Once Upon a Summer

by Brooke Moss

  After pulling down the wrong driveway once—okay, twice—I found myself in front of a gate with the name Wallingford carved on a wrought iron placard. Choking nervously, I as it slowly rolled open. I yanked my lipstick out of my purse and quickly reapplied, before smoothing down my hair as best I could.

  I eased down the steep driveway as slowly as possible. “Why didn’t I go home to change?” I asked myself, admiring the lights lining the driveway with wide eyes. “Oh, that’s right. Because I’m a moron.”

  I cringed as my tired brakes squealed when the car came to a stop in front of the backside of the palatial cabin. There were three cars parked outside the garage. A Cadillac Escalade that was so shiny, I flinched; a silver Mercedes I was pretty sure cost more than a year’s worth of rent for my apartment; and Preston’s car. Thank goodness his car was there.

  That meant he was home. That meant he wasn’t on a date. That meant he hadn’t fallen in love with someone else between the hours of five o’clock and seven forty.

  Putting my car in park, I tried to shake off all of the hysteria happening inside. It was time to focus. I climbed out and carefully opened the back door. Balloons darted toward the sky, as I dove into the clump of latex with a squeak to grab the bouquet of sunflowers I’d used as a weight.

  When I pulled the massive arrangement out of the backseat, I felt sweat trickle down the side of my forehead. I wished I were there to enjoy the private beach. Alas, there I was, in my work uniform with thirty, multi-colored helium balloons tethered to a bouquet of twenty-four sunflowers with stems as thick as a small child’s arms arranged around a small, potted cactus in the center. It was big, bulky, and wildly obnoxious, but hey, I was there to make a statement.

  My knees shook inside my torn jeans as I approached the flagstone front porch and pressed the doorbell. “Calm down,” I hissed to myself.

  The door swung open and I found myself face to face with a regal woman. She was tall and willowy like Liza, but with grey streaked hair and the same chocolate brown eyes as Preston. “Oh, hello.” Her mouth opened slightly at the sight of the huge clump of balloons I was holding. “Delivery?”

  I gulped. “I… yes. I’m here for Preston, please?”

  “Of course.” She stepped back from the door and sang, “Junior! Come to the front door, please.”

  Junior? Biting the insides of my cheeks to keep from laughing inappropriately, I shifted the colossal bouquet in my arms, loudly crinkling the cellophane they were wrapped in. “Thank you.”

  “Yeah?” Preston’s voice called from within the house. My stomach knotted, and I bounced on the balls of my feet instinctively.

  He’s here. He’s coming.

  “Come to the front door, dear.” She smiled and shook her head at me, as if we were sharing in a little moment together. Sons, am I right? “He’s so busy.”

  I nodded, unsure how to explain I wasn’t just there to deliver and obnoxious amount of flowers and balloons to her son, but my heart as well.

  Preston approached from around a corner, wiping his hands on a dishtowel. “Mom, I’m kind of in the middle of something. I… oh.”

  Our eyes met through the ribbons attached to the balloons, and the knot in my gut immediately loosened. There he was, with his tousled, sun-streaked hair, and gooey Cinnabon eyes. His full lips pulled across those straight, white teeth in a cheeky grin.

  “I… uh, I brought you something,” I blurted lamely. “I’m sorry I didn’t answer your texts. I should have, and I… I didn’t.”

  His mom’s eyebrows rose high on her forehead, as it dawned on her that her son had been texting the sweaty delivery girl. “I think I’ll leave you two to it, then.”

  “Thanks,” Preston said, meeting me on the porch. “I didn’t expect to see you. I—”

  “I know. I shouldn’t have just shown up here, I just…” Pausing to catch my breath, I felt another bead of sweat roll out from underneath my blunt bangs. “I wanted to give this to you.”

  I held out the massive sunflower bouquet, dragging the balloons with it. His eyes crinkled on the sides as he took the flowers, ducking as some of the balloons pelted him in the head. “Oh… wow. I don’t know what to say.”

  I drew a shuddering breath, then released it slowly. Time to give the speech I’d been planning since my lunch break. “Don’t say anything. Let me explain.”

