But she didn’t fall for a long, long time.

A few days later, Summer sat behind the counter of Creative Interiors on the computer. She’d finally entered in everything since Braden had left, and had managed to figure out how to download the receivables and payables to the general ledger.

Camille came in and offered her iced tea. It was delicious, as always. “Kava?”

“Hmmm,” Camille said.

Summer narrowed her eyes. “Isn’t that a fix for a broken heart?”

“It’s for a lot of things.”

“Mom, if you want Kenny, why don’t you just go out with him?”

“Honey, some things are just complicated.”

Tell me about it. “He’s a good man.”

Camille pretended not to hear as she glanced at her watch. “Oh, would you look at the time,” she murmured.

Summer sighed, and drank her tea for broken hearts. Eventually the fire would be solved and she’d be long gone. In fact, she could have left by now. Most of the fire-related paperwork had been done, the rest was now up to the ongoing investigation by MAST and the insurance company.

The truth was she wasn’t ready to go. She wasn’t ready to give up this burgeoning relationship with her family.

And she sure as hell wasn’t ready to give up whatever it was she was doing every night with Joe.

She hit ENTER and sent the receivables and payables on their way to the general ledger. The receivables were immediately kicked back with a blinking warning message. They couldn’t be sent until they were in balance.

Huh?

She checked her work, but everything looked right. She’d entered the deposits from the cash register’s receipt report. She knew that Braden had entered the receivables after the fact, from the receipt brought back from the bank deposit. He’d gotten that routine from Camille and/or Tina, who’d done the same before Braden’s hire. But it shouldn’t have made a difference, the numbers should be the same.

She checked her work and hit ENTER again, and again was rejected. Damn it, she missed Braden. He’d always made this look so effortless. She glanced at Chloe, who was sweeping the wood floors. She still had her green-tipped hair and matching vivid green eye shadow, but she wore a rather sedate cargo skirt in khaki with a white T-shirt, and for two weeks hadn’t said a single sarcastic thing.

“You miss Braden too,” Summer said.

Chloe kept on sweeping, not missing a beat.

“Or…you’re not missing him at all because you’re still seeing him.” She caught the flash of guilt in Chloe’s expression. “On the sly. Oh my God, you are.”

“I don’t do anything on the sly.” Chloe stopped sweeping and leaned on the broom. “Okay, fine, Sherlock. I’m seeing him. It’s not that difficult. He’s working at Ally’s.”

“Ally the Loon Ally?”