One Hot Summer

by Heidi McLaughlin

  They moved around her tiny kitchen like a cohesive unit. When she needed to pull their dinner out of the oven, he was there to assist her. He told himself it’s because he didn’t want her to get burnt, but the truth was, he wanted to touch her, to be close to her, and he was willing to use any and every excuse he could think of to do so.

  She lifted the lid off the pan and once again, his stomach let out an embarrassing sound. She giggled. He looked at her, caught her staring at him, and thought about kissing her. Now was neither the time nor the place, but maybe in the near future… after Kori went to bed.

  “I know what you’re thinking,” she said, breaking his mini daydream about being with her.

  He tilted his head slightly. “About what?”

  “This is your favorite meal and I know it shouldn’t go in the oven but leaving a hot pan on the stove isn’t always the best with Kori. She likes to help and I’m always afraid she’s going to pull a hot pan down on top of her.”

  He swallowed hard. If Neil were here, he’d tell him to “wife her up” before some other guy got his hands on her. It’s what he should’ve done in the first place, despite their age. “You remembered.”

  She nodded and turned toward him. “I remember everything. The good, bad, mostly the good,” she said. “Since I saw you in my café, my memories have been flooding back like crazy. I did everything I could to put Gray behind me when I left for college, not realizing I was making a big mistake.”

  “We both made mistakes, Taffy. You can’t blame yourself. I could’ve easily done things better, fought harder, refused to give up, but I didn’t. I let you go, thinking you needed space and when I arrived in Cali and you weren’t there – that’s when I realized what I had done. I had let you walk away without a fight.”

  He thought this would be the perfect moment to lean forward and kiss her, to remind her what they used to have and show her what they could be. However, the tiny voice calling for her mother stopped him. Even if he wanted to pursue a clandestine smooch, his efforts would’ve landed him in a hot pan of Chicken Caprice because Kelly had moved, brushed by him to go and tend to Kori.

  He took the opportunity to get his head on straight, to cool his jets so to speak. There would be time for them to rekindle their romance. That is, if she wanted too. He wouldn’t push her. She had to be ready and over her ex, which he was fairly sure she already was.

  “This is delicious,” he said as they sat around the table.

  “My mama’s the best cook in the whole wide world. Do you know how big the world is Dr. Danny? It’s so big.” Kori spread her arms out as wide as she could.

  “I agree. I think this is the best dinner I’ve had in a long time.”

  “Ever,” Kori corrected him.

  “Right, ever.” He looked at Kelly and winked. Her cheeks turned a pretty pink as she bowed her head. Under the table, their knees touched. The act could be as simple as the close quarters they were in, but he felt differently. He slipped his hand under the table and touched her knee. Much to his surprise, her hand gripped his. He refused to let go. He would cut his chicken and stab his tomatoes with one hand, if it meant he could hold hers.

  13

  Kelly

  If someone were to tell Kelly she was going to spend every night and almost every morning with Danny Weatherly, she’d call them a liar and tell them they’re crazy because there was no way she’d ever get over what happened between them. Truth was, everything that transpired when they were seniors was nothing more than a misunderstanding that she should’ve laughed off. Her boyfriend thought he was doing something to help her, something he learned while watching her favorite television show. She could see that now.

  She wanted to experience another first kiss and she wanted it from Danny. The first night he had come over, she thought for sure he was going to kiss her. Once Kori had gone to bed, they stood on her terrace, listening to the waves while drinking a glass of wine. She shamelessly flirted with him, touching him on his arm, leaning into him and giggling at his jokes. When he brushed her hair away from her face, she leaned in, but nothing happened. Oh, how she wanted it and felt foolish for having desire pool in her belly. She was recently divorced but could see herself with Danny. Always could. Part of her felt this was wrong, that she and Kori weren’t ready, but the other half felt that Danny and her crossed paths at the right time, and she’d be a fool to let him go again. She wouldn’t be a fool again.

  Danny made her feel young again. Not that she was on a quest to go back to her teenage years, but it was a nice feeling having your palms sweat and your fingers itch to touch someone. Someone she felt wouldn’t turn her away if she were to reach out and caress his skin or brush her knuckle over his beard. He was sending her signals, this much she was sure. What she didn’t know, is if he was waiting for her. It would make sense. She was the one who needed to heal, to overcome the heartache that comes from finding out you weren’t enough for your husband, that he chose another to give himself too without considering your feelings. As far as she could tell, Danny was giving her space, whether she’d asked for it or not. Of course, what did this all say about her? That she was willing to jump back into things with him because he’s there, he’s what she knew and could easily see herself with again.

  All her life she wanted the relationship her parents had, and she thought she found that with Alan. Despite it being short lived, there was a time when he looked at her as if she were the only woman in the world… his world. She knew that changed when he made partner, and his hours went from reasonable to excessive. Family dinners missed. Phone calls unreturned. Excuses stopped. The writing was on the wall, but no woman ever wants to admit their marriage is over, when it’s barely begun.