  He nodded obediently. “Okay.”

  I pointed to the balloons. “There are thirty balloons here, one to represent how many times you’ve come into Petal Pushers this summer. My boss counted the credit card transactions. That’s thirty times I missed the opportunity to talk to you, to get to know you, and maybe even realize how much we have in common. I… I promise not to let thirty more days pass before I give you a chance again.”

  His smile dropped away. “Aubrey—”

  “There are also twenty-four sunflowers there,” I explained quickly, not wanting to hear what Preston had to say. His smile—that stunning piece of art I had Mr. and Mrs. Wallingford to thank for—had disappeared, and it could only mean one thing: I was about three minutes from getting dumped. I wasn’t about to go down without a fight. “They are my favorite flower, because even though they are big and strong, and they appear tough with their thick, tall stems, they are actually every bit as delicate as the next flower. They need water, sunlight, and time to grow and open up to show how beautiful they are on the inside. Just… well, just like you. You may look like you’re sturdy and cocky, but in all actuality, you’re every bit as human as anyone else. I love that about you.”

  I drew another shaky breath. “I put twenty-four of them in here, because twenty-four hours ago, you asked me on a date, and I turned you down. And if I could go back and do anything differently, I would tell you yes. Because then we would’ve had the date we were supposed to have, instead of me hijacking Liza’s.”

  His lips pulled into a line as he watched me closely through the balloon ribbons. Somewhere down on the lake, a jet skier flitted across the surface, whooping as they jumped waves.

  “The cactus in the center represents me.” My eyes stung with tears as I spoke in a small voice. “I act like I’m tough, and I’m prickly on the outside, and I can hurt you if you get too close. But I mean well, Preston. And I need to be cared for as much as all the other plants. I… I’m sorry I hurt you all summer. If you give me another chance, I promise not to do it again.”

  I stopped speaking and he looked down at the flowers with a thoughtful nod. A balmy breeze blew in from off of the lake, rustling the balloons gently with a quiet thunk, thunk, thunk. I held my breath, waiting for him to say something. I’d known it was a risk, putting myself out there, but I was tired of standing around and watching life pass me by. I was ready to reach out and take what I wanted, and it started with Preston.

  And boy did I want him. The sun filtering through the trees caught his golden hair, practically making him glow. As he considered my words, letting second after awkward second pass in silence, he chewed his lower lip introspectively. Had I gone too far? Was I on the verge of becoming a humiliating stalker-girl meme that would inevitably go viral?

  I took a step toward him. The magnet-pull between us felt twice as strong as it’d been the night before. “Say something.”

  “I just…” When Preston looked up, the corners of his mouth were tugging upward. “Nobody’s ever done something like this for me before.”

  The satisfaction that smile gave me was epic. I grinned, despite myself. “Yeah? I was afraid I’d gone too far. I—”

  “No!” He tried to move closer to me, but the bouquet between us crinkled loudly, and one of the cactus spines pricked Preston’s arm. “Ouch. Damn. No, Aubrey, it’s… it’s awesome. Really.”

  I blew at my sweaty hair. “I’m sorry I just came over unannounced. I was excited.”

  “It’s okay.” He gazed at me through the ribbons, sighing. “I should explain, though—”

  “No, wait. Don’t say anything.” I car
efully took the massive arrangement, and placed it on the log rocking chair sitting on the porch. Then, reaching for his hands, I asked, “Can I still have a chance to say yes to that steak on the beach?”

  His face flushed, and his fingers tangled themselves with mine. “Of course, but—”

  “Then can I also do this?” Drawing in a deep breath for strength, I stood on my tiptoes and tentatively brushed his lips with mine. Every nerve ending in my body thrummed with excitement. “Or is it weird with your mom is inside?”

  Preston stepped back, his brow was furrowed. The air between us immediately cooled, despite the setting sun in the distance. “Wait.”

  I looked away, ashamed. I’d gone too far. Pushed my luck. “I’m sorry,” I mumbled, pulling my hands away. “I—”

  “Hey, Preston?” Footsteps approaching us from behind Preston’s shoulder sounded, and he whirled around as a sundress-clad person emerged from the darkened entryway. “How does this look?”

