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“You sound happy. Where were you today? I came by after class.”
“You came to visit? It feels so strange that you can just do that now, after all these years of having to talk on the phone or make plans weeks in advance.”
Summer laughs. “Tell me about it. And that’s actually why I tried it. I was driving past and realized it was a novelty we hadn’t had for so long. Ever since I used to jump the side fence and knock on your window.”
“That’s right. And Cory would always freak out when you did. Always worried we’d get caught.”
“But it wouldn’t have mattered. Because your parents would have welcomed us in.”
“Still would now.” That’s the thing about my parents. They’ve always been wonderful humans.
A feeling of guilt takes over me, and my heart breaks for my best friend. For what she went through when we were kids and for the fact I never even knew it. “I wish I’d known what you were going through, Summer. You know I would have tried to help.”
“I know, Logan. But there was nothing you could have done, anyway. Plus, I’ve rewritten my past. Don’t you remember our other bestie, Dylan?”
My guilt eases slightly with the mention of Dylan, but my worry doesn’t. I always laughed at the fake childhood memories Summer and Dylan made up, but the thought never occurred to me that Summer was doing it to erase the truth. To fill her mind with a better life.
“Summer…”
“Nope. I’m good now, Logan. I have you. I have Dylan.Wehave an amazing friendship group that’s now my family. And I have Thomas.”
“I know. I know. But still…” I trail off because I’m not sure what to say, and despite her reassurances, my chest remains tight. Yes, she has all of us—and after a rough patch between the two of them, she now has her older brother, Thomas, back too—but I still worry about her.
“Why are you getting all moody on me today?” Summer says when I don’t say anything more. “We’ve talked about this stuff before, and you were so happy when I first called.”
She’s right. Why did I take us down that path? My gaze flicks to the image of Dani, and I wonder if I should tell Summer about the last couple of days. Not about anything Dani shared, but about getting to know her better and the thoughts running through my head. But then again, what is there to tell her? Sure, we’ve kissed, but if I called Summer every time I kissed someone, we’d be speaking a hell of a lot more. So why do I want to tell her now?
“Okay. You’ve gone quiet. What’s going on?”
“Sorry. I’m good. Actually, I’m great. I had a surf today. Took some photos. All is good in the world.”
Summer goes quiet this time. “I’m coming over. You’re being weird.”
“Fuck off. I’m not being weird.”
“If you say so.”
We talk about classes and Dylan for a while, and just when I’m about to hang up, she cuts me off. “Oh, I want to introduce you to this gorgeous exchange student I met in my media class. You may have even crossed paths. I think she’s a film production major.”
I bite back a smile, knowing exactly what she’s doing, but humoring her anyway. “Why would you introduce us? You know I’m not a relationship guy.”
“Neither is she. She just wants some fun while she’s here for the semester. No strings at all. Exactly your type.”Exactly my type.
This is a first for Summer, and to be honest, I doubt this perfect-sounding exchange student even exists. I’ll bet she’s spoken to Lucy.
“Sounds perfect. Hook it up.”
Summer gasps, but she tries to hide it with a cough.
“What are you doing, Sum?”
“Nothing, I’m doing nothing.”
I call bullshit on that. “You’ve never tried to set me up before.”
“I know but…”
“Summer, I invented the game you’re playing, remember? So just ask me.”
