Page 54 of XOXO, Summer
I laugh and lean in conspiratorially. “I’ll talk to her.”
“Thanks, Summer.” Moving on past me, she looks Daniel up and down and then glances at me and whistles. With a completely non-covert nod toward him, she says, “If you’re looking for love, Summer, check him out.”
As if I don’t get this enough at home, now I’m subjected to it downtown.Sheesh.
Roman asks, “What does looking for love mean? I thought it just happened.Poof. Like you and Summer.”
My eyes fly to Daniel, a message of “oh shit” silently exchanged between the two of us. While I stand there with my mouth wide open, he plants a knee to the floor, facing his son. “Love can happen in an instant. Even without looking for it.” His eyes slide to mine before he looks at Roman again. “Summer and I aren’t in love.”
“But you kissed.”
Daniel stands and digs his wallet from his back pocket. Eyeing me, he says, “I can pay you back for the ice cream, but I think it’s best if I talk to him in private.”
“It’s on us,” I say, seeing the concern in his gaze.
Tucking it back in, he says, “Thanks.” He takes Roman’s hand and leads them outside with ice cream in their other hands.
I look to see if Winter was a witness, but she’s busy scooping ice cream for the ladies’ group. Slinking up to the counter, I say, “Put the ice cream on my tab, Winter.”
“You don’t have a tab,” she replies, cocking her eyebrow.
“In that case, thanks for the ice cream, sis.”
She’s already moved on to feed the crowd to bother with my antics. I walk outside and look in both directions. I find the two of them sitting on a bench in front of the marina two stores down from the Honey Hive.
I start to walk over to them, but stop. Should I? Is this time they need alone? Roman is eight, so it makes sense that things are black and white. But Daniel and I are stuck in the gray as we work through things. How do you explain that to a kid?
There’s probably not a way that will make sense to him.
Daniel sees me and waves me over. I go, but I’m much more cautious. The last thing I wanted was to confuse his son. We are moving fast, and love shouldn’t be a part of the equation, not at this stage. Doesn’t mean I’m not susceptible to the notion. I am, so easily. Maybe I’m the problem. I asked him to touch me last nightlike . . . like. . . likea puck bunny. Good Lord, I didn’t even know he was a hockey player.
My heart beats faster, telling me I’m lying to myself. I am. My heart knows good and well that the feelings developing are real.
I stop near the bench, taking tentative steps until Daniel says, “Come join us.”
Roman’s ice cream is almost gone, but Daniel’s is missing altogether. Guiding my way to the opening seat puts Roman in the middle of us. Daniel’s arm comes around the back of the bench, and he rubs my back before pulling back. “Roman and I were just talking about what love means.”
“I see.”
I’m not sure I have a right to feel awkward. It was an innocent assumption on his part. Daniel saying we’re not in love doesn’t hurt me. It’s the truth, even if feelings are simmering under the surface. But I still do. I hate to put the burden on Daniel to explain our relationship, which happened faster than a runner setting a new world record.
Roman looks up at me. “Like turns into love. Friends can do the same, but some friends are just friends and will stay that way.” He licks his ice cream before it drips.
My lips part in awe. “Umm . . .”
“Can I go see the ducks now, Dad?”
Patting him on the back, Daniel says, “You’re free to go, but don’t go too far down the dock. Stay close, buddy, okay?”
“Okay.” He pops up, finishing his ice cream andmunching on the cone while stepping down to the lower dock near where the ducks wait for visitors to feed them.
Daniel’s hand caresses my shoulder. When I look at him, I say, “I’m impressed how you got out of that one.”
“It wasn’t about getting out of it, Sunshine.” Scooching over, he sits with our legs bumping together. “It was about teaching him that it’s okay to take the scenic route in relationships.” He gives me that smile that’s graced the covers of magazines and headline stories. It’s winning for a reason.
“Are we taking the scenic route, Sutton?”
Wrapping his arm over the back of the bench again, I can feel how much he wants to put it around me. I want the same, but we’re in the middle of everything, sitting here where everybody can see us. “I don’t know. I’m starting to believe I was led here for a reason.”