  My insides froze into solid bricks of ice, and every hair on my body stood on end. I knew that voice. I’d been having regular sleepovers with its owner since the fifth grade. Turning slowly, all of the air in my lungs whooshed out. “Liza?”

  Her face went pale, and she hid something paper behind her back. “Oh. I didn’t… I mean… hi.”

  “Hi?” Humiliated tears welled in my eyes. “Are you kidding? Is this a joke?”

  Preston stepped between us. “It isn’t what it looks like.”

  “Not what it looks like?” My voice cracked as I shifted my glare up to his chiseled face. “One day? One day and you go after her again?”

  His eyes widened. “That’s not what’s happening here.”

  Liza stepped onto the porch. She was in her nicest, shortest sundress, and her hair had been straightened into glossy perfection. She never straightened her golden locks unless she was looking to impress. “He didn’t go after me.”

  “Oh, no?” Rage coursed through my veins like a lava flow. “You couldn’t just let me have one, Liza? Just one guy I really like? You really do have to have all the attention, don’t you?”

  Dragging a hand down the length of his face, Preston reached for me. “This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.”

  I backed away, stumbling on the top step. “I interrupted your date. Sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking. Clearly I overestimated you… and us… and her… and all of this.”

  I made a beeline for my car, nausea rolling through me. I felt foolish and ugly as all hell in my perspiration soaked work uniform and stringy hair. What a night. Maybe I could accidentally staple my own forehead while I was on a roll...

  Liza followed me. “Aubrey, wait!”

  I dropped into the driver’s seat, refusing to look back. Shoving the key into the ignition with a shaking hand, my eyes filled with tears. The dashboard swayed in front of me. Just get the hell out of here and pull over to lose your cool later.

  Two perfectly manicured hands came down on the window beside me with a thud, making me jump.

  Liza stepped back as I rolled down my window. “I didn’t mean to scare you. You just can’t leave yet.”

  “Watch me,” I told her, firing up my engine. “Move.”

  She shook her head. “Not until you hear me out.”

  “Liza, I get it. You want to win. I’m not as pretty as you, I’m not as cool as you, I’m—”

  “Would you just shut up?” She clenched her jaw. “I’m not on a date with Preston. He’s taken. By you.”

  “Then why are you here? Dressed like that?”

  “This?” She looked down and picked a piece of lint off of her skirt. “Garrett is picking me up here in a few minutes.”

  “Garrett? Who’s Garrett?”

  “Garrett was in the boathouse last night.” Her cheeks pinked. “He was holding me up?”

  I shook my head, confused. “When did this happen?”

  She sighed. “Maybe around three or so is when he called. He got my number from Preston, and asked if he could take me for a boat ride tonight.”

  My eyes widened. “Are you sure that’s smart? You’ll be alone with him. You know how you get—”

  “It’s going to be okay.” Her expression grew serious. “I told him no drinking.”

  “Okay. Good.” The lava in my veins started to cool. “Why are you at Preston’s house?”

  Liza stepped closer to me. Tears filled her blue eyes. “Aubrey, you were right. I do try to take guys away. When we go places, I want all the attention, and I don’t care how much it hurts you when I do it.”

  My jaw dropped. “It’s okay, you—”

  She put up a hand. “No, it’s not okay. I deserved it everything you said to me today. Every word.”

  I tried to respond, but words eluded me.

  “I’m going away soon, and I’m going somewhere where I won’t know anyone at all. You’re my very best friend. Nobody knows me like you do. I can’t leave with you hating me. It would kill me to know I lost you, even though I’m a total bitch and probably deserved it.”

  I laughed, dabbing my eyes. “You’re not a total bitch. But thank you. And I’m sorry, too. I broke Girl Code. And I did it to my very best friend.”

  Liza waved a hand. “Doesn’t apply here.”

  “Why not?”

  She knelt by my open window, putting a warm hand on my arm. “Because you and Preston are made for each other.”

