The Summer House: A gorgeous feel good romance that will have you hooked

by Jenny Hale

  Callie felt like she was going to burst with uncertainty. Every time she looked over at Luke, he wouldn’t respond, keeping his eyes on the road. She didn’t know what to say anyway because Frederick was in the car, and she hadn’t told him that Luke knew everything. Her mouth was bone dry, her hands icy with worry.

  They’d stopped for a snack and a bathroom break when they’d crossed the North Carolina state line and entered Virginia. Callie noticed that Lillian had stayed in the car, and she wondered if Luke’s mother had realized that Frederick was with them. They’d climbed into the cars so quickly. How would she feel seeing him again? Were they on good terms? After all, she’d hidden all of this from Luke.

  Had Luke even confronted his mother yet? She’d wanted to ask him all these questions, but stayed quiet. The blank look on Luke’s face was unnerving. She wanted to read him like she’d gotten good at doing but it was clear that he wasn’t going to allow her. He hadn’t even offered a glance in the rearview mirror at Frederick.

  They didn’t stop again until they pulled in front of The Berkeley Hotel. Luke lined up their bags on the curb of the cobblestone street as the valet parked the SUVs. The weather wasn’t great in Richmond either, the outer band of rain from the hurricane stretching as far as Virginia, leaving a light drizzle on everything. Callie moved under the large green awning stretching out from the front door of the hotel.

  It was an odd sensation to be back in Richmond with Luke. Callie had lived here nearly her entire adult life. Her mother was here in the city. Callie had worked down the street, and she had lived along the James River in an apartment on Tobacco Row. She’d walked past the Berkeley more times than she could count, but this would be the first time she’d stayed here, the first time she’d be considered an out-of-towner.

  The hotel was a gorgeous, historical landmark, its elegance incomparable to anything else on the street. It sat along the cobbled road, a grand awning stretched out, a smiling, suited doorman ready to help them. It was a stark contrast to the beachy vibe she’d just left.

  The two vehicles were parallel parked, one behind the other, and Lillian, who’d jumped in to help unload the bags from the car before the rain, was struggling to pull her suitcase out. Both Luke and Aiden were already occupied inside and the valets, with their black vests and white gloves, were loading the luggage onto brass caddies. Callie could see Frederick hanging back—only for an instant—as if he were trying to figure out when best to approach Lillian. Callie could hardly breathe. They hadn’t seen each other in decades, she was sure.

  “Let me help you,” Frederick finally said, stepping forward, his words heavy with unsaid thoughts, his eyes on her.

  Lillian stopped cold, and it was clear that she just now realized who had been on the drive with Luke for four hours. She looked like she’d seen a ghost. And, Callie thought, in a way she had. Tears filled Lillian’s eyes, but she blinked them away, coughing into her fist once as if to take the focus away from her reaction. She squared her shoulders, but emotions kept flooding her face. Callie looked away a moment, feeling as though she were intruding, her head swimming with anxiety.

  Quietly, Frederick took Lillian’s bag and, with an uneasy smile, passed it to the valet and went inside, leaving Lillian on the curb as Aiden and Luke returned.

  Once the others had gathered around on the sidewalk, Luke ushered them inside to check in and get their rooms. The lobby was all dark wood and formal furnishings. Tan valences were drawn in perfect pleats at the top of the windows, the furniture upholstered in burnt orange and dark butter creams. Luke popped over to the front desk and spoke to the clerk. Things had been so crazy and haphazard getting out of town that it hadn’t occurred to Callie until now how they were going to split the rooms, so she asked Luke, who’d offered to get their keys. She felt jittery and edgy, wondering how this would all play out.

  “I kept our family together,” he said. “I’ve put Mom, Juliette, and Mitchell in one room; you, Olivia, and Wyatt in a second; and then I figured I could share with Frederick and Aiden.” His gaze moved over to Frederick and it seemed as if just looking at him was difficult for Luke. He was uneasy and tense.

  It was really the only way to divvy it up, but she worried about Luke and Frederick.

