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Chapter One
AJ
It’s a Summer sister tradition that on the first Saturday of each month, the six of us get together. We take turns picking the location or activity, anything from margaritas and a movie to wine and painting classes at the small gallery uptown. One thing, though, is as certain as the sun rising over the Chesapeake Bay every morning: there will be alcohol involved.
Always.
It’s what I like to call the last hoorah of summer. The time where nights are warm and the breeze blowing off the Bay feels muggy. And with every tick of the clock, I get closer and closer to returning to the classroom. Not that it’s a bad thing, because I really do love my job, but I’m sure as most teachers will attest, I just wish summer vacation lasted a little bit longer.
When June hits, you’re just so damn excited to finally be out of school that you decide to enjoy a few weeks of sunbathing and relaxing. Then July hits and you start to compile the to-do list of all the things you want to get done on your break. Repaint the cabinets, stain the porch, clean out the yard shed so you can finally find those stupid hedge trimmers that you swear you have.
But then you’re reminded that you’re still on summer break. Why do all of this crap when the temperatures are at their highest and the beach is calling your name?
That’s when August hits, and you’re like, “Holy shit, I didn’t get anything done that I swore I’d complete this year.”
That’s where I’m at.
It’s the first Saturday in August (Sisters’ Night) and I have nothing to show for my vacation except a killer tan and extra copper highlights.
Before I can let the guilt creep in about not getting anything done over my three-month teaching reprieve, I turn my attention to my sisters. We’re all here, beachside as our favorite local band, Crush, plays on the makeshift stage.
Jupiter Bay, home of eight thousand busybodies who know everything about everyone. It’s the place I’ve called home for all twenty-nine years of my life; well, except for when I went to college. But I came back, just like I knew I would.
Nine months out of the year, I’m the eighth grade math teacher at Jupiter Bay Junior High, home of the Hawks! I also tutor before school, and was roped into being the cheer sponsor a few years back. Go team! It hasn’t been easy trying to keep my good girl facet in place, especially when the bad girl in me is begging to take over. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned about living in a small town, it’s that the rumors will fly and the stories will be elaborated regardless.
So I let my inner vixen come out and play every once in a while.
Tonight, we’re celebrating two things: the end of summer and the end of Crush. It’s their final performance as a group, and the mood has been a mixture of melancholy and anxiousness. That’s why the alcohol is involved. One of my twin sister’s boyfriend has played lead guitar with this band since they started fresh out of high school.
Let’s talk about my sisters, shall we?
I’m right smack dab in the middle of the six Summer sisters. Yep, all girls.
The oldest is Payton, recently married to Dean McIntire. She owns Blossoms and Blooms uptown, the small floral and gift shop. I’ve helped man the front counter a few times over the years, but my thumb is as brown as they come, so I stay as far away from the flowers and plants as possible. Dean is an accountant and has the cutest little girl from a previous relationship. My niece by marriage, Brielle, is amazing. Even though she’s not Payton’s biological daughter, she is hers in every way that matters. In fact, they go to court next month to finalize the adoption.
Payton and Dean were married last month in Vegas. Basically, they hopped on a plane (that my dad flew), bought some rings, and were married in a chapel on the strip. They were home before they missed dessert. Well, that’s not true, but they give new meaning to the phrase shotgun wedding. It’s all good though, especially in light that it was going to happen anyway.
Next in line is Jaime. She’s married to Ryan Elson, a local contractor. She works for a local not-for-profit called Addie’s Place, where kids can go after school to receive help with school, a snack or meal, and socialize with other kids. I had heard about it through school, but never really knew the ins and outs of the organization until Jaime started working there.
They were married this past April, and while there are no kids on the way yet, I fully expect her to be knocked up sooner rather than later. These two are like rabbits on Viagra and have been busted getting freaky more times than anyone ever should.
I’m next in the order, but we’ll jump over me to Meghan.
Oh, sweet Meghan. It’s been a rough year for the sister who wears her heart on her sleeve. A year ago this past February, her fiancé, Josh, was killed in a car accident. It wrecked her, as well as the rest of our family, who has had to watch her grieve and mourn his loss. She’s doing well, though, all things considered. She works full time at a dental office in town, and has been keeping herself busy crafting everything she can get her hands on. I think it’s her way of just staying active so that her mind doesn’t wander back to a time when everything was right. She’ll get there. I know it.
Rounding out the Summer clan are the twins, Abby and Lexi. Abby is an editor for a big publishing company in New York and works from home. She lives with Levi, the hottie guitarist up on stage, who has been her best friend since, well, forever. I think they were ten when they started their friendship, and even though it remained safely tucked in that platonic, no-sex stage for way too long, they’ve finally figured out they’re better together, having all the sex. Levi is also an EMT and volunteer fireman in town, which just adds serious points to his hotness factor. Well, if I were keeping points.
Finally, there’s Lexi. Mouthy, knocked-up Lexi. We’ll skip over the fact that she was married to douche-y Chris and focus on the fact that she’s now with Linkin. Tall, muscular, gives lap dances as good as they come, Linkin. He’s a mechanic and was living next door to Lexi when she left her ex. Now, they have babies on the way–yes, two–and I’m anxious to be an aunt to babies. Lexi’s a full-time beautician at Hair Haven uptown, or at least she was until a week ago. At not quite seven months, her belly has gotten too big and her feet too swollen to work as many hours as she has been, so she had to cut back to part time. Sitting at home is killing her.
That’s why she’s here now, nursing a bottle of water, and trying to ignore the alpha man hovering in the corner, ready to pounce at her first sign of discomfort.
“That man is driving me crazy,” Lexi mumbles, glancing over her shoulder to where Linkin is standing with Dean and Ryan. “He won’t even let me sit down by myself anymore. It’s like he’s afraid the whale might fall and not be able to get back up,” she adds, making a face that includes sticking out her tongue at the man not too far away.
“Aww, I think it’s sweet,” Jaime coos at the way Linkin dotes on Lexi. “He’s going to be an amazing daddy.”
“I agree. If I ever have a baby, I hope my man is half as attentive as yours,” Abby adds.
“Levi will be a terrific father,” Lexi adds, her eyes tearing up. “Don’t mind me. These stupid hormones have me crying over toilet paper commercials.”
