Then Summer Came Read online

  “Well maybe I can meet him when exams are over and I can actually have a life again.”

  I laughed. “You might be able to meet him tonight if you come over,” I wagered. “I am so bored. I have tons of work to do, but I’m just not feeling it.”

  “Wish I could—oh, gotta go. Erika is here to study.”

  “K…” It was sad sounding, but I was just so tired of being bored.

  My grandmother called to talk to me about the wedding. I tried to sound as chipper as possible; she was excited for me, and I just didn’t have the heart to tell her we had all but postponed it.

  “I bought you the most gorgeous garter,” she chimed. “I hope you don’t already have one.”

  “I don’t. I can’t wait to see it. I’ll come over soon, Grandma.”

  She lived in Roseville, and I rarely got to visit her, but Mom and I usually tried to make it up there once or twice a month.

  I didn’t realize it had gotten so late. Beck had been gone since I’d gotten out of the shower and I pretty much just had a lazy day, loafing around Derek’s apartment.

  I danced into the living room—because, like any other woman, I liked to dance when no one was around—and I fell back onto the sofa. It only took a few minutes of channel surfing before I decided there was nothing on. I flipped on the Apple TV and bought a new romantic flick that I’d been dying to see, and I settled into the cushions.

  About an hour into the movie—you know, the most angsty, romantic part—the front door flung open. I jumped, startled, and smeared my tears away quickly.

  “Aww, you don’t have to hide your tears from me, sappy,” Beck snickered.

  “Ugh, I knew I should’ve watched this in Derek’s room.”

  He came around to get a good look at my sob fest. “So you knew you were gonna cry?”

  “I knew I might,” I sniffled.

  “I don’t know why. You knew what was gonna happen.”

  I used the collar of my shirt to wipe my damp cheeks. “No I didn’t,” I argued. “I’ve never seen this movie.”

  “Sure you did. They’re all the same,” he interrupted, plopping down beside me. “Let me take a shot.” He leaned over and stroked his chin, and his eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the scene. “Okay, so Mary Sue’s in love with Plaid Shirt Dude here.” He pointed at the lead female who was eyeing the lead male on the screen. “And she thinks he’s into Cliché Hot Chick over there, but really he wants Mary Sue.” He looked over at me from the corner of his eye and then continued. “So, they play games for a little while, and then cowboy here decides to make a move on Mary Sue, and just when she thinks she’s got him: Bam! He kisses Cliché Hot Chick and, of course, Mary catches it out of context. Then the schmuck explains himself and kisses away her tears and viola: love!” He dusted his hands off. “I just saved you two hours.” He laughed and patted my leg as he got to his feet.

  “Oh, thank you!” I patronized him.

  “Seriously, is this what you do with your free time?” he asked.

  I rolled my eyes and went back to watching.

  “Come on! Let’s do something that’s…not this.” He waved his hand over my chick-flick session.

  “Nah,” I turned my lip up. “I’m gonna watch this.”

  “Alright,” he sighed. “If you say so. Can I watch, too?”

  I whipped my head around at him. “Seriously?” I questioned him.

  “What?” He raised his brows at me, his eyes wide. “I’m into it now! I have to know if Mary gets her man.”

  It was weird watching a romantic movie with Beck. Derek never watched with me, so I could cry shamelessly, but I felt a little embarrassed crying so hard in front of someone at such a predictable movie—as he’d pointed out.

  “Uh! No way!” he slapped his hands down on his knees as the last scene faded into the credits. “I can’t believe Mary Sue and Plaid Shirt Guy ended up together. That was such a surprise! Who’d have thought?”

  I just blinked at him from the corner of my eyes, a gravely straight face, until he played up his surprised-and-shocked-valley-girl voice some more. Then I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

  Chapter Six

  “Derek?” I answered my phone hastily, realizing it’d rang several times before I’d actually heard it.

  “Hey, sweetheart.” My heart fluttered as his sexy tone flooded my ears.

  I dropped the stack of papers I’d been organizing onto the desk and motioned for Gina to pick up where I’d left off with them; Derek came first in my life. I’d drop anything for two seconds on the phone with him, just to hear his voice.

