Pieces of Summer

As Hunter tells him it’s the Audi near the big tree with flowers—no joke—Blake stares at me incredulously. “Just drive down Main. Shouldn’t be hard to spot a broken down Audi near some flowers and a big tree,” I deadpan.

Blake smirks before walking off. “Gotta love summer,” he quips.

“It’s finally summer!” Mika squeals while launching herself into my arms, and I hold her almost too tightly, trying not to hurt her as I soak in her smell, her touch, and her presence. It always feels like a dream.

“I’ve missed yo

u,” I tell her lamely, squeezing her even tighter.

Her legs wrap around my waist, and her lips brush my cheek. I ignore the usual response my body always has to hers.

“I’ve missed you too,” she sighs. “I love you.”

I almost sag to the floor, but I lock my knees in place, holding her like it doesn’t turn me into rubber every time she says those words. She’s the only one who has ever said those words to me. Three simple words most people hear too often and take for granted… Those three words from her lips keep me looking ahead to the future.

“I love you,” I tell her back, smiling when she giggles.

I love summer.

“Are you listening to me?” The loud voice snaps me out of a memory that just came out of no-damn-where, and I clear my throat. “Taxi?” the guy asks, studying me like I’m a little off in the head.

If I’m thinking back to those days, I must be fucking out of my mind.

“One of the guys from the garage can give you a lift to wherever you’re going,” I tell Moose Knuckle, shutting the door on his gratitude as I head inside my own place to start the day.

Beth’s eyes meet mine as she sorts through the appointment book, and she laughs under her breath.

“Fucking summer,” she mutters.

Fucking summer.

Chapter 3

MIKA

“You sure you want to do this?” Aidan asks as I set down yet another box.

Where the hell is Hunter? He’s the one who insisted on coming because he didn’t trust me to decorate my own place.

“Positive,” I tell Aidan, struggling with another box that is labeled Kitchen but hanging out in the living room. It can’t be in the living room. The living room is not the kitchen, and if it’s labeled kitchen it has to be there. “Should I be worried about Hunter?” I ask him as I drop the box, and start cursing my phone that has no signal.

I’ll have to switch to a local provider if I want to ever get any signal at all or be damned in the middle of the woods next to the lake where axe-murderers like to lurk.

Too much research. Don’t ask.

“Nah. He’s probably already found a summer bunny to fuck. How the hell does a guy wear pants that tight, bitch about a woman’s clothing the way he does, and still get more action than me? He’s an interior decorator, for fuck’s sake. Life doesn’t make sense anymore,” Aidan jokes, walking out on the front porch as he laughs.

I laugh, too, because it’s very true. Hunter has a way of literally getting almost any girl he wants, even though it makes zero sense in today’s alpha-male craze. I follow behind Aidan, still laughing as he mutters something about Hunter probably packing something his tight jeans aren’t showing.

A shiny black Chevy truck draws my attention as it idles in my driveway. Company already?

Hunter?

Hunter is definitely getting out and fist bumping the driver. He struts toward us as the Chevy backs out, and I make eye contact with a guy who seems vaguely familiar, even though I have no idea where I know him from.

He eyes me as well, studying me like he’s experiencing a touch of déjà vu. Finally, he drives off, and I shake free from my thoughts as I turn around to face Hunter.

“New friend?”