When he releases me, we start toward the cottage togather our things. He looks up at me again. “Mom has a boyfriend.”
“I know. David’s nice, huh?”
“Yeah.” He smiles. “But you have Summer.”
I laugh, feeling every bit of the pride and joy that comes with getting the girl of your dreams. “I sure do.”
A message pings on my phone. I stop, pulling it from the pocket of my trunks. I only see the preview of a headline to know I need to check this.Is it Time for Daniel Sutton to Retire?“Go get your stuff together. I’ll be there in a minute.”
I watch my son run inside, then look back at my phone again. Expanding my agent’s message, I scan the article, picking up on words likeretirement, best is behind him, what age is too old,and other shit.
This is a hit piece. I can smell it. The ultimatum is back in play, and they’re making sure I follow the rules this time.Fuck that.The only rules I’ll be following are?—
“Everything okay?” Summer asks, standing in the doorway.
They can float these retirement ideas out there all they want, feed them to the press by anonymous tips, but no way in hell am I going down without a fight.Fuck them!
If they want to play, let’s do this.
I wave to her. “All good.” It is with her by my side.
CHAPTER 20
SUMMER
“Roman only left one cookie for the elves tonight.” The bedroom is darker than I expected, but enough light trails from the bathroom door being cracked open that I have a clear view of Daniel in bed. It’s a great way to be greeted. “I got it for you.”
His chuckle reaches my ears before my eyes fully adjust. “His teeth are going to rot from eating cookies before bed.”
“We only thought it would be a few nights.” I set the cookie on the nightstand and slip my robe off, hanging it on the hook by the bathroom. Dressed in a thin cotton pajama set, I hip bump his legs to get him to scooch over on the bed. “Not all summer.” I really like having him here. I love the excitement that bubbles up inside me as I get closer to the bedroom, knowing he’s waiting for me. “We could make something else up, if you want. Something that won’t give him cavities and the sweetest of dreams.”
Leaning against the headboard, he reaches over and rubs my hip. “Have we overstayed our welcome?” His voice is quieter than usual, even when we talk at night. I brushhair away from his forehead and reveal a tempered smile. It’s there, but boy, does it need inflation.
“No. In fact, I’ve heard the opposite from everyone. They want you to stay, but don’t know what you’ll do since the cottage isn’t getting fixed.”
“What happened to the local guys and your second cousin once removed?”
That he even remembers that is hilarious. He’s becoming a regular old townie at this point. “Twice removed, and Mrs. Dover called them off since she’s selling.”
“But if you’re buying, it still needs to get fixed. So let’s get it fixed.”
“It’s not a done deal just because we offer more money. She mentioned contingencies?—”
“Then don’t put any contingencies,” he snaps, sitting higher on the bed.Away from me?“And close the deal.”
Standing up, I give him the space he so clearly desires, but I can’t stop staring at him. I look back at the door and then walk out of the bedroom, shutting the door behind me. I wait.
“Summer? Come back in,” he says from the other side.
We all have off days. The day with him was great. He’s just having a moment. I knock this time even though it’s my own bedroom, giving us a redo. He says, “Come in.” The response is much lighter this time around.
When I open the door, the lamp is on, and his mouth is full. Only crumbs remain on the nightstand while he chews. Pressing my back to the closed door, I lock it and bite the inside of my lip to keep from smiling. “Hi, I saw your light on, so I thought I’d stop in.”
“Glad you did,” he says when he finally speaks.
So handsome—the light shining in his eyes is a beaconcalling me to him—waiting for me like his night just got better with a smirk that wasn’t there earlier. When I approach the bed, he shifts to the side this time, giving me ample room to make myself comfortable next to him.
I climb on the bed, but I don’t sit next to him. I crawl on my knees and straddle his lap. I’d love to adjust, but I just want to kiss his upset away so badly that I cup his face. Tilting his head back, I lean in and kiss him. Our lips mold together like a confession whispered from my soul to his is exchanged in the connection.
