The Summer Pact

by Kailin Gow

  “Wonderful!” I exclaimed looking happily into Dan’s eyes.

  He smiled down at me before he casually draped his arm around my shoulder.

  I saw Brent frown, but he cheered up when I smiled at him and said, “I’ll see you tomorrow, Brent. Thank you for everything. I can’t wait to tell everyone about my new position.”

  Brent smiled a megawatt smile. “I can’t wait to see you tomorrow, Sookie,”

  Dan and Brent exchanged looks as they sized each other up.

  Despite each of them saying they weren’t interested in me in any romantic way, somehow the looks they exchanged were just the kind rival male love interests give each other.

  When Brent left, Dan asked, “Who was that?”

  “He’s Brent,” I said. “He’s the new President of Horizon Pictures Productions. He’s also my new boss. I just got promoted as his assistant today!”

  Dan didn’t look as happy as I was. “Convenient,” he said.

  ”What?” I asked.

  “I bet you’ll get to spend a lot of time with him working closely together,” Dan said.

  “I think I will,” I said.

  “Including lunch and dinners. Maybe overnight trips,” Dan’s mouth twisted into a frown.

  “I don’t know yet,” I said.

  “Just be wary of him,” Dan said. “He likes you.”

  “He’s just a nice guy,” I said.

  “A guy who likes you and wants more than just friendship with you.”

  “I told him if there’s anything fishy that goes on, I have no problem walking away from my job.”

  Dan nodded. “Good. At least that’s fair warning to him.”

  “He said he won’t do anything that would want me to quit,” I said.

  “That’s what he says,” Dan said.

  “Dan, I don’t want to start off my job being suspicious like that. Plus, Brent is so nice.”

  “Sookie,” Dan said, walking me to the front door. “I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

  “I am okay. I’m fine, and having a friend like Brent at work is one of the best things that can happen,” I said.

  “Friend?” Dan asked. “You’re best friends now with Brent?”

  “I won’t answer any of that,” I said. “Dan…you just said you’re not interested in me in that way, too. So why are you acting like a jealous boyfriend?”

  Dan look down and bunched his fists. “Because, Sookie, I thought about it and logically it shouldn’t happen, but every part of my body wants it to happen. I dropped you off at your work today, and all I can think about is you. How you make me feel, how much I want to touch you. How much I want to…” he leaned in and his warm lips lightly brushed against mine.

  I found myself leaning into him, reaching up to wrap my arms around his neck to pull him closer to me. Our lips met again, and he crushed his lips against mine, kissing me passionately for what felt like minutes before we broke apart, panting and staring at each other.

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “I shouldn’t have kissed you.”

  “I don’t mind,” I said. “I wanted you to.”

  Dan’s eyes lit up. “You do?”

  “Yes,” I said, reaching up to pull him to me.

  He looked down at me with the sexiest expression before he kissed me again. “Oh Sookie, oh my girl,” he sighed happily against my cheek when he laid his against mine. “From today onwards, I’m an one-woman man. I’m completely and utterly yours.”

  He kissed me all over my face again, but pulled away when the front door opened, and Meecham stood in front of us.

  She had a look of disapproval in her eyes as she took in Dan’s happy grin and my flushed cheeks. “I thought I saw Sookie walk up to the door and I thought maybe she didn’t have the house key, but…”

  “We were just talking,” Dan said.

  “Um hmmm,” Meecham muttered.

  “Hey,” Nadine ran over to the door, “You’re back. Did you have a good first day? Anything exciting happened? Why did you get home so late? Do you have to work this late every day?”

  Dan looked over at me and said, “She doesn’t have to because she can drive back home on her own or I will pick her up everyday so that Brent guy wouldn’t get a chance to.”

  I said, “It’s the first day of work so I stayed late. When school starts, I’ll have to adjust my schedule to fit my classes.”

  “Anything else happened?” Nadine asked. “I thought I saw a blue Porsche pulled up. Who was that?”

  “My new boss, Brent Holloway.”

  Nadine’s mouth dropped open. “Not the Brent Holloway, the famous whiz kid producer and visionary.”

  “You know who he is?” I asked.

  “Duh, I live in Malibu, don’t I? Lots of actors who live here and producers. And my mom does a lot of celebrity events…”

  “He’s a nice guy,” I said. “I just got promoted to be his assistant.”

  Nadine’s mouth dropped open again. “He is not only nice, as his reputation says, but he is brilliant. Probably the most eligible bachelor in town.”

  John walked over and said, “Who is the most eligible bachelor in town? I thought it was Danny boy here and myself.”

  Nadine shot him a look, “I said most eligible bachelor not most womanizing bachelor.”

  Dan and John looked offended.

  “Who said we were womanizers?” John asked.

  “I live amongst gossipers and tabloid readers,” Nadine said. “When I help my Mom out at her celebrity events, rumor has it you two Donovan boys are the Casanovas of California.”

  Dan and John protested, “What? Say again? Casanovas of California? What a load of crock.”

  “So this Brent Holloway?” Nadine said. “He’s marriage material and…”

  “Like we’re not marriage material?” John asked.

