Page 44 of The Summer Plans

Raven

Are you being a dick?

No, I’m not being a dick.

Stop putting me in the middle of this. Just talk to her.

Did she say something to you?

Don’t be an idiot.

Even if she did, do you think I’m telling you?

I think I fucked this up. I’ve been trying so hard to show up for her. To be a good friend. To be consistent. But it feels like she’s keeping me at a distance and idk why.

TALK TO HER!

She’s watching a movie.

So, after.

Okay.

I love you, baby bro. Just listen to her. You used to be friends, I’m confident you can get back there.

Thanks. Love you too.

I look over at Summer again and smile as she mouths the words to the movie. I don’t want to be her friend. I want to be the one she counts on. The one she goes on adventures with. The Westley to her Buttercup. I’ve spent most of my life cherishing a woman I let slip through my hands.

I clean the kitchen, pretending I don’t want to be on that loveseat with her snuggled into my side. I pull out the snacks the boys picked out and arrange them on a tray. When Logan walks into the kitchen minutes later to get a glass of water, I nod for him to grab the tray, and I delight in the way Summer’s eyes light up when he brings it to her. Even Sophie sets down her phone to dig in, throwing me a thumbs-up. Fuck, I want more moments like this with all of them.

——————

The sun is getting closer to the horizon, but we still have about an hour before sunset. After the movie, we all hung out on the beach for a bit, and then the boys came back early with me to make dinner. They were helpful, and we had fun blasting rock music and singing along while we cooked. Lucas wanted to eat outside, so we’re out here enjoying the last bit of sun as we eat spaghetti for Summer’s birthday dinner.

She’s been quiet since she got back from the beach, and there’s a pit in my stomach thinking about the conversation we’ve yet to have. What does she want to talk to me about? I’ve done everything possible to show up for her and her kids this week. To show her that she’s not a convenience and that I’m serious about being someone they can depend on.

I study her as if watching her eat would give me some sort of clue. When she brings the fork of noodles to her mouth, instead of shoveling the bite in, she holds it above her and laps at the noodle dangling from the tines. I fight back my smile as the patio door opens.

“Here, Mom, I brought you more smoothie.” Lana hands Summer the drink.

“Thanks, sweetie. Mmm. So good.”

She struggles with the straw, but she manages to take another sip, and I track every little movement of her throat as she swallows. And now all my dirty mind can picture is Summer on her knees sucking on my cock.

A dinner roll pelts the side of my head, and I look over at Sophie who rolls her eyes at me muttering “Gross,” as she takes another bite of her dinner.

Instantly I feel like shit. This trip was supposed to be an opportunity to spend some time with my daughter. That’s what I should focus on. But she’s been buried in her phone so much, I’ve been mostly ignored. And I’ve been fixated on Summer.

“Food fight!” Lucas yells as he tosses a handful of green beans at his sister.

Lana, not one to tolerate her brothers’ shenanigans, takes a handful of spaghetti and smashes it in Lucas’s face.

Sophie is cackling. The three tornados are pelting each other with food. And Summer is just… sipping her drink. No, slurping her drink, as she drains the last bit through her straw rather noisily. I’m dumbstruck. It’s not like her to allow this kind of behavior. She usually puts a stop to it before it gets this far.

Summer swings her head to mine, and I quirk an eyebrow, gesturing at the chaos. She shrugs her shoulders in a “What can you do?” gesture and tries to take another sip of her empty drink, but her tongue keeps missing the straw.

I shouldn’t think about all the naughty things that tongue did to my mouth and neck back in high school. Or all the naughty things I want it to do to my dick.