  “Hey, did we have plans tonight?”

  I hesitated at the nervousness that tickled his question. “N-no. We didn’t, why?”

  “Oh, great,” he sighed, relieved. “I was about to feel horrible when I had to cancel. We’ve gotten a bid that I have to tend to, and I have to ride down to San Diego. I’m leaving in an hour.”

  “Oh, okay. No, no plans.” It was a lie. We’d totally made plans earlier that week. I just didn’t want to make him feel bad. I hated that I never got to see him, but I wasn’t sure it’d make me feel very good if I messed something up at his job.

  “Alright, babe, I’ll call you later,” he chimed.

  I hung up feeling a little bitter, but I suppressed it. I was the one who told him we didn’t have plans…

  I headed back to Gina’s office and she caught me up on sales, and then I finished the paperwork that needed my attention. Gina came in and out with fresh coffee and scones as I filed, typed, calculated, and signed until my hand cramped. I hadn’t even started on the paperwork and contracts for the buyers, and it was already past midnight. Gina took a latte run and came back with Mallory and Angie, my other assistants, which was amazing because I needed all the help I could find to get caught up.

  The next thing I knew, I was waking up in the beanbag chair I’d passed out in. I usually curled up in it on long nights so I’d be comfy and could finish my work quicker, but it was counterproductive because it was too comfortable, and I always just fell asleep in it. Luckily, I’d managed to finish everything before I’d clonked out.

  My eyes found the window, and I the sun was up. I’d slept all night. I slithered out from under the jacket that Gina had probably thrown over me, and I ran down the hall, barefoot, to my office. I spotted my Converse by the window and I slipped my feet into their comfy soles. It was definitely a sneaker day.

  I cleared out a little more work before I headed for the elevator to go home.

  

  I closed the door and walked back to Derek’s room. I heard my piano in the back room as I pulled off my blouse and pulled on one of Derek’s t-shirts—more comfort to match my jeans and sneakers.

  A light, jazzy tune filled the apartment. It took a few seconds but I recognized the James Morrison tune. Then I heard Beck’s voice singing the second verse to “I Won’t Let You Go”.

  I quietly walked down the hall toward the back bedroom where the piano was. I peeked around the door and watched as Beck’s fingers slid across the keyboard expertly, while he growled out the chorus. He was actually really good, and he was also really into it. I couldn’t help but smile. It was so strange to see him that way. I watched from the doorway as he played the song flawlessly, hitting every note, and I couldn’t keep the smile off my face. He stumbled over a lyric and I tried not to laugh, but I was not successful and Beck looked over at me the second I did. His fingers slowed and then stopped, and he blinked at me vacantly.

  “My bad,” he said. “I didn’t know you were here.” He didn’t look embarrassed, just interrupted.

  “No, no,” I shook my head abruptly. “It’s fine. You’re really good.”

  He chuckled. “Well, that’s true,” he said, smiling.

  I walked into the room toward him. “I love that song,” I said.

  “You know James Morrison?” He sounded staggered.

  I smiled, remembering the first time
I’d discovered James Morrison’s “Better Man”.

  “Of course!” I said like he was crazy for thinking someone wouldn’t know James Morrison.

  “It’s just surprising. I found him when I was visiting in Australia, and when I came back no one knew who the hell I was talking about. He’s gruesomely underrated.”

  “Well, I think he’s amazing. Scoot,” I said and motioned for him to move over.

  I wiggled onto the bench beside him and situated my fingers onto the keys. I tapped the keys—just a warm up—and then mashed out the slow opening of “Better Man”—easily my all-time favorite song. I hadn’t played in months, but my fingers hugged the keys like they’d played every-single-day for years.

  He nodded as I sang the first verse and chorus, and then he joined in on the second verse. Our harmony wasn’t half bad. I stared over at him from the corners of my eyes as we sang. He seemed to be lost in the song. His eyes closed as he sang the song like he’d wrote it. It was mesmerizing and I couldn’t help but stare. He slid his fingers in next to mine and played with me.

