Page 91 of Tastes Like Summer

“No, I… I just missed you. Wanted to hear your voice.”

Again, he doesn’t say anything, leaving me pressing my phone to my ear, aching to hear him speak again.

“Michael?”

“Are you drunk? Have you had anything to drink?”

“I— I’m not drunk,” I scoff.

“But you have had something to drink?”

Sudden embarrassment disguised as fury courses through my veins. “I’m not drunk, though. Was just having a FaceTime session with my sister—girl talk, you know—and we had a few glasses of wine together. Virtually.”

“Are you safe? I mean, are you home? Everything okay? Drinking isn’t really like you.”

I smile into my phone because he still cares—at least whether I live or die. “Yes. I’m safe. In my new place.”

“Good.” And I can hear the smile in his voice now. “So, what was so urgent that you had to call me at this hour, if it wasn’t the alcohol doing the dialing?”

A little hurt, I reply, “I just wanted to say hi.”

“Hi?”

“I guess?”

He chuckles a little, and the sound of his soft laughter loosens some of the tension in the air. “How are you?”

“I… I’m okay. How have you—” A hiccup cuts me off and I want to die of embarrassment. Way to convince him you’re not drunk. “How’s Rachel? And the restaurant?”

“Both amazing. Rachel’s actually excited to start school this year, which is nice to see. I think the talent show sparked this showbiz bug in her, because she told me she’d like to join the drama club.”

“That’s so good! I heard theatre is great for shy kids. You just have to prepare yourself, because you might end up with a hardcore theatre kid, begging you to take her to Broadway once a month.”

Michael snorts. “Yeah, I’m not doing that, no matter how much I love my kid.”

I laugh. “Please. We both know you’d take her once and fall in love with it. It could turn into your thing.”

He chuckles. “How’s work going? And your new place?”

“New place is great. And work’s amazing, actually.”

“You still thinking about law school?”

I take a beat because I forgot I’d told him about it. “No, not at all,” I lie. The truth is, I think about it almost as much as I think about him. Two things I want; two things I’ll never have. “I was never giving it serious consideration. I don’t think I’m the right fit, you know? I’m happy being a paralegal.”

“…can’t believe you’re throwing it away for…” he mutters, but I can’t understand him fully. “You and I both know that isn’t true. That you aren’t the right fit, I mean. You would be amazing at it. You’re kind and loyal, so I know you wouldn’t be one of those snake-like attorneys. And you’re so smart, it’s insane. A fucking turn on like I’ve never experienced. Just… the way your brain works is…” He sighs. “And no one would be more dedicated to her clients than you would be.”

I melt, sinking lower on the couch as I let his words coat my heart like honey—warm, comforting, and so sweet.

I don’t deserve them.

“I don’t have the time or the money to go to law school. That automatically puts me under the ‘not right fit’ column. Immediately disqualified.”

“You can make it happen. You’re smart, and can get anything done when you put your mind to it. If anyone can manage everything that’s on your plate, it’s you.”

“I think you may be overestimating my abilities,” I say with an awkward laugh.

He scoffs. “You know, I’m real tired of you putting yourself down. More importantly, I’m tired of you putting yourself second, third, or even fourth.”