promise you this—Asher’s not married. He’s not Garrett, Sade.”

“I think you know more about Asher than you’re saying. I have to confess, that makes me a little uneasy. Maybe a little jealous.”

Dani looked at her, then shifted her attention to the wall. She dipped the roller into the paint and swathed it onto the wall. “It’s complicated.”

Those two words rocked Sadie back. Her chest squeezed as she struggled to pull in a breath. “So, you do know something.”

Dani’s face softened, and she put down the roller. “It’s not that simple, Sade.”

“Secrets never are. They come with a price, Dani. And at what cost?”

“Asher’s a good man. Sure, he’s a bit standoffish, but he’s also kind and generous. His story isn’t mine to tell. Please don’t be mad.”

While her opinion of Asher had changed since that first day she’d met him, and she knew he was a good man, his behavior from the night at the beach had her struggling with her own emotions.

Turning away from Dani, Sadie eyed the walls still needing a coat or two of paint.

A fresh layer would cover the marks and scuffs, but they’d still be there.

Just covered up.

Hidden like the secrets Asher…and Dani were keeping.

Sadie crossed her arms. She needed to make a choice—get Asher to talk, since Dani wasn’t sharing, or do some digging on her own.

Either decision took courage she didn’t have at the moment, but she refused to let her fears or pain from the past keep her in the dark any longer.

The truth of her last mysterious man cost her a lot, and she didn’t want to pay that price again.

Chapter Twelve

If only fixing his life could be as straightforward as replacing a window.

Sadie had texted that morning and let him know she’d returned to the bakery to finish painting—a job he’d promised to help her do—and found a broken window.

After two days of shameful silence, he couldn’t ignore her any longer. He’d let her know he’d fix it right away.

Early afternoon rays warmed Asher’s back as he stood on the ladder and pried broken glass from the worn frame with a pair of pliers. He dropped the shards in the utility bucket at his feet.

The scent of grilled burgers filtering through the air from Kelley’s Bar & Grill made his stomach growl. Once he paused for lunch, he’d grab a bite. First time he’d had an appetite since the night on the beach.

For now, though, he needed to replace the window. He’d given Sadie his word, and he’d follow through.

Once the glass was gone, he pulled the utility knife out of his back pocket and cut away the old caulk, nearly black with age and mildew. Then he inspected the frame to see if it needed to be repaired or replaced.

He ran a finger along the edge. A sharp pain lanced his finger. He pulled it back and found a small cut.

He must’ve missed a piece of glass.

Asher climbed off the ladder and rounded the front of the building, sidestepping a group of teenagers with their phones above their heads as they took selfies on the sidewalk. Bicyclers pedaled down Main Street toward Blueberry Hill Park. A couple of young kids raced down the cobblestone street as Jack, the island dog, ran alongside them.

Dani’s dream of revitalizing the island was coming true. The summer had been more crowded this year. Even though the season was winding down, businesses were booming.

Maybe there was hope for the island after all.

Asher headed inside the empty bakery Sadie had left unlocked for him. His footsteps echoed, bouncing off the freshly painted walls, as he moved into the kitchen. He washed his hands in the deep sink, then grabbed a handful of paper towels.