Noah stood in the parking lot of Gentle Dentists, leaning against his car. His mind was racing from his interaction with Sophia.

When he’d walked in there, knowing that he was going to see her, he thought he’d been prepared. Ha. What a joke.

Noah leaned against the dark green Nissan that the agency had rented for him. He tipped his head toward the sky and took a deep breath.

He had known it was going to be strange, approaching Sophia after so many years. But her familiar dark-brown eyes and pale skin surrounded by her thick, curly hair had startled him, and all his preparation went straight out the window.

Just thinking about it made his stomach clench.

He closed his eyes and cleared his mind; he needed to get a grip. He’d negotiated with terrorists and driven the back roads of Afghanistan, but none of it prepared him for facing his ex—the girl he’d been trying to convince himself he didn’t care for.

And yet, here he was, a hundred feet away from her, and she was still unreachable.

“Hey, Noah?”

Noah’s eyes flew open. The light tones of a woman’s voice caused a spark of hope to grow in his chest. He allowed the thought that, perhaps, it was Sophia coming after him. But when he lifted his head, he saw Kari, the dental hygienist.

He forced a calm smile. One he’d gotten pretty used to over the years. “Yeah? I didn’t forget my license. Or did you just miss me?” he asked with a wink.

Kari held up her left hand, the diamond flashing. “Married. And no.”

He studied her. He hadn’t been serious; flirting was just part of his persona. The lie he wore to cover his wounds. “Got it,” he said. He rubbed the back of his neck. “So, what do you need?”

She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a slip of paper. “This is Sophia’s number,” she said. A worried look passed over her face, but then she shook it off and waved the paper in front of him.

Realizing that she wasn’t going to leave until he took it, Noah let her drop it into his palm. “Sophia’s number?” He glanced down at the note. “Did she ask you to give it to me?”

Kari’s cheeks reddened. “Well…no. But that girl needs to get out. You’re good looking, and I could tell by the way she was reacting to you that she thought so as well.” Kari shrugged. “I figured you two might hit it off if you called her. I’m always looking for men to set her up with. Help her get over her perpetual single status.”

Noah’s stomach lightened at her words. Sophia was single? Deep down, he knew he shouldn’t be happy about that.

Kari’s forehead furrowed. “Please don’t tell her that I gave you this. She’d kill me if she knew that her best friend was just passing her number out to every hot stranger—which I don’t,” she hurried to add.

Noah snorted. Stranger. Kari though he was a stranger? He most definitely was not. But he didn’t want to delve into his and sophia’s complicated past, so he nodded. “It’ll be our little secret.” He slipped the paper into his pocket and nodded toward Kari. “I’ll give her a call.”

Kari was studying him. “Good.” Then she winced. “You’re not a serial killer, are you?”

Noah smiled. “Nope. Not a serial killer.” Then he leaned in. “But that’s probably something you should ask before giving out your best friend’s number.”

Kari’s skin flushed red again as her lips parted. He hadn’t meant to embarrass her. She was just trying to help out her friend. It was an occupational hazard for him, always assuming that people had questionable intentions.

He smiled as he patted her arm. “But you’re lucky. I’m one of the good guys.” That was stretching the truth a bit. But compared to the guys he helped track down, he qualified.

Relief flooded her face as she nodded. “Sounds good.” Then she took a few steps back. “I should get back in there. Sophia’s going to wonder where I went.”

Noah nodded. “It was nice to meet you, Kari.”

She smiled. “You too, Noah.” Just before she turned around, she glanced over at him. “Promise to be nice to her? She’s my best friend, and she’s dealt with some real jerks in the past.”

Noah winced at her words. She didn’t know it, but she was talking about him. He should probably tell her. But he was enjoying that Kari seemed to think he and Sophia were perfect for each other. Was that so bad?

“Got it. I’ll be good,” he said, raising two fingers in a salute.

Kari nodded and then turned and headed back into the building, leaving Noah alone again.

He reached into his pocket and felt for the note. He already had Sophia’s number, home address, even her college GPA. That’s what happened when your father’s wanted by the CIA. They had to follow every potential lead.

He sighed as he opened the car door and got inside. He placed his hands on the steering wheel and stared out at the grass in front of him.

