“I’m not saying I’m doing this, but”—she pauses, focusing on making sure her tone sounds hypothetical and not confessional—“do you think I’d be a bad person if I told Malcolm how I feel even though Summer is here?”

Grace doesn’t answer immediately, face folding into a contemplative frown. “No. But that’s because you’re not a bad person, period. You’ve always cared about other people’s feelings too much for that. A bad person wouldn’t even have bothered to ask.”

Joy refuses to be the person Caroline thinks she is.

For one thing, her nerves and stomach can’t handle that kind of stress.

Deep down Joy always thought she never got along with Caroline because they never gave each other a chance. It doesn’t have to be that way with Summer.

If Malcolm did choose Joy, that didn’t mean Summer would disappear from his life. Malcolm’s friends always turn into her friends and vice versa anyway. Taking the time to get to know Summer, same as how she would with anyone else, wouldn’t hurt anything.

Grace continues, “That said, I really don’t think that’s something you should do or even be focusing on. Stop making your life revolve around him. You’re on vacation in a beautiful cabin with a beautiful room and lake. Act like it. Try to have a good time, okay?”

“Okay.”

“And send me lots of pictures. I want to see what Fox looks like.”

“Of course you do.” Joy laughs.

“I’ll tell you if he’s fine or if you should keep it moving.”

“I can tell if someone is attractive,” Joy says dryly.

“I didn’t say attractive. I said fine.” Grace raises an eyebrow and says in a singsong voice, “Meaning he’s our type.”

“Our.” Joy laughs again. Grace thinks she’s the blueprint for if Joy weren’t ace. If Grace is attracted to someone, that means Joy, in theory, would be too—probably once she got to know them. It’s a silly, harmless idea that always cracks Joy up because it completely disregards the fact that they’re almost total opposites personality-wise.

“If he is, I’ll get his number for you.” Joy scrunches her nose. “I wish you were here.”

“Well. That would take Malcolm inviting me and we both know how he feels about yours truly.”

“He loves you.”

“No, he loves you. I’m just your bio-doppelgänger who refuses to be ignored.”

Five

Back downstairs, Malcolm is still in the kitchen. Summer is sitting opposite him at the island countertop, in dry clothes with her wet hair pulled up into a bun. Her smile grows impossibly bigger when Joy walks in.

“Oh, Malcolm,” Summer says, leaning forward. “Can I borrow your car keys?”

“Why?” He leans on the counter too, matching her stance and playful smile.