by Loree Lough
When at last she turned around, Rose was reading Zach’s flyer. A not-so-subtle hint for Summer?
“What kind of tea can I get you?” she asked, riffling through her collection.
“Oh, sweetie. I’m sorry, but I can’t stay. But thanks.”
So Rose had stopped by for no reason other than to see if her opinion of Zach had changed between yesterday and today?
“Besides, if I stayed, I’d want to help you get the food reheated for your folks, and that is a one-woman kitchen if ever I’ve seen one.” She narrowed one eye. “Now, if you’re smart, you’ll invite Zach over for a meal sometime. I happen to know that meat-stuffed shells are his favorite main dish. You could ask him to rinse lettuce leaves or chop something while you do…whatever.” Rose smirked. “Squeezing into that tiny space is sure to cure your aversion to being near him.”
It wasn’t just Zach, Summer thought. It was every man, with the exception of her dad and her best friend, Justin.
The teakettle started to whistle, and it dawned on her that the only way Rose could have known how she had reacted to Zach’s touch was if he’d told Alex, and Alex told his mom. The heat in her cheeks intensified. How dare he drag an innocent teenager into…into whatever this was! Oh, she’d go to class on Monday, all right, if only to give him a piece of her mind. What she wanted to tell him couldn’t be said on the phone!
The doorbell rang as she turned off the gas. Saved by the bell, she thought. “It’s probably Justin,” Summer said, heading for the front door.
“I’m sure you already know that you’re doubly blessed,” Rose said as he entered. “Who else has a best friend who’s the most sought-after stylist in all of Vail…and he makes house calls!”
“Flattery will get you anywhere, Rose,” Justin said. “But you still have to make an appointment like everybody else.” Winking, he pressed a kiss to Summer’s cheek. “I’m early, I know, but a client canceled, and I thought we could fill the extra time with a visit.” He looked at Rose. “Sorry if I interrupted your girl talk.”
“Girl talk indeed,” Rose said, waving the comment away. “This one’s lips are buttoned up tighter than Fort Knox.” Grabbing her jacket, she shook a finger under Summer’s nose. “You’re surrounded by enablers, this guy and me, included. Is it any wonder that you’ve been stuck in this same old rut for so long?”
She hugged Summer and smiled at Justin, and with that, she was gone.
Summer couldn’t meet Justin’s eyes. She had a feeling that her friend of many years agreed with Rose.
She shook off her suspicions. “My folks are in town, but they’ll be back in a couple of hours. I’m warming up some vegetable lasagna for supper,” she told him, taking refuge in the kitchen. “Why don’t you stay? I’m sure they’d love to see you.”
“Wish I could, but I have plans.”
If not for Justin and his family, she would have spent countless major holidays alone while her parents were on location. They’d been in Europe when she was attacked, and it had been Justin who’d spent the long hours with her at the hospital and rehab center. She couldn’t help but wonder if he really had plans, or if he’d made up the story to avoid spending time with the couple who, in his words, had been absent every time their only child needed them.
“Then what can I get you to drink while we set up for the haircut?”
He sat down at the counter. “Coffee, if you’ve got it.”
The friends launched into familiar, comfortable conversation that continued even as they moved the dining room table and covered the colorful rug with a white sheet, and while he cut and styled her hair. After he helped her put things back into place, he grabbed her hand.
“Sit down, Sums,” he said, leading her to the living room sofa. “I have something to tell you. Something really important.”
He plopped down beside her, looking more serious than she’d ever seen him look.
“Let me say this before I lose my nerve. Again.”
Again? How long had he been planning this little speech?
“Do you like wearing your hair short?”
“Sure. You do a great job. I don’t even miss the long ‘do’ anymore.”
His expression grew even more serious. “You are the only client I make house calls for. You know that, right?”
Yes, she did. Just like she knew what an inconvenience it was for him to haul scissors and combs, dryer and styling tools from his shop on East Meadow to her place. She’d always done everything possible to show her appreciation, and sent him home with generous tips, his favorite desserts and healthy casseroles that he could freeze then bake when work left him no time to cook.
