Chapter 8
Summer
Time really did heal all wounds – or at least scabbed them over until I thought I was ready to start dating again.
Dylan Hubbs had been persistent in asking me out every time he saw me on campus since my breakup with Tommy. When I went to my last class before Thanksgiving break, and he cornered me in the parking lot with white roses and a bag of my favorite chocolates, I decided to give him a chance.
He was definitely an upgrade; looks alone, he was a ten out of ten with the stereotypical football player build. He insisted he only played in high school, but I was sure if he tried out for the school’s team, he’d fit right in.
He almost reminded me of a human dog with his shaggy, dark hair and soft, brown eyes. If it wasn’t for the random tattoos peeking out from beneath his clothes and his obsession with his red Camaro, I would have thought he was a nerd.
It had been a month since I agreed to a date, and so far, I hadn’t regretted it once. Every weekend, we did something different. On our last date, we went to a drive-in on Saturday night, and then a car show on Sunday morning. He kept me on my toes and always wooed me with small gifts. Sometimes he would even bring my favorite snacks to class.
“What do you think about going to see the lights on Friday after work?” he leaned over and whispered, his gaze solely on our professor who was pacing the room as she ranted about economics – quite possibly the most boring class I’d ever taken.
Swiveling in my seat to look at him, I fought the urge to push his glasses up his nose as they slid down. He looked over them at me, a soft, teasing smile lighting up his face.
Christmas was right around the corner, and we hadn’t spoken about swapping gifts or if we would spend the day together.
“I’d really like that. Let me double-check everything at work.”
“You’re so cute. I just want to kiss you all the time,” he whispered with a wink, making my cheeks flush. He stuck both his hands in the pocket of his hoodie and watched the professor’s presentation.
This was the last class of his college career, and he would be graduating on Saturday. We only had two more sessions left, and then winter break would be in full effect. I was worried that after he graduated, he would go back to his parents in Georgia, and this little fling between us would be just that – a fling. I really liked him.
“Ms. Danvers, can you hear me?” I was immediately brought out of my thoughts, and my eyes zeroed in on the middle-aged woman, her hands on her hips.
“Uh, can you repeat the question?” I glanced at the board, seeing nothing, and then back at her. I wasn’t paying attention. I had no idea what was going on nor what she had asked me.
“Who is the father of economics, Ms. Danvers?” The professor glared at me, and I sunk into my seat.
“Adam.”
“Adam who?” she pestered.
“Adam Smith,” Dylan answered for me. He placed his warm hand on my leg at our shared workstation, his fingers squeezing as his heat poured into me, calming me.
“Yes. Thank you, Mr. Dole.” She turned on her heel and started to interrogate her next victim.
“Thanks,” I whispered, resting my hand on top of his.
“Anytime, baby.” Butterflies swirled in my stomach at the small term of endearment.
Things were going to be different this time; I just knew it. Dylan was no Thomas, and he wouldn’t hurt me. He wasn’t capable of it.
---
“What do you mean I have to drive the truck?” I asked my dad a day later. I crossed my arms over my chest as I glared at him. He knew I hated driving our truck and trailer.
“I need the car delivered, Summer, and I trust you can handle it.” He didn’t look up from his computer as he addressed me.
“You want me to go by myself all the way to Tallahassee to deliver a car to a stranger on a Friday night?” I asked again, hoping if I put all the details into one sentence, he would see some reason and get someone else to go.
“Who said anything about you going alone?”
“If you’re coming, then why do I have to drive? Is this a test or something? I thought you trusted me to deal with customers.” My dad finally directed his attention to me and stopped typing.
“Colton will go with you to unload the car and make sure the customer doesn’t try anything with you while you collect payment.”
“Isn’t that a waste of your money to send two people to do the same thing? Why not just send him?”
Dylan was going to be so upset that I had to cancel our date Friday night. The trip was at least going to take eight hours without stops. I wouldn’t be home until late.
The last thing I wanted to do was spend eight hours alone with Colton, especially now that I had Dylan. Besides, I knew Colton had a fiancée. To think he had been flirting with me that whole time and he was a taken man.