  “I didn’t know women classified men that way,” Dan said.

  “Like you wouldn’t know,” Nadine said. “Women are like men. Men rate women, and women rate men. It’s all very primitive and so not PC, but in the dating game, there’s a rating game.”

  She pulled Dan and me into the house, closed the front door, and launched into a song:

  Do do do do do do do ba ba Wah!

  Hey ladies,

  Hey girls,

  Who is that handsome fella

  That can play a fine cella?

  Do do do do do do do ba ba Wah!

  Hey ladies,

  Hey girls,

  Who is that handsome guy

  Who can hit a target in a bulls-eye?

  Do do do do do do ba ba Wah!

  Hey ladies,

  Hey girls,

  With that killer bod, that handsome veneer

  That princely frame

  That noble name

  Do do do do do do ba ba Wah!

  Hey Ladies

  Hey girls,

  Eligible or Legible?

  He’s just another man…

  Boom!

  Meecham and I were clapping and laughing, but Dan and John had their arms crossed while shaking their heads.

  Chapter 12

  Dan

  “Girls,” I said. “Eligible or Legible, this man’s got a surprise for you.”

  John glanced over at me and smirked.

  “You know about the band…the band we supposedly formed?”

  Sookie glanced over at Meecham and Nadine while I waited for all of their attention. “I promised a surprise at the end of the week. We have four more days to the end of the week, but I think we can pull it off.”

  “And?” Nadine asked, impatient as always.

  “Do you think we can be ready to play on stage at the XXXYYY Theater this weekend?”

  “Dan made some calls, and secure our first show,” John said.

  “No way,” Nadine shouted.

  “Way,” I joked.

  “You’re kidding,” Meecham said.

  “No,” John said. “I was there when they said we’ve got
it.”

  I waited for Sookie’s response since it was really her I wanted to impressed.

  “Sookie?” I asked.

  “That’s great and all,” she said. “But we haven’t rehearsed. We don’t have songs. We don’t have costumes. We don’t even have a band name.”

  Nadine made funny faces. “Don’t you see, Dan, we’re not ready. Sookie’s freaking out.”

  “We’re going to have to cancel,” Sookie said.

  “Sookie…” I walked up to her and her her shoulders. “First of all. We’re a team. We will get through this as a team. We have the music. We’ve been singing the music all along. It’s from our life. It’s the songs we come out singing naturally. Secondly, costumes? Let’s dress like ourselves. No need for gimmicky costumes. And last of all…our band name. Easy. Anyone? How about a name?”

  “The Grill Masters!” John cried out.

  “Too grill-like. We might as well wear chef’s hats,” Nadine said.

  John shot Nadine a playful but punchy look.

  “The Eligible Legibles,” Nadine said.

  “We’re not all men,” Meecham said.

  “I guess the ‘Winter Prince’ is not a good band name,” I said.

  “Maybe if it’s just you in the band,” Nadine said.

  “It’s not so catchy as naming ourselves after a bug,” Sookie said. “But it is Summer, and we love this season. We met this summer. And we’re a group that was packed together.”

  “Summer Packed?” Meecham asked.

  “Almost,” Sookie said. “That sounds a little too farm-like.”

  “Sookie mentioned she wanted this band to be innovative…to make an impact on music history. How about Summer Impact,” I said.

  “Ohhh,” Nadine said. “I like that.”

  “The Summer Impact,” Sookie said, looking up into the air, trying it out. “I like it a lot, but it needs to just flow better. Of the tip of the tongue.”

  “Well, to get together and become a committed band, we made a pact to work together, to be a band,” I said.

  “The Summer Pact,” Sookie said.

  “The Summer Pact,” Meecham said.

  “Summer Pact,” Nadine said.

  “Yes, The Summer Pact,” John said.

  “How about it?” I asked. “The Summer Pact?”

  Everyone looked at each other and nodded ‘Yes’.

  “The Summer Pact, it is!” I announced.

  Sookie looked at Meecham and Nadine like she was about to burst from excitement. “Oh my God, girls. We are The Summer Pact!”

  “And we’re going to be performing live this Saturday!” The three girls hugged each other and jumped up and down.

  “I’ll call Jenny and let her know to put The Summer Pact on the billboard,” John said.

  “Sookie,” I said, “when you get a chance, let’s go over the lineup of songs we’re performing.”

  “Sure,” Sookie said. “Mind if I get out of my work clothes?”

  “Go and change,” I said. “I’ll prepare dinner.”

  Meecham said, “I know we said we will just wear normal clothes, no gimmicky costumes…because you know, it’s the 80’s now, not the 70’s. But for numbers like Grill Master… do you think we should use props? Aprons?”

  Nadine said, “For that song, it can only help. I think it works. For the other ones…nah.”

  “Costumes. Done. Easy,” Meecham said.

  “Now for the music…” Nadine asked.

  “We’ll practice tonight after dinner,” I said.

  “Speaking of dinner,” John said, joining me in the kitchen. “Let’s let the Donovan Brothers whip up some culinary magic. Food is in our family DNA so ladies…just relax, and enjoy the quiet of the night. It’s going to get real tonight.”

