Page 22 of Meet Me on Blueberry Hill

“What?” Then she cringed at her own harshness and held up a hand. “Sorry, you startled me.”

Leaning against the doorframe, he folded his arms over his chest. His navy T-shirt stretched across his broad chest. His jeans clung to his muscled thighs. He radiated strength.

Get a grip.

She forced her attention back to his face, hidden by dark sunglasses and a worn Q3 Ranch ball cap. “What can I help you with?”

Asher straightened, then jerked a thumb over his shoulder toward the house. “Hetty wants your opinion about the railing. If we go with wood, I can replace it and have it fixed by tomorrow. If we go with vinyl, then it’s going to cost more, and we’ll need to replace the whole thing.”

Sadie frowned and fought to keep the snark from her voice. “I thought we discussed this already. Gran doesn’t have that kind of money. Why’d you even ask her?”

Asher held up his hands. “Whoa. I don’t know what I did to become the bad guy, but I didn’t ask her anything. She came out on the porch while I was working and asked me for my input. I wasn’t going to lie to her.”

Sadie crouched and picked up the journals. She stood and held them against her chest. “Sorry. Again. I’m not usually this prickly.”

He lifted an eyebrow but remained quiet.

Probably a good thing.

He strode into the garage and leaned down in front of her. He swiped something off the floor and then held it out to her. “Looks like you missed something.”

She took the paper and turned it over, then her chest tightened again. A picture of her and Lauren making cheesy grins at the camera while wearing rhinestone sunglasses, Gran’s vintage hats, and boas from the dress-up chest that was probably now buried somewhere in the attic.

It had been five years. When would she get over this awful feeling of loss?

Probably never.

She flashed the photo to him. “Thanks. A picture of my sister and me when we were kids.”

He took it, glanced at it, then handed it back to her. “You guys look cute. How old were you?”

Sadie tucked it inside the cover of one of the journals. She didn’t need the picture to remind her of one of her favorite memories.

“I was ten, and Lauren was twelve. We’d just put on a concert for my grandparents on the front porch. Gran presented trophies she and Grandpa Hank had won during an island bake-off. They declared us the winning team.”

“Who’d you compete against?”

Sadie grinned. “No one. Not much competition when you’re the only ones performing. We didn’t care about the trophy either. The pride in our grandparents’ voices was enough.”

“Sounds like a great memory. Do you and Lauren still sing together?”

Sadie tried to swallow, not surprised by the thickening in her throat. She’d never get over losing her best friend. “No. Lauren passed away. Tragic accident.”

He winced. “Right. You mentioned you were an only child now. I’m sorry. I understand that kind of pain.”

“You lost a sibling too?”

He shook his head. “Not a sibling.”

“Then how can you understand?”

“I have a younger sister—Abi, short for Abigail—but my cousin Jared and I were close like brothers. He’s been gone for a few years now. I miss him.”

A shadow passed over his eyes, and Sadie frowned. “I’m sorry for your loss.” She tightened her hold on the notebooks. “You know, I used to spend my summers here. Some of the best moments of my life I’ve been on this island. I’m surprised I didn’t run into you. Especially since you and Dani were friends. She said she used to hang out with your sister and cousins. Did they leave the island too?”

“Your grandma hasn’t mentioned them?” He glanced toward the house.

“Not that I remember. Why?”

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