Disgusting.
“You will both go. Be ready to leave Friday morning by ten A.M. That is all I have to say on the topic. Now please send Colton in.” My dad looked away from me and went back to typing out an email, his brows furrowed in frustration.
On Friday morning, I arrived at work a few minutes to ten. I parked in my usual spot and saw the truck and trailer were already loaded. Colton was checking the straps on the car when I got out of my vehicle. I headed over to put my things in the truck.
“Just in time.” He smiled at me, and I fought the butterflies that he still caused no matter how much my head screamed no.
“Are we good to go?” I had to get straight to the point. I didn’t want him to think I was coming onto him when it was the other way. Or was it?
Shaking my head, I didn’t wait for his answer. I hopped into the truck and adjusted the settings until I was comfortable. He got in beside me, and I felt his hot gaze sweep over me.
I had put on my best work shirt today, the ones we only used for car shows, and a pair of black slacks along with some black sneakers. I had pulled my blonde hair back into a perfect ponytail and used darker makeup to make myself look older so the customer would know I wasn’t some kid. I was my dad’s right-hand woman. I was the future of the company.
I didn’t wait for him to say anything before I shifted the truck into drive and pulled out onto the main road, checking all my mirrors to make sure I was in my lane. I stayed alert until I pulled onto the highway a few minutes later and finally got comfortable.
Colton was kind enough to put the GPS route on the display screen, so I glanced at it quickly to check we were on schedule. I was pleased to see we were.
“It’s going to be a long four hours if you don’t say anything,” he said, and I shot a look over at him to see he was looking out the window.
“I can play some music?” I hadn’t noticed the silence since I was so focused on keeping the trailer in the lane.
“How about we get to know each other?” he suggested, and I felt his heated gaze on my face.
“How about we don’t,” I threw back, trying and failing to guard my still-fragile heart.
“Come on now, darling.” No one had ever called me that before. “I don’t bite.”
“Please don’t call me that,” I hated that there was a pleading note to my voice. “It’s inappropriate, seeing as you have a fiancée.”
I didn’t want to be a homewrecker, and I was certainly nobody’s second choice.
Silence rang for a few moments before Colton broke it once again. “How’s Devin, or whatever his name is?”
“Dylan.” I gritted my teeth, my fingers tightening around the steering wheel. I felt like Colton was purposefully antagonizing me.
“Yeah – him. He treating you right?”
I almost rolled my eyes. “That doesn’t concern you.”
“Considering I was there the last time a guy hurt you, I’d say it does,” he threw right back.
I glanced at him for a split moment before focusing back on the road. “Are you always going to throw that in my face? Keep reminding me that my ex cheated on me and you were there to pick up the pieces?” My knuckles were white against the black leather. I didn’t want to talk about this.
“If it gets you to stop acting like a stuck-up bitch who doesn’t want to know me, then yeah, I think I just might.”
I scoffed. “You are full of yourself,” I muttered.
I reached for the volume and turned it all the way up, hoping some country music would block him out, but he lowered the volume right back down. I gritted my teeth in irritation.
“I’m an orphan. My real mother gave me up on the steps of a fire station, and I don’t know my father. I joined the Navy the day after graduating and stayed there for four years. I tried to go to college, but I couldn’t stand to spend my hard-earned money on something where the professors wasted my time and the kids just bragged about partying and the people they slept with.” He drew in a deep breath. “And my special girl Nala just passed.”
“Why did you tell me all that?” I was stunned. It was almost like he got a case of verbal diarrhea and just spewed his guts into the cab.
“So that you can know the real me. I’m not some prick. I’m not like your ex.”
I frowned. “I never said you were.”
“Except you’re treating me like I’m going to hurt you,” he pointed out, which deepened my frown.
“Because you are,” I bitterly responded. “You have a fiancée.” I pressed my lips together, unable to believe I actually said that out loud. I’d basically admitted I have feelings for him.
Stupid, stupid Summer.
“And what does she have to do with anything?” Colton retorted – almost a bit angrily.
“Everything,” I whispered. “She has to do with everything.”