  His eyes finally opened as the song was winding down, and he smiled at me.

  I finished the last few keys of the song and he started to laugh. “You’re really good, Auburn. I didn’t expect you to have such a raspy, jazz tone.”

  “Thanks,” I said staring down at the keys. “You sounded really good, too. I never expected to walk in to you singing and playing my piano.”

  “You were out all night, so I didn’t expect you here so early. I love music, and I saw it and wanted to play. I haven’t written anything in weeks, so I was just messing around.”

  I smiled and my eyes fell on his tattoo. “Is that what this tattoo is? Your own lyrics?” I asked, not recognizing the words.

  “Yeah,” he said looking down at my finger on his arm. “It’s just some stuff I wrote. Some of my favorites.”

  I pulled my fingers away and clasped my hands in my lap, and he smiled over at me. It was hard to look away from him. Derek and I used to have perfect moments like that, where we’d play together or go dancing, and now Beck was there doing those things with me. My eyes swept across his face, stopping only momentarily to appreciate his perfect features, and I suddenly missed Derek so much that my neck was hot.

  Beck swallowed hard, and his gaze became intense. I couldn’t make myself look away from him. He was staring at me the same way Derek used to, and I longed for Derek to be there with me. It’d felt like forever since I’d actually seen him. That five minutes at the show just wasn’t enough.

  Beck’s eyes were warm and inviting. He lifted his hand, and I shuddered when his fingers touched my chest, just below my neck, sending violent shockwaves through my body.

  “Is this my mom’s necklace?” he asked, staring at the silver charm between his fingers.

  “Hu?” I blinked dazed. I looked down and saw the heart pendant Derek had given me right after he’d asked me to marry him resting between Beck’s fingers. “Oh,” I said, looking back at him. “Yeah, Derek gave it to me.”

  He swallowed loudly. “I remember it…it looks nice on you.” His voice was husky and it made my mouth run dry.

  I tried to say “thanks” but my voice cracked.

  He dropped the pendant, and his fingers drug across my chest as he pulled them away. I realized I’d been holding my breath, and my shoulders fell as I exhaled the stale air in my lungs.

  Beck’s eyes fluttered, and I saw his tongue slide subtly along his bottom lip, and I watched his mouth as it slowly came closer to mine. I swallowed and felt the desire surge through me at the thought of his kiss.

  “Lis?” I hadn’t even heard Derek come in.

  Beck pulled away, and we both turned as Derek appeared in the doorway. I jumped off the bench and ran into his arms. He hugged me as tightly as I hugged him and pulled my lips to his.

  “I missed you so much,” I said against his lips as I kissed him harder, with all of the desire that was coursing through me.

  He pulled me in closer to him and I ran my hands over every inch of him from the waist up. His tongue slid against mine, and I got lost in him until Beck spoke up behind me. “Hey man.”

  Derek kissed me for a half second longer and then pulled away and said hello to his brother. I clung close to him as they exchanged niceties, and then I stood on my tiptoes to kiss him again. It’d been far too long since I’d seen him, and I wanted to touch and kiss him. He could talk to Beck later.

  “Were you guys playing?”

  “Hu? Oh, yeah,” I stuttered, looking over at Beck who was much cooler.

  “Yeah, she knows some James Morrison,” he added calmly, patting his brother on the arm. “She caught me playing.”

  Derek laughed and pulled me into his side. I waited for them to finish talking and I pulled him out into the hallway. I didn’t feel comfortable with Beck watching us.

  “I had a second so I wanted to come see you before I left.”

  “Oh, where are you going?”

  “I have to catch a flight to Houston in a few minutes. The bid from San Diego was bought out. So, we’re conferencing in Houston.” He smiled down at me, his fingers tracing my lips. “I’m gonna miss you, Lis.”

  I pulled his face back to mine and moaned into his mouth as I kissed him again.

  He sighed back into mine. “I love you,” he whispered, and I said it back in between kisses.

  “Can’t you just stay tonight? You can catch another flight in the morning.”

