This Summer With You

Chapter One

Shae

SHAE ADJUSTED THE VOLUME on her phone, pressing it tighter to her ear to drown out the airport’s overlapping announcements.

“Are you here yet? Len, are you in the car? I just landed.”

She could barely hear her sister over what sounded like music in the background.

“Shae, take an Uber. It’ll be faster. We’ll see you when you get here.”

Shae paused mid-stride.

“We’ll?” she asked, leaping into the air and out of the way as a kid whipped his cartoon-printed suitcase around like a lasso in front of her, missing her by inches.

“Lennon. Who’s we?

“Em’s staying at the house. She’s here for the summer,” Lennon said, way too casually.

Shae stopped where she stood.

“Em? Lennon, no. And no, you did not tell me that!”

“I definitely mentioned it. You just weren’t listening. You were probably off touring some museum in Italy or whatever.”

Shae groaned and spun a circle in place, clutching a fistful of her hair. This isn’t happening.

Behind her, a man muttered as he swerved around her with his roller bag, gawking scornfully over at her like she was some sort of crazy person. Shae stepped out of the way, finally making it through the sliding glass doors and into the open air. It was quieter out there, and she needed a moment.

She crouched over her suitcase, trying to take in all the information. A whole summer in the Cape, under the same roof as the person who blew up her last summer in Massachusetts. Could it get any worse than that?

She’d spent years avoiding this place for a reason, and it wasn’t the weather.

It was because of her, because of Em, and now she would be staying in Shae’s space.

A space Shae hoped would feel peaceful and reground her.

That, and a little quality time with her sister, was what she missed.

Was it not enough for it to just be the two of them?

“You said it was going to be just the two of us this summer,” Shae said, scanning for the Uber pickup signs.

“Well,” Lennon dragged the word out like it might cushion the blow. “Plans changed. It won’t be a big deal. I promise.”

“It is a big deal. You know I can’t stand her.”

There was silence on the other line, and Shae suspected someone—quite likely Em—had overheard that comment.

“Lennon, am I on speaker?”

There was a half-beat of silence on the line. “What? N—of course not.” She spoke with a hint of hesitation, more forced than her usual tone.

A whisper came from the other side of the line, words Shae couldn't quite make out, followed by a response that sounded vastly familiar—Em.

She clocked the base of her upright suitcase with her foot.

Perfect. This day is turning into a real shit show.

Shae wished she could hop right back on the next plane bound for anywhere but here.

This is not what she thought her arrival would look like. Now here she was, standing in the sticky summer heat, hands full with her suitcase and bags, tracking down an Uber.

“You haven’t seen her in four years, Shae. People change,” Lennon said, trying to lessen the sting.

Shae pressed the heel of her hand against her sternum. All she wanted was time with Lennon, the beach, and quiet. Em was already distracting her from two of those things, and she wasn’t even there yet.

“Len, I’ve been traveling all day. I’m exhausted, jet-lagged, and you’re springing this on me now?” she snapped. “I could kill you.”

“Shae, it’s fine. Everything’s cool. Just take a breath, okay?”

Shae didn’t respond. She lowered her phone, pressed end on her call, and ordered herself an Uber as she stared at the line of cars crawling through the pickup zone. All the people reuniting with hugs and sunburned smiles.

Her sister was supposed to be here for her, not playing hostess with Em. Who, she fully intended to remind Lennon, is not her sister, didn’t just endure a twelve-hour flight, and whom she has not seen in almost a year.

She spotted a white Toyota, blue “Uber” lights glowing ob-noxiously from the rear window.

“It’s okay,” she assured herself, her jaw ticking. “All good, Shae. You’ve got this.” She didn’t have it, and she knew it.

The driver confirmed her name, tossed her bag in the trunk, and they pulled out of the airport loop heading east toward Chatham.

The Cape was stunning in the early summer evening. Low sunlight filtered through pines, and the salty scent of marshland floated through the cracked window. The lonely stretch of beach road was flanked by tall dune grass and rickety wooden fences.

They passed weathered cottages and occasional bursts of pink blooms tangled in front-yard trellises. Somewhere along Route 28, they dipped through a canopy of trees that opened to a bright inlet. For a moment, it stung how beautiful it all still was, how much she’d missed it.

Shae leaned her head against the window, the glass warm from the sun. The coastal trees blurred into streaks of green and gold as she let her mind drift off.

