There’s a welcoming committee waiting for me just inside the entrance to Clancy’s. Erin, Mack, and a half-dozen other employees greet me at the door with warm cheers.

Mack greets Miguel with a handshake – those two obviously already know each other. Then I introduce Miguel to the others and explain that he’ll be with us for a while… until Sam comes back to work.

Erin hands me a small bouquet of white daisies and gives me a hug, careful of my arm brace. “Thank God you’re back. These were the longest two days of my life. Not only did you scare me to death, but you left me in charge. Please don’t ever leave me in charge again.”

“Erin, I’m sure you did just fine without me.”

Mack pats Erin on the back. “Erin did a great job, Beth. Don’t let her fool you.”

After accepting everyone’s well wishes and giving them a brief update on Sam’s condition, I head upstairs to my office, accompanied by Erin and Miguel.

“So, how did it go while I was gone?” I ask Erin, once we’re safely inside my office and away from prying ears. Miguel leaves us for a moment to check out the administrative offices.

“Well, the place didn’t burn down,” Erin says, “so I guess that’s good.”

“I didn’t mean the store, Erin. I meant with Mack. Anything new?”

Erin rolls her eyes at me. “Give me a break. Of course not. He treats me like I’m a child.”

“Obviously you’re not. I still think you should take the bull by the horn, so to speak. Ask him out. Don’t wait for him to make a move. You do it.”

Erin’s sweet round face flushes three shades of pink. “Oh, my God, I couldn’t do that.”

“Why not?”

She makes a duh face at me. “What if he says no?”

I make the same face right back at her. “What if he says yes?”

She looks at me like I’m insane.

“How about at the wedding reception?” I say. “You could ask him to dance.”

She ponders the idea for a moment. “I suppose I could do that.”

“Of course you could.”

Our conversation is derailed by a knock at the door.

“Come in,” I say.

The door opens, and Mack pops his head inside my office. “I’m just going to borrow Miguel for a few minutes, if you don’t mind,” he says. “I want to introduce him to the store’s security personnel and give him a tour of the control room.”

“Sure, go right ahead.”

Mack closes the door behind him, and Erin practically faints on the sofa. “Ugh, I hate this!” she says, smacking her hands on the sofa cushions. “I can’t stop thinking about him, and he doesn’t even know I exist.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” I tell her. “I’ve seen how he looks at you when he thinks no one’s watching. You are definitely on his radar screen.”

“When he does pay me attention, he treats me like I’m his kid sister.”

I laugh. “Well, you’re not a kid, and you’re certainly not his sister. You just need to make him realize that.”

* * *

Apparently, they don’t need me around here, because the store ran perfectly smoothly the past day and a half while I was out. There were no problems, no disasters, no fires to put out.

“You’re amazing,” I tell Erin, as she heads toward the door. “Thank you.”

She gives me a fake scowl. “Don’t leave me in charge again. It was stressful.”

After Erin leaves, I check my e-mail inbox and answer some questions. I glance at the empty window seat where Sam likes to sit and play games on his phone, and I feel a pang of sadness. I miss him. It feels weird being at Clancy’s without Sam. And I feel guilty that he’s in the hospital to begin with. No matter what Shane says, it’s my fault he got hurt.

I don’t want to sit here and worry, so I head out of my office. Miguel intercepts me in the administrative suite and follows me downstairs.

“This place is pretty impressive,” he says, looking over the balcony railing at the crowded sales floor below.

“Well, I can’t take any credit for that. It was impressive to begin with. I just inherited it from the previous owner and am doing my best to keep it running smoothly.”

Miguel and I head downstairs, and I start making my rounds through the various departments, doing my usual thing, straightening displays, chatting with employees, greeting customers.

Shane calls me mid-morning with an update on Sam – he’s making progress. The swelling in his skull has diminished and his head feels a lot better. At lunchtime, Erin, Miguel, and I eat in the cafe. I’m a little tired, and I don’t feel like going out.

I’m glad when the day’s over and I can head home. Miguel comes upstairs with me to the penthouse and hangs out with me until Shane arrives home about a half hour later, bringing Chinese carry-out with him. We talk Miguel into staying for dinner, and the three of us sit on the sofa and eat while the guys watch part of a recorded basketball game.

I read for a while and trade text messages back and forth with Lia, who’s hanging out at the recording studio with Jonah while he lays down some new instrumental tracks on a song he’s writing.

Everything would be perfect if Cooper and Sam were here too. I am so looking forward to Sam getting released from the hospital and coming here to recuperate at our place.