Summer Daze

by Renee Porter

  “We know it’s in two months. Dan has a movie that’s going to start in September and we wanted to do it before then. Plus this will throw off the paparazzi. Why are you grunting? The wicked witch isn’t there is she?”

  I rolled my eyes at my best friend. He never hid how much he disliked Natalia and although I assured him she wasn’t who he thought she was, he still didn’t believe she had ulterior motives.

  “I’m actually getting ready for the big meeting.”

  “And you’re sure about this, Jay? I mean, really, really sure this is the best thing for your company?”

  “I’m not sure about anything right now. But I owe it to them to at least hear what they have to say.” I grabbed my purse and looked out the window. Natalia said she would be here by now to drive me to the corporate office. My hands were wet with anticipation.

  “You don’t owe them anything. They’re the ones who find you the competition. Just remember that.”

  “And don’t take anything before my lawyer looking into it.” I heard from somewhere in phone land.

  “Thanks Dan. I won’t sign anything I’m not ready for.” Again I looked outside my window and didn’t see Natalia. The appointment was in a half hour and it took at least twenty five to get to the office. Instead of waiting I ran downstairs, saying goodbye to the happy couple and assuring them that throwing a wedding in two months was a possible thing to do.

  Not fully confident in anything I was telling anyone today, I turned the engine on my car and head out to what could be the most important day of my life.

  ***

  “You’re going to be fine. Just breathe, and tell me exactly what happened.” I sat with my head between my legs. It wasn’t my finest moment but I thought that maybe, just maybe the last three hours of my life didn’t just happened.

  “I think I just signed away my whole company.” Again, my head started reeling as I felt the comfort on my back, soothing away any worry.

  “Let me see the contract.” I pushed over the thick envelope as I lifted my head. Strong hands grabbed the paper and I watched as eyes skimmed the pages.

  I thought back for a moment and tried not to feel extremely violated about what had just happened. I remembered going into the meeting, seeing Natalia sitting to the right of her boss. He was good looking, but the smile was so familiar. It looked like Natalia’s when I told her I would take the meeting.

  “The contract was already there. They knew I would say yes.” I groaned and pinched the bridge of my nose. Their offer was so inviting.

  “It’s a large sum of money,” he said, “anyone would be crazy to pass this up. You would still have ownership of the whole business, but we would take 49%, plus pay the bill for marketing. It’s a win-win, especially since we’re expanding.” I could feel his breath, “take it now and we’ll double it all.” He pushed the contract over to me. Natalia nodded, he smiled, the number was already written directly on the top. It was too good to pass up.

  “I’m such an idiot.” I felt sick to my stomach.

  “You’re not an idiot. They took advantage of you. You had no idea what you were getting into.” I felt the hand on my back again and I looked up.

  The last person I had thought would be comforting me was El. I watched as her deep blue eyes tore away from own to continue to look at the contract. Finally, El sighed and put the contract down.

  “What do you think?”

  “I know why you signed it. It’s too good to pass up.” She placed the contract back in front of me. “But now you have to get their say on what you sell. They’ll pay for your marketing but you also have to pay them to place your clothes in their shops. And you can’t be considered a competitor so you have to close the shop.”

  I groaned. “They didn’t tell me that. Isn’t that illegal?”

  El nodded and tried to provide me with a shy smile. “But they’ll tell a different story.”

  “I knew she would fuck me over.” Again I groaned.

  “This was the same woman in your store that day?”

  I nodded at El. Natalia really was a wicked witch and I was too naïve to even see it.

  “I knew she was bad news.”

  “You and everyone else.” I tried to fight back the tears. I had been too hung up on the money that I didn’t even see what they were doing. It was marketing 101 and I had failed. Even though my shop had been killing it, I would have to sell and pay for my clothes to be in someone else’s store and worse of all, my whole life was changed because I was too stupid to see it.

  “I’m up shit’s creek without a paddle, huh?”

  El. I had to love her for even being there with me. Even though I knew she didn’t really come back this summer for me, rather than to help with Dan and Marshall’s wedding.

  “Let me take this and read it over tonight.” El smiled softly at me. “You didn’t know Jayce.”

  “I’m still an idiot.”

  “You’ve been an idiot since you started sleeping with that horrible woman.” Marshall finally made his way over to us. He flopped down at the table and took the contract from El. “I told you she was bad news. It doesn’t matter how good her sexy dance was…”

  “Jesus, Marshall. Could you not?” My face reddened as I looked at El. Her jaw clenched and I figured she was just as pissed as Marshall that the woman stabbed me in the back.

  “What? She knew exactly what she was doing. She took advantage of your kindness. And look at this,” Marshall pointed to the percentage written in the contract, “look at how much you paid her for that nicety.” He scoffed as my face fell. That was thousands in payment, for what?

  “Marshall, she didn’t know. Don’t berate her.” El said softly yet determinately. I looked at both of the people who had meant so much in my life. El had been my first. Marshall had been my forever. And both had been pivotal into my growing up.

  “She’s an adult. And Dan told her...”

  “It doesn’t matter what anyone told her. You weren’t there. You don’t know how persuasive these people can be.”

