“That day he also told me that boys are stupid.” She taps my chest and I feel her breath against me as she giggles. “He’s not ready for you yet, Summer Rose.” She whispers the words.
“He said that?”
Her head nods up and down against my chest. “I remember it like it was yesterday.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, pressing my lips to the top of her head.
“Why?”
“Because I was stupid.” The words are slow to fall from my lips while I hold her.
“Yeah. But that’s okay.”
Since I’ve known Summer, I’ve never given her much of a second thought. Her crush was always just that to me. A simple crush, by a silly little kid who probably didn’t even know what she was feeling. But I was wrong. God, was I so fucking wrong.
I pull her leg closer to me, pulling her on top of me as we lie here talking about the past. About moments where I should have noticed her. Her body stretches out and she lays on top of me. It doesn’t feel sexual, even though neither of us are even dressed, it just feels intimate. Close. I tuck a piece of hair behind her ear as she rests her head on my chest on top of me. I can feel every curve of her body on my skin and the way she fits so perfectly.
“You are your name, that’s for sure.”
She laughs and I can feel the rumble in her chest against my abdomen.
“Hot and unpredictable? Yes, I know.”
“Yeah, that… and…” Laughing to myself, I keep my hands roaming her back. “I don’t know, I just want to make my time with you last. Lately, every day feels like the best day and it just reminds me of when you’re a kid and it’s summertime. You just always want it to last. The days are long and full of fun. It’s the thing we all always look forward to.”
“I think that might be the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.” She giggles, resulting in a smile as she pushes her face toward mine and kisses my lips softly. “I know you can’t stay overnight, but five more minutes of naked cuddling?”
I grin at her, reaching down and pulling her up closer to me. “Six,” I whisper against her earlobe.
Alexa pops up with a reminder this morning for the captains’ meeting I have with the coach in an hour. In other words, though, it’s basically me and three of my closest friends in a room together talking about the rest of the season and then the playoffs. Something we would be doing either way.
My mom is here for one more week and then she’ll be back home. It’s always nice having her around and I know CeCe loves it, but she did ask the other morning if Summer would be coming over to play. I had to laugh at the way she worded it. But I also appreciate it. With Summer, CeCe never feels like she’s being babysat, she looks at it as someone who just comes over to hang out with her and I fucking love that Summer has made her feel that way.
I’ve been talking to Summer every single day since our date. Whether it’s been quick texts in the morning and at night or full blown conversations throughout the day, I’ve loved it either way. A new feeling of hopefulness fills my chest as each day passes. Officially making her mine is something that has consumed my mind for a while now and my mood feels like it’s shifted drastically even in just a few weeks. I don’t feel as burnt out and having someone around to talk to at the end of the day has felt good. But before I make anything official with Summer, the first girl I want to talk to is CeCe.
“Morning, Peanut.” I slide a paper plate with a muffin on it in CeCe’s direction. She’s been sleeping in my bed with me while my mom’s staying in her room. It’s been hard to get a good nightof sleep with a three-year-old tossing and turning every hour, but I’ve managed.
“Morning,” she mumbles through a yawn and pulls herself on to the stool.
“I have a question for you,” I say, leaning my elbows on the counter across from her.
I watch as she pulls the muffin apart, starting with the top pieces first.
“Would it be okay if I spent more time with Summer? I know she’s your friend.”
Her face perks up and her eyes widen as she licks the chocolate from her fingers.
“That’s okay.” She nods. “You can be her friend too.”
“Yeah?” CeCe’s fingers push her hair from her face, coating the strands in chocolate as she does. “What if she was my girlfriend? Would that bother you or would that be okay?”
Part of me feels ridiculous asking my child permission to date someone, but I know it’s the right thing to do. My decisions aren’t just mine anymore. Everything I choose in this life affects CeCe, and having her input on this is important to me. I know Summer would think so too.
CeCe sits there for a moment, chewing her muffin as I stand here waiting for her to answer.
“What’s that?” Her head tilts as she chews.
I guess I should have anticipated her not exactly understanding the concept of what a girlfriend is.
