Picture Perfect Summer

by Marquita Valentine

“Who wouldn’t care about you, as soon as they met you?” Duke says firmly. “You’re one of the most loving people I know.”

  Ugh. Why does he keep talking like this? I’m equal parts swooning and embarrassed. “Thank you, but you don’t have to...

  He gives me an odd look. “What’s wrong with what I said?”

  “Nothing. Thanks for the extremely kind compliment.” Another drop hits me and I look up, squinting at the clouds for a second or two. “It looks like it’s about to pour.”

  “My arm’s been aching for the better part of the morning, so I’d have to agree with your assessment.”

  “The one you broke?” Ophelia had written to me about that. He and Laird were out fishing and Duke’s arm had gotten tangled with the rope for the crab cage. Laird had shoved it over too soon.

  He shrugs. “More accurate than the Doppler.”

  I snicker. “Maybe you should get a job on The Weather Channel. Give Jim Cantore a run for his money.”

  “I’ll think about it.” He pauses at the entrance to a coffee shop. “Want to duck out of the rain?”

  “It’s not really doing anything yet. I think we can make it.”

  “Ever the optimist.”

  “Someone has to be, my stormy man.” Gah. That slipped out easier than an eel in a holey basket. “I mean, yes, I am in the glass is half-full camp.”

  A crack of thunder makes me jump.

  “Run,” Duke shouts.

  We take off, Duke’s grip on my arm tightens as we run, me laughing wildly. We make it almost all of the way out of the downtown area before it pours. The rain soaks my hair, my shirt and my sneakers.

  I start to laugh. Duke gives me a look before yanking me inside the doorway of an empty storefront. He crowds me into the corner, his stormy eyes in turmoil.

  “What’s wrong?”

  He licks his lips. “I want to kiss you.” He caresses the side of my face tenderly, the tips of his fingers so erotic that my nipples harden in response. “I want to do a lot more than kiss you. I want—”

  “You talk too much.” Standing up on my toes, I kiss him.

  Chapter 22

  Duke

  “You’re killing me, Sunshine,” I say on a groan. Every inch of my body is hard, is ready to perform any sort of erotic task she requires.

  Her sweet mouth presses against mine again and I’m lost in the feeling of this woman in my arms. Kissing her is like coming home. This is where I’m meant to be. She’s whom I’m meant to be with, for the rest of my days.

  My hands trail down her lithe body, finding new curves and planes before settling on her hips. One of her shapely legs wraps around my waist, grinding the hot core of her body against my bulging erection. I curve my hand over a plump ass cheek, pressing her more fully against me and rock my hips until she bites at my bottom lip and digs her nails into my t-shirt.

  The rain pounds against the awning, pouring onto the sidewalk loudly.

  “I can barely see the road,” True whispers, her eyes pinned on a spot over my shoulder. “It’s like we’re in our own world.”

  “No one can touch us. No one can hurt you,” I assure her.

  She smiles sweetly at me, her gaze now fully on me. “You can’t promise that.”

  “I can promise that I’ll do everything in my power to persuade you to love me again.”

  “You have to be kidding.” Tears spring in her eyes, making them liquid honey. “Don’t you know, Duke?”

  My heart sinks. I hope to God she’s not going to say that she can’t possibly love me again. “Tell me.”

  She takes a deep breath. “I can’t. You’ll... I simply can’t. We can’t happen.”

  “Then why in the hell are you in my arms, letting me kiss you, touch you and think that you’re mine?” I ask, my voice rough.

  “I’m not staying here. I have a life, thousands of miles away from Royal Bay and Castle Beach, and I’m not going to give it up just because you’re... you.” She lets her leg fall, and I want to grab her thigh to put it right back in place. “I’m not immune to how hot you are.”

  I’ll take it. Besides, if she’s still attracted me, that can turn into something more. It did ten years ago. Then it hits me, like the mythical seventh wave that can destroy anything in its path, at least according to the old fishermen’s tale. “You need time.”

  “Yes.”

