6. Chapter Six - Summer
Summer
I greedily inhale the cold winter air as I step out of the hotel and come to a stand. Because if there's one thing I've learned in this city, it's that you don't walk out of a building without making damn sure no bike is going to run into you.
The number of times I've heard people on bikes cursing out tourists or really any person who dared step in their way is remarkable and I don't want to become part of that statistic. I'd also like to keep all of my bones intact, thank you very much.
It's late afternoon already. I'd spent the day walking through the city and just getting a feel for it, keeping away from most tourist spots… Well, I’ve tried to. It's amazing how close everything is in this city. There is no escaping the tourist spots, but once you leave this inner circle of the city, it calms down and reveals so many hidden gems.
I've seen palaces that predate my whole country and houses I've heard about in history lessons. Each step I take in this city holds such an amount of history, my brain can’t comprehend the gravity. How many people have walked these streets before?
I think I'd spent around 10 minutes standing in front of the Anne Frank House, just staring at it, not daring to go in, a heavy presence settling on my shoulders for the remainder of my walk. There's just something about seeing historic places that makes it more real—the kind of reality that can be hard to stomach.
She lived in there. This very real place. When the world was a cruel place, something a child should never be subjected to. My heart hurts for this girl.
In an attempt to distract myself from the heavy emotions, and because my stomach was growling at that point, I went to a café I had in my recommended feed for days at this point. It was supposed to have crazy good croissants, but when I got there, it was to find a queue stretching down a block, so instead, I walked right past it. There are things I would get in such a queue for, but croissants are definitely not one of those things.
So instead, I found another cute café, had some cake, and returned to the hotel for a quick midday nap. Then, I spent two hours in front of my laptop sending out applications. I mean who knows, maybe my dream job is getting posted today and I’m missing it. So I just had to take my laptop along, knowing full well Luca would scold me if he knew I am still applying to jobs on this vacation.
And I get it. I'm here to take my mind off the draining application process, to take a break from all the rejections and the bleakness that is my life. Yet what my brother dearest tends to forget is that life still goes on.
And the fact is, I’m still receiving rejection e-mails, although I’m letting them pile up in my inbox unread. I still need a job.
Well, I want a job. And it's not going to fall into my lap the way his do, with his manager and—I don't know how many other people—managing his schedule, getting him into castings, calling him drivers, doing the negotiating and all that stuff for him.
And now I’m here. With a free afternoon ahead, all to myself.
So, taking another deep breath, I start walking, right alongside one of the canals. Boats filled with tourists are passing by, bikers race past me, cursing under their breath about people’s very existence, and small cars drive about. God, I could never drive, much less park here. I’d absolutely drown any car if I tried to park alongside the water.
A houseboat though? I could see that. Although I’d seriously be worried about my privacy, because I could not deal with nosy people who, much like me, try to catch a peek at their interiors.
Finally, I go back to the main street leading away from Amsterdam’s main train station, leading right up to the palace. It has everything a tourist site desires: souvenir shops, cafés, stroopwafels—which I'm very determined to try out while I'm here, but the queues always put me off—so many restaurants and kiosks with overpriced food.
But that's not where I'm planning to go. No, earlier I had walked past something else I wanted to take a closer look at.
"Where are you going?"
My whole body tenses involuntarily as goosebumps rise on my neck, my heart beating into my throat.
"Holy shit!" I startle and turn around at the sound of that deep voice that sends shockwaves right through me. Goddamnit, shouldn’t I get used to it at some point?
"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you." He chuckles and takes the remaining steps to come to a stop right next to me. "Where are you going?"
"I've decided to spend my afternoon in an educational corner of Amsterdam," I try to sound sophisticated as I continue to walk to my destination, biting my lip to keep from grinning.
"Educational?" He lifts his perfectly shaped dark eyebrow at me. Goddamn him and his perfect eyebrow and perfectly shaped jawline and -
"Sounds intriguing. Mind if I tag along?"
My eyes jump to his, and I bite the inside of my cheek. Do I think it would be hilarious if he tagged along? Absolutely. Am I in the mood to hang out with anyone, though?
"I mean, kind of," I admit with a shrug. "I like doing things by myself."
"I promise I'll be quiet," he insists, and I sigh.
"I mean, ultimately, I can't stop you," I admit and continue on my way, hearing him follow me. "So, knock yourself out. Just don't expect any entertainment from me, because I don't think I've got it in me today."
"Why, what's going on? Your future sister in law giving you trouble?"
"What?" I quickly shake my head. "Millie? She could never. It’s just real-life problems. Nothing I want to bore anyone with."
And nothing I’d talk to a near-stranger about.