  “I won’t say anything to upset him,” he said flatly, still clearly distressed by the situation, but deciphering her thoughts easily.

  She let out an anxious breath. “I know.”

  The front desk clerk gave Luke the keys and told him the rooms were ready. Luke thanked her and handed them out. “Why don’t we all settle in and then we can get a bite downstairs?” he told the group as they all moved toward the elevator.

  When the doors pinged open, they piled in, their luggage filling half the space. Not everyone could fit.

  “I’ll wait for the next one,” Luke said.

  Callie stepped back beside him. “Me too.” Maybe if she was alone for a moment with him, she could get him to talk.

  She stared at the doors as they closed, not knowing how to begin, her heart thudding in her ears. Time was limited before the next elevator opened, and she had to know what was going on in that head of his. “What a mess,” she said, finally looking up at him and bringing the subject out into the open.

  He sucked in a breath and it looked as though he didn’t want to talk. Then, out of nowhere, he spoke, making her jump. “You know, everything was going along just fine before all this.” He rubbed his eyes and then dragged his fingertips over his temples for a split second before dropping his hands.

  “I couldn’t keep it from you once I knew,” she said. She’d have wanted to know.

  “Says who?” he nearly stormed. “You? You get to make decisions about my family? If you hadn’t meddled in our lives, we wouldn’t be facing any of this right now.”

  The doors swished open, taking her off guard. Luke stepped into the elevator and hit the button. Callie scrambled in, her mind going a hundred miles an hour.

  “So you’d rather have had me hold on to this information—sensitive information that wasn’t mine to keep?”

  “I’d rather have had you not snoop.”

  As they stood there in silence, she worried that he might have a point. If she hadn’t read Alice’s journal or tried to open the lockbox, she wouldn’t be in this situation right now. It was her nosiness that had brought all this on. Guilt swelled in her stomach. If she had just managed to keep her mouth shut to Frederick, it would have been in his hands. When the doors opened again, Luke got out and walked toward his room. Callie stepped into the hallway and leaned against the wall, trying to get herself together.

  Callie had been in the bathroom trying not to listen to the hurricane updates. They made her so nervous she could hardly stand it. She’d showered, dried her hair and reapplied her make-up, pushing away tears over Luke. As she came out of the bathroom, she couldn’t deny how good it felt to be clean and in fresh clothes.

  “My turn,” Olivia said, standing and stretching her back.

  Callie nodded, relenting and turning the television up. The images were too distressing without the sound and she had to know what was going on. The wind had increased and the swells were growing out at sea. The announcer stood in front of an enormous red circular model of the storm, the pathway drawn directly toward the Outer Banks. “This hurricane is not hype,” he said. “It’s moving dangerously close to the Outer Banks and coming in fast. The National Weather Service warns of catastrophic waves to the barrier islands of North Carolina if our projection is correct. Residents are urged to evacuate immediately. Please take this storm seriously and get out before it makes landfall. Leave storm surge areas as quickly as possible.”

  Olivia texted Gladys that she was all right and then jumped in the shower while Callie and Wyatt kept their eyes on the screen, but Callie was preoccupied with thoughts about whether or not to tell Frederick that Luke knew that he was his father before they were all caught in a very awkward situation. But that would mean medd
ling further and she’d already messed things up. And now she had Lillian to think about too. Would Lillian say anything? Callie didn’t want to get in the middle of things, especially after what Luke had said, but she felt terrible keeping it from Frederick. Should she just wait for Frederick to say something? Or Lillian? She took in a deep breath and let it out, her head starting to pound.

  “Are you okay, Callie?” Wyatt asked, his little face crumpling as he looked at her.

  “Yep!” she lied, inwardly cringing that she had to tell yet another fib. “I’m just worried about the storm.” She fixed her eyes on the TV. The newscaster suggested that residents call their family members to tell them they were okay. Callie didn’t want to consider the fact that her mother hadn’t tried to call her or text. But that was just how things were. Seeing Frederick and Luke, however, had made her think about all the time she’d lost with her mother, times they could’ve been together but hadn’t. “I’m just going to step out into the hallway a minute and make a phone call.” She held up her phone.