  “How about dinner tomorrow night? Ten Blue. Just like old times.”

  Letting her head fall back, she groans. I take advantage of her offering and gently bite down on her throat, earning a moan from her. “That’s not... I just got here.”

  “The first time we met, you asked me out, and you didn’t give me any time,” I remind her. “In fact, I recall you blackmailing me into taking you to dinner.”

  Her head pops up, eyes flashing. “You hit me with your surfboard. I could barely walk and sported a bruise the size of Texas on my leg.”

  “If by hit, you mean you ran into my surfboard while I was innocently standing there ogling you, then you’d be correct.”

  She bursts out laughing. “Can’t you be a jerk for once? I mean, other than that time you forgot to mention that you were married.”

  “Separated.”

  She narrows her eyes.

  “However, I agree that you have a point. I should have been honest with you, from the start.” I cock my head to one side. “But what came after, I had no way of knowing that Laken was pregnant.”

  “Well, Duke, when a man and a woman have unprotected sex, the—”

  I cover her mouth with mine, distracting us both from the unfriendly bunny trail she was about to lead us down. Framing her face in my hands, I kiss her until she’s breathless and needy once again, hands exploring my body and making me suck in a breath.

  She turns away, but I don’t stop. Instead I concentrate on the sensitive area behind her ear and when she tilts her head to give me better access, I know she doesn’t want me to stop either.

  “I was really hoping you’d gotten ugly-bald and fat,” she murmurs, her fingers tunneling through my hair and tugging. “It’s so thick and soft.”

  The Office fan in me wants to reply, ‘That’s what she said’, but I refrain. “Ugly-bald?”

  “Like you didn’t look good without hair or had a bad dad bod.”

  “Sorry to disappoint you.” I bite down on her earlobe and she whimpers. “You look exactly like I remember, a summer dream.”

  Those curious fingers leave my scalp to dive under my shirt. “Your abs are so hard and tight. Geez, Duke. Really?.”

  “Indeed.” I can’t help but smile. “Would you like me to stop working out?”

  She shakes her head. “Not up to me.”

  “If you were my wife, then my body would be up to you completely. Every inch of it would be for your pleasure, and I’d live to service you.”

  “Don’t you mean serve?”

  Greedy for her lips, I take her mouth again, breaking away long enough to reply, “That, too.”

  The sound of horns blaring breaks through my lust-filled haze.

  “It’s stopped raining.”

  “We don’t have to stop this,” I counter.

  Ducking under my arm, True steps on the sidewalk, into the light of the early afternoon sun. Her golden-brown hair shines like a beacon. “I have to get back. Work to do, no matter how we feel about each other.”

  “My offer to help still stands, no matter how you feel about me.” I join her on the sidewalk and offer my hand.

  After a beat, she takes it, and birds start to sing. Literally. Sure, it’s because the storm has passed but I like to think they’d approve. I also like to think the reason that I noticed birds singing in the first place is because of the woman at my side.

  “Why don’t you come back tomorrow when I’ll actually have the code and the space rented?”

  I consider her request. I don’t think she’s trying to get rid of me, and I do need to pick River up fairly soon from Laken’s.
“As long as we have definitive plans for dinner, tomorrow night at six thirty, at Ten Blue. I’ll pick you up.”

  “I’ll meet you there,” she counters.

  “Whatever you want, Sunshine.” I mean it. Whatever it takes, I’ll convince True that this time, she can’t possibly go on with her life without me in it... because I sure as hell can’t without her, especially now that she’s back in Castle Beach.

  ***

  After a quick stop by my house to shower and change, I head over to Laken’s, praying the entire time that River won’t be upset when I pick her up. It’s not that Laken is a horrible mother, just one that’s so unfamiliar that our daughter dreads spending time with her... or as River calls it forced visitation.

  The only bright spot is that River loves, with a capital L, her baby sister. I’ve not only watched River dote on Brooke, but Laken’s confirmed it as well. I think it gives my ex-wife hope that River will eventually include her in that love. While I... let’s just say I’m not holding my breath that Laken will stick around. I have ten years’ worth of absence to go by.

