Picture Perfect Summer Page 5

  I shrug. “This isn’t something I can compromise on. Besides, we haven’t spent that much time together. It’s not like we had a real thing going on, you know?” My lie is like acid on my tongue and I hate the flavor.

  “Felt like the best kind of eternity to me.”

  Tears spring to my eyes. “I hate it when you talk like that because I know you mean it, only now I know you meant all the things you said to Laken as well.” He tries to speak, but I continue on, “Yes, that might not be fair of me to have an unrealistic expectation of you to be a blank slate when it comes to dating... or marriage, but I don’t know what to do. All I know is that I have been cheated on, and I refuse to be that girl who messes up someone else's relationship."

  “There is no relationship," he insists.

  "How do I know that? You didn't bother to tell me about your wife, and maybe it's my fault for not asking if you had a one.” I bonk myself in the forehead with the heel of my hand. “Silly me, I thought asking if you had a girlfriend covered it."

  “Damn it, True. I'm sorry, okay." He runs a hand through his hair. "Stay. Have dinner with me. We'll talk things out.”

  I back up again, fixing my bag on my shoulder again. “I can’t do that.”

  “Why not?” He looks angry yet helpless, and that’s exactly how I’m feeling right now.

  “Because you’ll make me want to stay for more than just dinner,” I whisper, then I turn around and walk out of his office.

  Duke doesn’t come after me.

  ***

  I’m sitting in the middle of the living room floor, eating right out of the container of rocky road ice cream with Sunny. With every bite, I waver between depressed and furious.

  “I mean, she called me slutty. I am never slutty.” I scrape my teeth against the frozen marshmallows that are stuck to my spoon. “Like not even at Halloween when it’s the law.”

  Sunny takes my empty container from me and pops open a new one, Snicker-doodle this time. “Doesn’t matter if you were “slutty”, she was a bitch for saying so.”

  “But I was hugging and crushing on her husband.” I stab at the ice cream, breaking it up. “When I caught Callum cheating on me, I wanted to do a lot more than call that hose beast a hose beast.”

  Sunny goes back to brushing my hair. “Let’s focus on the fact that you had no idea Duke is separated or married, or whatever they are. You said you asked if he had a girlfriend, which is totally all the due diligence you needed. My verdict, he’s a jerk for not telling you... unless...”

  I jerk around and the brush falls to the rug beneath us. “Unless what?”

  “Unless he had a really good reason.”

  I glare at her. “There is never a good reason to lie.”

  “Look, I know you don’t want to hear me out and I’m completely on your side forever, babe, but maybe in this instance, and going by what you told me, Duke did not act like a man caught with his pants down. Guilty people act guilty.”

  “Stop trying to make sense.” I glance down at my phone. The screen is empty of texts and missed calls from Duke. “Besides, if he really wanted me, then he would have called by now or made listen to him.”

  “Make you listen to him.” Sunny laughs. “Would you want a man who forces you to listen to his excuses?”

  “No, but I thought you said...” I scrunch my nose. “I’m confused. It sounded like you were on his side and now you’re not.”

  “I’m merely pointing out what Duke didn’t do.”

  I take a bite of snickerdoodle, savoring the cinnamon aftertaste. “Do you think I should have stuck around for dinner?”

  “I think you did exactly the right thing.” The doorbell rings. “Pizza guy is here. I’ll get it.” Sunny kisses the top of my head. “You need time to finish processing this, for sure, but I also think a guy like Duke deserves the chance to be heard.”

  As she walks away, I make a face at my ice cream. “Stop making sense, Sunny.” I groan. Maybe I reacted too harshly. Maybe I should have given him the chance to explain. “Fine. I’ll call him tomorrow,” I yell, then return my full attention to the dessert. “You are so yummy.”

  A pair of very nice feet enter my line of vision. I look up and up and up. My jaw drops to the floor and my container nearly joins it. I tighten my grip at the last second.

  “You didn’t actually say this was over, so I decided to do the one thing I’ve never done before,” Duke says, his voice rough.