  With a nod from Wyatt, Callie let herself out of the room, propping the door open with the lock bar. She wasn’t entirely sure what she wanted to say to her mother as she dialed her number, but she just wanted to talk to her. The phone rang three times before she heard that familiar voice. Callie could still recall those golden years before her father had left when her mother used to sing to her before bed to comfort her.

  “Mom? It’s Callie.” She leaned against the wall, running the back of her hand along the patterned wallpaper.

  “Oh, hello. How are you?”

  Callie chewed on the inside of her lip. “I’m fine. I wanted to call to tell you that. Have you seen the hurricane headed for the Outer Banks? I’ve evacuated, so I’m not in harm’s way.” She didn’t want to tell her she was in Richmond. She wasn’t ready to see her mother yet, and they didn’t have the kind of time she’d need for that visit. She just needed to be comforted at this point.

  “That’s good to hear,” her mother said. Surprisingly, her tone didn’t sound hollow like she remembered it being.

  “How are you?” Callie asked.

  “I’m okay.” One thing that hadn’t changed, however, was her mother’s unwillingness to elaborate. What made her okay or not okay? Did she miss Callie? Did she ever feel lonely? She’d never say.

  “I’m glad you’re okay,” she said, not knowing how to proceed. But then, all of a sudden, it hit her, and she knew just what she wanted to say. She knew because it was the one thing she’d learned from Luke. Sharing things about herself and opening up made it easier for others to do the same. “I met someone,” she told her mom and immediately tears pricked her eyes.

  “Oh?”

  “Yeah. His name is Luke Sullivan. He’s probably one of the best people I’ve ever met.” Her heart ached for better circumstances to share this news, but the words were flowing, coming out so easily that she couldn’t believe it. Because they were true. “One day, I’d like you to meet him.” As she said it, the fear washed over her again, fear that she wouldn’t get a chance to let her mother meet him because he wouldn’t have forgiven her for putting him in the position he was in.

  “Maybe one day.” She didn’t have a lot to say, but Callie swore she could hear her mother smiling on the other end. It had been a long time since she’d seen her smile.

  “Promise you’re doing okay?” she asked.

  “Yeah, I promise.”

  Callie pushed herself off the wall and walked over to the door. “Well, I should probably go. I just wanted to let you know I wasn’t in harm’s way. Let’s talk again soon, okay?”

  “Okay, dear.”

  Callie got off the phone and went back inside. When Olivia came out of the bathroom, she was dressed casually, wearing a sundress and a pair of sandals. “What’s the latest?” she asked, shaking out her curls with her fingers.

  “They’re still evacuating,” Callie said.

  “I saw a TV downstairs in the lounge. We can probably pop out to check the updates throughout the meal,” Olivia said, but she was looking curiously at Callie, her head turned to the side just so, and Callie knew she could tell something was on her mind. “What is it?”

  “Well, a lot,” she said after Wyatt went into the bathroom, her shoulders slumping in surrender, tears spilling over her eyes with no warning.

  Olivia rushed over and put her hand on Callie’s arm. “Tell me.” She urged her to sit, her face full of concern. “Are you worried about the storm?”

  “Yes. But there’s more. I called my mom,” she started, but the rest just flooded her mind and before Olivia could say anything, it all came tumbling out. “I have to tell you something about Luke,” she said. While the television spewed storm updates, the rain pattering at the windows, Callie sat, wringing her hands as she told Olivia the whole story.

  “Oh my God,” Olivia said through her fingers, her hand clapped over her mouth. She grabbed the complimentary tissue box, yanking one out and handing it to Callie.

  All Callie could do was nod her thanks. She felt terrible. Trying to slow the tears, she wiped her eyes and cleared her throat. “I can’t face them all,” she worried.

  “Yes you can. I’ll be there with you.” Olivia’s phone lit up on the table—a text from Aiden telling them he was already downstairs and would order her a drink.

