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CeCe laughed and brought the chair to a stop. “Her name is Alexis. I’ve been doing her hair for a while now and we’ve become friends.”

Christine raised her brows. “What have you told me about mixing business and pleasure?”

CeCe smiled. “Ryan does her hair now.”

Christine nodded. “I can tell that you like this woman.”

“I like a lot of women, Mom.”

“Don’t get smart with me. What are you holding back?”

CeCe sighed. “I do really like her, but she’s a doctor.”

“So?”

“I wonder if—”

“CeCe Sloan, don’t you dare tell me you’re not good enough for this woman or anyone else,” Christine said firmly.

CeCe smiled. “It’s not that, Mom. We come from different worlds.”

“CeCe, my sweet girl. Look at what you have done here,” Christine said, standing up and spreading her arms wide. “You own your own business, but even if you didn’t, are your worlds that different? Doesn’t she go to work every day just as you do?”

“Yeah, but she saves lives! She operates on people!”

“So do you! You provide a service just as she does.”

CeCe scoffed.

“It takes all kinds of people to make our world go around, honey. Why would you want to be with someone just like you?”

“I don’t.”

“Exactly, so what makes you think your doctor wants to be with someone like herself?”

CeCe smiled. She’d never thought about it like that. “Her name is Alexis. Would you like to see a picture?”

Christine smiled and nodded. CeCe took out her phone and pulled up a picture she had taken of the two of them with the lake in the background. They were both smiling and Alexis had turned to look at CeCe just as she’d snapped the photo.

Christine admired the picture and turned to CeCe. “It looks like you put the same kind of smile on her face that she puts on yours. That’s a good thing, honey.”

CeCe looked at the picture and smiled. She’d found herself looking at it several times since they returned from the lake.

“Walk me to the bookstore before your next client gets here,” Christine said, putting her arm in CeCe’s. “Maybe some weekend you’d like to cook hamburgers for me and your sisters. We could eat on your patio; you have such a lovely backyard. Perhaps Alexis would like to join us.”

“I’m not trying to scare her away, Mom.”

Christine laughed as they walked through the entrance to Your Next Great Read.

“Maybe you should be asking my little sister the same questions,” CeCe said.

Cat was in the reading nook at the side of the store having a conversation with a woman. Neither of them saw CeCe and Christine watching.

“I haven’t seen her smile like that at another woman since—”

“Don’t say her name. She’s finally left Cat alone and we do not need that heart-breaking ex-girlfriend of hers anywhere near this bookstore,” Christine said sternly.

CeCe waved at Cat and she quickly excused herself and joined them.