Kenny was handing her mother a flute of champagne. He wore khaki trousers and a crisp, white button-down. If he was armed, the gun was hidden. The tall, handsome fire marshal pushed up his glasses and smiled at Camille, who smiled back. An open, sweet smile.

Summer hadn’t seen many of those. Probably because she hadn’t been around to see them.

You always run.

Summer closed her eyes. “I really have to go.”

“He’s awfully handsome,” Tina said. “I think he’s attracted to her.”

Summer opened her eyes. Camille had put her hand on Kenny’s arm, leaning in to listen to him.

“She does seem happy,” Summer allowed.

“Yes.” Tina hugged Summer. “And darling, you being here is part of the reason.”

“Then why does she keep trying to get me to leave?”

“It’s what she expects from you.” Tina tugged lightly on a strand of Summer’s hair. “So prove her wrong. Now go on, go join the fray.” She nudged Summer forward to mingle. “And for God’s sake, smile!”

There had to be a hundred people here already. Surely that was against the code. In fact, Kenny should be kicking people out. Summer craned her neck to find him but he just kept talking to her mother…

Damn it. She tossed back her champagne and waited for the kick. Nothing but her chest tightening further. All around her was talking and laughter, and yet suddenly there wasn’t enough air for her lungs. Each new person sucked even more oxygen from the room. She knew that it was just in her head but that didn’t make it any less real. The walls continued to close in, until she couldn’t draw a full breath at all, but she was good at pretending nothing was wrong. She even managed to keep a smile on her face despite the line of sweat trickling down her spine as she pressed her back to a wall and wished for another drink.

Braden walked past her without a word, then stopped and turned back. “You okay?”

“I need a drink.”

He shot her an odd look but grabbed a flute of champagne from a tray and handed it over.

She gulped it down, but her throat remained parched. “Thanks.”

“Sure.” He wore his usual black, though his standard cynical smile was gone. “You might want to wait a few before your next one.”

“I already need another one.”

“Yeah.” He scrubbed a hand over his mouth and looked longingly at a tray of champagne. “I hear that.”

Madeline, and what looked like an entire gaggle of her friends, passed by giggling and teetering and smelling like cigarettes as they eyed the champagne. When she caught Summer watching her, she stuck out her tongue and moved on.

“So, is it being home again?” Braden asked. “Or the crowds?”

When Summer’s gaze whipped to his, he lifted a brow. “A shot in the dark.”