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She touched his arm. “You are the right person.” She waved a hand at the carriage. “Look what you’ve done. You’ve taken something that was crumbling and falling apart, and you restored it to its former glory. More than that, you breathed new life into an opportunity to give tourists something fun to do while they explore the island. You put your heart in this, Asher, so that does not make you a failure.”

He leaned on the carriage a minute, then turned and slid a hand over her cheek. “Thanks, Sadie. You always know the right thing to say. You’re as gifted with words as I said yesterday.”

Sadie resisted the urge to cover his hand with her own. She needed to focus. “I talked to Dani yesterday before picking up the costumes. Between her advertising and the posters Lily and I hung up, we have at least forty people signed up.”

“Forty?” His eyes widened. “I’d hoped for a handful or so. I can’t fit that many people in the carriage.”

“We’ll do thirty-minute tours throughout the day, then we’ll ask for feedback to see what can be improved. How’s that sound?”

“Sounds like it’s going to be a busy day.”

“Do you want to run through the route for tomorrow? I can share my script, and you can let me know of any changes I should make.”

For the next ten minutes, they stood side by side as they pored over one of the island maps given to tourists and determined their stops. Sadie recited the script she’d memorized over the past few days, giving highlights to what they wanted to share. She shared information about the hotel, the shops, the park, the fort, and fun legends from the island.

Asher listened, his eyes never wavering from hers.

Sadie gained confidence as she continued to gesture with her hands. Then, she realized what she was doing and shoved them in the front pockets of her blue shorts. “Sorry. I guess I got carried away.”

Asher shook his head. “No need to apologize. You are animated and passionate about what you’re sharing. The guests are going to love it.”

“The island has a lot of fascinating things to share. It’s tough to pare it down to thirty minutes.”

“See, this is why you’re the right person to lead the tour. I’ll keep Gus and Ginger on task and allow you to wow the tourists with your words.”

“Speaking of words, I did something wildly crazy, and I’ll probably end up looking like a complete idiot.” Sadie dropped her gaze to her flip-flops as her heartbeat thundered in her ears.

“No, you won’t. I believe in you.”

Sadie wet her lips and allowed her eyes to connect with his. “Well, um, it’sthatbelief that made me think I could actually do it.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “Now I’m intrigued.”

“I signed up for the talent show.” The words came out in a rush, as though if she didn’t say them now, then she wouldn’t be able to get them out. “If—and that’s a big if—if I win, I want to use the proceeds to help with the bakery remodel.”

Asher grinned, then let out a whoop. He picked her up and swung her around. “Way to go! I’ll be in the front row cheering you on.”

Sadie clutched his muscled arms and laughed. “Oh, great. As if I wasn’t freaked out enough already.”

“It’s my privilege to be there. I wouldn’t miss it for anything.” Asher set her back on her feet, which was a little disappointing. Then his eyes softened as he brushed his knuckles over her cheek. “I’ll always cheer you on, Sadie. No matter what. That’s a promise.”

Her heart slammed against her ribs as her stomach turned to pulp. She slid her arms from his biceps and put them around his neck. “I’ve never had anyone like you in my corner. The thought of participating in the talent show, though, makes me want to hop on the next ferry off island, but your reassurance keeps me going. Thank you for nudging me to step out of my comfort zone. Because of you, I started writing a new song.”

“I can’t wait to hear it.”

The sincerity in his voice and the warmth in his eyes filled her with such a sense of confidence she hadn’t felt until this moment.

As her eyes roamed over the angles of his face, she realized something. And if she wasn’t holding on to Asher, her knees probably would’ve buckled like a heroine in a dramatic soap opera.

She was falling in love with Asher Quinn.

The idea of staying on island after the festival took shape. Maybe she could do more remote work or even partner with island businesses to up their marketing campaigns while writing songs.

Maybe Jonathon Island could become her new home. Gran had said she could stay as long as she wanted. And Sadie would be there to keep an eye on her. Not that Gran needed it…if anyone asked. But Sadie loved the time with her. And Gran appreciated the company.

And just maybe Sadie could begin dreaming about a future again.

This time with Asher.