Pieces of Summer

Whit keeps looking between us. Why did she put us on the same side? Why the hell wouldn’t she sit beside me or let my brother sit by me?

The waitress walks away, leaving the four of us suspended in the awkward silence once again.

“So, what did you say you did?” Whit asks Aidan, but there’s a sad sound to her voice. She’s getting this all wrong. Why are they even here? She knew this was where Aidan and I were going, because he pretty much announced it.

“I actually do some freelance photography. I like the freedom it gives me,” Aidan says absently as he studies me with a wary eye.

“Great,” Whit says quietly.

Worst. Dinner. Ever.

After the waitress takes our orders and brings a second round of drinks, Whit stands up and motions for Aidan. “Help me find a drink at the bar.”

Gee, that’s not obvious.

“I’ll help you find something,” Chase growls.

“You stay put and talk to Mika. I’m sick of this weird tension. I like her. I like the bowling alley. You two find a way to not hate each other. Aidan, you come with me.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Aidan says, glaring at Chase.

“Well, since I’m the only one who apparently doesn’t know what the hell is all going on, how about you come give me the details? While I drink. I need something strong now.”

Aidan looks questioningly at me, like he’s asking for permission as Whit walks toward the bar.

“I’m not telling her anything. This isn’t my fucking problem. You don’t talk to him. Find me in ten minutes.” He cuts his eyes toward Chase. “You fucking humor your girlfriend, but don’t even look at my sister. Then tell the pretty blonde all is well, and stay the fuck away from Mika. Got it?”

Chase starts to say something as his fists clench, but I beat him to it.

“It’s fine,” I say, glaring at Aidan.

It’s not fine at all. As soon as they leave, I’m going to get the hell out of here and walk to the house. It’s just across the bridge behind the restaurant and down the street about a mile from here.

Aidan reluctantly allows Whit to pull him away when she returns and grows impatient with his dawdling, and I turn to ask Chase to get up at the same time he cuts his cold eyes toward me.

“What the fuck are you doing here, and why the hell did you build our bowling alley?” he bites out.

Definitely wasn’t expecting him to ask that.

“I just want to go home. I’m sorry. I didn’t know you still lived here, okay? Last I checked, you moved. And yes, I did check.”

“I moved back,” he clips out.

“Really? I hadn’t noticed.”

We glare at each other for several long minutes until I get annoyed with the fact my body is actually reacting to him. His voice is like sex on gravel. Well, sex on gravel sounds painful, but then again, so is hearing the way he speaks to me.

It’s a deep voice with a rough undercurrent. His hair is inky black and longer than the super short strands he once kept. It’s that slacker sexy look, peeking out from under the hat in a messy way. How it makes him look sexier, I don’t know.

His body is strong and toned, but he’s not bulky. It’s like the boy I knew was swallowed up by the man in front of me. The cold man with no trace of warmth left in him.

“What happened to you?” I ask without thinking.

His lips thin, and he cocks his head to the side. “I grew up. Now tell me what the fuck you’re doing here.”

The harsh tone startles the woman in the booth behind us. Several pairs of eyes swing our way, everyone looking at him more than me. His dad used to have a nasty reputation for beating the shit out of Chase’s mother. At least until Chase got big enough to fight for her. Not that she deserved the love or care Chase showed her.

Now everyone is looking at him like he’s going to do the same thing to me. No matter how much he’s changed, that’s one thing I’m not worried about.