  I watched back and forth as my best friends, or at one time best friend, fought with my now best friend. It was confusing and somewhat a turn on.

  “Okay, please stop.” Marshall and El both sat silent. “I know I was stupid for ever signing anything but I wasn’t thinking. And now I need to deal with the consequences. And yes, Marshall, you were right about Natalia. I should have never trusted her. I should have known that someone like her would never go for someone like me without wanting something back.”

  “Don’t say that.” Both Marshall and El said at the same time. El looked softly at me and then to Marshall allowing him to speak.

  “You are not the one who gets to feel bad in this situation. She is a disgusting human for ever doing this to you.”

  “She didn’t know what she had.” El finished. It was simple, but what I needed to hear.

  “And we’re going to figure this out.” Marshall grabbed my left hand. “I promise.”

  ***

  My heart pounded with every hit of the pavement. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out.

  I loved running for the sheer fact that I was in control. It was the only thing that I could count on these days, because no matter how many times I called Natalia, her phone went straight to voicemail

  It had been weeks since I had made the mistake of signing the contract and was starting to let the idea sink in that I would not be the one handling my shop any longer. Soon, my little shop would be a Jamba Juice or another trendy clothing shop only to be brought under by the big chain across the way.

  “You’re really into head, aren’t you?” I was startled by the voice to my left as I looked over. Breathing heavily, I had to chuckle as I saw El’s dark blue eyes meet my own.

  “Are you stalking me?” I looked around the empty park as El stretched her arms. Her eyes twinkled in the sunlight.

  “I couldn’t help it. I tried calling but realized that you probably don�
�t have my new number so I asked Marshall where you’d be.” El pointed her head toward the trail and started to job backward. I followed her as we started to run in stride.

  “So what’s up?” I tried to sound cool and not excited that El wanted to see me enough to find me.

  “Nothing. I was thinking that since we’re both the ‘best men’ we could start planning.”

  “Planning? As in the bachelor party?”

  “And the bridal shower.” El’s grin allowed her brilliant smile to brighten.

  “Are you okay with this?” I slowed and El followed as she looked at me with a curious glance. I didn’t know what had happened to El after the break up but I knew that she had loved Dan. She told me herself. Now that love was marrying someone else, and she was supposed to help plan it. It couldn’t have been easy for her.

  “Of course I am. Dan is my best friend. I only want the best.” El gave me her most convincing smile and I told myself that I couldn’t nearly be as great of an actress as her. Maybe she should consider acting as well.

  “So then, what are you thinking?”

  “Well, I know Marshall’s parents aren’t very accepting of his ‘choices’ but Dan’s parents are more than willing to throw a little shindig at their estate.

  “Estate?”

  “Oh yes.”

  “And where is this estate?”

  “Beverly Hills.”

  I stopped suddenly trying to catch my breath. “Shit.”

  “What?” El look genuinely concerned.

  “I don’t have nearly anything to wear that is nice enough for something like that.” I paused for a moment, trying to compose myself. I felt little out of my league.

  “Don’t worry about that. You look good in anything. Even nothing,” El added. She winked at me and I rolled my eyes just wondering how I got so lucky to have someone like her in my life, even if it was sporadically.

  “Thanks. Maybe I’ll come in nothing then,” I started to jog again as I contemplated El. She seemed more carefree than last summer. And it made me feel more carefree as well. Maybe time did heal most wounds.

  Chapter 24

  El hadn’t been joking when she said that Dan’s parents had owned an actual estate.

  A large double staircase surrounded the entry of the Beverly Hills estate. Two roaring tigers, encased in marble, watched over the front yard as I pulled my Toyota Camry up toward the valet.

  “Damn, we should have brought the Ferrari,” my mother said as she took the proffered valet’s hand.

  “Don’t take it for a joy ride now, Sam.” The valet chuckled as I allowed him into the car. Taking the steps one by one, I held onto my mother’s arm to make sure I didn’t fall in my two inch heels.

  “You look beautiful. I’ve always liked you in those colors.”

  “I wouldn’t really call black and gray colors mother,” I chuckled.

  “You get what I mean. You look beautiful. And I think a certain someone is going to think that too…”

  “Mom,” I attempted to silence her as she knocked on the door. She gave me a look that brought me back to when I was a kid and just rolled my eyes. She wouldn’t have me back talking to her when she knew she was right.

  My mother and I were greeted by Dan’s mother, Jules. She was just as beautiful as her son and the resemblance was almost uncanny. Dan had his mother’s smile and eyes, and yes, even her warmth. The way that Jules beamed with pride over her son’s engagement, made me like her instantly. Dan’s father, James, was just as warm and inviting.

  It was something I wasn’t used to. Everyone would think that modesty was a thing of the past when walking through the large home, but if I had known Jules and James prior to knowing they had money, I wouldn’t think twice.

  “You look just as marvelous as our Ellie said you would.” I got a jab from my mom in response to Jules’s words.

  “I’m sorry, Ellie?” I was trying to place the name when suddenly my idiotic brain clicked. “Oh, you mean El?”

  Jules’s chuckled and placed her hand on my back, ushering me into where the party guests were located. “El, Ellie – whatever we call her she is the same beautiful soul that brought our Danny back to us.”