  Nadine nudged Meecham, “Intense, isn’t he?”

  Meecham laughed. “If I didn’t know you as well as I do, I’d say you’re pretty sensitive when it comes to John. What gives?”

  Nadine shrugged. “He just…I’m just so aware of everything he does. I mean he’s always around. Like a gnat.”

  “You seem to like gnats,” Meecham said.

  “Yeah, well, maybe I’ll like the name Nat so well, if I ever have a son, I’ll name him Nat.”

  “He’ll be like a mini-Nadine,” Meecham said.

  “If I ever get around to getting married…oh, I’ll have to find a potential bachelor first…an…”

  “Eligible Legible one,” Meecham joked.

  “Right,” Nadine laughed.

  “Ladies?” John walked over to them, handing them a drink. “I made some wickedly good pina coladas.”

  “It’s wickedly good alright,” Nadine said.

  “Dinner is ready,” I called from the kitchen.

  “Hi Dan,” Sookie came over, dressed in a white denim shorts and a white lace summer top. With her long copper hair blowing behind her, she looked like an angel. I stopped breathing and held my breath.

  I didn’t think it could happen, but I have fallen in love with Sookie. Head over heels in love.

  She came over and checked to see if there were anyone around before she kissed me.

  “After we practice with the band,” she whispered into my ear. “Let’s take a late night walk along the beach?”

  I didn’t have to think about it before answering “Yes”.

  Chapter 13

  Sookie

  God knows I shouldn’t have gone there last night, but I did. I don’t know what got into me. I don’t know what got into Dan, but after practicing all the songs for the upcoming performance, I was on an adrenaline high.

  I was also swelling with desire for Dan. I thought he was so hot and handsome the very first time I saw him, but didn’t think I would ever be of interest to him.

  Turned out he was into me, too.

  After everyone else went in, Dan and I stayed outside on the deck for a few minutes drinking John’s wickedly delicious Pina Colada.

  John said it was virgin Pina Colada so there weren’t any alcohol in mine, but I suspected he had added some to it. Either way, I was too thirsty to stop drinking, and it was so good, I drank one glass after another.

  When we were walking along the beach, the atmosphere was so romantic, we held hands and stole kisses with each other throughout the night until finally one thing led to another and then…we were in the sand, rolling, on top of each other, and well…

  I woke up this morning in my own bed, but I felt something was different about me.

  As I looked at myself in the mirror, I felt as though I had changed.

  Could it be love? Could it be that physically, I had changed?

  I got dressed and ready for work, which went smoothly like the first day.

  Since Dan had pointed out how Brent was interested in me, I did minimize my personal outside-of-work contact with him and tried to keep everything strictly work-related.

  I think Brent, as brilliant and sharp as he was, got the message. He was just as nice and helpful despite my slight and gentle rejection. He was a true gentleman and real good guy.

  If I wasn’t in love with Dan, Brent may had have a chance, but since that night on the beach with Dan, I felt closer and closer to him.

  I also felt physically drained…between full days of work and then rehearsals for the band in the last couple of days before the performance, I barely slept.

  “Are you eating?” Meecham asked me, feeling my forehead with the back of her hand. “No fever, but you look so pale.”

  “Yes, I’ve been eating,” I said. “Between Dan’s cooking, eating lunch with Brent, and Nadine’s constant buying boxes of donuts and desserts from that cute pastry shop down the street, I have been gorging.”

  I weighed myself in front of Meecham. “Look, I’ve already gained 5 pounds just this week. At this rate, I won’t have any clothes to wear.”

  “You can wear mine,” Meecham said. “But you need to get more rest.”

  “I can’t. I have to give i
t my all at the production company. I love the energy there, and I’m learning so much. I especially love seeing how the director work with the actors. It’s like he’s not a director but more of an acting teacher.”

  “As soon as this performance is over,” Meecham said, “get some rest. It’s not worth hurting your health over it.”

  “Okay,” I said.

  And for the next couple of days before the end of the week and our performance, I coasted through everything, conserving my energy for the performance.

  Dan noticed something was wrong with me as well, and he took me aside. “Sookie, I’m worried about you. You look like you’re not quite there. Are you taking vitamins?”

  “Yes,” I said. “I’ve been eating. The only thing I haven’t been doing much of is sleeping.”

  Dan took my hand. “Sookie, since that night on the beach. Are you okay? I didn’t hurt you or anything?”

  “No, Dan,” I said. “I’m fine. It was amazing.”

  “Sookie,” Dan said, “I want to let everyone know we’re together.” He caressed my face and kissed me. “I don’t care if I’m Nadine’s stepbrother. It isn’t as though we’re related by blood, and I think everyone would be happy for us.”

  “Dan,” I said, “Let’s get through the weekend performance first and then we’ll let everyone know.”

  “Whatever you say,” Dan said, kissing me again. “Someday very soon, the whole world will know, and I will be so proud to show off the beautiful redhead who is the love of my life.”

  “Redhead?” I asked. “Lucille Ball? Rita Gardner?”

  “You!” Dan said.

  Chapter 14