Sloane had only stood her ground behind that bar and managed to keep her tears in because of the soothing voices of Emma and Santana at her sides. Calm, smooth, strong voices that had threatened violence and extreme bodily harm to Derrick all the way up until Brady had come back inside.

The mortification had gone bone-deep as the bartender had walked past Sloane without one glance her way.

But then something amazing had happened.

Brady Knox had gone from being a somewhat-surly bartender with a grin that excited to a humble man wearing glitter and filled with compassion.

He’d gone from Sloane’s pretend boyfriend to one she wished was real.

It was a startling revelation and one that had her giggle when she told the man good night at close. Even Callum was Team Brady on the drive home.

“You two are good for each other. I really like him, Sloane,” he’d said. “I’m going to have to start going to the bar more now.”

Sloane had ridden that giddy mood all the way through sleep and was still riding dirty with it as the clock hit ten. It was only getting better, since that meant Brady would be showing up soon. They had a date to get Roger Norman’s boat, haul it back to the house, and come up with a game plan for decorating it.

“It’s not a date date,” Sloane had to remind herself, side-eyeing the current House Hunters couple, who were bickering over mudrooms.

But you want it to be.

A low rumble of thunder sounded outside. Sloane shook her head. Just because Brady had become a hero to her in a weird time—okay, times—of need didn’t mean he was anywhere near feeling what she was. They had made an arrangement. One that ended when she went back to Nashville and started her new life.

But you could still have fun while you’re here.

Sloane gathered up the outfits and walked back to her room. She mentally swatted at the devil on her shoulder. The angel had been suspiciously absent since she’d made the blog public.

Rude.

The doorbell rang soon after, and, devil or not, Sloane’s adrenaline spiked. She ran a hand through her hair, patted down the only summer dress she’d packed, and was pinching at her cheeks like they weren’t going to go red the moment she saw him. Why was she so nervous all of a sudden?

Because now you know that you want him.

“Play it cool, Sloane,” she said, talking out loud to herself again. “Play it cool.”

She did not, in fact, play it cool.

“Hi there, Brady,” she all but yelled the moment the front door was open. She even threw in a wave.

Thankfully, he was staring down at his phone.