  “No, I have to close this deal tonight.” His hands slid under my hair and around my neck. “But I’ll be back in a few days and you can have me all to yourself then.”

  I tried to forget that he was leaving in a few seconds, and I just melted into him, forgetting the world.

  He finally pushed me back, a satisfied grin on his lips, and told me goodbye as he headed out. I noticed Olivia waiting outside when he opened the door, and I waved at her to be polite. She smiled shyly and fell in behind Derek as the door closed back.

  I heard some shuffling behind me and I turned to see what Beck was doing. He was cramming his duffel bag with clothes, towels, and his weights.

  “What’s up?” he asked when he caught me staring.

  “Hu? Oh, nothing.” I smiled.

  He threw the bag over his shoulder and grabbed his water bottle.

  “Hey,” I blurted before he made it to the door.

  He turned, gripping the bag, eyeing me.

  “I still have those tickets…if you wanna go see that game.”

  He blinked for a minute and then looked over at the clock next to the TV. “What time’s it start?”

  “Seven.”

  “Yeah,” he nodded, dropping the heavy bag, “I think we can make it. I’m gonna go change. I’ll bring the jerseys and the foam fingers, unless…you just want to do the shirtless, body paint thing?”

  I shook my head at him. “No,” I said dryly, “I think jerseys will be just fine.”

  Beck had decked us both out in rally gear. He’d brought me a jersey—his favorite player’s number—a foam finger, a hat, and some face paint. “You gotta look the part of a fan, Auburn!” he shouted as he smeared the blue paint across my cheek bones. “Else, you’re gonna get pummeled!”

  I had never had so much fun at a hockey game. Beck was loud and passionate about the sport. I liked hockey, but I didn’t know too much about it, just a few rules and a few teams. I just liked to watch the games. But Beck, he knew everything there was to know.

  I was far more entertained by his enthusiasm than I was the actual game.

  “Mik,” Beck shouted. Mik was a few rows down from us, sitting with a younger boy. He looked up and waved at Beck through the roaring fans. A few minutes later, he and the boy made their way up to where we were sitting.

  “Hey, man. Hey Lissa.” He one-arm-bro-hugged Beck and then looked to me. I stood and hugged him, too. He was so nice. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone nicer.

  He intro
duced us to his little brother, and they sat with us for the rest of the game.

  When the game was over we told Mik and his brother bye and headed back to the apartment. He ordered some food from a dinner he’d fallen in love with over those few months, and we ate and discussed the game for a second before we both headed off to our beds.

  

  The next few days went by quickly. I managed to catch everything up at the office and helped Gina prepare a new Fall Line.

  I hadn’t even heard from Derek, aside from the call to let me know he’d landed, and I missed him terribly. Luckily, work had kept me busy. Emily’s finals were getting scary close, and she had buckled down for a few days, so I was literally bored out of my mind.

  Somewhere Derek’s phone was flashing 758 Missed Calls From Lis, given that I had called him for over two hours.

  I was headed up to my apartment, so I stopped at Derek’s floor and ran in to search his desk for Walden’s phone number.

  “Walden Cunningham,” he answered in his annoyingly prestigious tone.

  “Walden, it’s Lissa. Can I speak with Derek?”

  “Ms. Auburn, Mr. Easton is in the middle of a conference—”

  “It’ll be two seconds, Walden!”

  He cleared his throat. “Mr. Easton, it’s Ms. Auburn, sir, I’m sorry.”

  I scoffed and rolled my eyes. No one should be apologizing. I hadn’t talked to him in a few days, and I wanted to hear his voice, to know that he was alright, and everything was okay. He should’ve already called me, but I was willing to forget that if he’d just talk to me.

  “Lis, babe, I can’t talk.” His voice was almost a whisper, but a sharp whisper.

  “I know. I’m sorry. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay.”

  “Everything is fine, but I have to go, okay?”

  “Derek, it’s five damn seconds. It’ll be okay. Can you come home tomorrow? I really want to see you—”

  “Lissa,” he almost snapped. “This is important and five seconds can make all the difference. I can’t believe you’re doing this. I have to go.” And with that, he hung the phone up.