  Against my better judgment, I reply, “What’s that?”

  He drops to his knees. “Beg.”

  Chapter 8

  Duke

  True’s pretty eyes widen. “Beg?”

  I nod. “Whatever you want me to do or say to make it right, but don’t send me away. Give me a chance.”

  Her chin tips up. “Why?”

  Would it be crazy to admit that I’m half in love with her? That as soon as she walked out of my office, I became paralyzed, then filled with fear of a future that didn’t have her in it?

  “I’m not the type of man to throw caution to the wind. I’m deliberate, intentional, and fuck it all, that got me what’s left of my marriage with Laken. We took things slow, planned everything out, and were engaged for almost three years before we finally wed.” I swallow. “With you... it’s completely different.”

  Her best friend makes a noise from the foyer, but I can’t tell if it’s for or against me. I fix my gaze on True, waiting for her to either ask me to keep talking or to kick my ass out.

  I don’t blame her if she does the latter.

  She frowns, then sets the container of ice cream down, stabbing her spoon in the middle. “That still doesn’t explain why I should take another chance on you.”

  Does this mean she’s softening toward me? I plunge ahead, for once not considering my words. “Because even though I don’t deserve one, I can’t live with myself if I don’t try to change your mind. I want to be with you, for a hell of a lot longer than the summer and I promise to be an open book. You can read any chapter, line, paragraph you want.”

  True’s shoulders drop, her chin not up so high now. “Are you married?”

  “Yes, but our divorce will be finalized in November.”

  “Why did Laken come to your office?”

  I sit down. “Because she’d heard we were giving out checks and wanted to know where hers was... As my wife and until we divorce, she has rights to half of my percentage of net profits. Back in the day, that was a hell of a lot of money.”

  True’s top lip curls. “She only came by to get money?”

  “That’s her favorite time to show up. She wasn’t like that in beginning though, just in case you were wondering. She... we changed and maybe we were too young and should have dated other people.” I stare off into the distance, vividly remembering the punch to the gut when I found Laken with my so-called best friend, doing to him what I thought was reserved for our relationship only. “Our friends didn’t help either. They thought we were idiots to get married at only twenty, but hey, at least I knew she wanted me for me, and not my money.”

  “How was that? You said she has rights....”

  “She didn’t know it and neither did I, for that matter. It was a wedding present. My parents were very generous.” I tap my fingers against my knee. “I guess you can say that we grew apart instead of growing together... and I’ll admit that I wasn’t as good of a husband as I could have been to her.

  “I wasn’t a cheater. Ever. That’s not me,” I add.

  “I know,” she says. “A wise woman once told me that guilty people act guilty and we all know, once a cheater, always a cheater, so.... “

  I sit up straighter, hope pushing me so high that I’m shocked I’m still on the ground. “Does that mean you’ll give me another chance?”

  A slight smile kicks up the corners of True’s delectable mouth. “All signs point to maybe yes.”

  “I’ll take it.” I lean in, fully intending to kiss any kind of no out of her, bu
t her small hand on my chest stops me. “Too soon?”

  True shakes her head. “It’s not that.”

  I frown. “What then?”

  “Your breath reeks of garlic.” She bites the bottom of her lip, her eyes dancing. “Sorry.”

  I burst out laughing and hug her to me instead. “I’ll get right on taking care of it.”

  Slender arms slip around me. “Don’t make me regret this.”

  “I swear it.”

  ***

  The next day, I pick True up right after breakfast. I’m not going to waste any time making things up to her.

  “Where are you taking us?” True asks as we travel down the back roads on the outskirts of Royal Bay and Castle Beach.

  “Queens River.”

  “We’re going skinny dipping?”

  Although the idea has merit, I can’t exactly do that with my little brother in the backseat. In a hundred years, I never thought I’d go on dates while carting Laird and his... Ophelia around.

  “Just kidding,” True says.

  “Are you asking because Queens River is where you went?”