  Yet, hers was, and that’s what brought her back to Gray… back to Danny. She had no idea he was here, she never asked, and her parents and Melody never offered up the information. There was something humbling about him taking over his father’s practice. It made sense the more she thought about it. He had always been close to his father. What didn’t make sense was that he had changed his career objective. For as long as she could remember, he wanted to be a teacher. She supposed in a way he was still teaching, just in a round-about way.

  Kori had taken to Danny right away. It didn’t hurt that Rambo was always with him when he came over and the dog had pretty much adopted Kori has his new owner. There was even a few times Danny would come in for coffee and Rambo would stay behind, opting to sit outside the café, greeting the customers. She thought about having a bandana made for Rambo with the Java Hut logo on it, making him her ambassador.

  Their peaceful days were coming to an end with the tourist season kicking off. The buskers would set up on the corners, playing their music. College kids, who came home for the summer, would start working as lifeguards on the beach. The country club restaurant would double as a weekend hotspot for dancing. The streets would be lined with vendors, selling their homemade goods. Everything from clothes to food, and everything she loved about Gray. The annual sand castle contest was expected to draw hundreds of entrants as well. She did not intend to enter, although she had done so when she was in high school. She took third and vowed to come back with a vengeance. She may have done it, if she hadn’t started dating Danny. She wanted to spend her time with him instead of the tedious planning it took to come up with a solid construction plan. She was looking forward to taking Kori to the contest though and thought this was something they could do together.

  She easily saw herself walking along the boardwalk, holding Danny’s arm while Kori and Rambo walked ahead of them. She had pictured this with Alan too, but he refused to come to Gray during the summer. It also didn’t help that her parents loved visiting the Hamptons.

  Now that she thought about it, she wondered how she’d feel if she were to return home with her husband and run into Danny. Would her old feelings resurface or was her love for her husband, at the time, enough to keep everything bottled up? She was curious, b
ut also happy she was never faced with the dilemma. Had Alan been the man she thought she’d marry, someone like Danny, she probably never would have even wondered.

  As she got ready for the reunion, the same one she told Melody she had no intentions of going to, she thought about what the night would hold. Danny had told her he had plans, a grand gesture, he called it. She hoped it was with her and a goodnight kiss under the glow of the moon. The more time she spent thinking about him, the more she wanted to reconnect physically, and the more she thought about his lips pressing to hers, the more she wished she had a time machine to transport her back to fifteen years ago. She’d change so much. However, she wasn’t willing to give up Kori.

  Knowing he would be here soon, she slipped off the red dress she had chosen and tried on a black wrap dress. Her skin, already tanned, looked better against the black. She twirled in front of the mirror and imagined herself on the dance floor. Oh, how she’d love to let loose and be free, but deep down she knew she wouldn’t. The building anxiety of seeing old classmates, the same who teased her relentlessly to the point she wanted to drop out, would be there tonight. She could only hope they had forgotten, given up their “mean” mentality and finally grown up, maybe even seeing the error of their ways. She doubted it. She’s been through enough to know people don’t forget too easily.

  But she was stronger. More mature, even if they may not be. Things like what happened in high school were no longer as important, therefore could not be as hurtful. Maybe it was going through all she did with Alan and his family, or maybe it was coming back to Gray and making a go of it. Or maybe it was being a mom, knowing you have the love of someone unconditionally makes life all the more worth living…maybe it’s Danny.

  With Kori staying at her parents tonight, she was free to do whatever. She hoped Danny planned to invite her over to his house, if not, she fully intended to bring him back here, even if it meant they fell asleep on the couch while listening to the waves push against the shore.

  Her doorbell rang, and she rushed to her terrace. Below, Danny was looking up with a box in his hand. She wondered what was in it but didn’t care enough to put much thought into it. “I’ll be right down,” she hollered before disappearing back into her apartment to gather her clutch. She paused with her hand on the doorknob and took a deep, calming breath. With her eyes closed, she muttered to herself, “you can do this.” The saying was something her therapist had encouraged her to say each time she was making a major decision. Going out with Danny wasn’t major but facing the people she credited with making her life a living nightmare was.

  When she opened the door separating her from Danny, he took a step back. She could feel his eyes roaming over her body, and when he pulled his lower lip between his teeth, her heart skipped. This was what she wanted. Not having a man look at her with desire again, but having Danny look at her this way.

  “Wow, you look…” he ran his thumb over his lower lip, something she wanted to do, but kept her hands to herself. “You’re so beautiful.” He looked right into her eyes when he said this, causing every part of her to go weak.

  “And you’re incredibly handsome.” Even with the setting sun, she could see him blush. She stepped forward and he showed her the box. Inside, was a rose corsage nestled in baby’s breath.

  “I know it’s probably stupid, but given that we never had our prom, I figured I have a lot to make up for.” He opened the box and slipped the wristlet into place. “Perfect.” Yes, it was, she thought. She already knew she’d save it when the night was over. She’d hang it from the mirror on her dresser, just like high school.

  She slipped her arm into his and followed him to the street. She expected to find his van, but instead there was a white sedan. “Mom’s car?” she asked. He nodded and ducked his head.

  “I thought it’d be more comfortable.”

