Falling for Summer (2 page)

Mom took the news very badly. As we all did, since Aunt Sookie was like a second mom to us. She was Summer’s real aunt and maybe like a mom to her, but she practically raised Drew, Rachel, and me under the same roof as Summer when we were kids.

It has been months since I last saw Summer back in Malibu ever since the summer season ended, and I had to go back to San Francisco. With all the insane craziness of starting my freshman year at Stanford, taking care of Mom and even working part-time at Dad’s internet company, I barely have time for a social life, let alone time for a girlfriend or even time to study.

So I’m cramming for my finals, and a study group is over at my apartment studying. They’ve been here all day since five in the morning. Chloe Valentine and Harvey Howard make up the study group for my Econ class. Chloe is a pretty redhead with a fiery temper. She is sexy as hell, too, and used to be a cheerleader at her high school, which is laughable because there is no way I could picture her as a sweet cheerleader cheering on a football team full of testosterone-driven guys. With her loud mouth and tough girl image - lace see-through shirt, red bra, leather jacket, short denim mini skirt and biker boots, she is clearly a ball breaker. This is very refreshing with the kind of girls who I used to know in high school. Yet, throughout the semester and even now, I had the feeling it could have been a phase she was going through now that she was in college because there were times when she acted like she wanted more of me than just a study partner. “Hey, don’t forget to get some sleep,” Chloe said, smiling widely as she leaned in to straighten my collar. “You want to have some energy when you take the exam or you’ll fall asleep during it.”

“I’d advise the opposite,” Harvey said stiffly. “If you’re doing an all-nighter, unless you have a good wake up service to get you up, then don’t go to sleep. You’ll sleep through the exam if you do. Just go in, with all the information fresh in your mind and take the exam. You’ll do better that way.”

“No, get some sleep. Even a ten minute nap will do wonders,” Chloe said.

“Trust me, skip the nap, and go straight to the exam. You can crash after the exam.” Harvey put his hand on my shoulder and turned me around to point at the coffee maker in the kitchen. “Make some strong coffee and then go for it. Keep your adrenaline going and you’ll do fine.”

Chloe shoots Harvey a deadly look, “I wouldn’t advise that. I’ve already had one exam, and I could swear taking a nap before the exam…”

My mind drifts off as they argue when I get a text on my phone. I look down at the screen and laugh. It’s Summer.

She sends a picture of her holding up a crudely drawn drawing of a beach, a beach house, a stick figure girl and a cake with candles. The caption reads, “Remember this?”

I text back:
Of course I remember. My masterpiece. My birthday card to you on your 8
^th
birthday.

SUMMER
My favorite birthday card.

My smile widens. I can’t believe Summer has kept that card for ten years. Something about that makes me a little happier, and despite how tired I am, I’m instantly filled with panic. In my haze of studying for exams and working, I have almost completely forgotten about Summer’s eighteenth birthday coming up this weekend.

“Ah, guys,” I say. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the exams. I still have to go over that last section tonight so I better get going. Thanks for stopping by and helping me study. I’ll play it by ear. If I get through everything I need to, tonight, I’ll take a small nap. If not, I’ll go straight to the exam. So, guys, thank you both for your advice. We’ll see how that works out tomorrow.” I smirk, pushing both of my study partners to the door of my apartment, trying to usher them out as quickly as possible.

“After the exams tomorrow, Nat,” Chloe says whispering into my ear, her warm breath tickling them like a caress. “Maybe you would like to come over to my place, and we can go over some stuff for the next exam?”

“With Harvey?” I asked, glancing over at the tall well-built freshman standing outside my door. I am a little embarrassed for him, with how shamelessly Chloe has been flirting with me all night. Harvey, the only other student from my high school class and a former football teammate of mine, had invited Chloe to join the group because he had a crush on her. Yet here she is, openly flirting with me. Besides looking a little annoyed, Harvey looks like he is eager to take off. I can’t blame Harvey, he’s probably had one all-nighter after another, and he looks just about to conk out at any moment.

