Page 29 of Tequila Lime and Sunshine

“I like Carly, but no one will ever be Summer.”

Oh shit. I can’t hear any more of this. My mind is a jumbled mess from the bombshell that was just dropped. How had I not known Hawke had feelings for me? Was I so wrapped up in Holden that I missed signs from Hawke? And did Holden know how his brother felt?

Before Holden and I got together, I honestly thought we were all best friends, but then Holden started giving me more attention. Calling me beautiful. Holding my hand. Until he finally kissed me.

I guess I assumed Holden and Hawke had talked about it. Surely Holden talked to his brother before he made a move, right? This is all too much.

Thankfully, there’s a lull in my mom and Susan’s conversation, giving me an opportunity to walk up and pretend like I didn’t hear anything.

Turning the corner, I force a smile on my face and find them sitting on a bench outside the spa.

“Sorry I’m late. I overslept a bit.” Not a lie. Just leaving out the part about being curled up next to Hawke’s naked body.

“That’s ok, Summer. That’s what vacation is for.” Susan smiles at me. “Let’s go get pampered.”

I follow them inside, and we’re immediately set up for our facials. I try my best to clear my mind. I’m here to relax. Not think about what happened last night or ten years ago. If anything, I need to be focusing on Susan and Todd’s vow renewal tomorrow night. That’s the entire reason we’re all here. I don’t want to ruin that by being caught up in my own thoughts.

After our facials, Susan gets ushered into a chair to get her hair done while Mom and I select colors for our pedicure.

I walk up and down to find the best color before wondering which one Hawke would like best. I quickly shake that from my head. It doesn’t matter what color he likes. If anything, I should be trying to pick a color he wouldn’t like.

I settle on a bright pink because it reminds me of the beach and seems fitting for this trip. My mom grabs a blue, and we sit in the massage chairs.

“What did you get up to last night?” Mom asks.

I swallow hard and hope that my cheeks aren’t turning red. There’s no way she knows what I actually did last night, and I need to keep it that way. I don’t think my mom would judge me, but I don’t want it to get back to Holden. I know it would be hard for her to keep from Susan.

“I went to the bar with Hawke, Holden, and Carly.”

Mom nods. “Is everyone having a good time?”

“Yeah, I think so.” Honestly, I haven’t talked much with Holden and Carly, but they look happy when they’re around me, so I assume they’re having fun.

My mind wanders back to Hawke. Maybe I’ve misjudged him. Growing up, he always had a girl with him. Even now, when I see pictures of him, he’s always surrounded by beautiful women. I took that to mean that he’s a jerk and a sleaze. But he’s done nothing like that on this trip. I haven’t seen him so much as talk to another woman. He’s attentive and sweet, asking questions about my job and not once judging me.

Even after we slept together last night, I remember him cleaning me off. I’ve never had someone do that for me before. And this morning, he brought me coffee exactly how I like it and fruit and eggs, which is what I’ve been eating the last few days.

He’s not who or what I thought he was. Have I been the asshole for judging him too quickly?

CHAPTER 14

Hawke

I make it a point to be out of our room when Summer gets back from her spa day. She was super freaked out this morning, so I figured it might be a good idea to give her some space. And I know myself. If I was there when she got back, I’d probably jump her fucking bones.

One time was not enough.

She’s crazy if she thinks I won’t try to convince her to keep this up until we go home. She’s too damn perfect.

To keep my mind off her as best as I can, I spend the day with Holden, Carly, Dad, and Rob. We grab lunch and spend the day shopping in town because Dad wants to find something special for Mom for the vow renewal tomorrow.

“You been having fun, son?” Dad asks me as we browse through a jewelry store.

“Yeah, Dad. I’m glad I got to come.”

“Me too.” He claps my shoulder. “Everything good with the job out in LA?”

My parents have always been my biggest supporters, from buying my first camera to paying for me to go to SCAD and buying every single magazine my pictures have ever been in. I wouldn’t be where I am without them.