All day long, Hayden had been walking on a tightrope. That rope was way too close to snapping.
A man had come after Jill. Heâd shot at herâ¦
âYou arenât staying here alone tonight.â
Her eyes widened. âUh, excuse me?â
âThat intruderââ
âI think I did a pretty good job of defending myself.â
She didnât get it. âDo you want me to stay sane?â
Her brow furrowed. âThat would probably be a good plan.â
He thought so, too. Hayden nodded. âThen, youâre staying with me tonight. Iâll have a deputy keep watch on your place.â
She crossed her arms over her chest. âDid you just tell me I was staying at your place?â
âI did.â He inclined his head toward her.
âIâm not afraid, Hayden. If he comes back, Iâll be ready for him. Iâll beââ
âI know youâre not scared.â He got that. What she didnât get⦠âI am.â
She laughed. âRight, the big, bad navy SEAL is afraid. Youâreââ
âAbsolutely terrified that something will happen to you.â
Prologue
âStay away from him, Jill.â Jillian Westâs grandmother pointed toward the end of the long, wooden pier. A boy was there, gazing out at the distant waves, a boy who appeared to be just a little older than Jill. âHeâs trouble.â
But he didnât look like trouble. The boyâs blond hair blew in the wind and his faded T-shirt fluttered in the breeze.
âIâll only be inside a minute,â her grandmother promised as she patted Jillâs shoulder. âStay here.â
And then her grandmother was gone. Sheâd drifted into the little souvenir shop that waited near the pier, her voice drifting back to Jill as her grandmother called out a greeting to her friend inside the store.
Her grandmother had a lot of friends in Hope, Florida. It seemed that everyplace they went she met someone she knew. Jillianâs flip-flops slid over the wooden pier as she stared up at the boy with the blond hair. Sheâd moved in with her grandmother just a few weeks before, but she still hadnât gotten a chance to talk with any kids in the town.
Her grandmother knew plenty of people, just no one who was close to Jillianâs age. No other kids around thirteen for her to chat with as she adjusted to her sudden, jarring new life.
Just then, the boy glanced back at her. She stiffened, but then Jill found herself lifting her hand in an awkward wave. She even took a few quick steps toward him. His head cocked as he stared at her.
Her hand fell back to her side.
Heâs trouble. Her grandmotherâs warning whispered through her mind once more.
But he was coming closer to her. His sneakers didnât even seem to make a sound as he eliminated the distance between them, and then he was there, peering down at her. He was taller than she was, his shoulders already becoming broad, and he used one careless hand to shove back his overly long hair.
âI donât know you,â he said. His voice was deeper than sheâd expected. He appeared to be around fifteen, maybe sixteen, but that voice was so grown-up.
âNo, ah, Iâm new.â She tucked her hands behind her back. âIâm Jillian, but my friends call me Jill.â
His gaze swept over herâdark brown eyes. Deep eyes. When she looked hard enoughâand Jill was looking so hard that she felt herself blushâshe saw a circle of gold in those brown eyes.
âYou think weâre friends, Jill?â He emphasized her name, just a bit.
She shrugged. âWe could be.â She bit her lip and offered her hand to him. âItâs nice to meet you.â