“Um, no,” Chloe said. “Just us. Besides, it looks like he’s in need of some major sleep after the exam tomorrow. Meanwhile since you and I have gotten some rest, we can get busy doing something a lot more fun,” she smiles suggestively at me.

I put an arm around her shoulders and lead her out. “That sounds very tempting,” I say. “But I think I’m with Harvey on that. I’ll probably need a week’s worth of sleep afterwards.”

Chloe pouted prettily before she smiles and says, “Your loss,” before taking off.

I stand there looking out after Harvey and Chloe. Most guys in my position wouldn’t have turned Chloe down. She’s what guys are looking for in a plain old hookup with no worries of a commitment afterwards. Plain and simple sex. Except in Chloe’s case, it’ll be more kinky, I bet. That does make me intrigued a bit, but for right now, I’m good. I didn’t want to jump into something like that to complicate things. By things, I mean that I’m not like that. I don’t do hookups. Drew would, but not me. Having sex with someone, being intimate with someone like that, means more to me than just a casual thing. If there’s one thing I can take away from having to experience Mom and Dad’s divorce, and seeing how Dad’s affair affected everyone, is that I’m never going to take love for granted.

I may have been guilty of that with Summer’s crush long ago, but not anymore. Not especially when it comes from someone like Summer, who has been loving, sweet, supportive, and kind to me for always. I’ve hurt her for not acknowledging her feelings for me when I’ve always felt the same. Now I know, and now I have to make it up to her.

I am locking my front door when I get a second text from Summer.

SUMMER:
How are you, stranger?

ME:
Ready to settle in for a long night of non-stop studying for my first college exam
.

SUMMER:
Oh. I wouldn’t want to come between you and that. That’s too important. Go back to studying. I’ll talk to you later.

ME:
No, that’s OK. What’s up?

SUMMER:
It’s nothing. Go back to studying. I want you to focus on that, not on me. I’ll figure it out. Bye.

I text her a message, but she’s either ignoring it or not there. I sigh. I can stay up all night studying and I know it wouldn’t make me as anxious as I am to get a message from Summer and then not hear from her.

Summer has texted or called me a few times since I came back to San Francisco. Most times it would be a joke or her sharing a photo or a saying, something with what’s going on in her life. Sometimes it would be about something she finds of ours…mine, Drew, or Rachel’s that Aunt Sookie had socked away in the attic or somewhere. A childhood drawing, a favorite toy, video games we played and even some ratty old pair of jeans. All of that brings a smile to my face, which I think Summer, with her heart like gold, has intended. I know she does this to cheer me up, especially after my confession to her about my mother and everything I have to deal with. Because she was there when I broke down after hearing the news about my mother’s attempted suicide. Summer’s like that, always putting everyone’s needs and feelings ahead of her own. She’s fiercely independent, too. Never asking for advice on how to run Aunt Sookie’s Academy or anything like that. Being with Astor Fairway whose profession is acting, probably helped her more than any advice I could’ve given her.

Always being there for me, for Drew, and even Rachel. It is no wonder why I love her.

It is no wonder why I would do everything to protect her, even by staying away from her. But this time, in her last text to me, I had to wonder if things really are all right with her. Although she says she’s fine, and that she’s happy in Malibu when she’s there at Aunt Sookie’s “Malibu Pad; I sense that there’s something wrong.

As much as I had promised Drew that I would not get involve with Summer in that way, as much as I try to not think of Summer at all and try to forget any feelings I’ve ever had for her, I can’t help feeling this desperate need to see her, to pull her to me so I can hold her and kiss the worry or whatever is troubling her away.

She doesn’t pick up when I try calling her. I search for Aunt Sookie’s Acting Academy on the internet to find the phone number there. Maybe she’s there and teaching a class…that’s why she’s not picking up. As I search the internet, I come across all kinds of things about the Academy. Recent things about how the Academy is a set up, a copycat acting school of another school, and how it should be closed down. There are other things about Summer, too…along with Astor Fairway since he was coached by Aunt Sookie. Photos of Summer walking with Astor Fairway to a car, and the paparazzi trying to reach them. Gossip about Summer and Astor Fairway. Even a site or two that has nothing on it except hateful things about Summer and the school.

