“We all do. But it’s not fair to him to use him as an excuse to hide from life. He’s not here to defend himself.”
“Shit,” I coughed out. “Don’t hold back, Dad.”
“Reckon I’ve held back enough. You look like someone kicked your puppy, son. Get that girl back. Face down the bear.”
“I don’t think she’d appreciate being called that.”
He chuckled. “Keep that between you and me.”
“Dad, there’s something I want to talk to you about first. It has to do with—” The approach of an engine stopped my words. I hadn’t wanted to broach the subject of Summer’s breakup with Eli. It felt like it wasn’t my story to tell. Yet I couldn’t move forward without everything in the open.
But when I wandered to the doorway, shock rooted me in place. Summer was pulling to a stop by the house. Suddenly, the story could wait. I had to catch my runaway bride one more time.
Summer
My stomach was twisted into a hundred knots. I’d had all week to ponder what I had to do. I should’ve called. I should’ve asked to meet them somewhere. Instead, I’d tossed and turned all night and then driven down. It was Saturday morning and I hoped that Adam and Vera were around. If I caught only one, what would I do? The last time I’d just shown up on their ranch, I’d been seeing Eli.
When I had turned down their winding drive, memories had cascaded through my head. Eli and I taking the horses out for a ride—and spying on Jonah doing chores. Eli and I watching movies—and me watching Jonah packing his gear for another trip with my brothers.
Most of my Eli memories came paired with Jonah memories.
World’s Crappiest Girlfriend, right here.
I got out of my car and smoothed down the skirt of one of the dresses I had bought for my honeymoon. It was meant for a beach, but it could work for a farm-chic photoshoot when paired with cowboy boots like I wore now. The familiar smells of a ranch in early summergreeted me. Fresh air with a mix of cow manure. Rich soil filled with new growth.
When I walked out of my condo, I sometimes caught a whiff of my neighbor’s pot smoke from their back porch. More than once, I’d wondered if I’d gotten a secondhand high pulling weeds in my flower bed. The smell always reminded me of burning ditches. I missed home.
But I was tempted to get back in my car, hope Vera hadn’t seen me, and drive away.
No. I wasn’t running away again. This was for Jonah as much as me. He wouldn’t want to keep this from his parents. I reached the front door and my hand was shaking when I knocked.
Vera opened the door. Her brows lifted and surprise filled her face. “Summer.” She smiled and shook her head. “Sorry, I’m having flashbacks. You’re at the door again.” She laughed. “Nice to see you.”
“Do you have a few minutes to talk?”
“Absolutely.” She pushed the door open farther. “Come on in. Careful of all the boxes. We can go into the kitchen.” She looked past me. “Isn’t Jonah with you?”
Shocked at her question, I shook my head and silently panicked. Hadn’t he told them we were no longer a thing? What if she asked me? I’d come to confess about Eli. I wasn’t ready to break down in front of her over Jonah.
She just shrugged and made space for me to enter.
I stepped in. The scent in here was the same too—a little maple syrupy. Vera must still make pancakes on the weekends. “Is Adam here? I’d like to talk to you both.”
“Sure. He’s around somewhere. I can give him a call.”
The front door opened and my heart jumped in mythroat. I’d almost been counting on the time it’d take Vera to find her husband. But when I turned, it was Jonah I locked eyes with. His hair wasn’t styled and it was slightly longer than when I’d seen him last. His gaze simmered with an unidentifiable emotion, but whatever it was, he didn’t look happy to see me.
“O-oh. I can come back.” I would rush out the door, but Jonah was blocking me.
His dad came in behind him. “Hey, Summer. Nice to see you again.”
My knees trembled. I was not a scaredy-cat, but it was daunting enough to face telling Adam and Vera. Jonah knew the story, but he wasn’t here as my support. I wanted to dry heave a few times.
“Hi. Um.” Did I leave? Did I forge ahead?
“Hey, guys,” Jonah said. I wanted to close my eyes and sink into that deep timbre. I missed his voice. “Can I talk with Summer for a few minutes?”
Vera opened her mouth to say something, but Adam circled around Jonah to go to his wife. He smiled at me, almost encouragingly. “Vera, should we get some lemonade out for everyone?”
