Free Cure for the Common Breakup by Beth Kendrick Page A

you.”
    â€œShe’ll take good care of you.” Alyssa gave Summer a quick little hug. “We told her the whole thing about Mimi Sinclair.”
    â€œYou did?”
    â€œWe did. You’re a legend!” Alyssa picked up her cell phone. “Wait till I tell Jenna and Hollis and Marla and Theo.”
    â€œNews travels fast around here.” Cori grinned at Summer’s stunned expression. “
Everyone
is going to want to meet you. How long are you staying, anyway?”
    Summer paused. “I’m not sure. A week, maybe? Two weeks?”
    â€œYou have to stay until you see the dog.”
    â€œWhat dog?” Summer asked. “Do you mean the bronze statue by the boardwalk? I’ve already seen that.”
    Cori shook her head. “The black dog.”
    Summer stared at them. “Like a Labrador? A poodle? A cocker spaniel? Give me a hint.”
    â€œThe black dog is what makes this town special.” Alyssa exchanged a look with Cori. “You’ll know it when you see it.”
    â€”
    â€œYou must be Summer, slayer of Mimi Sinclair.” A buxom redhead with a ponytail and a forties pinup-style black dress greeted Summer at the door of the Retail Therapy boutique. “I’m Beryl. Delighted to meet you.” She gave Summer’s wrinkled outfit a once-over. “So what can I help you find?”
    Summer shivered as her body adjusted to the arctic air-conditioning. “Something shapeless, soft, and ice-cream-stain resistant. A shroud made of Egyptian cotton and Teflon would be perfect.”
    Beryl turned on the heel of her cherry red sandals. “Oh, we don’t carry shrouds.”
    â€œOkay, then a muumuu. Whatever. I’m not picky.”
    Beryl’s smile never faltered as she led Summer toward the other side of the room. “Let’s start over here. I’ve organized the racks according to the stages of breakup recovery.”
    Summer raised an eyebrow. “What, like denial and anger and bargaining?”
    â€œMm-hmm.” Beryl’s ponytail bounced when she nodded. “You’re still in the grieving stage, so we’ll start here.”
    Summer tilted her head. “How do you know I’m in the grieving stage?”
    â€œHoney. You just asked for a stain-resistant shroud.” Beryl clicked her tongue. “When you’re ready, we have the ‘rage and revenge’ section over there, and then the ‘single and self-confident’ section over there.” Beryl flipped through the hangers, pulling out flowy, simple skirts and dresses. “Here, try this on. And this and this and this.” She loaded up Summer’s arms with garments in muted blues and greens. “But don’t buy too much—something tells me you’ll be moving out of the grieving stage and into the party girl stage with a quickness.”
    â€œThe party girl stage is my natural habitat,” Summer conceded. “But I’m through with that. Really, who has the energy?”
    â€œUh-huh.”
    â€œSeriously, men are repulsive to me right now.” Summer pursed her lips. “I’ve learned my lesson—I’m going to simplify my life and stay single.”
    â€œUh-huh.” Beryl rolled her eyes and steered her toward the dressing room. “I give you two weeks before you’re back in here, begging for shorter skirts and tighter tops.”
    Summer rerouted and headed for the cash register. “I don’t have the stamina to try any of this on. Just give me some pajama pants and a magical hoodie with a never-ending supply of wine and cigarettes in the pocket.”
    â€œHere you go.” Beryl handed her a featherweight navy sweater. “Wine and cigarettes not included.”
    â€œI’ll take it.” Summer slapped her credit card down on the counter. “Whatever you want to sell me. I can’t afford to be buying a new wardrobe right now, but it turns out that I