“I realize it’s a hassle,” she said. “Coming over here every month for nearly two years…if you need to charge more, or change the schedule so that—”
He grabbed her hands. “Summer. Shhh. Please?”
She didn’t like his tone. Didn’t like feeling like a misbehaving child, either. It made her remember what her dad had said during his last visit: “If you keep acting like a helpless child, you can’t complain when people treat you like one.” It hadn’t been easy to hear then, and it wouldn’t be easy, hearing it from her much-trusted friend.
“You know I love you like a sister, right?”
She nodded. “And I feel the same way about you.”
Justin looked sad, and pained, and frustrated all at once. Her heart ached for the friend who’d always been there for her. If she loved him half as much as she claimed to, she’d spare him the ordeal of telling her the house calls had to stop.
She sat up straighter and forced a smile. “You know how much I appreciate all you do for me, right?”
One brow rose high on his forehead. “Uh, yeah…”
“So please don’t take what I’m about to say the wrong way.”
Eyes narrowed, he studied her face.
“I’ve let you baby me for far too long. It’s time I stood on my own two feet, inside and outside of this house. So next time I need a trim, I’ll come to your shop, just like any other client.” As he’d done earlier, Summer raised a hand to silence his retort. “I’ve made up my mind, and there isn’t a thing you can do to change it.”
He pulled her into a brotherly hug then held her at arm’s length. “I’m proud of you, Sums. Really proud!”
Summer did her best to match his happy smile…while hoping that someday, she’d share his feelings.
CHAPTER SEVEN
SINCE HER PARENTS’ ARRIVAL, Summer had spent half of her daylight hours picking up things her dad left strewn about, and the other half looking for things her mom had put away. She glanced at the calendar, where her dad had used a fat red marker—it had bled through to the next page—to circle the twenty-first, the date they’d fly to Baltimore then drive to the annual Chesapeake Film Festival in historic Easton, Maryland. Summer loved them like crazy, and because she knew they meant well, she employed an assortment of coping strategies.
When the basket for her dad’s keys, reading glasses and sunglasses, neatly folded handkerchiefs and breath mints overflowed, she added another one. As she rediscovered everyday items hidden by her mom, Summer simply returned them to their proper places. Her best idea yet had been the dartboard on the back of her bedroom door, the one and only room her parents never entered. After printing each irksome peculiarity on Post-it notes, she stuck them to the board. Then, after getting ready for bed each night, Summer would fire a feathered missile at the pastel squares.
Tonight, the dart zeroed in on pancake griddle on top of fridge. Since it had chosen that same note two days earlier, Summer lobbed it again. This time, it landed on wet tea bag in dishwasher, inspiring a burst of quiet laughter.
“Are you okay in there?”
“Yes, Mom.”
“Are you sure? I thought I heard thumping, and thought maybe you’d fallen.”
It was all she could do to stifle more giggles. “No, I’m fine. Must have been my dresser drawers. Sorry. I’ll close them more quietly
from now on.”
Silence, and then a dubious, “All right, then. Good night, honey.”
“Sweet dreams,” she called back, “and thanks for checking on me.”
“Oh. Speaking of dreams, I met your dreamy friend in town today.”
“Who, Justin?”
“No, of course not. I’ve known Justin for years! It was that nice young man who owns Marshall Law. You know, the self-defense studio that’s right next door to the Cascade Café?”
Summer leaped out of bed and threw open her bedroom door.
“I’ve been saving some citrus-lavender tea,” she said, taking her mother’s hand. Leading her down the hall, she whispered, “Let’s have a cup while you tell me all about it. No sense waking Dad.”
After filling the kettle and turning the burner on high, she sat beside her mom at the bar counter. “Now, then. Start at the beginning,” Summer said, “and don’t leave out a single detail.”
