“It’s my job.”

“You’re good at it.”

“Not good enough.” He slapped an open palm on the steering wheel in frustration, shook his head, and sped up.

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

It was somewhere near one in the morning by the time Summer watched Joe walk away. He’d taken her to his boat, waiting until she’d gotten into his bed and closed her eyes before he’d left. Though he’d told her he had to work, she still felt as if she’d pushed him out of his own home.

His bedroom was small and shaped like the top of a torpedo, with the bed against the curved wall, which was lined with high, narrow windows. He had a heavy blue comforter and soft matching sheets that smelled like him, which was to say incredible. She kept pressing her face into his pillow.

Pathetic.

Reaching for the phone, she called Chloe. She knew the call wouldn’t be welcome but she had to check on her after what she’d learned tonight about Braden.

Chloe answered her cell phone with a very breathless, annoyed “Yeah?”

“I just wanted to see how you’re doing,” Summer said.

“I’ve had three orgasms and I’m going for four, thanks for asking. Now don’t call back.”

“Chloe.”

Chloe sighed. “What?”

“I need to talk to you about Braden.”

“No.”

“Chloe—”

“Okay, stop. Stop right there. You always followed your gut and it got you the world. Now I’m going to do the same, only my world is right here lying next to me.”

“He has one foot out of that world, remember?”

“Hold on a sec.”

Summer heard her cover the phone and murmur something softly, and then Braden’s equally soft reply. After a moment, Chloe came back. “I sent him to the kitchen for whipped cream. So what is it? What aren’t you telling me?”

“Braden has a police record, and he’s using a different name from his last job.”

Chloe was quiet a moment. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. I’m sorry. God, I’m so sorry. Want me to come over?”

“I don’t need a babysitter. Look, whatever this stuff’s about, I believe in Braden. He’s a good guy, Summer.”

“I want to believe that too. I really do. Just…be careful.”

“Yeah. I will.” Chloe clicked off, sounding much more subdued than she had, and Summer hated that she’d been the one to cause it. She picked up her phone again to let her mom know where she was. She didn’t know if Camille would worry, but maybe it wasn’t about that so much as Summer just needing to connect.

But Camille didn’t answer her phone. Concerned, she called Tina’s house.

“Yes, she’s here,” Bill told her. “The two of them are in the hot tub singing show tunes over a bottle of old scotch.”