Does she want that?
I don’t even know where she feels emotionally toward me right now. We’ve been having sex—amazing sex—regularly. She’s enthusiastic about everything I want to do to her in bed. And she’s flexible.
Fuck, don’t think about how flexible she is right now.
The reality is that Summer probably wants to take our emotional relationship much slower than I do. If it were up to me, I’d already have labeled her as mine and let the entire island know she was off the market. I’d be withdrawing another chunk of money for a ring too.
When I get to the beach house and walk through the side yard, she’s in a downward dog pose on the sand, finishing up her senior yoga class. All the Bees are here, plus Cheri. She joins in just because she thinks they’re hilarious. Amelia isnext to her, doing all the poses the best way a five-year-old can.
I watch from near the door to the studio, admiring Summer’s patience with the adorable group of best friends. When they’re all in the same pose that resembles a triangle, Summer grabs her camera from on top of her beach towel and snaps a photo.
“Get a good angle of my behind!” January calls out.
The ladies all start poking their butts out dramatically before losing the pose due to their laughter. Summer shakes her head, snapping a few more photos before turning toward me. She lifts a hand to wave, and I return it. She’s wearing a pale green yoga onesie that shows off all her beautiful curves.
“Hey, boss! Can you come here for a minute?” Javier calls from inside the house.
I walk up onto the back porch and head inside, where he is in the kitchen, overseeing the backsplash in the kitchen being done. It’s a beautiful pacific-blue shell design.
The floors are still covered up to protect them from the workers’ boots. The painters are done, and the electrician is finishing hanging up the light fixtures.
Javier shakes my hand as I walk up. “Got a call from the guy doing the outdoor kitchen. He’s ready to start on the frame for the base. Do you have the final specs for what all you want out there?”
“Check with Summer before you finalize anything. I know she wants a sink, a flat-top grill, and room for a mini fridge.”
“All right. Will do. You’re looking at the end of this week for the inside, next week for the deck with the kitchen. Landscaping will start tomorrow.”
“You’ve done excellent, Javier. The place looks better than I could’ve imagined.”
He beams at me. “Thank you, boss.”
“Check with Summer about the landscaping. She may want some specific plants or flowers.”
He nods, shaking my hand again. I walk back out to the beach, where Summer is standing with January, Cheri, and Amelia, watching the roof to the new deck get put on.
“They sure work quickly,” Summer says.
I wrap my arm around her shoulders. Surprisingly, she sinks into me. We haven’t really done any of the public displays of affection until now. Neither of the women reacts to us, proving just how obvious we’ve been all this time.
The back of the house has a beautiful shape, with a gable over the master bedroom sliding glass door, wood-look siding on the upper half of the house, and black-framed windows. The deck is a deep mocha color, and once it has the string lights and furniture, it’ll be the coziest little spot on this stretch of beach.
“I’m gonna be sad to see it go.” Summer sighs, interlacing her fingers with mine. “I wish Mom could’ve seen it like this.”
“She would have loved your design,” Cheri says. “You have incredible taste, and you were so much alike.”
She smiles up at me, her eyes growing wet.
I nod, kissing her forehead. “That’s true.”
“She does love it. And you know, they say it’s okay. They’re not upset with you,” January says.
We all three look over at her.
She’s smiling in that way she does when she’s giving out unsolicited psychic readings. “Clara is thrilled actually. And Russell, well, you know how he is. If he’s not mad about it, he’s okay with it.”
My chest aches in a way that feels like sadness combined with relief. Summer laughs, stepping in front of me. I wrap my arms fully around her shoulders and tug her to my chest.
Mine.