"Okay." He shrugs, and my shoulders relax a bit in relief that he's going to leave the topic alone. Maybe I’m too used to my brother prodding until he got his answers, but this is refreshing.
"But, if you ever need someone to rant to…" He points at himself with both of his thumbs. "I'm a very good listener. That’s what my sister told me."
“When she was how old?” I ask with a chuckle, and he shoots me a sheepish grin that tells me everything I need to know. "I'm good," I say, forcing my lips into a smile that relaxes the slightest bit when I see the sincerity in his eyes. "But I'll keep it in mind. Thank you."
"You're welcome. Now, where are we going again?"
"I didn't tell you," I say, but come to a sudden stop when I see the sign I’ve been looking for. "But we're here."
He looks at the building to our right, leaning his head way back to read the sign above the entrance. "Sex museum?" His eyes jump to me, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Yep," I say with a giggle and walk right in, making my way up to the ticket counter. "I saw it on our way back from the Red Light district yesterday. I just had to check it out."
"Does Lily know about this?" he wonders, following me like a puppy its new owner. "She would absolutely drag Adam in here as well."
"It does sound like a date spot the two of them would enjoy," I giggle, remembering what Lily told me about their sex shop date, then quickly schooling my face when it's my turn to pay the entrance fee.
"I got it." He gently pushes me aside and pays for both of our tickets.
"You don't need—”
"Shut up, Summer," he says over his shoulder and winks at me, and my whole body freezes.
I think that's the first time I've heard him say my name. And holy hell, do I find myself liking the sound of it. It sends a shiver down my spine, makes my brain short circuit, and for a moment, I stare at him, mouth agape. Good thing he’s back to facing the clerk as I quickly shake my head to get myself out of whatever trance his voice pulled me into.
"Luca would probably have my head if he heard I'd made you pay your own way to the sex museum." I barely hear him as he talks in the opposite direction.
"Listen, I get we started off on the wrong foot or whatever," I say and take a deep breath, "but you've got to stop grouping me by my brother. He's Luca, I'm Summer. Nice to meet you. Whatever we,” I point at the two of us, “do together has nothing to do with my brother. That would just be weird."
Now it’s my turn to follow him as he walks past the ticket booth and hands me my ticket.
"Unless you make me cry. Then I guess it's fair game. But," I lazily let my eyes wander up and down his body, "somehow, I doubt that's going to happen. Whichever way."
"Feisty," he says, and we scan our tickets, and I immediately store mine in my wallet afterwards to keep it safe so I can put it into my journal later. "But I think I've got the memo. Sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude."
"No need to apologize. Just—" I take a deep breath. "I'm sure you know how annoying it can be to have people refer to you by the more famous sibling, right?"
His expression turns pained for the faintest moment before his expression turns neutral again.
"You're right." He hangs his head in shame and shoots me a sheepish smile. "Again, sorry."
I wave him off with a grin. "Don’t beat yourself up over it. Now, let's look at some sex."
I'm not sure what I expected of a sex museum. Honestly, I never even wondered what a sex museum would display before yesterday. Maybe how sex has been represented throughout history? Maybe which sex positions are the most prominent on ancient artifacts? Insights of Roman orgies?
What I didn't expect was to walk past so many mannequins with their boobs out. Or dicks. But mainly boobs.
"What the hell?" I jump when I suddenly hear a mechanical hum right next to me, followed by movement I only see from the corner of my eye.
"What the-? Did this statue just flash me?" I stare as his mechanical arms gather the coat together again. It's a mannequin of an older man wearing a hat and a trench coat. Once it’s closed, you’d never know his pants are unbuckled, revealing his artificial cock.
Tanner bursts into a chuckle. “Stop it. You’re seeing things.”
"It might be a mannequin, but I know what I saw!" I pull on his sleeve to make him come to a stop.
“Did you have another of those spiked cocoas?” he muses, making me roll my eyes at him.
"No!" I insist, when the mechanical hum starts again. "Look!"
After a few seconds, it starts moving again. Only once the humming starts, his arms open the trench coat to reveal his open pants, pulled up shirt and honestly impressive cock.
"Grandpa's hung," I whisper, eyes wide.
"Holy shit, he's packed!" Tanner bursts into a chuckle, and I can't help but giggle right along. Maybe being here with company will be fun after all.
"Hell, I've never been to a museum this entertaining," Tanner says once we step outside again. “Wish the ones we visited in high school were that fun.
“Oh damn, just imagine,” I giggle, the intensity almost bringing tears to my eyes. God, I haven’t laughed that much in forever. “A bunch of high school boys in that thing?”
