Page 93 of The Summer of Us

I bent down and kissed her. “Yeah. Yeah, I am.”

“Good.”

I pulled off the ear protectors. “Let’s go home, Sunny. I need a biscuit.”

She pulled my arm close.

“Okay.”

25

Sunny

I looked in the mirror, eyeing my reflection critically. I had bought a new sundress, hoping Linc would like it. It was a soft yellow with bursts of gold, rust, pink, and white scattered around the fabric. It hung from my shoulders with two pretty bows and had a long lace flounce around my knees. I hadn’t bought a dress like this in a very long time, but tonight was a special occasion.

Linc was taking me out on a date. A real, honest-to-goodness date. He was even getting ready next door at Abby’s so he could “pick me up properly.” He had called me yesterday, his voice unusually serious.

“Sunny.”

I grinned into the phone, peeking through the door to make sure he was still sitting in the corner of the bakery where I had left him. “Linc,” I replied, biting back my amusement—he must need more biscuits. “How lovely of you to call.”

“I wanted to hear your voice.”

My heart melted. I loved how he talked to me. “Well, now you have.”

“I have a question, though. Do you have plans for tomorrow evening?”

Other than getting naked with him as soon as possible, my schedule was pretty clear. We couldn’t keep our hands off each other.

“No.”

“Excellent. I would like to take you out on a date.”

“A date?” I repeated.

“Yes, a date. A real date. If you’re willing.” I heard his swift intake of air. “I am asking you, Sunny, to go out with me—tomorrow night.”

Suddenly I understood. We’d never been able to date openly. Linc was trying to make up for it, and once again, my heart constricted at his sweet gesture.

“I would love to go out with you, Linc.”

“Excellent. I will pick you up at six.”

“All right. I’ll, ah, see you then?”

“Yes.” Then he paused. “Wait, Sunny?”

“Yes?”

“I’m out of biscuits.”

I burst out laughing. “I’ll make sure you get some.”

“Great. Love you.”

He hung up.

He’d been gone all day, and I heard his steps on the stairwell about an hour ago. His toiletry bag was gone from my tiny bathroom and Abby told me his suit was at her place, so I knew he meant what he said about picking me up.