“Well, see... I thought putting your name in might be a bad idea. What if it falls into the wrong hands? So, I just put a nickname.”
Something in her voice alerts me that she doesn’t want me to press the issue further, which is exactly what I do.
“What’s the nickname?”
“Sexy Super Lover.”
I burst out laughing, gripping the water bottle so tight that, if it were plastic, it would crumple.
“Summer, you make me laugh more than anyone else.”
“I’ll never hear the end of this, will I?”
“Not a chance.” I walk over to the bed, kick off my shoes, and climb onto the mattress. “I can’t wait until next Saturday.”
“Me too. God, I wish I could see you sooner.”
“I’ll make love to you the entire day.”
“About Saturday... I want to spend the day with you, but there’s a family gathering at my parents’ house, and I don’t want to miss that. Would you mind coming too?”
“Sure. I want to meet
them.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Do I need to wear a helmet? Your brother sounded pretty intense. Will I have any other fans except Daniel?”
“Full disclosure: not sure if Daniel will be your fan anymore once he knows we’re dating. You might need full body armor, but I’ll give you all the details on Saturday.” She says this very fast, as if wanting to rip off the Band-Aid.
“We’ll figure it out. Why are you so nervous?” I punch two cushions against the headboard so I can lean with my back comfortably.
“Just... thanks for saying yes.”
I wish I could see her face right now, because my Summer is vulnerable, and I don’t know how to soothe her over the phone.
“Did Preston tell you about the incident with the reporter?” she continues.
“Yes. And I don’t want you to fret about it. Sniffing around is nothing new. They always do that.”
“Oh, okay.”
Fuck, I don’t like the sound of that okay. Feels more as if she means, “Really? That’s screwed up.” Which it is, of course. I just got used to it because it’s business as usual in Hollywood. I wonder, again, if pulling her into this kind of madness is the right thing to do. Yet, I don’t want to imagine a day where I won’t have phone calls from Summer to look forward to.
“Ooooh, I forgot to tell you. We have a large group of tourists coming in tomorrow, and they requested to see some of my old paintings. They specifically asked for them.”
“I thought you just painted for friends and family.”
“Yes, now, but I have a gazillion from when I used to paint daily. They’re spread between different galleries, but I managed to call in some favors and have a few sent here.
“I’m so proud of you, babe. Can you show me when I’m in town?”
“They’re only here this week. I need to send them back to the gallery where they belong.”
“Pity. How was the evening with the girls?”
“Better than an actual spa trip. I even used one of those fancy body scrubs that taste like fruit. I’m so lickable right now.”