Chapter 12
Summer
My Christmas with Dylan went better than I anticipated. His family celebrated Christmas Eve, while mine celebrated the next day, so we each got to experience the other’s celebrations and traditions.
And the hot shot guy I thought I knew was really just a goofball at home who played around with his little sisters and cousins.
I was falling for him more and more each day.
Somehow, he had mended my shattered heart with small acts of kindness, like the gentle way he held my hand under the table at his parents’ Christmas dinner, or the soft kiss he had given me on the porch of my parent’s house before whispering Merry Christmas to me.
We’d known each other for a short time, but the more time we spent together the more I saw myself falling in love with him. And when I was with him, I didn’t think about Colton or his stupid fiancée.
But now, as I sat in my car and contemplated how I could avoid Colton who was busy washing a car by the entrance of the shop, I found myself finding reasons not to avoid him. I wanted to hear about his Christmas, wanted to hear if he enjoyed it, or if he really wished to have been with me instead.
I shook the thought from my head.
I had Dylan, who was sweet and charming, and most importantly, wouldn’t hurt me.
With that gentle reminder to myself, I exited the car. I was wearing my new, white boots and leggings with a bright red windbreaker that matched my car. It had been a gift from my parents, and luckily for me, a cold front had blown in last night. It was an amazing outfit that clung to all the right parts of my body. So, as I took calculated steps to the entrance, I made sure to sway my hips just enough.
I didn’t need him to be mine, but I could make him want to be.
“Morning, Summer.” His thick gravelly voice rolled down my spine, leaving goosebumps in its wake.
I smiled and waved, not finding my voice quick enough before walking through the door. God, he made me weak in the knees.
Everyone greeted me with new year excitement, and we all swapped stories in between the nonstop phone calls I had to answer and make.
The morning whizzed by quickly, and when the clock rang signaling lunch time, I was exhausted. Between taking all the Christmas decorations down, answering my phone that went off what felt like every five minutes with a customer either wishing us a happy new year or asking for an update about their car, I had built up an appetite.
Florida never seemed to disappoint because as much as I loved the fresh breeze and lower temperatures this morning, it had warmed up significantly – almost as hot as a summer morning.
I rolled my windows down and let the familiar humidity seep into the car.
I turned the music up, not caring about the other cars at the traffic light as I jammed to my favorite song of the month. A soft breeze ruffled my hair with the threat of a storm nearby.
Thunder rumbled in the distance, making the usual lunch commute a little crazier today. But rain was nothing new in Florida. I was honestly extremely used to it having grown up here.
Traffic was still busy from the holidays and snowbirds, meaning the usual four-minute drive to the pizza shop took me almost ten.
After getting my usual order, I hopped back into the car and joined the traffic again. At the first red light, I leaned over and started to reach for a piece just as my stomach grumbled at the smell of the delicious pizza. I was starving.
When I opened the lid of the box, I checked the light again to make sure it was still red and ripped a piece from the box. Bringing it up to my mouth, I took a large bite and moaned at the mixture of melted cheese, roasted tomatoes, and bread.
There was nothing better than a hot slice of cheese pizza.
I lightly touched the gas when the light turned green, waiting for the car in front of me to go, and just as it was my turn to go through the intersection, I heard a loud crunching noise before I felt the car move to the side, my tires squealing against the asphalt as my head hit the window, cracking it with the force.
Gripping the steering wheel with both hands, I slammed on the brakes, my body locking up as I looked all over for the culprit, only to see an SUV had driven right into my passenger door.
My car then hit the curb and bounced into the SUV, jostling me and my frayed nerves.
I couldn’t hear anything over the loud, erratic beat of my heart in my ears. My fingers were still clutching the leather steering wheel, my elbows locked.
I couldn’t bring myself to move.
What just happened?
There was a tap at my window, but I couldn’t unwind my stiff fingers to unlock the door or lower the window.
My car.
The light was green.
Something warm and sticky trickled down the side of my face. I was frozen, my eyes glued on the traffic in front of me, the red and blue lights, followed by red and white. A loud siren wailed in the silence of my car, and the tapping on my window became more forceful.
Turning to look out my window, I winced at the instant pain in my neck. Colton had his fist raised, about to knock again, his eyes wild with panic.
“Unlock the door, Summer!” I heard his muted voice scream through the door. I slowly shook my head, unable to pull my hands off the steering wheel. My foot was still pressed firmly to the brake.
He signaled someone over, and a few minutes later, they broke the door clean off the hinges.
My chest was rising and falling rapidly, constricting with every panicked inhale.
Colton reached over me, his thick arm brushing against my chest as I watched him put the car into park and then turn it off. All at once, the loud sound of chaos reached my ears. The alarm on my car was blaring, and loud sirens echoed in the area around me just outside the car.
“Summer, are you ok?” His voice caught my attention. I looked at him again before turning my head to look out the windshield.
Is this really happening?
“Summer, can you hear me?” He was talking to me again, but I couldn’t hear past the loud buzzing in my ears.
When will it stop?
“You’re going to be okay,” he said again, and I looked at him, this time keeping my eyes on his.
