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9
GUS OPENED ONE eye blearily to sunshine and blue sky, sand under his cheek. Huh? He lifted his head and blinked, squinting. Aura Beach. What the—?
He moved cautiously into a seated position. Man, he was stiff. What had—
Gus let out a groan. Last night, Pete’s Tavern. That girl had come on to him. She was sorta hot, not really, something kind of off, but he’d been doing shots and wasn’t in a picky mood. They came down here, smoked a few joints—killer stuff—had some laughs, and then things had just started happening...
Aw, man. He buried his head in his hands and crumpled sideways back onto the sand.
Chicks should not turn out to be dudes, that was all he had to say about that.
“Did you have a heart attack?” The child’s voice surprised him. “My grandfather had one. Mom said he keeled over. Is that what you just did?”
He lifted his head. Little girl. Blue eyes, blond curls, five or six years old. Totally cute. “Nah. I’m okay.”
“Mom says I’m not supposed to talk to strangers, but I thought if you were dead it would be okay.”
“Where’s your mom now?”
“At home.” She pointed carelessly over her shoulder. “Aunt Pammy brought me.”
Gus’s gaze followed her finger. His jaw dropped.
Hurrying toward them, blue eyes, blond curls and awe-inspiring curves outlined by a wet suit was a woman—a real one this time. He was sure.
She was carrying a board.
Gus rose unsteadily to his feet, heart pounding, mouth dry, head buzzing like he was still high.
This was it. She was it.
He was in love for the very first and very last time in his life.
* * *
SUMMER WOKE TO a pounding on the door. What time was it? She’d been awake for a while around five, her usual time to get up for work, but had managed to go back to sleep. She peered groggily at the clock next to her futon. Ten! She hadn’t slept that late in forever. Ugh, she hated wasting so much of the day.
The pounding sounded again—the downside to a broken doorbell, which the landlord had dragged his feet about fixing. Summer should just give up and look for DIY instructions online, which was what she did for most things that broke in the house. Their landlord had seriously draggy feet.
She grabbed a robe she’d had since early high school, purple flowers on a pale cream background—first thing she bought with her very first paycheck from Von’s grocery store—and wrapped it around herself, hurrying toward the door.
“Coming.” It was probably her brother, Ted, who always knocked as if he were being chased by zombie cops. “Who is it?”
“Hey! It’s me. Open up!”
She started, eyes widening. Not Ted. Luke.
Oh, great. After the unpleasantness last time she saw him, she’d get to encounter him again with stinky breath and bedhead, her futon in the living room still open and made as a bed.
Though maybe he deserved it.
She opened the door, not sure what to expect or how to act around him. “What are you doing here?”
“Hey, good morning, beautiful day. Aren’t you glad to see me?” Grinning, eyes hidden behind the smoky-gray sunglasses, he held up two take-out bags from Slow Pour. “I brought us breakfast.”
At the sight of him all her anger—okay, most of it—melted away, and she was perversely, ridiculously glad to see him. She’d spent way too long going over their argument and had concluded that neither of them deserved medals for good behavior. Though of course Luke had behaved much worse than she had. “Why should I be glad to see you?”
“Because I’m here to apologize for being a dork. After you accept, we can be friends again and hang out again today. Let me in?”
Summer made an exasperated sound, barely able to keep her mouth from twitching. His arrogant charm was potent stuff. “You’re taking for granted that I’ll forgive you?”
“Sure. You will, won’t you?”
She sighed and stepped back. “You might as well come in.”
“Sweet.” He seemed taller in the house, looking around openly with his glasses tipped down. He wasn’t wearing the eyebrow ring today. She liked him better without it. “Nice little place.”