  When I pull up to the curb of Laken’s house, River is outside, playing hopscotch on the driveway while her mother watches from the porch.

  “Daddy,” River squeals, running up to me as I get out of the truck. She hugs me tight. “What took you so long?”

  I glance at Laken, who is frowning, but as soon as River looks her way, she puts on a bright smile and starts down the steps. “River, go get your things and love Brooke bye before you go.”

  “Yes ma’am.” River darts past Laken and into the house.

  My ex-wife slumps suddenly. “Hey.”

  “That bad, huh?”

  She shrugs. “Better than day one.”

  “I warned you that it wouldn’t be easy.” On one hand I admire Laken for coming back here and owning up to abandoning her daughter due to crippling postpartum depression. On the other hand, she fucking abandoned her daughter instead of asking anyone, including the medical staff, for help.

  “I know. I know. You’re right and sometimes, I push when I should simply enjoy her company.” Laken tucks a red curl behind her ear. “At least she loves to play with Brooke.”

  “She’s naturally a loving child,” I say tersely.

  Laken sighs. “I wasn’t putting her down. I’m really thankful because I know that it could be worse. She could hate her sister.”

  “She doesn’t hate you. She simply doesn’t understand the why of it, and while I encourage her to give you a chance, I’m not going to force this relationship.”

  Laken shifts her weight from one foot to the other. “About that...I’d like to explore the possibility—”

  “I’m not giving you custody.”

  “Not even joint?” Laken arches a brow, the former defeat on her face replaced with outrage.

  “Hell, no.” I scrub my hand over my face. “Not joint. Not part-time. Not at all. Don’t make me regret allowing you to spend time with her.”

  Laken’s eyes flash, her face flushing hotly. “I hate having to visit with my own child.”

  “I hated having to raise our child by myself.” I shake my head because I don’t regret River. I hated the reason behind it. I hated that I knew nothing and couldn’t give my daughter answers when she started asking questions. “I’m not doing this. We’re not doing this. If you have problem with our arrangement, too fucking bad. Deal with it.”

  River burst through the front door, backpack on as she barrels into me. “Brooke had a dirty diaper so I changed it for Jake. Daddy, he hates poopy diapers like you did.”

  “I don’t know of anyone who actually likes that sort of thing,” I reply. While I don’t want to be best friends with Laken’s husband, I don’t hold him in contempt either. He’s good to River, encourages Laken to see a therapist each week, and that’s all I can ask.

  “Tell Laken that my sister can spend the night with us because you’re really good with babies,” River insists.

  “I don’t know, honey. She’s awfully little right now,” I say, to prevent Laken from having to be the one to say no. “She might miss her mom and dad too much.”

  River stomps her foot. “But I love her and she’s my sister. My sister needs to be with me, just in case.”

  Laken’s face turns ashen. “In case of what, honey?”

  “In case you decide to leave her, too.”

  Laken gasps audibly.

  “She doesn’t mean that,” I say to Laken, but she’s already hurrying inside. I didn’t miss the tears streaming down her cheeks though. “River, that wasn’t kind.”

  “It wasn’t a lie either.”

  We walk to my truck and I help her up inside, making sure her seatbelt is on correctly. “Try not to say that again. It hurts Laken’s feelings and your sister loves her momma.”

  River’s lower lip juts out. “What if her momma doesn’t love her back?”

  “I think she does love her.”

  “Then why didn’t she love me?”

  It’s time like these that I wish I had exactly the right words, or a magic wand to wave in order to fix the past.

  “She loves you, River, but she got real sick after you were born and had to leave to get better. Took a long time.”

  River crosses her arms over her chest, her dark hair, the exact color of mine, falling out of the French braid I put it in this morning. “When you get sick, you don’t leave me.”

  “Different kind of sick, baby duck.”