“Shit, what’s going on?” Poor Summer. Is this what she’s been going through? Don’t these people have any heart? Aunt Sookie just died, and Summer has to deal with this?

Summer has been so brave, going through what she did, with her Aunt’s sickness, taking over the school, and then with her losing her aunt. It’s so much for a girl of eighteen to take. Then she has to deal with haters?

She can’t go through this alone. Even if I have to miss my exams for her, I would. Aunt Sookie had entrusted Summer for us Donovans to take care of, and I have failed miserably in taking care of Summer. I thought she would be fine. She acts as if she is, all the time, and with Astor.

It hits me like a sucker punch out of the blue what I have to do. I have tried to fight it off, tried to lessen how I feel by increasing the distance between us, by acting indifferent to her, by acting like I don’t care. But deep down, I do, too much. I know I’ve made a mistake acting like I could give up Summer, acting like it’s alright for someone like Astor to date her when all he’s doing is putting her in danger. Now I have to do something crazy, impulsive, and bold.

I’m going to go see her right now.

I’m going to go get her away from Astor Fairway and his crazy paparazzi-filled life.

Chapter
2

Nat

T
here are perks to being a son of a man who owns a company with a private jet.

I’ve never asked to use it before except for that one time when I had to fly back to San Fran immediately from Los Angeles. That one time on Fourth of July when Mom had her “accident” as Dad had called it.

That “accident” was classified as an emergency so we can go on the private jet. Strict rules.

What I’m doing tonight…getting the private jet to fly from San Fran to Los Angeles while I skip studying for my first major exam so I can see and be with a girl I’m crazy about…can that be considered an emergency?

If Dad only knew how much I owe her… how much it is because of Summer and Aunt Sookie that Mom, Drew, and I are even alive; he would consider any excuse to use the private jet to see Summer when she needs our help, an emergency.

On top of that, I know now that I will eventually be expected to run Dad’s company. He’s already involving me in meetings and important projects while I work there part-time. I’m part of the company now, and like it or not, Summer is part of the reason for that, too.

Enough justifying. Just do it.

I dial up Steven, and he answers on the second ring.

“Mr. Donovan,” he says.

“Steven,” I say. “Can you get the jet ready for a trip into Los Angeles tonight? Emergency. Something’s up with Summer, and I have to see her.”

“Certainly,” Steven says. He doesn’t say anything else or asks any questions.

“You’re not going to run it by my father?” I ask.

“You’re authorized to request private jet services at any time,” Steven says. “Your name’s on the list. Your father trusts you’ll make the right decisions and use discretion when you use the private jet.”

“Oh, great,” I say, digesting what Steven said. “And here I thought I had to tell you this is an emergency.”

“According to Mr. Donovan, everyone on that list would be using the private jet for emergencies. It doesn’t matter as long as you get to where you need to go in order to take care of an emergency.”

“Thank you for letting me know,” I say, trying to hide my surprise. Since when did Dad care about all that, and about me?

Since when our family started falling apart…Mom tried to kill herself, Rachel changed her appearance, lost her virginity, and Drew became a kind of man whore? I’m still kind of bitter over it. I don’t know if I will get over it. I’m trying so hard to pull everyone together – Mom is getting back to normal, Drew is busy with school and football, and Rachel seems less rebellious. I don’t think it has anything to do with Dad, though, but what happened in Malibu, with Summer and Aunt Sookie. But stranger things have happened, and maybe, just maybe Dad
is
changing.

*****

The flight from San Francisco to Los Angeles is short. In less than an hour, we land in a private hangar where a large black SUV is ready for me to drive.

One thing I learned about Donovan Dynamics from working there, is that we don’t just specialize in online security and computer security, but we handle traditional security, too. Bodyguards, secured transportation, and all that. Having a car ready for me after I land in the hangar goes along with the secured transportation bit we provide. I shouldn’t be so surprised at that, but now that Steven said I’m on the approved emergency list, that means I have access to security and transportation when I needed it.