  “We could’ve taken mine.” She pointed to the Wrangler he parked in front of.

  “That’s yours? How did I not know this?” She shrugged and opened her clutch, handing him the key.

  “What about the top and your hair?”

  “I’m not worried.” She winked at him and made her way to the passenger side. He rushed over and opened the door for her, waiting to close it until she had settled in the seat.

  “I love this car.” She giggled at his enthusiasm. Unfortunately, the drive to the school took a few minutes, and when he turned the key to shut off the ignition, he sighed. “I need one.”

  “You can use it anytime.”

  He glanced in her direction. “I’m taking you up on that offer.” Once out, he opened her door and helped her climb down. He held her hand all the way into the school, gripping it tighter when they approached the check-in desk.

  “Danny!”

  She groaned when she saw Cecilia Johnson behind the desk. She made eye contact with the woman, who smirked. Kelly wanted to crawl into a hole but figured Danny wouldn’t let her.

  “And you are?”

  She knew exactly who Kelly was. Still, she squared her shoulders. “Kelly Taft. Surely you remember.” She doesn’t know what got into her, but the bit of power she exhibited felt good. Danny squeezed her hand in what she took as a vote of confidence.

  “Oh, right.” The woman half laughed as she handed Kelly her badge. Sure enough, it read Kellie Franklin, which irked her. She promised herself she’d grin and bear it, so she did. It probably didn’t hurt that Danny was with her.

  “I’m not coming to the next one,” she said as they walked into the gym, which was decorated in early two-thousands motif. “I was born in the wrong generation,” she muttered.

  “Me too,” he said in agreement.

  They mingled, talked to classmates who came home for the reunion, and listened to stories about self-discovery, divorces, children and someone’s bunion problem, which was preventing them from “getting their groove on.” They danced to music that should’ve never been produced and drank at the open bar, which had to be the best part of the night.

  “I’ll be right back,” Danny said after he kissed her on the cheek. He disappeared into the crowd before she could ask him what he was doing.

  “Look!” Melody pointed to the stage, where Danny was now front and center.

  “Oh my, what’s he doing?” Her question was about to be answered when he tapped on the microphone.

  “Good evening. Most of you know who I am, and for those who don’t, I’m Danny Weatherly. Yes, after all these years, I still go by Danny and have no intentions of changing it.” Their classmates gathered near the stage, except for Kelly, Melody and Chad, who hung back, away from the crowd. Danny cleared his throat. “Years ago, I made a mistake. I thought I was being funny when I… well there’s no reason to remind everyone. You see, her favorite show was Friends, and I wanted to impress her. Instead, I caused her immeasurable harm. Not only physically, and socially, but so did all of you. What should’ve been taken as a joke, turned into the worst case of hazing I have ever witnessed and forced my girl to retreat, to run from me. To cause me to ignore her on one of our most important nights. It’s all my fault, I know, and I’m sorry, Taffy.” Everyone turned and looked at Kelly. As much as she wanted to hide, she couldn’t.

  “I’m up here to ask for a second chance, to beg for one. I know there are things going on, and all I’m asking is if you can find it in your heart to forgive me?” He didn’t wait for an answer before he jumped off the stage. Like the parting of the seas, everyone moved aside for him as he made his way back to her.

  The back of his hand caressed her cheek, and she leaned into him. When their lips touched, their classmates went crazy, and all they heard was, “he’s her lobster.” They both laughed and finally pulled apart.

  “I don’t need much,” he said. “Just a chance to be in your life, and Kori’s. Do you think I can?”

  She couldn’t nod fast enough. “I mean as long as Rambo comes too.”

  Danny laughed and pulled her in for another kiss. “It’s
always about the dog.”

  “And now it can be about us.”

  Around them, people cheered. Kelly tuned them out as the man she once loved pulled her onto the dance floor and continued to kiss her… like they were back in high school.

  Also by Heidi Mclaughlin

  THE BEAUMONT SERIES

  Forever My Girl – Beaumont Series #1

  My Everything – Beaumont Series #1.5

  My Unexpected Forever – Beaumont Series #2

  Finding My Forever – Beaumont Series #3

  Finding My Way – Beaumont Series #4

  12 Days of Forever – Beaumont Series #4.5

  My Kind of Forever – Beaumont Series #5

  Forever Our Boys - Beaumont Series #5.5

  The Beaumont Boxed Set - #1

  THE BEAUMONT SERIES: NEXT GENERATION

  Holding Onto Forever

  My Unexpected Love

  Chasing My Forever

  Peyton & Noah

  Fighting For Our Forever

  THE ARCHER BROTHERS

  Here with Me

  Choose Me

  Save Me

  See Me

  LOST IN YOU SERIES

  Lost in You

  Lost in Us

  THE BOYS OF SUMMER

  Third Base

  Home Run

  Grand Slam

  Hawk - Fall, 2019

  THE REALITY DUET

  Blind Reality

  Twisted Reality

  SOCIETY X

  Dark Room

  Viewing Room

  Play Room

  THE CLUTCH SERIES

  Roman

  STANDALONE NOVELS

  Stripped Bare

  Blow