  She turns up the volume of the radio. “Maybe.”

  I glance in the rearview mirror at Laird and Ophelia. They’re talking intently, ignoring us altogether, or so it seems. “Maybe we should come back alone.”

  “I don’t know. Alligators and whatnot.”

  Laird leans forward. “Plus, who wants to see Duke’s old ass dragging?”

  I reach back and shove Laird into his seat. He laughs it off and even I find myself smiling.

  True grabs my hand, lacing her fingers with mine. “Don’t worry; I’ve seen the outline of your ass through your board shorts and let’s just say that David Bekham should be very worried you’ll replace him in his underwear campaign.”

  “Thanks.” I turn down a narrow dirt and gravel road, slowing down due to all the ruts.

  True grabs on to the oh shit handle, and I can’t help but stare a moment at her breasts as they bounce with the movements of the truck.

  “Eyes on the road, sailor,” True says. “I don’t want to wind up wrapped around a tree.”

  My cheeks heat. “Sorry.”

  She gives my hand a squeeze. “Don’t be. You have permission to ogle me once we’re in the river.”

  “Same here.”

  “Can the adults stop being gross,” Laird shouts from the backseat. “Ophelia and I would like to be able to eat lunch.”

  “You literally just ate breakfast,” I point out, glancing up at the rearview. Laird jerks his head at Ophelia, making a slight face, conveying that Ophelia has not eaten. Man, that boy is always worried about her. “But since our mother knows how you are, she packed a huge picnic basket full of food.”

  After another couple of minutes, I park beside the wide river and we all get out. Laird and I set to unloading the heavier things from the back of the truck and then set up a large canopy with netting on the sides. Once that’s done, Ophelia and True help place the chairs and tables under it, along with the cooler and, as promised, extra-large picnic basket.

  True gazes at the basket longingly. “I don’t know if I want to wait two hours until lunch.”

  I open the basket. “Eat whenever you want, sunshine.”

  Laird nudges Ophelia forward, but she turns pink and edges closer to True. “I can wait.”

  True grabs Ophelia’s hand. “Eat with me, please. I feel weird if I’m the only one.”

  “Oh-okay,” the younger girl replies and I give True a grateful smile before moving to the truck to get my fishing poles and tackle box. Laird follows closely behind.

  “I like her.”

  “And this is news how?”

  Laird grabs the tackle box and one pole. “I was talking about True. It was nice of her to ask Ophelia to eat together.”

  “Why didn’t she eat this morning?” It’s not like the Randolphs are poor. Quite the opposite actually, since there will always be funerals, and Mrs. Randolph owns the sole funeral home in Castle Beach.

  “She wouldn’t say, but I think it’s because her mom left town for the week and Ophelia has to ration the food. That’s what happened before.”

  Son of a bitch. “Ophelia’s coming home with us, for the rest of the week.”

  My little brother smiles so wide that sunshine glints off his braces. “Thanks. She can stay in my room.”

  I shake my head. “She can stay in one of the guest rooms.”

  “But she’ll get scared,” he protests as gratitude turns to anger. “I’ll take the floor, Duke. Geez. I do it all the time.”

  “What did you say?”

  His tan face pales. “Nothing.”

  I give him the best dad-look I can, then slice my gaze to True. She and Ophelia are eating and talking. “Sneaking around will get you in trouble in more ways than one.”

  “I told you before, it’s not like that.”

  I set the poles down and place my hand on his shoulder, hoping like hell my little brother will understand where I’m coming from without having to be but too explicit. “You’re not a kid anymore. Well, your brain might be, but the rest of you isn’t and –”

  Dropping the pole and tackle box, he clamps his hands over his ears, thereby proving my point about still having a kid’s brain. “Stop talking.”

  I wrench one of his hands away. “You need to listen. Men listen. Boys don’t.”

  Laird’s ocean blue eyes narrow, then he lets his other hand drop. “Fine. Go on Jedi master.”

