Page 39 of The Summer Plans

Well, shit. I open the notes app on my phone and make a note to bring extra snacks for the kids when I’m around them. Because I will be around them when we get back to Chestnut Mountain. If there’s anything I know with certainty, it’s that I will see these kids again.

Logan offers some to Lucas. “It’s okay. Mom always packs extra.”

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I remove it quickly, hoping it’s Summer.

Raven

Her birthday is tomorrow. Don’t screw it up.

What? Who? Sophie’s birthday is in March.

Summer

Oh. Fuck. How could I forget that?

Why would you remember that?

It’s been years since you celebrated anything with her.

Oof.

What do you suggest?

She likes Elvis pancakes. You could get her some of those. Charge my card, tell her they’re from me.

Just don’t be a dick to her on her birthday.

I’ve never been a dick to her.

Uh-huh. Insert side-eye. I’ve seen you get all broody.

Did she say I was being a dick?

Don’t put me in the middle of this.

You’re the one who said we could stay here at the same time without telling the other. You put yourself in the middle of this.

That wasn’t intentional.

I have my doubts about that.

Be nice to her tomorrow. She’s been through a lot and deserves to have a day that’s all about her.

What do you mean by a lot?

You’ll have to talk to her about it.

We pull up anchor and head back to the house. The boys are sitting next to me chatting away about their catches, and I stare at my phone dumbfounded. What has Summer been through? Is Raven referring to drama with Summer’s ex, or the falling-out I had with Summer back in high school?

And just like that, I feel like an asshole. I know how much Summer liked me in high school. I liked her even more, if that’s possible. But my sister made it clear that I wasn’t to mess around with any of her friends. And she could be really mean. Still, there was something pulling me to Summer. This invisible tether that bound us together. I swear I could feel her presence the moment she walked into a room. I didn’t even need to look, I just knew she was there.

But I was a stupid teenage boy. And a coward. I pushed her away and started dating Jessica. I want to say it was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done, but it gave me Sophie, and I’ll never regret having my daughter, even if things didn’t work out with her mom. Not a day goes by that I don’t regret what I did to Summer, though. And as soon as I moved back to Chestnut Mountain and found out she was also single, I knew I wanted a second chance with her. I’m determined to use Raven’s scheduling mishap to my advantage. There’s no way in hell I’m fumbling things with Summer again.

I look over at the boys. “Tomorrow’s your mom’s birthday, huh?”

Logan nods. “We don’t get to see her on her birthday normally. We’re usually at Nana and Pop-Pop’s.”

“Can we make her a cake?” Lucas asks.