Chapter 2
SUMMER
This feels weird.
Taking a deep breath, I step outside the townhouse rental I’m staying at for the next few weeks. I glance down at the fresh stain of my blood on the engraved metal threshold. I’ve thought about upgrading my own thresholds and windowsills to metal. It’s more expensive at the front end, but you don’t have to worry about the carving degrading over time.
Closing and locking the door, I turn on the stoop and tilt my head up. The morning sun warms my face. Where I live, The Divide falls from the morning through the afternoon, so being out at this time of day is … scary but exhilarating.
My chest expands dramatically as I take another big gulp of air.
A thudding sound to my right has me clutching the railing, ready to bolt back into my rental. I glance over, only to see a man closing the lid on a trash bin. He wipes his hands on his athletic shorts as he walks to one of the other townhouses on this row.
I chuckle to myself as he climbs the steps and disappears inside. I don’t know if I’ll get used to being out in the morning without jumping at every little sound, but I’m going to try.
My flip-flops slap against the stairs, and I smile. I’m going out for breakfast!
Standing on the sidewalk, I look one way, then the other. Should I order a ride-share? I reach for my little sling bag secured over my chest but drop my hand. No. No phone. Not right now. I’m on vacation.
My smile falls.
That’s not the only reason I don’t pull out my phone.
Shaking off the fear that starts creeping into my stomach like an oil slick, I start walking. Yesterday, on the ride here from the airport, I’m pretty sure I saw a cute little shopping center. I slide my sunglasses off the top of my head to rest on my nose. The light breeze ruffles my short hair. It feels good. The day is already heating up. I love it. My mom used to joke that she destined me to love the hot weather when she named me Summer.
A pair of birds dance overhead, dipping and spinning in playful swirls before flying off. The sound of the occasional car breaks up the slap slap of my sandals beating a rhythm on the sidewalk. I take the time to admire a blooming tree, its branches fanning out to create a canopy with its feathery leaves. Bright yellow flowers sit on top of the clusters of leaves like sunny little crowns.
I shift, automatically reaching for my phone to take a picture, but pause. Why can’t I just stand here and enjoy this beautiful tree? Why do I feel compelled to capture it and share it online?
Because you want to share this moment with someone.
I may have millions of followers online across my social media accounts, but close, actual friends? I can count them on one hand. And over the past ten years, they’ve all gotten married, had kids … We still chat occasionally on text, but our lives are so different now.
I suffer from a loneliness of my own making.
Shaking off my morose thoughts, I move on. Eventually, I see the terracotta roofs of the shopping area, a few tan umbrellas set up on patios, and a fountain surrounded by lush green plants and bright pink hibiscus.
I give myself a mental pat on the back. See, Summer? You can do things without your phone. You didn’t need step-by-step directions to find this place. And you enjoyed the walk. You were present.
I chuckle as I pick the place I’m going to try for breakfast. A bell chimes as I push open a door to a restaurant called Restaurant. I have no idea what kind of food they serve, but there’s a decent number of cars in the parking lot, so it must be fairly popular.
The low murmur of voices greets me as I make my way to a counter at the back of the small space. Nearly all the tables and booths are occupied. I jerk to a stop as a toddler throws her hands up with a squeal, sending bits of food flying. The woman at the table, presumably her mom, grabs the little girl”s arm, whispering, “Bailey, no. Food stays on the plate or goes in your mouth.”
Walking by, I see the girl’s lips quiver, and I brace for an outburst, but the toddler remains quiet. The mother releases the child’s arm, and they both turn back to their pancakes.
Mmm. Pancakes. Though what I call a pancake back home would be called a crepe here. Still, the fluffy rounds look mouthwatering—even the torn up, sticky mess in front of that toddler.
I place my order, and the woman behind the counter smiles, handing me a plastic number. “Go on and sit anywhere you like. We’ll bring your food out when it’s ready.”
I smile back, feeling lighter than I have in … well, a while.
Turning, I make my way towards the door. There’s no way I’m enjoying my breakfast inside today. I’m starting my vacation off right, aiming for one of the little tables sitting out on the patio in the sun.
Jerking to a stop, I realize I forgot to order coffee with my food. The travesty! Spinning, my breath leaves me with an oomph as I smack into someone.
I stumble back. “Oh! I’m so sorry.”
The woman I nearly took out laughs, apologizing at the same time. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention.”
Kneeling, I pick up the little plastic number the woman dropped, handing it to her as I say, “No, that was my fault. I forgot to order coffee and was going back to the counter. I shouldn’t have stopped in the middle of the walkway.”
I brace for the recognition to enter her eyes, feeling my forced smile making its way to my lips. I have a pretty distinct look with my dark hair shaved on the sides, the longer locks on top just brushing my eyebrows. This style makes my green eyes appear even bigger and highlights my cheekbones. My bold style contrasts with my petite stature. I’ve been called a pixie on more than one occasion. The look plays well on social media.
At that thought, a dark cloud falls over my mood, but it’s quickly banished as the woman’s smile grows. “I get it. Can’t function without the stuff myself.” She looks over her shoulder towards the counter. “Hey, honey, make it two coffees.” A tall, handsome man smiles at the woman with a nod before turning back to continue placing their order.
She doesn’t recognize me. I mean, that’s what I was hoping for when I ended up on this overseas vacation, but still, I have followers from all over the world. Followers I’m currently hiding from.
No, not hiding. I’m just taking a break.