“My dad is going to kill me,” I whispered, my voice cracking, my throat constricting with pain. Tears welled in my eyes as the shock finally wore off.
“Let’s get you out of the car so the paramedics can look at you. Okay, darling?” He was crouched beside me, his warm hand on my leg.
“I can’t.” The first hot tear rolled down my cold cheek. My arms started to shake. My chest heaved as I tried to fight the oncoming meltdown. “I didn’t do anything wrong. It was green,” I mumbled, looking at him through blurry eyes, trying to make sense of all this.
“I know,” he soothed. “You were doing everything right. Now, I need you to let go of the steering wheel.” His hand moved to my left arm, skimming across the bare skin. His warmth sank into me. His hand wrapped around mine, his fingers prying at mine until he eventually pulled each stiff finger off the steering wheel. My hand fell to my lap. “Good girl,” he crooned. “Now let’s work on the other one.”
He repeated the same action until my other hand fell to my lap.
“My car,” I cried, pain filling my heart at the thought of my beautiful car now destroyed.
“Replaceable, sweet girl, but you aren’t. Where does it hurt?” Colton asked me.
“I don’t know.”
“Alright, miss. I’m going to take over now.” A man stepped over, nodding at Colton to step out of the way. “I’m going to release the seatbelt and help you out of the vehicle to assess any possible injuries. Do you understand?” I nodded slowly, a piercing pain exploding at the small movement.
A few minutes later, after I had been inspected, they concluded that I had a possible concussion and may need a few stitches from the impact of my head against the window.
I wasn’t allowed to walk around. All I could do was just sit on a gurney in the middle of the populated road in between a police cruiser and an ambulance. Colton hadn’t left my side since they situated me on the gurney.
I watched everyone drive past my car. Some people took pictures of the accident, and I cried.
After my inspection, they told me the cause of the accident was a drunk driver.
A fucking drunk driver that was currently sitting in the back of one of the police cruisers, her kids sitting in another.
“We need to call your dad,” Colton said eventually once the tow truck arrived.
“Okay,” I whispered.
---
“We can fix the car, Summer, but you need to take it easy. You got six staples, and the scan came back that you have a concussion. Work can wait.” My father sat on the edge of my bed. As the hours passed since the accident, the worse the pounding in my head became, especially after they stapled it back together.
I had to go back in a week to get them out, and I wasn’t allowed to wash my hair for two days. Naturally, I just wanted to get back to work, to have some normalcy, but my parents were being firm on the doctor’s orders about a few days off.
“But Dad,” I started. He rested his hand on my leg.
“Just a few days, and then we can start with half days until you are well enough. Plus, a few days off won’t be the worst thing.”
“We just had a few days off,” I grumbled. “I want to work. I’m so behind already. Plus, I’m fine besides a headache.”
“Don’t drag this out,” Dad warned me. “You aren’t coming to work until your mother and I think you are ready.”
“What about my car?”
“It’s at the shop. I’ll take a look at it tomorrow with Uncle Ryan and see what we can do.” I sighed and closed my eyes.
“Okay.” He patted my leg before getting up and leaving the room.
Maddi ran in after him, hopping on my bed. I groaned when it jostled my head. “You aren’t allowed to scare me like that.” She wrapped her arms around me and squeezed tightly.
“Sorry,” I mumbled, resting my head on her chest.
She softy played with my hair, holding me to her. “I was so worried that I’d lost you. I don’t know if I could survive that. You’re like my sister.”
“I know,” I whispered. “I’m sorry, Mads.”
“I heard the hot navy SEAL was there to rescue you,” she teased. “What was that like?”
He had been brave. He was there for me – a calm, comforting presence in the midst of a storm.
“Honestly, I don’t remember,” I partially lied. “There was so much going on, and he was just there, holding my hand.”
She was silent for a moment, for once not prying too much. She must have known now wasn’t a good time to push too much. “Have you told Dylan yet?” she finally asked.
“About Colton? Of course not!”
She giggled. “No, about the accident, silly.”
Oh.
“Not yet,” I grumbled. “I didn’t want to freak him out.”
“You better give him a call.” She unwound her arms and got up to hand me my phone that was left on my dressing table on the other side of the room. “You have a text from Colt!” she exclaimed, rushing across the room, practically throwing the phone at me.
I squinted at the bright screen, immediately lowering the brightness until I could handle it. Unlocking the screen, I saw his three-word text. My heart skipped a few beats at the thought of him being worried about me.
Colton: Are you okay?
Summer: I’ll live.
Colton: All that matters.
Summer: Thanks for today.
Colton: Anytime. Will you be in tomorrow?
Summer: No. Bed rest :(
Colton: I’ll miss you.
“What did he say?” Mads demanded, way too hyper. “What on earth did that sexy man say to make you blush that red?” Maddi bounced on the bed again, the excitement of a fourteen-year-old lovesick girl coursing through her.
“That he’ll miss me tomorrow,” I whispered, dropping my phone to the bed as the screen flashes with Dylan’s face.
I let the call go to voicemail.