  “Things, if they haven’t already, will get more complicated between you and Ophelia. She’s fifteen and you’re almost fourteen... you’ll both be in high school next year.”

  “Yeah, I get to be the youngest freshman in my class.”

  “Like I said, things will change, and perfectly innocent situations can stop being that way.” I wish like I hell I knew what kind of sex talks mom and dad have already had with Laird. With me, they started out pretty general and the older I got, the more specific they got... plus, they always talked to me as a team, so I wouldn’t feel weird about going to either one of them.

  Trust me, I felt weird talking to both of them, but on the other hand, I’m glad they didn’t leave me to my own devices—well, I’m glad now.

  “You mean sex.”

  Oh, thank God. “Yeah, that.”

  “We’re not having sex,” he mumbles.

  Double thank God. “Eventually you will—could—will most definitely think and talk about it.”

  Laird’s already shaking his head before I can even finish my sentence. “Ophelia wants to wait until she’s ready.”

  Oh, shoot me now. They’ve already talked about it. “That’s good.”

  Laird shrugs. “It’s not good or bad. It’s her choice. She doesn’t always get that, so from me, she will.”

  I look at him, really look at him, and wonder if invasion of the body snatchers has happened. “I think that’s a smart thing.”

  “Don’t you have a date to spend time with?”

  I knock him lightly in the head and he grabs his things, walking away from me, and I reply, “I’d be able to spend more time with her, if I didn’t have to bring you two knuckleheads along.”

  ***

  A few minutes later, True and I have baited our hooks and are sitting on the banks of the river, feet in the water, and one eye on Laird and Ophelia as they float in tubes that are loosely tied to a couple of trees.

  True leans against me. “Have I told you how sexy it is when you give such manly advice to your little brother?”

  Well, shit. “You heard that, huh.”

  She lifts a shoulder. “Your voice carries.”

  “Damn it.”

  “Also, I’m really good at being nosey.”

  I look down at her. “Did Ophelia hear us?”

  “I don’t think so. She was too busy stuffing her face, like me. That was the best chicken salad ever, by the way.”

  I smile. “Glad you liked
it.”

  Minnows surround our feet, taking little bites and making True giggle. “You know I heard that people pay good money for pedicures like this. You really know how to spoil a girl.”

  “We can go to Ten Blue tonight for dinner.”

  “I was only joking.” She sits up, her gaze earnest. “You don’t have to take me anywhere.”

  “I like hearing those happy moans when you eat.”

  “I might turn those up to a three point five tonight.”

  “Oh yeah, baby.”

  True doesn’t respond. Instead she leans against me again and I lean against the huge weeping willow directly behind us. We fall into comfortable silence and I swear at one point True starts to snore. She goes sort of limp against me and sure enough, she’s asleep.

  “Wow, Duke, you know how to show a girl a good time,” Laird calls out.

  Ophelia laughs, then scoops up some water and hits my brother in the face with it. “Be quiet. I think it’s sweet.”

  “So sweet.”

  “You let me fall asleep on you the other night.” Ophelia’s lips clamp shut and her cheeks turn red. “I mean, it was nothing. I was tired and –”

  “Don’t explain yourself to anyone,” Laird says. He reaches over to grab her foot and I think the kid might be onto something, but then he flips her float over. She goes below the surface and shoots up, water flying, but there’s a smile on her face as she talks about retaliation.

  “They are so cute.”

  “Oh, sleeping beauty awakes.”

  “And not with a kiss from some guy who has a thing for dead girls.”

  “You should really look into writing children’s books,” I deadpan.

  She sits up, stretching and yawning. Luckily, I have her pole or it would have gone into the river. “Were you and Laken like them?”

  “No. We didn’t start dating until our senior year of high school. I knew her though and I was friends with her brother.”

  “Aren’t they too young to date?”

  “I think they’re soulmates.”

  True’s mouth drops. “You believe in those?”

  “For them I do.”

  She blinks at me, a pretty smile curving her lips. “I do, too, but not just for them. For everyone.”