“Well, Dad and I were sitting there at the café, looking at the itinerary for our trip, when this handsome man walks up and says ‘Excuse me, I hate to intrude, but aren’t you Mr. and Mrs. Lane?’” Susannah laughed. “Your father thought he wanted an autograph, so he grabbed a napkin and his pen and said, ‘How would you like me to make it out?’”
Summer grinned, picturing the scene.
“So the man gets all tongue-tied and he says, ‘Oh, no. Thank you, but I recognized you from a picture in your daughter’s foyer, and I just wanted to introduce myself.’ You should have seen the disappointed look on Dad’s face! I asked him to join us, and after he sat down, I said to him, ‘So, how do you know our girl?’ And he says to me, ‘I don’t really know her. We only just met, through the boy who lives next door to her.’ And I said, ‘Alex? He’s just the sweetest boy!’ And he says—”
Maybe it had been a mistake to ask her not to leave out any of the details. At this rate, they’d be here till dawn. What Summer really wanted to know was if Zach had sweet-talked her parents into revealing details about her past. And if so, how many secrets had they shared?
“I hope he didn’t make you guys too uncomfortable, prying into my past.”
“Oh, he didn’t pry, honey. In fact, the only question he asked the whole time we talked was whether or not you’re our daughter.”
The whole time? How long had they talked?
The teakettle rattled, and Summer jumped up to turn it off before the whistle woke her dad. She filled two mugs with water then plopped a special-brew tea bag into each.
“You’ll love this stuff,” she said, pushing the sugar bowl closer to her mother’s cup. “So tell me, how long did you guys visit with Zach?”
Susannah added a spoonful of sugar to her mug. “Fifteen, twenty minutes, maybe,” she said, stirring.
Summer tensed. Good grief. As fast as Mom talks, that was more than enough time to tell him my whole life story! Though why he’d want to listen was anybody’s guess.
“He said you’re considering one of his self-defense classes?”
“I’ve given it a little thought.”
“I hope you’ll do more than think about it. Seems like a two-birds-with-one-stone solution for your problems.”
Problems, plural? Summer resisted the urge to sigh.
“I mean, think about it, honey. You’d get some good exercise for your poor leg, a reason to get out of the house a couple times a week and you’d learn a few moves that will give you back some of your old confidence.”
A couple times a week? Summer needed to reread the brochure because she would have sworn the classes were weekly. No. She wasn’t ready to commit to two days out of the house.
“And what a treat it’ll be, taking lessons from that gorgeous man.” Susannah held up a hand. “But lest you think I’m being shallow, all hung up on outward appearances, you should know that Dad and I talked about him all the way home from town. Zach is quite the impressive guy.”
As Rose had done earlier, her mom began counting on her fingers.
“He’s patriotic—you don’t spend that many years in a marine uniform if you aren’t—and hardworking. He’s thoughtful, and he keeps in close touch with his family. And from the way he talks about Alex, it’s clear that he adores children. Really, what’s not to like!” Winking, she nudged Summer’s shoulder. “Who knows? If you meet him halfway, he could be ‘the one.’”
Why did everything her mom said have to sound like a movie plot? Didn’t she realize that not every ending was a happy one?
Susannah took a sip of her tea. “Oh, my. You were right, honey. This stuff is delicious!” She put down her mug. “Do you know what else Zach is? He’s considerate, that’s what. When he heard how difficult it is for us to spend so much time away from you, he offered to keep an eye on you for us. You know, while we’re in Maryland. He’s a doll. A real sweetheart, I tell you!”
Yes, she’d hesitated about going outside to deliver Alex’s cookies. But surely he hadn’t seen that as reason enough to babysit her. If things kept up this way, she’d need note cards to deliver the speech she intended to make next time she saw him.
“Yeah. A real sweetheart, all right,” she said under her breath.
“What’s that, honey?”
Summer didn’t reply. Instead, she feigned a yawn and put her mug in the sink. “Well, I’m beat. Think I’ll turn in.” She gave her mother a hug. “See you in the morning.”