It had been four years, and her body still tensed at the sound of Em’s name. There were things they never talked about again after their last night together, things that happened in her bedroom that didn’t feel like two people exploring, not even then.

Fingertips tracing skin like they were writing confessions. Touching Em in ways she’d never touched anyone before. They didn’t kiss that night. She was unsure why. She had wanted to, but she couldn’t get up the nerve, even considering what they were doing.

But it was what came after that that stuck with her.

She’d trusted Em with a part of herself she hadn’t even fully accepted yet.

Her sexuality was still new and frightening at the time, and Em handed that information off to the entire school.

As if that weren’t enough, she’d turned around and kissed Elliot Briggs against the lockers as though the night before meant nothing.

Like Shae had meant nothing, they didn’t talk about that either.

Shae had left, and Em had let her go, with no explanation for why she did what she did.

Both said things they couldn’t take back, and neither of them ever fixed. So no, Lennon hadn’t just “forgotten” to mention Em would be here. She’d detonated a landmine and expected Shae to walk over it like it was nothing.

By the time she pulled up to the beach house, her head throbbed, her limbs ached, and her mood hadn’t improved in the slightest.

Shae swung the car door open a bit too aggressively, and the Uber driver scowled at her.

“Sorry,” she said as she slipped out of the car, willing herself not to slam the door closed—a release she truly needed at the moment.

Pulling up to this place used to bring her a sense of peace. Now, the thought of walking in and seeing Em made Shae almost unable to breathe.

She toted her luggage up the bumpy sand-swept drive, her sweaty palm clutching the handle. The house was louder than Shae had expected. Music and laughter spilled out from the backyard. Definitely not just Em and Lennon.

She opened the front door to the immediate smell of pop-corn, coconut-scented sunscreen, and something citrusy. A candle, possibly, or perhaps—she peered into the kitchen and spotted three bottles lining the counter—cheap tequila.

“SHAE!” Seth shouted, arms flung wide like a game show host as he pranced over.

His bright blue eyes stood out against his sun-kissed skin, and his blonde curls were flawless.

It was almost unfair how pretty he was. “I’m so glad you’re here, sugar,” he said.

“Drop your bag and come have a drink. You look like you could use three.”

“God,” she grumbled, brushing past him. She loved Seth. He had been Lennon’s bestie since middle school and was almost like a brother to her, but she was not in the mood for this.

“Someone’s still spicy,” he added with a wink. “Len told us you’d be mad. Don’t be, we’re going to have fu-un,” he sang, dancing down the hallway. He snagged Claire’s hand and dragged her along.

Claire lifted her drink in a wave. “Hi, Shae!” she said, brightly. “I hope you’re ready for summer chaos.”

Claire was Lennon's roommate from college at Mount Holyoke. She was model material, with her classic blonde bob and tall, thin frame. She had beautiful almond-shaped, hazel eyes and pouty lips.

Shae had met her only a few times when she visited for the holidays, and that had been plenty. More than enough, in fact, for Shae to form a solid impression of her.

Lennon appeared at the top of the stairs, half-dressed in a bikini top and beach wrap, her brown hair pulled up into a tight bun, carrying a red Solo cup. “You're here!” She opened her arms wide from the top of the stairs as if coming down for a hug.

Shae narrowed her eyes.

“Are you throwing a party?” she accused, underlining anger in her tone.

Lennon bounded down the steps, linking arms with her sister.

“Don’t be dramatic. It’s just the crew. I told you they would be coming here for a bit after graduation. It’s only Brodie, Claire, and Seth. We are all going to have a blast the next couple weeks.”

Shae yanked her arm back. “You did not tell me they were all staying here. And for how many weeks, Len?”

“Shae,” Lennon sighed. “I promise I did. Mom and Dad even know. Please, just chill. Don’t make a scene.”

Shae’s gaze swept the room, landing on Em.

She was in cutoff shorts that revealed toned legs that were difficult to ignore.

Her back was propped against the patio door, one foot tucked behind the other.

Her honey blonde hair hung across her shoulder in a messy fishtail braid, loose tendrils bracketing her face in flowy waves.

She laughed over at Brodie, her smile carving deep hol-lows into her cheeks.

Em’s eyes caught Shae’s, and she immediately straightened, a guarded look of recognition on her face.

She cast Shae a cautious smile, tucking her hands into the pockets of her hoodie.