When he heard the tender’s engine roar away, Nate stuck his head up from re-attaching the new battery to watch her go.

It hurt like hell that she could end their relationship so easily. But maybe it had been a lucky escape. If the pain was bad now, it would only have got worse later. This was exactly why he hadn’t wanted to get close to anyone.

Only as he watched the coastguard vessel slow to let her come alongside, he didn’t feel lucky. He felt miserable. The last couple of days had been so spectacular he’d let himself be lulled into a false sense of security, thinking maybe it would be okay. He should have known better.

The crew pulled Suzie on board. After a short conversation, one of them got in their own tender and starting towing their one back to him. What had she told them? Would the young man in the boat think Suzie was desperate to get away from him because he’d done something awful?

He steeled himself as the man got close enough to pass him the tender, but the man just gave him a nod. “We’re going to drop her at Denarau,” he said. “We’re not usually a taxi service, but we’re heading there anyway.”

“Thanks.” Nate wasn’t thanking him for taking Suzie away, but for letting him know she was going to be okay. And for not treating Nate with the suspicion that Nate would have no doubt felt if their positions were reversed.

Suzie had disappeared from sight on the coastguard vessel, and he had a sudden urge to ask the guy to bring her back. Or to go over there himself, so he could convince Suzie to get back on board with him.

If Suzie came back, he could tell her that the last couple of days had changed him. He felt like they’d been discovering something wonderful. In spite of the way she’d left, he already knew he was going to miss Suzie like crazy.

He’d fallen for her. Head over heels. He had to be, for it to hurt so badly. So what now?

Nate glanced towards the dashboard. Maybe he hadn’t managed to bypass all the blown circuits. If he convinced Suzie to come back on board but couldn’t get the engine started, she’d never forgive him.

He raised a hand in farewell as the man turned back toward the coastguard vessel. Better she stayed where she was if it meant she was guaranteed to catch her plane. Besides, heading to Port Denarau on his own would give him the thinking time he needed. Time to decide if opening himself up to someone who could inflict this kind of pain on him had been the worst idea ever. To wonder whether it was possible to evict her from his heart. Could he cut his losses and run?

And without Suzie on board, he had time to run his tests properly and be sure his software was going to work. Yeah, this way was best.

Still, he waited at the rail, watching until the coastguard boat was out of sight. Half hoping it would turn around and come back, that Suzie would jump back on board, her blue eyes flashing as she berated him.

It wasn’t until the boat had disappeared in the distance that Nate turned back to the battery. Ah, he saw where he’d gone wrong. He’d been in too much of a hurry. Once he wired it properly, the engine would start. At least, that’s what he hoped.

Nate did the work, then held his breath as he turned the ignition key to the starting position. The ignition light came on, so at least the new battery was working and the engine had power. He turned the key all the way and the engine coughed, then caught. The roar cut through the silence, shattering the serene beauty of his surroundings. Nate sighed. He should feel overjoyed it had started. Instead there was an empty place in his heart.

“See, Suzie?” he said aloud. “If you’d trusted me, I would have got you there.”

But she hadn’t trusted him. No, Suzie had jumped ship the first chance she’d got. She’d left without giving him a serious chance.

Every time Nate had loved someone, it had damn near destroyed him. First his mother. Then Yasmina. Worst of all had been the endless years he’d spent waiting for Harrison to kill himself. And still, like a fool, he’d opened his heart up to Suzie. What had he been thinking?

She’d got him so turned around, he didn’t know what the hell he wanted anymore. No regrets? That was a joke. If he could wipe the last few days out of his memory and go back to the way he was, he’d do it in a heartbeat. Anything was better than this.

Instead of using the electric winch, Nate lifted the anchor by hand. He wanted to sweat and strain and forget about Suzie. His software was what mattered. He’d prove it worked, go back to New York, and throw himself into creating something special.

Nate secured the anchor, then went to the steering wheel and put the engine in gear. As he motored away from the rocks, he had to force himself to keep looking forward, and not glance back at the place he was leaving behind forever.