  I leaned down so that my forehead was on the top of her hand. She tucked herself into my open window, covering me in an awkward, yet perfect embrace. “Thank you,” I told her, my voice muffled. “So much.”

  “Don’t thank me.” Liza stood back upright and gestured to the palatial house. “Preston called me around, oh, I don’t know, five or so, asking if I could help him with a project. He apologized for asking me out to get to you, and then told me how much you cared about me and watched over me last night. He said I was lucky to have a friend like you. You should see what he brought me here to work on.”

  I pulled a napkin from the center console to wipe my nose. “What is it?”

  “Remember when we learned to make paper lanterns in Girl Scouts?” She beamed down at me. “Go see for yourself.”

  I turned the car off and climbed out. I walked slowly back toward the house, only to spot Preston in the doorway, waiting with his hands in the pockets of his boards shorts. When I approached, he offered me a tentative smile.

  “Hi?”

  “Hi.” I winced. “I’m so sorry—”

  “Shh.” Taking my hand, he led me through the front door.

  The whole house was dark, except for the kitchen, where his mother was arranging some vegetables and hummus on a tray. There were two rib eye steaks sitting on a plate on the island, and I could see through the huge windows that the back deck was lined with lit paper lanterns. There had to be over thirty of them guiding a path from the deck to the beach, where a small bistro table was resting in the sand. The table was covered in a crisp white tablecloth, with tea light candles flickering at its center. The sun hung low against the mountains, barely giving off light save for a pink glow that reflected in waves across the lake.

  It took my breath away.

  “You did this for me?” I breathed.

  He grinned. “Liza helped. I asked her how to win you back, and she said you deserved a real romantic date of your own. I decided to hijack your evening, bring you here, and make it happen.”

  A sliding glass door opened and a tall man with slicked back salt and pepper hair entered. “Well, the grill is warmed up. You can put those steaks on whenever your special friend arrives. Don’t forget to turn it off when—” His words halted when he spotted me. “Guess I put my foot in my mouth.”

  Preston’s cheeks colored. “Dad, this is Aubrey. Aubrey, this is my dad, Preston.”

  I shook it his hand. “That should be easy to remember.”

  Preston’s mother approached, holding out her hand as well. “And I’m Elaine, Junior’
s mother.”

  My heart thudded. “I’m sorry I’m such a mess, I—”

  “Shush,” she scolded me with a smile. “You’re every bit as lovely as Junior said you were.”

  A surprising new crop of tears pricked the backs of my eyes. “Thank you.”

  She shifted her focus to her son. “Dad and I are going to the eight-thirty movie, so the house is yours until about eleven.”

  “Don’t break my grill,” his dad warned, jingling his car keys. “Be good, kids.”

  They left, pulling the door closed behind them with a soft click, and leaving us in the impeccably decorated house alone. I tried unsuccessfully to draw a smooth breath. “I don’t even know what to say. Nobody’s ever done something like this for me before.”

  “That makes two of us, then.” He brushed a strand of my hair back from my face. “You are so beautiful, Snow White.”

  I grinned so hard it hurt. “You’re not so bad yourself, Prince Charming.”

  His arms encircled my waist, pulling me tightly against his warm, hard frame. “Will you have dinner with me tonight? Steaks on the beach?”

  “I can’t think of anything else I want to do more.” My eyes drifted shut just as his lips found mine, nudging them apart and effortlessly tilting my head to the side. Pops of color and light exploded behind my closed lids as he lifted me off of the floor and turned me in a slow circle. The room melted away. All that was left was Preston, me, and a few dozen lights. I couldn’t imagine being anywhere but right there, in his strong, capable arms.

  He pulled away breathlessly, gently sliding me back onto the floor. “Let’s cook some steaks then.”

  “Okay,” I replied, dizzily following him to the kitchen where we both fetched a tray of food to carry. “Junior.”

  Preston chuckled. “Not you, too.”

  ~

  And with that, we proceeded to have the first of many incredible, romantic, silly, and inexplicably comfortable dates. And it didn’t fizzle when he went back to school. If anything, that was just when it started to get good.