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Cole needed to calm his pulsing nerves. Holding her in his arms only ramped up the ache in his body and heart.

But at least he’d gotten here and found her safe, though maybe not sound.

He wanted to keep her safe and hold her tight, but his better judgment told him he needed to hold on loosely to this one.

I don’ t want to let you go.

He slowly dropped his hands and stepped back.

“What happened? Why are you here?” Though, if he had to guess, it had to do with her father.

She swiped her nose. “First, how did you get here so fast?”

“Hawk brought me in his bird.”

“Seriously, Cole, what if I wanted to disappear? You won’t let me even if I wanted to.”

Disappear. If she left and he couldn’t find her, what then?

He’d kept his distance for far too long, and in the back of his mind, he had counted on finding her again—when he decided he wanted to find her.

What a jerk. He was no good at this relationship business, though maybe that had all started with his family life, and his brother. But he should only blame himself.

“Jo, please, we can talk about this in the Yukon. You know, my rental vehicle that you took off with.” He injected a teasing tone.

Hanging her head, she jammed her hands in her pockets and trudged forward, looking more than dejected.

“It’s your father, isn’t it?” he asked. “You met him here.”

“I don’t like that you seem to know everything. It’s almost like you’re a spy or something.” She glared at him, accusation in her eyes.

“I deserve that, but honestly, it was just a good guess. What else could it be? Who else?”

Did he need to remind her that her life had been threatened not once but three times already?

It took everything in him to hold back what he really wanted to say, but he had no right to berate her.

That would only put more distance between them, a distance he was trying to close.

He opened the door to his vehicle for her, and she climbed into the passenger seat with the demeanor of someone who might be giving up.

Before he got in, he sent Hawk a text and let him know he could go.

Thank you , God , for my brother’s help.

Or else Cole would be pulling his hair out to get to the airport in time to stop Jo. He’d thought she was leaving or that she was walking into a very dangerous situation. Head down, she sat in the passenger seat. Before he opened the door, he drew in a deep breath as he sent up a silent prayer.

Help me with this one , Lord.

Cole got in. He wasn’t entirely sure he could drive while they talked, but he started the vehicle and noted the gas tank was almost empty. She’d gone on this crazy adventure with a near-empty tank. His near-empty tank.

“So, you talked to your dad. What did you learn?”

“He didn’t tell me anything. Just said I was never supposed to know him.” The words came out choked with tears.

He wanted to hold her again, but that was turning into a habit, and at this rate, she could spend more time in his arms than out of them. He had no adequate words to comfort her. Then she told him all the details, which didn’t add much to the story.

“I don’t know what to make of it,” she said. “He said I was never supposed to know him. What does that even mean?”

Good question. “Look, I’m sorry you’re having to go through this. I’ll do whatever I can to help you, Jo, you know that.”

But you have to let me in. You can’t just run off like this.

“Good, because I want to officially hire you to find out who my father really is.”

“Are you sure you want to know the answer to that question?”

“I do.” Her voice broke. “I have to know.”

He cleared his throat. “And you know there’s another matter—the reason I came here in the first place.”

“My mother’s death.”

“After the threats on your life, my priority is getting you somewhere safe.”

“Yeah, my secret is out. A reporter was at Cedar Trails. If someone digs deep enough, they could learn the identities of others staying or working there.”

“I never really understood—how does anyone who needs to hide find Cedar Trails and Mrs. Monroe?”

Jo lifted a shoulder. “She claims that people who are sup posed to be there find their way. You already know that Pop brought me.”

Interesting. Cole was already leaning hard on the theory that her father had been living in the Hidden Bay region because he, too, had been in hiding for thirty years. Whatever the reasons, whoever her father was, Cole had his hands full with both Jo’s present and her past.

He navigated out of the parking lot and away from the airport.

“Pop left his truck there. Didn’t say I should take it. Maybe I should—”

“I wouldn’t touch it. Leave that to him.

” All she needed was another bomb. The man had known about the bomb and the timing.

He wouldn’t have planted it or set it off.

Someone else had targeted Jo because of her father.

He needed to learn more about the man in order to know who and why.

He could figure that out later. Right now, he focused on Jo.

She was in a bad place, losing her father again and now her beloved Spruce Hollow.

“Let’s talk about your safety and where we go from here. Hawk and Remi have come up with a solution, if you agree. But first, the county sheriff wants to talk to you. After all, your house blew up.”

Jo covered her face. Her shoulders shook.

His chest tightened at what she had to be going through.

The place was rubble. “Investigators will be looking at what’s left.

I answered their questions about the bomb and your father’s text, which raises more questions.

” If authorities weren’t looking for him before, they were now.

“But the sheriff needs to talk to you . So I’m taking you there now. Is that okay with you?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“Let’s talk about this. Your father said he was sorry for leading danger to you. You’ve had three attempts on your life since then.”

“I get what you’re saying. You think it’s related.”

Absolutely. “And you don’t?”

“I was already in danger when I came to Cedar Trails, but yeah, today has been over the top. I don’t believe in coincidence. That’s why I need you to find out who my father is. And right now, Cole, please, I just need some space.”

Cole drove the rest of the way in silence, leaving Jo to her thoughts. He called the sheriff to let him know they were on their way and would arrive in half an hour. Sheriff Thatcher said he would be there.

So much mystery and intrigue surrounded Jo’s life.

Cole thought back to the moment last winter when he thought he was going to die. Bleeding from a gunshot wound to the shoulder, Cole hung precariously on a rocky outcropping as the king tide waves crashed against his perch during the strongest storm in decades.

At that moment, Cole had prayed. He’d asked for forgiveness. He prepared to meet his maker.

He tried to survive and push through until he was on the sand. But he was cold and completely drained. Even special forces soldiers died on mission. He couldn’t think he was so special he could face death and win.

He was ready to die.

Then he’d seen her jogging toward him. Dodging breakers and skirting rocks, climbing over outcroppings. He knew then ... he knew, she was coming for him .

He’d seen her from a distance when he’d been surveying the place. And he’d thought her striking. Tall with long dark hair and golden-brown eyes, but he’d been on a mission and couldn’t let himself be distracted.

But now ... he would give anything to let her distract him.

That day on the beach, she’d saved him. She’d assisted him to his feet and said, “Come on. We’re getting you out of here.”

And he might have been out of his mind, but at that moment, he’d thought he was in love with a complete stranger.

Then Cole had gone and blown it.