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Curiosity tugs at me. “You keeping secrets from me, eh?” “Not just from you. I keep secrets from everyone.” I doubt it. Like she said, Summer’s one of the most open people I’ve ever met. “Uh-huh. Such as?” “Ha. I’m not revealing anything unless I know I’m getting something in return.” She props up on one elbow. “I’ll make you a deal. Give me one thing. One vulnerable, real moment. And if you do, I’ll…” She purses her lips for a second. “I’ll tell you
“You have to promise, Fitz.” Her green eyes are more serious than I’ve ever seen them. “I promise.”
He shakes his head a few times, as if it’s stuffed with cobwebs. “I’m just…I can’t believe you can fucking draw and this is the first I’m hearing about it.” I arch my eyebrows. “What, you’re the only one in this house who’s allowed to draw? That’s a bit arrogant, don’t you think?” Fitz flings his sketchbook aside and shuffles over to me. “I gotta see this. Show me.”
“Hold on. You’re inviting me to a fancy party where I get to dress up and be social? What the hell is wrong with you? That’s so not my scene.” I sigh. “You’re right. That was a stupid question.” “Of course I’ll go. But I have one condition.” “Hmmm?” “I get to pick your outfit.” “Well, yeah.” My shoulders tremble with laughter as I wrap my arms tighter around her. “I’d never dream of picking my own.”
“I’m almost ready,” Summer’s muffled voice replies. “Define almost,” I call back. “Three minutes, give or take five minutes.” Laughter bubbles in my throat. This girl.
We’ve spent almost every waking hour together for the past three weeks. She sleeps in my bedroom. Her makeup clutters my bathroom counter. Every morning she rumples her bedsheets to make it look like she’s still sleeping in her own room. I think it’s for Hunter’s sake, but he’s not an idiot. He knows.
“You’re the worst,” I tell her, because she knows I hate selfies. She beams at me. “I think what you mean is, I’m the best.” I snort. “My bad. That’s exactly what I meant.”
I set my untouched beer on the bar and speak in a measured tone. “I’ve never floated through anything. My mom’s an ESL teacher, and my dad is a shift supervisor at a power plant. They work their asses off, and so do I. I spent all my free time in high school drawing and painting and playing video games. And playing hockey,” I relent, even though I know it’s a dirty word to him. “I play hockey because I love it, and I’m good at it. Same way I’m good at game design,” I finish with a shrug. “You’ve got some real arrogance on you, kid.” A flash of steel enters his eyes.
It’s her orbit. That damn orbit.
But I don’t give a shit if he had his heart broken by the Queen of fucking England. Nobody talks to or about Summer like that.
“That job was important to you.” “It was.” But you’re more important.
But I never felt truly alive until Summer.
I don’t give a shit about the job at Orcus Games. I give a shit about you. That bastard was rude to you. He was rude to both of us, and I refuse to work for someone who treats people with disrespect or behaves that way in public. I put him in his place, and if I had the choice, I’d do it all over again, you hear me? Because he was a jackass to you, and I love you.”
“Well, it’s true. I love you. You’re my girlfriend—” “Was your girlfriend.” “Are.” “Was.”
I shake my head at her. “You still don’t get it, do you? You didn’t cost me a job. Kamal Jain cost himself an employee. I’m a good designer. I’ll find something else, I promise. But I’ll never find another you.”
“It has everything to do with me!” he fires back. Ah. Now I know where she gets the drama-llama from.
Her mouth hitches up in a rueful smile. “We’re together,” she confirms. “Colin is my boyfriend.” I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. The resignation in her tone is kinda adorable.
“I’m not having kids with you,” I wheeze at Summer. “I don’t want to be part of your insane family.” “Oh hush, sweetie. It’s too late. I’ve become attached.” You’d think it would be impossible to laugh while I’m writhing on the floor in agony. But Summer Heyward-Di Laurentis makes everything possible.
And his faith in me steals the breath from my lungs. I throw my arms around him and hug him tightly. “I love you,” I whisper. “You make me feel…” I pause to think it over. “Smart.”
I exhale slowly. “We’ll do it.” Her brows soar. “We?” “Well, they,” I amend. “I’m going to recruit my teammates.”
“So.” His tone grows sheepish. “If you’re still interested in the position at Orcus Games, it’s yours.” My jaw is on the floor now. Yeah, I absolutely didn’t expect this. And I have to admit, I’m impressed that he was man enough to call me and apologize.
“Just think it over,” he cajoles. “I said I would.” And I meant it. I’ll take the time to decide if working for Kamal is worth it for me, but if he expects me to jump through hoops for him again, he’ll be sorely disappointed. There’s only one person whose hoops I’ll happily jump through, and she’s not even asking me to. “I’ll be in touch, Mr. Jain.” And then I sign off with a series of words that never in a million years would I have imagined myself saying. “I’ve gotta go walk the runway at my girlfriend’s fashion show now.”
“You literally saved my life.” “Well, not literally,” he whispers back. “Literally,” I argue, and his lips twitch in humor before covering mine again.
“So I karate chopped him and—” There’s a choked laugh from my dad. “Daddy,” I scold. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt. It’s just that you took karate for three months before you quit. And you were twelve. I can’t believe you still remember any of the moves.” “I don’t. Just that one,” I admit.
When we reach the front door, Richmond stops me from exiting by saying, “Summer, a word?” Sum-ah. Dammit. I hate being wrong.
“Let’s not talk about it anymore. I just want to take a hot shower, and then get in bed and catch up on The Bachelor.” My mouth tips up in a wry grin. I never dreamed I’d fall for a girl who’s into cheesy reality shows. Ever.
So yes, Summer is everything.
She’s my laughter, because everything she says makes me laugh. She’s my trigger, because holy shit do we scream at each other sometimes. I never knew I was capable of expressing raw emotion, didn’t think I even had it in me.
But most of all, she’s my heart. “I love you,” I tell her as we walk down the hall to my room. “Love you too,” she whispers.
“You have the worst taste in television shows,” I inform her as we enter my room. Her green eyes dance mischievously. “But you love me anyway, right?” I tug her toward me, my lips seeking hers. “Yup.” I give her a slow, teasing kiss. “I love you anyway.”
