Jake sat with Courtney and Grams at the dining table sipping sweet tea and half-listening Courtney relay her idea for Austin and Serena's birthday party.

The week was almost up. He got through five days in relatively close quarters with Serena at Austin's store. She'd been covered in paint, while he'd been drenched in her laugh. In the past. Next week would be a welcomed change, as he would be able to go back to his carpentry projects when Austin reopened on Monday.

It ...