“I am,” I say as I offer her my arm.
She pats my hand before holding on to me so we can walk back. “I like you better than the serious one.”
I smile, knowing somehow Carma is on to us. “What about Summer? Who do you think she likes better?”
“Definitely you.”
“Really?” I smile big.
“But what do I know? I’m only a silent investor.”
“I’m upgrading you to a fifty-fifty partner.”
“Tell that to the stuffy one. He’ll fight you on it.”
“Don’t worry about him. He owes me.”
I escort Carma to her seat. Actually, I don’t even know which one is her seat, so I let her lead the way. Summer stands at the end of the table with her back to me. Her and her sisters are looking at some of her dad’s birthday presents.
I could continue with Justin’s plan and pretend to be him, but I don’t want to pretend anymore, especially when he promised her the swap was over, and now, on their first real night together with her family, he bails. Summer’s going to be massively hurt and disappointed when she sees me, and I don’t want to make things worse by being Good Time Charlie when she’s hurting.
There’s only one option. I have to end things now.
“Hey, guys,” I say, getting everyone’s attention. Summer turns around with her sisters and goes bug-eyed when she sees me—she clearly didn’t get Justin’s message yet. I send a subtle nod in her direction, letting her know that everything will be okay. “I just had a huge catastrophe at work. Our website crashed, and without it up and running, my staff can’t access the orders to get them fulfilled and in the mail by tomorrow morning, so I’m going to have to bail on the party a little early.” I look at Marty with a teasing smile. “I had scheduled an exotic dancer to come out of a giant cake, but I’ll have to cancel it and save it for next year.”
Her dad chuckles. “That would give me a heart attack.”
“What’s an exotic dancer?” Jack asks Anna.
“Whoops.” I give Anna an apologetic smile as I back up. “That’s my cue to leave. I teach the children new things, then go to work.”
“Well played.” Brian gives him an air pound.
“In all honesty”—I look right at Summer—“I am really sorry that I have to leave. It was my intention to stay the entire evening with you guys. If there wasn’t a huge emergency at work, I wouldn’t be leaving. I’m really sorry.”
There.
I said what Justin should say if he were here.
And now I’ll leave so Summer doesn’t have to keep pretending.
I give her a slight smile as I make my exit.
“Wait,” she says as she gathers her things and kisses her dad on his cheek. “I’ll go with you.”
Those simple words lift my entire world.
SUMMER
* * *
“You didn’t needto leave the party,” Caleb says as he pulls out of the restaurant parking lot.
I watch the lights of the town pass by through my window. “It’s fine. The party was winding down anyway.”
“Did you read Justin’s text?”
“Yeah, when you were scraping the snow off the car.” I sit back in my chair, annoyed that he once again chose work over me. Things were supposed to be different. He promised.