His phone rang, pulling him from his thoughts.

He pressed the talk button on the steering wheel. “Hello?” he asked.

“Noah?”

He tried not to wince at the familiar voice of Scott, his boss. He hoped this wasn’t another catch-up call. Scott couldn’t seem to let the past stay in the past. He seemed to feel like he needed to check in about everything.

Noah knew this was a mission. He could keep his emotions in check.

Noah stifled a sigh. “Hey.”

Not the most professional way for Noah to answer the phone, but he wasn’t really in the mood. Not since… Noah shook his head. Nope. He’d promised himself that he was going to forget about it.

“Did you talk to her?”

Noah leaned his head back on the headrest. “Yes,” he said as he closed his eyes. The image of Sophia’s dark brown hair and the familiar curves of her face flooded his mind.

“And?”

Noah opened his eyes and sighed. Leave it to his boss to be straight forward. But this was a delicate situation. He needed to tread lightly if he was going to get any information from Sophia.

“I’m working on it,” he said as he pushed his hands through his hair.

“Noah.” Scott’s voice took on the familiar tone that he got when he was frustrated with Noah. “I don’t have to remind you what’s riding on this.” He dropped his voice lower. “If this has to do with—”

Noah cleared his throat. They both had differing views on how Noah should handle his past. Scott thought he should talk about it. Noah had decided that forgetting was the smartest move. There was no way he wanted to sit here and discuss his past. It was behind him. “Got it, Scott. I’ll get the info from her.”

“Remember what we discussed. If it comes down to it, the best way to sniff out James is to ask Sophia to marry—”

“I’m driving into a tunnel—I think I’m losing—”

Noah hung up and then grabbed the steering wheel with both hands. Frustration coursed through his veins. That was Scott’s solution. Pretend to marry Sophia in the hopes that her father would reach out to her.

But there was no way he could do that—not to her.

Desperate to get away from the pressure he felt bearing down on him, he started the engine and drove down the road. He’d find some backstreets and travel down memory lane.

When Sophia was done with work, he’d visit her. He needed to buy himself some time to come up with a better plan. Something that didn’t end with him breaking her heart. Again.

Noah sat outside the Rusty Barrel, listening to the muffled music coming from inside. He stared out the windshield at the familiar red siding and dark-brown doors. The window boxes exploded with flowers—just as he remembered.

He would spend every weekend here with Sophia. The Rusty Barrel had the best fish’n chips he’d ever had, plus, it was owned by Jazzy, Sophia’s aunt. Jazzy always had a soft spot for him. He was hoping to have her on his side when he approached Sophia again.

Noah wasn’t sure if Sophia was in there, but he was banking on her following her routine. She was a creature of habit. Which he understood. Growing up in chaos would do that to a person. Sophia always gravitated toward things that made sense to her—things that kept her safe.

Which, in their past, had not been Noah.

He gripped the steering wheel as he thought back to their relationship and the idiotic decisions he’d made. He’d let her down in so many ways that it was almost laughable that he thought he could gain her trust again. And to convince her to marry him? A joke.

He blew out his breath, gathered his courage, and opened the driver’s door. He needed to stop letting his head mess up his resolve and get this over with.

His boots crunched on the gravel The sun had disappeared below the horizon, and the stars were sparkling above him. Rockport was a beautiful town. But it never felt like home to him like it did to Sophia. When he had floated the idea of leaving, she would always shut him down by telling him that this was where she belonged.

Then she would ask why he didn’t feel the same.

He squeezed his hand into a fist as the reason flooded his mind. This town held too many bitter memories. Especially for those who grew up on the other side of the tracks. No one took too kindly to the delinquent from the trailer court.

Sure, Sophia didn’t have a dad, growing up, but that was better than what he had.

A drunk, abusive father was worse than a no-show. And he’d run through everyone in town, either using them for money or booze.

Noah muscled down the frustration that he felt every time he thought about his dad. A loser like that didn’t deserve his time or energy. When he passed a few years ago, Noah didn’t even bother to come to the funeral. Why should he? His past was best left in the rearview mirror.