  I could tell from the warmth of how Jules said El’s name that she was revered in the house.

  “Brought him to you?”

  Jules smiled as he placed her hand in mine and squeezed. “Look at my Danny. He has never been so happy and I hear from El that you and her helped him get there. I’ve never wanted anything more than to see my child happy. It doesn’t matter how much money you have in your pocket, you can’t buy that smile.”

  I looked over at Dan, smiling at his fiancé and friends with a champagne flute in his hand. Jules was right. The smile was intoxicating and you could tell just from that how happy Dan was in that moment.

  “So I don’t know how I can ever thank you, but I think I know how to help. You’ll be hearing from me in the near future darling.” With that foreboding message, Jules pushed me toward my friends and took my mother by the hand so she could show her a room which she desperately needed a brand new piece of art in.

  “What?” I mouthed to my mother as she passed. I saw mom just shrug and disappear in the distance.

  “See? I knew it would fit perfectly.” The shiver ran through my spine as the person speaking behind me came into view. I felt slightly cooled finger tips touch my own as a flute was placed in between them.

  I took in El as if I was a parched horse finally seeing water for the first time. She was breathtaking. In a long red cocktail dress, her hair flung loosely over one shoulder and partially pinned on the opposite side, I didn’t know in that moment exactly what to say, or think, or do.

  Breathe. Maybe I should breathe.

  I cleared my throat as I went to the first thing that came to my head.

  “Yes, thank you for the dress. Imagine my surprise when I saw the box sitting on my porch.”

  “El gave me a slow smile as she sipped her own champagne. Her light red lipstick stuck on the glass and for a moment I was a little jealous of the inanimate object.

  “Well, for what it’s worth, you do look beautiful. Although, I do think that the other one would have been a lot more…”

  I lowered my gaze to El and chuckled. “Indecent,” I finished for her.

  “What? No, I don’t think that’s the word I was thinking of.”

  I sighed through another chuckle as I stepped closer to her. “You gave me an empty box, El.” Again, looking up, El gave me a slow smile and shrugged her shoulders.

  “I gave you options.” She pointed her finger at me and while we stood there looking at one another, something passed between us.

  “Okay, let’s just, right here and…” Suddenly, El’s deep blue eyes were replaced by dark skin as Marshall weaseled his way between us. “And I know it’s a wedding shower, but let’s leave the heat for the honeymoon, how about that?” Marshall looked between me and El and I felt the flame hit my cheeks. Was I that obvious? Was El that obvious as well?

  “Hi, honey. Thanks for coming. You look beautiful.” Marshall thankfully saved me the awkwardness and hugged me. I still couldn’t help but keep my eyes on El as she smiled at our embrace. There was something about her demeanor that had changed since last summer. She was definitely more open.

  “You look dashing, Marshall. And Dan looks incredible too.”

  “Doesn’t he though?” I felt Marshall sigh. “I can’t believe I get to spend the rest of my life with that man.”

  I grew quiet not knowing exactly what to say. I was happy for them, but I still wasn’t sure how El felt about the whole thing. I know she wanted Dan to be happy but if it was at her own expense, I could only imagine what she was going through.

  “You two belong together. If that’s one thing I see now, it’s that.” She raised her glass as Marshall put his hand over his heart and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Next thing we knew, Marshall was taking his fiance’s hand as they
slowly danced to the song over the speakers.

  “That was good,” I told El as we stood there watching. El looked at me and then back to the happy couple. I felt her sigh as her bare arms brushed my own. Instead of moving farther away, she drew even closer.

  “It was the truth.”

  I looked at El to see if it really was. I could always tell when El was lying but this time I wasn’t sure. “It doesn’t bother you at all? That he is with Marshall?”

  “Not at all. I knew it from the beginning. He always loved someone else and I was okay with that. I never loved Dan how I loved...” El tilted her head and shook out the thought. “In any case, Dan is a different person with Marshall. I would never want anything more than that for him.”

  “But last year you said that you couldn’t fall any further…”

  I was confused. Didn’t she allude that she had loved Dan so deeply?

  “That’s the truth, Jayce, but it doesn’t mean that I was talking about Dan.” I felt El’s hand in my own at that moment and I realized what she had meant last summer. El had never said she was in love with Dan, only that she had loved him. But me on the other hand? She had loved me, she had told me the first summer together, and while I thought it could have just been young love, maybe that grew as we grew too.

  Before being able to say anything, Jules started a toast to her son and son-to-be. I tried to pay attention to the beautiful words being said about Marshall and Dan, but the heart beating felt between my hand and El’s was too distracting.

  I didn’t know what to think. El loved me still? Did I love her? I knew I had loved her but that was then and while I still care for her now, was it more? Instead of her hand giving me comfort, it gave me anxiety. We were just starting to become friends again, if we were something more we could lose it all again.

  I cleared my throat as the group applauded. I carefully removed my hand from El’s and used the clapping as an excuse to gather my composure.

  “I’ll be right back,” I told El and didn’t wait for a response. I started breathing heavily as I made my way outside. I needed a minute to think, hell I’d even take a second.