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Her eyes became hard, and she clenched her jaw. “I have ADHD. I need adderall to focus and have a normal day without spiraling and making impulsive decisions.”
I kept my fork down. That explained a lot. Her candle-making phase, her grades never being consistent, her stubbornness and being impulsive enough to have a one-night stand on the day of her show’s premier.
“I can get it for you,” I said, noting how she looked anywhere but at me. Is she embarrassed about being neurodivergent? Or telling me she has ADHD? “I can get your meds from your house.”
“No,” she said, her eyes wide. Her reply was too quick. “It’s okay. I’ll ask Heather to bring it.”
I nodded. “When did you get diagnosed?”
She played around with the food and said, “After graduation. I didn’t want to go to college or university, and not having a routine like school made me… weird. So, after counseling with five different psychiatrists and being told I had anxiety and depression, I finally talked to Aiden—”
“Aiden?” I clenched my jaw.
“Yeah, Ivy’s husband. He referred me to his friend, and now I’m on meds.”
I didn’t know how hard it was for her to find one doctor who would listen to her, so I reached out and held her hand. Squeezing her palm, I said, “Thank you for telling me, Summer.” Her eyes were glistening, so I let go of her hand, already missing its warmth, and cleared my throat. “I’ll send you my STD test results… if you end up signing the contract.”
“Y-yeah, sure!” she said, her voice high pitched. “I got tested after… you know. So… yeah.”
I nodded and finished my food and ordered her to go shower. I cleaned the kitchen and loaded up the dishwasher as the cat stared at me sitting on the island.
“Do you want something?” I asked, crossing my arms and staring down at him.
But his face was so relaxed and intimidatingly cute that he might as well be staring me down.
“No?” I asked and finally relented to give him pets on the head. “Will you be good today? My friend is coming to watch over you while we are out. Is that okay?”
He meowed as if he didn’t completely agree with me, but he’d let it go. I should probably cat-safe my house and get him some toys and cat trees. Growing up, pets were out of the question with two selfish parents and one sick sibling. Drake always joked about killing animals, and I was scared that he might hurt an innocent animal if I adopted one.
“Don’t worry,” I said, staring into his huge pupils. “I won’t abandon you.”
I had to pull back my hand when my phone rang. Speak of the devil. My smile dropped as I picked it up.
“What do you want?”
“You banging that chick? Your sister’s friend, really?” he laughed, the sound void of any emotions. My jaw clenched when he continued, “Do me a favor and ask her how much she wants for offering me her—”
“I dare you to say another word, father,” I said. “You want another paycheck? Don’t say a word about my girlfriend.”
“Girlfriend?” He chortled, coughing in between. “Yeah, right. How much are you paying her to like you, son? You do realize that you’re nothing but a worthless piece of shit. You couldn’t even protect your own mother, sister, or your brother. You’re nothing, Damon. Remember that.”
“Is that all?” I asked, gritting my teeth.
“Oh, no no. That’s not all. I will meet you soon so we can discuss my wife’s company and her assets. I know she left something for me.”
An image of his hand hitting mom’s cheek flashed through my head. They were always fighting. He was a big-time producer who slept around, and she was the superstar who had finally realized that her husband was abusive and finally left him. I could hear baby Emma’s cries like it was only yesterday while Drake smoked in the kitchen when he was twelve. No one scolded him or soothed Emma. I was the one rocking her cradle when mom took her and never looked back.
“Dorothy didn’t leave anything to you,” I said in a stern voice. “Everything belongs to Emma as it should. You should be lucky that I’m not locking you up in a shitty retirement home, father.” I took a deep breath and added in a bitter voice, “If you dare to reach out to Summer, I will kill you.”
I ended the call and closed my eyes.
I needed a drink.
22
MY BOYFRIEND
SUMMER