The woman faces me again. “Hope you don’t mind. I should have asked how you like yours, but I promise, this drink is the best. One of the reasons we come here.”
“You didn’t have to do that.”
She waves me off, stepping to the side as one of the other patrons makes their way to leave. I fidget my weight to one hip, then the other, before I say, “Thanks. This is my first time here, so I’m happy to trust a local.”
The woman smiles. “You’re in good hands. I promise.” She nods towards the patio. “Were you going to sit out there?”
I nod. “I like the heat.”
She laughs. “Me too! Paine isn’t a fan, but it’s my turn to pick the seats, so he’ll just have to deal. Join us? Unless you’re meeting someone? I’m Mira, by the way.”
Mira doesn’t wait for my reply, pressing her back to the door, stepping outside as it swings open. Pulled along by her enthusiastic kindness, I follow. It’s already warmer than it was just a few minutes ago, and a little sigh escapes my lips as the sun kisses my skin. Mira sits at a table, and I grab a chair across from her, happy for the company.
We both place our numbers on the table, and she leans back, resting her arms on her chair.
“So, you’re not from around here.” My brow furrows, and she laughs. “You called me a local.”
“Oh, yeah.” I chuckle. “I’m here on vacation.”
Mira tilts her head. “I thought I heard a bit of an accent. Well, welcome! I hope you’ve been enjoying yourself so far.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her I just arrived, but I simply nod. I need to get better about spilling all my information to anyone I meet. That’s what got me in this situation in the first place.
Mira goes on, “But why here? Why not the beach or the mountains or one of the big cities like New York or something?”
The man from before chuckles as he pulls out a chair with a scrape of metal against cement. I am short. Five-two … on a good day. So, everyone is tall to me. But this man is taaallll.
The sun glints in my eyes, and my heart kicks in panic. I blink, trying to calm my breathing. That was weird. For a second, it looked like there were giant horns curling up from his head.
He places the chair next to Mira’s. As he sits, he pulls a ball cap from his back pocket, securing it over his smooth, shaved head. One of his muscled arms goes around the back of Mira’s chair, his hand wrapping around her shoulder as he leans in to kiss her temple. I fight to keep a wistful sigh from passing my lips, trying to push down the gnawing loneliness that aches in my chest. The man nuzzles her hair as he says, “Mira, my love, stop badgering the poor woman.”
Her cheeks flush, and when the man sits back, keeping his arm around her, Mira smiles at me. “Sorry. This is Paine. Paine, this is … shit, I didn’t get your name.”
Paine chuckles again, and I can’t help but smile at the sweet couple. I wave off Mira’s embarrassment. “It’s very nice to meet you both. I’m Summer.”
We all pause our conversation as a teenage boy sets our plates and drinks on the table before asking if we need anything else. We all shake our heads, and the kid makes the rounds to the other outdoor tables.
My mouth waters as I spread the melting butter over my stack of pancakes, the smell of vanilla and sugar making me want to do a little happy dance in my seat. Paine slides the glass bottle of syrup my way, and I smile in thanks.
We remain silent as we get ourselves ready to eat, but then Mira, with her fork of eggs halfway to her mouth says, “Well, Summer, I’m sure you have your summer vacation all planned out, but if you want a friend to hang out with while you’re here, let me know. In fact, after breakfast, we’re going to a great little independent bookstore right around the corner. It’s kinda tucked into a secret little alley.” She laughs at my frown. “Alley makes it sound shady. It’s actually really cute. An arched walkway lined with flowers leads you between a narrow space between two buildings, and then opens up to an adorable courtyard. That’s where the bookstore is.”
“That sounds amazing. I’d love to go if you don’t mind me tagging along.”
Mira nods, “Of course! Yay! Book shopping!”
She smiles around her chewing, and Paine eats silently next to her, casting loving looks her way every so often.
So damn cute.
The wistful jealousy I felt earlier melts away. I like them, and their obvious happiness is contagious. I’m at ease with Mira and Paine. Taking a bite of fluffy pancake, I close my eyes. It’s so good. I can’t believe I’m outside, enjoying the sun and eating breakfast at ten in the morning. I could get used to this.
After another bite, Mira asks, “Would you like my number, you know, just in case you want to get together? Or you can use me as a resource. I know all the good places to eat.” Paine chuckles, and Mira slaps him playfully on the shoulder. “Yes, I like good food, and I know where to get a good meal.”
I swear Paine’s eyes darken as he licks his lips, his gaze on Mira’s mouth. Damn. That’s hot.
But then I’m struck with a sliver of panic. Mira reaches across the table towards me. She’s going to ask for my phone to put in her number. The lie slides from my lips before I have time to think about it. “Sorry. I forgot my phone when I left this morning.”
Mira pulls her hand back and looks around. She makes eye contact with the teenage server, waving him over. She asks for a pen, and he gives her one before hurrying off again. Mira grabs a napkin, jots down her number, and hands it to me.
“Here you go. No pressure. I promise I won’t intrude on your vacation. Just, you know, text if you need anything.”
My smile is genuine as I take the napkin and fold it, slipping it in the pocket of my cut-off jean shorts. “Thank you, Mira. Sincerely. It’s comforting knowing someone here.”
She smiles, and Paine kisses her temple again, his fingers playing with a pretty, shimmery bracelet around Mira’s wrist. We all go back to eating, and even though sweat starts to stick my black tank top to my skin, I’m relaxed. Happy.
A stray thought pops into my mind, and I bite too hard on my fork in anger. I won’t let him ruin this. No more. I’m setting myself free of him.