She nodded. “Where do you work?” She figured he’d say something like training guide dogs to help blind war veterans or running summer camps for youth services.

“Market Basket,” he said. “Mostly on checkout. And I’m training to be an assistant manager.” This revelation didn’t add a milligram to the scale on which Alexa had been weighing Cam’s cachet, but he looked so proud that she squeezed out this: “My mom loves Market Basket. She almost never goes to Shaw’s.” And even though she would like nothing more than to repair to the guest room and sink once again into those glorious sheets, under that cloud of a comforter, she said, “I don’t want to make you late.” She pointed at her St. Michael’s spirit wear and said, “Um, I can change back into my dress now and give you this . . .”

“Don’t worry about it,” Cam said. “I have plenty. You can get it to me another time. I grabbed your dress for you.” He handed her a CVS bag with her dress folded neatly inside. Her flip-flops she found in the massive mudroom. Cam swung open the door from the mudroom to the outside. There was a minivan in the driveway. “Your chariot, my lady,” he said, bowing and making a sweeping gesture with his hand that should have been completely awkward but was somehow sort of charming.

She could probably have him if she wanted him, this egg-savvy, golfing, guestroom-offering Catholic boy with the nice brown eyes and the promising biceps. She could take him from Shelby McIntyre in a millisecond, in a heartbeat. It wouldn’t require more than a toss of her hair, a few strategic texts and one sunset beach picnic. But, there were other considerations. There was Tyler. There were her two jobs. There was the fact that Alexa had attracted the interest of many, many different kinds of boys since the year she turned fourteen but had never dated a golfer.

The air was wet and pulpy with humidity. In the yard across the street a kid of six or so was kicking around a soccer ball, and another kid was zipping down the street on a scooter. It was summer, obviously. But in a funny way it felt like it was Christmas morning and Cameron Hartwell was a present Alexa hadn’t yet unwrapped.

Before she got into the minivan she marched up to Cam, placed a hand on each of his cheeks, and kissed him.

10.

Sherri