There was so much stuff in there—way more than I thought would fit into the house, judging from outside. It looked like a regular house, pretty narrow and I thought it would have maybe three floors with two rooms. Yet once we made our way through it, it turned into a labyrinth. There were stairs and passageways to other buildings; it went so much further back than I thought possible
And there were so many mannequins, lingerie displays, mannequins reenacting scenes, like Marilyn Monroe over the vent with her dress blowing up behind her or a naked woman posing for a painter.
There was a sink lined with dicks, giant cocks to pose with, beautiful statues of naked people, and, notably, some actually some ancient looking vases with sex pictured. I might have had Tanner take a few pictures of me with various photo ops and taken his in return, because it honestly was hilarious.
“I think ‘Porno Museum’ would have been the better name, though," I point out, still giggling.
"Oh yeah, definitely. But that would probably not be as polarizing."
"Whatever the name, the museum has absolutely given me some inspiration, though," I say, still grinning as I see him freeze from the corner of my eye.
"Inspiration?” He sounds intrigued. “How so?"
"Please." I look up at him. He's a good head taller than me and it’s a bit infuriating how far I have to lean my head back to look at his face. "As if it didn't give you some inspiration for your next… ‘date.’" I wiggle my eyebrows at him. "Or have you gone through everything in there already?"
"A gentleman never tells." His eyes darken before a smile tugs at his lips. "Call me King Kamasutra.”
“I will do no such thing.” I roll my eyes at him, and he concedes.
“You're right, though. Some of the displays were definitely very, what did you call it? Inspirational.”
"And at least this time I didn't run into my parents." My whole body shudders as I recall the last evening.
"Running into them in the Red Light District really scarred you, didn't it?" Tanner grins, then suddenly reaches for my jacket and pulls me into him.
“What the—”
“Fucking tourists!” a biker rants as he speeds past us and we look after him, dumbfounded. Did that guy just almost run me over?
"Sorry," Tanner mumbles but I shake my head, my heart beating into my throat and I’m not sure if it’s adrenaline or the fact that I’m suddenly very close to Tanner and his whispered apology comes from only a breath away from my ear.
"Thank you," I say, staring at his hand on my arm. He quickly lets me go, but I can’t shake the feeling of his fingers wrapped around my arm.
"So yeah, sex and parents—not really two topics I want to mix," I say with a nervous giggle, trying to continue our conversation from before, only now it feels unnatural.
"I get it. Well, not quite the parents thing, but it's not like I would want to volunteer about my sex life to Adam or Jackson either."
"Why not your parents?"
"They’re dead," he says matter-of-factly, and my eyes grow wide. Talk about putting my foot in my mouth. "Back when we were kids, Adam and Jackson had to jump in and became Reed’s, Zoey’s and my legal guardians, so something like parents, I guess."
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn’t know," I stutter, but he shakes his head.
"It’s not like I advertise that fact to every beautiful woman I meet." He shoots me a wink and I feel myself blushing.
No, Summer. He wasn’t completely wrong when he brought my brother into the mix—there’s no way I’m going to start anything with a friend of his. Luca loves to meddle, this would not end well. Not at all.
"It must be weird to have that new addition to your family unit," I change the topic instead as we turn into the street of our hotel. "I know I felt weird when Millie first came into the picture," I admit, eyes darting around to make sure nobody else we know hears. "You know, all these years, I'd had my brother more or less to myself. But, oh well, it's Millie. Meeting her one time was enough to threaten my brother to not fuck it up."
"Understandable. She's a sweetheart," he admits. "Our family… well, that's complicated. My younger sister Zoey is off to college now, and I think it's got all of us really conflicted because she's the youngest, and we all feel super protective."
"Oh, poor her." It slips out of my mouth before I can stop it.
"Why’s that?"
"I mean, I have one brother who feels somewhat protective over me." I shrug with a sheepish smile that I try to hide behind my scarf. "Two if you count Asher as honorary brother, though we’re not that close. I couldn't imagine having to deal with four."
By now, we've reached the hotel lobby, and he's already pushing the button for the elevator.
"Well, thank you for letting me tag along, even though you wanted to spend the afternoon by yourself. I appreciate you sharing your educational adventure with me."
"I'd say you're welcome, but it's not like you really gave me a choice now, is it?" I grin and follow him into the elevator, pushing the button to my level. "It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be."
"Well, I'm glad to hear that."
The doors open on his floor, and he shoots me a wink as he steps out.
"And if you ever need someone to try out your newfound inspiration, my room number is 417."
And with that, the doors close while I stare after him, mouth agape, my cheeks filling with heat.
"Well, can't ever tell me again that I'm direct now," I mumble as the elevator continues upwards.
Now that’s a hint if I ever got one.