I run my hand through my hair, tension radiating through my shoulders. “So, you don’t believe me? You think I invited her here at the same time that I invited you to, what, rub it in your face?”
She throws her hands up. “I don’t know. Maybe! You’ve played games with me before. It’s kind of your thing.”
“You think last night was a game to me? You actually believe that?” I’m gaping at her in disbelief, wondering what I can possibly do to convince her I’m telling the truth.
She lifts her chin, pulling out her phone and tapping on the Uber app. “I don’t presume to know what last night meant to you.” Her voice has turned cold and distant.
I grab my phone out of my pocket, tapping on Ava’s office line. I put it up to my ear right as the Uber pulls to the curb. Summer moves to get into the car. I open her door for her, slamming it shut before walking around the front of the car to the other side so she can’t tell the driver to take off without me.
She ignores me when I get into the car, turning to look out her window.
“C.B. Investments. How may I direct your call?” Ava answers with a shrill voice.
“I want Noelle out of my office, and I want her banned from all C.B. Investments locations. And I need you to clear my schedule for the rest of today and reschedule all my in-person meetings for the week to virtual.”
“Y-yes, sir. Do you?—”
I end the call, turning toward Summer. Her arms are folded over her stomach as the driver pulls up to my apartment a couple miles down the road. In nice weather, it would be a pleasant twenty-minute stroll. But in the Miami heat, it’s a sweaty trek in the grueling sun. As soon as we get to the front door, Summer opens the door before slamming it in my face.
I follow her to the elevator. When it opens, she punches the button for my floor hard and leans back against the stainless steel wall, eyes laser-focused on the blank space across from her. Her tears have dried on her cheeks. My mind is whirling with ways that I can prove to her that I’m telling the truth, that she’s the only one I want. I start pacing the elevator, rubbing my hand over the back of my neck and stealing glances at her. She doesn’t break, doesn’t spare me a look.
When the doors open, she bolts out, stomping up to my apartment. Thankfully, there’s a keypad with a code entry because I left my keys at the office.
I key in the code before pushing open the door for her. She heads straight for the bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her.
“Shit,” I curse under my breath, rubbing my eyes.
I’d give anything to be able to talk to my dad right now.
I had everything I’d ever wanted right in my grasp twelve hours ago. Now it’s slipping away, and I don’t know how the fuck to stop it. A painful crushing sensation echoes through my chest. Nausea has been slowly building in my gut, and it’s onlygotten worse with each passing minute that she’s refused to accept my explanation or my apology.
My hands shake as I walk over to the kitchen sink and fill a glass with water. I bring it to my lips to take a drink when I hear the bedroom door open. I look up at her.
Her eyes are wide, her bottom lip trembling. I look down to see the remote in her shaking hands.
“Have you been … watching me?” She blinks, almost like she’s afraid she sounds crazy.
I swallow over the lump in my throat before taking a step toward her. She remains perfectly still, her brow furrowed. She looks more confused than angry.
I take that as a shriveled sign of hope. When I make it to her, I grab the remote, nodding for her to step into the bedroom. She does, standing at the foot of the bed, wrapping the ends of her hair around her finger nervously.
The security camera feed at the beach house is on the screen. Javier and his crew are on the back porch, working on replacing all the warped, splintered old boards with new ones. In the corner, I can make out January and Lucille, Mia’s grandmother, planted in beach chairs down on the sand, but instead of facing out toward the water, they’re watching the shirtless men working. They have drinks with little umbrellas in them, and they seem to be enjoying the view.
Summer is still waiting for my answer.
Finally, I look down at her. “Yes.”
“Why?”
“You never answer my calls.”
She blinks at me. “You stalk me on a daily basis because I won’t answer your calls?”
“You knew there were cameras there.”
“I didn’t know you had the feed saved to your home TV! How often do you watch it?”
Don’t answer that.