“Sweet dreams, honey.”
Something told Summer that her dreams would be anything but sweet tonight.
And she was right. After hours of tossing and turning, she got up and wandered from window to window, peering out at the silent street. Light poured from the house directly across the way. To its left, a dim glow lit an upstairs room. In the next house, the colorful strobes of a TV flickered from downstairs. It was strangely comforting to know she wasn’t the only one up at this ungodly hour.
A glance at the clock made her spine stiffen. Fifteen hours from now, she’d drive into Vail for the first time in months, and sign up for a lesson at Marshall Law.
Either that, or she’d make the difficult phone call to apologize for not showing up.
CHAPTER EIGHT
ZACH HAD EXPECTED Summer to bail tonight, but there she sat in a black jogging suit, filling out an enrollment form.
“She doesn’t look very happy,” Alex whispered. “I hope that doesn’t mean she’s thinking about changing her mind.”
Zach had to agree, and wondered which question caused the worry lines to form on her forehead. Then it hit him: question six. The one that asked potential students to explain how a self-defense course might benefit them.
She crossed her ankles and sighed.
“You think she bought those sneakers just for class?”
Alex shook his head. “Nah. I told her socks or bare feet to protect the mats. Those just look new ’cause she hardly ever wears them.”
As if on cue, she planted those bright pink shoes on the floor and limped toward them.
“Do you have a schedule?” she asked, putting the clipboard on the reception counter. “So I can choose classes?”
Alex piped up with, “Not much to choose from, Summer. We only do beginners classes on Monday evenings. Wednesdays are for intermediates, experts on Fridays. All the other slots are for private lessons, or people who want to come in and practice moves in front of the big mirrors.” He looked up at Zach. “Right, boss?”
Zach winked. “Right.”
Summer sighed again. “That’s too bad. I’m only free on Thursdays.”
Alex got the joke right away and burst out laughing. “You had me going there for a minute.”
Zach figured it out, too. It was good to see that the brute who’d attacked her hadn’t taken her sense of humor, too.
He nodded toward her outfit. “I hope you didn’t go to a lot of expense, because tonight is mostly orientation. Workout clothes won’t be necessary.”
“Oh.” She looked down at her track suit the
n exhaled. “You mean to say I got all decked out like a ninja wannabe for nothing?”
Grinning, Zach picked up the clipboard and scanned her enrollment form. “I see you haven’t filled in the box for number of lessons.”
“That’s right,” she said, meeting his steady gaze blink for blink.
After learning her history, Zach thought he understood what it had taken for her to get here. He also believed that if he pushed too hard, she might leave tonight and never come back.
“The first night is free, so you’ll have time to make up your mind.”
He faced Alex again. “Is everybody signed up?”
Alex removed Summer’s form from the clipboard and added it to those on the counter. “They are now.”
“Then why don’t you corral them into the meeting room and get the PowerPoint presentation ready.”
“I’m on it, boss.”
Once he was out of earshot, Zach focused on Summer. “I want you to know how much I admire you. I know it wasn’t easy, coming here tonight.”
“Oh, it was easier than you think.” She laughed softly. “My folks are in town—as you well know—and although I love them to pieces, they’re driving me a little crazy. It was almost a relief, having a valid excuse to get out of the house.”
Almost? “Well, whatever the reason, I’m glad you’re here, and I know Alex is, too.”
“You can add my parents to the list because they’ve been after me to do something like this for ages. But then, you already know that, since you three—”
Summer stopped talking when a young woman joined them.
“Hi,” she said, extending her hand. “I’m Emma.”
Zach watched as the women exchanged friendly introductions. Was he imagining things, or did Summer seem disappointed when Emma announced that she’d be her instructor?
“So how long have you been in Vail?” Emma wanted to know.
“Two years, give or take a week.”
Emma looked surprised. “Wow, really? You’d think I would have run into you sometime. I need to get out more!” She chuckled then added, “You’re okay with this being an all-girl class?”