  River doesn’t say anything to that, so I close her door and make my way to the driver’s side, promising myself a glass of Woodford Reserve after River goes to bed.

  If all the mommas drink wine to get them through times like this, then I’m positive no one will mind if I have scotch instead.

  Chapter 23

  True

  I get a reprieve from spending the morning with Duke, which puts me in an odd mood. He texted me first thing to let me know that he had a business emergency, but that he would send over his brothers to help me.

  Once again, I turned his offer down and as the movers I hired work on packing up all the personal items in the house I spent the entire morning marking for them, I’m not shocked to find that I miss him.

  Desperately.

  And it’s only been twenty-four hours since I’ve last kissed—I mean spent time with him.

  Geez. How do I have it so bad, so quickly, again?

  Sure, I admitted to Duke that I never stopped loving him... in a read between the lines type of way. Regardless, it doesn’t change the fact that I’m scared of him breaking my heart again, or that there’s another mysterious woman he hasn’t told me about yet.

  Okay, so that’s not completely fair of me. Plus, I’m sure that Ophelia would have mentioned that in her letters.

  Speaking of Ophelia, I text her to confirm our lunch plans. Even if Duke had been here, I would have left to see her.

  Ophelia: I’ll be at Ruby’s Bistro in fifteen minutes.

  Me: See you there!

  While I wait another five minutes before I start my walk, I give Sunny a call. I need her advice, like yesterday. She answers on the second ring.

  “How’s it going, babe?”

  “Been here less than two days, and I’m already in love with Duke again.”

  She snorts. “Anything else, captain obvious?”

  “We’ve already made out in public.”

  “Isn’t that like proclaiming to the world you’re getting engaged?”

  She has a point, but I’m not going to fall into her craftily laid trap. “Not anymore. There are tons of people humping each other in doorways while it pours down rain.”

  “Oh my Gosh, True. That sounds sooooo romantic, like out of a movie.”

  I twirl a long strand of hair nervously around my finger. “We’re having dinner tonight. At Ten Blue, just like old times.”

  “His idea?”

  “Yup.”

  “Crafty and romantic.”

&nb
sp; “Yeah, yeah, we’ve established how romantic Duke is, but what I need is information on how to keep the romantic feelings down to like a one or a point five.”

  “Why?”

  “Because... because I said so.”

  “Okay, mom.” Sunny sighs. “If the roles were reversed and Kwame was trying to get me back, would you tell me to be open to him or for me to tell him to take a hike?”

  “I’d tell you to—”

  “Be honest, True.”

  I roll my eyes and mumble, “ Be open to him.”

  “There you go.”

  “I really wish you were here.”

  “I’d say the exact same thing,” she reminds me.

  I sit down, then stand, nervous energy coursing through me. “Yeah, but you’d also give me ice cream and brush my hair.”

  “Ask Duke to do those things.”

  “I’ll be sure to do that after our dinner tonight.”

  “Perfect!”

  “Sunny.”

  Children start laughing and screaming—in an ‘I’m mad but not hurt way’—in the background. “Okay, I have to take care of that. Love you. Miss you. Bye, you!”

  She ends our call before I can get a word out.

  I check the time, see that almost eight minutes have passed and grab my things, then book it down to Ruby’s Bistro.

  Ophelia is already at an outdoor table, reading a menu. She glances up as I approach the table.

  “Sorry I’m late,” I say, panting.

  She smiles, so familiar yet so grown now. I remember her as a fifteen-year-old girl, not a twenty-five-year-old woman. A widow. Not a hugger though. The only person I ever saw touch her, where she didn’t look uncomfortable besides Laird, is Duke. “You didn’t have to run.”

  I sit across from her. “It’s impolite to keep people waiting.”

  “That’s what I hear...” She sets the menu down and gazes out at the bay. “I wanted to talk to you about renting your family’s home.”

  “Oh.” My brow wrinkles. We had renters for a long time, but they only used the first floor. The other parts of the house, like my room and my parents, were locked. “I’m happy to talk to my parents about that. It’s not my call though.”