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I furrowed my brow, and Tristan and I peered down at the screen. The internet browser was open toThe Vine,and the newest post had a picture of the four of us on the beach. The title was “She said yes!”
I laughed. “Did you do this?” I asked Savannah.
She shook her head, and I looked to Maddox, then Tristan. My jaw dropped. “You did?” Tristan had never been a huge fan ofThe Vine, and he’d always hated being featured in it.
He chuckled. “Yep. Figured it was easier to announce it to everyone at once.”
“I can’t believe you emailedV,” I said. “How did she…” I tilted my head. “You just assumed I’d say yes,” I teased.
He smirked, holding out his arms. “I mean, really. Have you ever been able to resist me?”
I rolled my eyes, but we both knew I was joking. Resisting Tristan had been impossible—then and now. But I’d stopped feeling guilty or conflicted about our relationship long ago.
My eyes widened. Oh my god. My parents.
They were more supportive than they’d been in the past. I’d forgiven them for lying about the circumstances of my birth. And they’d been more accepting and loving. Even so, I didn’t want them to be blindsided by this news.
Tristan placed his hand over mine. “Your parents knew I was going to propose,” he said, as if he’d read my thoughts.
“They did?” I was afraid to ask what they’d said, though his smile was encouraging.
“They’re really happy for us. Everyone is.”
I smiled, filled with love and peace and hope for the future. We were a family, and I didn’t need a ring or a proposal or a post onThe Vineto make it official. But it was nice to recognize how far we’d come and how much had changed. To feel like we didn’t have to hide who we were.
Life was short, but I fully intended to make the most of it. On my terms. With the people who loved and accepted me exactly as I was.
“I’m really happy, Ellie,” Maddox said, giving me a hug.
“You know what? So am I.” I smiled, hugging him back.
We were a family, and I’d never felt more at home than when I was with Maddox, Savannah, and Tristan. It didn’t matter whether we were dining in a luxurious beach house in South Africa or eating pizza on the couch in the AV, because they were my home.
INEVITABLE
The door to my office swung open, and I smiled, expecting to see the same little girl I’d known since she was born. My best friend’s daughter. A shy girl with a sweet smile and pigtails. Later, a teen blossoming before my eyes. But in walked a woman with confidence and curves. A woman who made my mouth water and my eyes bulge.
Surely this wasn’t the same girl. I hadn’t seen her since she was nearly seventeen. But it couldn’t be…
“Sumner?” I asked.
My mouth went dry as I scanned her figure. Her black hair fell in waves that caressed the tops of her breasts. Full and perky, they made me want to peel off her shirt and bury my head in them. Her suit nipped in at her waist before flaring out over a pair of luscious hips. I continued my perusal until I met her eyes and realized she was scanning me too, likely cataloguing the changes to my appearance.
“It’s good to see you, Jonathan,” she said, stepping into me and wrapping her arms around me. Even though she’d been shy with others as a child, she’d always been very affectionate with me. We’d always had an easy familiarity, and I’d assumed we’d slip back into it.
But nothing about this felt easy or familiar. It was as if my entire world had tipped on its axis. Sumner wasn’t the girl I’d watched grow up; she was all woman. And holy fucking shit, she smelled amazing. The feel of her in my arms… There was no way to describe it other than to say it felt right, like coming home.
Like coming home? What the hell is wrong with you?I cleared my throat and put some space between us.
“Please, take a seat.” I gestured to the two empty chairs in front of my desk, while I rested my hip against the edge. “So…” I cleared my throat. “Your dad tells me you enjoyed your time at MIT.”
She smiled. “I did, though I was ready for a change. Ready to return to California. I missed the beach.”
I nodded, laughing to myself as I rubbed a hand over my chin. How many summers had we spent together on the beach? Her parents and her. My flavor of the month and me. And who would’ve guessed she’d grow up to be such a bombshell.
She’d always been pretty as a little girl—raven hair, jade eyes that appeared gray in certain lights, kindhearted. But the woman before me was fucking stunning. If she were anyone else—and we were anywhere else—I wouldn’t have hesitated to make a move. But she was my best friend’s daughter and my new intern.
Even so, a memory came to me unbidden. She tilted her head to the side, a smile playing at her lips. “Something amusing?”