When Noah got to the door, he pulled it open with a little too much gusto. He took another deep breath. He needed to cool down. Keep a level head as he approached Sophia again.

There was a petite girl standing at the greeter’s podium as he approached.

“Welcome to the Rusty Barrel. How many?” she asked.

Noah parted his lips but didn’t have a chance to answer. Instead, a familiar voice called from the bar. “Well, I’ll be,” Jazzy said.

Noah felt the stress leave his body as a smile played on his lips. He turned, and when his gaze met her dark brown eyes, his smile widened.

“Soph told me that she saw you, and I called her a liar, but here you are.” Jazzy stepped out from behind the bar and approached him. “Honey, I got this,” she said, as she passed by the hostess.

When she got to him, she wrapped him up in a huge hug. Noah marveled at how small she felt in his arms. She’d always been such a strong person, but he could see the years had aged her tiny frame.

“Hey, Jazz,” he said.

She pulled back. “Why has it taken this long for you to come back? This is your home.”

An uncomfortable feeling brewed in his stomach. He couldn’t get attached. He would leave these people when he got what he came for. Once he had Sophia’s dad, he was out of here.

“I’ve been busy,” he said. He let her go and forced a carefree smile.

She tsked. “That’s not an excuse, young man.”

A group came through the door, so Noah and Jazzy stepped toward the back hallway.

“How was the reunion?” she asked, glancing up at him. She didn’t have to say with who.

He shrugged, hoping to mask his emotions. “Not good. She still hates me.”

Jazzy waved away his comment. “Hate is such a strong word. She’s just a little broken right now.” She turned so she could eye him. “You know that Becky—her mom, and Benny passed away.”

He knew. He’d read it when he was getting briefed on the case. Seeing that had just about broken his heart. Thinking of Sophia all alone.

He faked surprise. “What? Really? When?”

Jazzy told him about the icy roads and the accident. Once she was done, she leaned in and studied him. “But I don’t believe it was an accident. Strange things were always happening around Becky, and this wasn’t anything different.”

He knew what she was talking about. Having a crook for a husband had a tendency to bring around a lot of questionable people. Jazzy had every right to believe that there had been foul play because there probably had been. Just nothing that anyone could prove.

He nodded. “Yeah. It always felt that way, huh?”

Jazzy sighed. “Poor, Sophia.” Then she zeroed in on him. “You’re not here just to leave her again, are you? I swear, that girl can’t go through another heartbreak.”

It was as if Jazzy had just sucker punched him to the gut. That was exactly why he was here. This was his job. Besides, bad things happened when he cared for someone. The only way to keep Sophia safe was to stay as emotionally far away from her as he could.

Movement behind Jazzy drew his attention up, and his breath caught in his throat. Sophia had emerged from the back room, tying a black half apron around her waist, her long black curls accentuating her fair skin.

He hesitated, enjoying just watching her. She hadn’t noticed him standing there. Her features were soft, and for a moment, he could almost remember what it was like to touch her.

When she lifted her head and met his gaze, he turned his focus to Jazzy. He hated that his body heated under her stare, like she was burning holes into his skin.

Why did she have to look so beautiful? Even in his wildest dreams, he hadn’t pictured her as she was right now, standing in front of him and glaring in his direction.

“What are you doing here?” she asked as she folded her arms.

“Sophia,” Jazzy said in the commanding voice she’d used when she would find the two of them out back, making out.

“What? He shows up at my work and now here?” Sophia waved her hands in his direction.

Noah glanced at her, braving her wrath. Even though every part of him wanted to pass by her and walk out the door, he knew he couldn’t do that. Too many people could get hurt if he failed.

All he needed to do was gain access to James, and then he’d leave. Sophia would remain intact, and they would finally put a very bad man behind bars. Everyone would win.

So he summoned all the courage he could and forced a smile. “I need to talk to you,” he said, hoping he looked repentant.

Sophia studied him for a moment but then turned and walked away.

As he watched her retreat he sighed. This was going to be harder than he thought. And that was saying something, because he’d assumed that there was no way on this planet she would help him.

Jazzy had a sorrowful expression on her face. “I’ll talk to her. Go find a booth.” She waved toward the dining room before heading after Sophia.