  Callie grabbed another tissue, blotting her eyes as Wyatt joined them. Then she ran her fingers through her hair and took in a deep breath.

  “Ready?” Olivia asked.

  She nodded and grabbed her handbag off the bed on the way out the door, Wyatt following. She wondered what it would be like down there with everyone at a table together. How would Luke behave with her in front of everyone?

  When they got downstairs and entered the dining room, the mood was serious. Mitchell was playing with action figures, rappelling them quietly down from the table with a cloth napkin. Aiden was checking his phone and Juliette, on the other side of him, was bouncing between conversations, a worried look on her face. Lillian, sitting opposite Frederick, had the menu in her hands, and looked up warily.

  Luke, who must have also just arrived, kissed his mother on the cheek before pulling out a chair and taking a seat. Callie noticed that Luke sat quite a distance from Frederick, and he didn’t make eye contact.

  “All things considered,” Juliette said from the end of the table as the waitress filled their glasses with water, “we got organized pretty quickly today. Has anyone checked to see the latest on the storm?”

  Aiden briefed them all from his phone. “It’s made landfall in Waves,” he said, patting the chair beside him for Olivia to sit. Wyatt moved over by Mitchell, the two falling into giggles and chatter. “But it’s fast-moving. They expect it to be out to sea by tonight. They also think it might lose speed.”

  Luke unwound his napkin slowly, as if he needed something to do with his hands.

  “Thank God,” Juliette said. “What if it doesn’t and it destroys the house? Where will you go, Luke?”

  Lillian sipped her water and gingerly set the glass down, shaking her head. “We have plenty of friends inland. I’m sure we can find someone to take us in for a day or so while we get ourselves organized. We’d find somewhere for Luke to stay until things were rebuilt so he can keep the sailing company running.” Lillian turned toward Callie. “How about you? Do you have anyone you can call if you have more damage than expected?”

  “She can call me,” Frederick said. “So can you, if you need me. You know I’m always here for you.” His words were bold and direct, commanding attention.

  Lillian knocked her water, causing it to slosh in the glass and spill over onto the white tablecloth. Luke stared at the spot, his jaw clenched. Juliette and Aiden zeroed in on Frederick at once, confusion and curiosity on their faces.

  “Sorry,” Lillian said, the word coming out breathily as she blotted the water.

  Callie’s hands started to rattle under the table and she put the
m on her knees. She glanced over at Luke but his eyes were still on the spilled water.

  “Should we tell him now, Lillian?” Frederick said, to Callie’s complete shock. Acid burned in her stomach.

  Lillian’s eyes were as big as saucers. There was an eerie silence among them; the only movement at the table was Lillian’s frantic gaze as it darted to Frederick and away again in panic. One could hear a pin drop. Olivia grabbed Callie’s hand under the table.

  “You don’t have to,” Luke said, his gaze not leaving the table at first. Then he lifted his head up. “I already know.” His words were broken, too quiet for his personality, as if the knowledge had damaged him.

  Juliette had her head cocked to the side, complete confusion on her face. Aiden looked on curiously. Frederick was staring at him as if he could see right through to his soul—the soul that he’d created, that was a part of him.

  Lillian was getting teary again, and she clamped her eyes on her son as if she could erase whatever she thought he knew with her stare. “What… do you know?” she asked in almost a whisper.

  Luke leaned his forearm on the table, his face close to his mother’s. “Is it true?” he asked, ignoring her question. “You might as well discuss it here. We’re all family.” He wasn’t accusing her, he was supporting her, letting her know that he was there for her just like she had been there for him all those years, but at the same time, the hurt was evident.

  Callie couldn’t take her eyes off him because she was transfixed by his expression. She felt out of place by his comment about everyone being family, but she let the thought go.

  Olivia stood up and went over to Wyatt and Mitchell. “You two have been so good this whole time. Why don’t we go across the street and get a lollipop from that market while we wait for our meal?”

  “We get sugar before we eat?” Wyatt said, clearly thrilled with the suggestion.