Em (The Summer My Life Began Book 1) Page 8

  Aunt Tilly tugs my arm and my attention away from the painting. She leads me to a couple of wicker seats. “Let her have free rein. She knows her clothes and people. You’ll see.”

  I watch, my excitement building, trying to keep track of what all she pulls off racks. After about a dozen or so outfits, it occurs to me. “Aunt Tilly, I’ve only got about two hundred dollars.”

  If my mom finds out I’ve spent the money on these clothes, she will not be happy.

  Aunt Tilly flutters her fingers. “My treat.”

  “No,” I whisper. “You can’t do that.”

  “Listen, you’ve been helping out around the B&B since you got here and you’ve got a couple of weeks to go yet. Consider this your paycheck.” She winks at me. “No argument.”

  A couple of weeks to go yet. That thought brings a contented sigh. Plenty of time to enjoy this awesome new place. Plenty of time before I have to go back.

  Go back.

  Two words I now hate. Slowly my contentment transitions to melancholy as I think of the rigid environment waiting on me.

  Glancing over to my aunt, I study her pretty profile as she watches Grammy. My thoughts circle around her, my mom, my grandmother, and whatever family feud exists between them. If anyone will tell me what it is, it’ll be my free-spirited aunt.

  With that thought, I boldly ask, “Aunt Tilly, what is going on with you, Mom, and Grandmother? It can’t be all about Grandfather’s death.”

  “No, it’s not about your grandfather’s death.” A frown moves through her lips. “There’s just a lot of history. Your grandmother and I, we’re very different.”

  “But Gwenny and I didn’t even know you existed until you sent that graduation card.”

  “I know.” Aunt Tilly strokes her hand over my head. I love when she does that. “There’s a lot to explain there. Too much to talk about here. The past is the past. I’ve moved on. I know your mom and grandmother have too.”

  “But you and Mom used to be so close. What happened?”

  Tilly sighs.

  “Time to start trying on!” Grammy excitedly announces.

  “But I didn’t even tell you my size,” I protest. Or the fact I sometimes have to buy petite because I’m so short. Or the fact—

  Grammy laughs. “Dear, I’ve done this my whole life. I know your size better than you do.”

  Aunt Tilly gives me a nudge, and, reluctantly ending the conversation, I disappear into the dressing room.

  Grammy’s right! She does know my size. My style. My colors. My everything.

  I try on outfit after outfit, absolutely loving it all. Grammy’s done a perfect job of giving me that flowy, casual look but with my own twist.

  There’s a smocked top with leggings. A silvery knee-length sundress. Drawstring capris with a striped tank top. And the list goes on and on.

  This is my style, and I love how it makes me feel!

  Realizing it’s getting late, I keep a cute polo mini dress on. Aunt Tilly pays Grammy and we load up the van. We get home in just enough time for me to dump my bags, freshen up, and hightail it outside to wait for Jeremy.

  As I stand here in the late-afternoon sun waiting on my date, I find myself feeling more confident than ever. I look great. I feel great. I am great.

  I WENT SHOPPING! I text Gwenny. YOU SHOULD SEE ALL MY NEW CLOTHES. I HAVE A FEELING MOM WON’T APPROVE.

  WHO CARES? She texts back.

  She’s right. Who cares? I laugh. It’s amazing how much that thought liberates me.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I catch sight of someone coming around the side of The Pepper House. I don’t have to fully look to know its Cade.

  He stops when he sees me. “Well, hey, you look nice.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Have fun with Tilly?”

  “I did. We bought the store out.”

  With that cute half-grin, he looks me up and down before glancing around. “You waiting on somebody?”

  “Jeremy.” I suddenly feel awkward.

  “Oh.” He frowns. “You guys going on a date or something?”

  My awkwardness increases tenfold, and I fiddle with my purse. “Um, well, sort of.”

  Cade clears his throat. “He’s a nice guy. Seems like your type, I guess.”

  My type? What does that mean?

  We both stand here, saying nothing. Entirely too many weird and silent seconds go by.

  Jeremy pulls in then, giving a little honk. Glad for the interruption, I turn away from Cade and with a smile for my date, I walk to his car.

  Pausing at the door, I glance back. “Well, see ya later.”

  “Yeah, later,” Cade mumbles.

  After I climb in, Jeremy pulls away, launching right into a conversation. But I barely hear a word as I stare at Cade in the side mirror. He stands right where I left him, watching us drive away.

  Chapter 17

  My parents would love Jeremy. He’s the epitome of perfection.

  He opens doors for me.

  He compliments me on how nice I look.

  He asks lots of questions about me.

  He’s cute, smart, witty.

  Perfect—too perfect—too much like my parents and my life back at home. Which is probably why I can’t stop thinking about Cade.

  Smiling, I nod at Jeremy’s comment regarding the Republican Party. My parents are Republicans and though I’ve never voted, I plan to vote for the person, not the party.

  I don’t say this, though, and instead, take a nibble of my bland grilled fish. If someone, anyone, in the kitchen would’ve ground sea salt and black pepper, and squeezed some lemon on this fish, it would’ve been greatly improved. Salt, pepper, and lemon. Not too much to ask folks.

  “Anyway,” Jeremy says with a sigh, “growing up here wasn’t so bad. But I’m definitely glad to be away at college. Of course, to you first-timers, this place is paradise.”

  I nudge my plate away and prop my knife and fork on the side. What a shame; that had been a perfectly good piece of sea bass.

  My brain gets back on track, quickly recalling what Jeremy just said. “Yes, this place is paradise.” Too bad he doesn’t realize that.

  Cade seems to appreciate it, and he’s from here too.

  I clear my throat. “How long have your parents owned the Crazy Chicken?”

  “Since before I was born. My grandparents owned it before them.”

  “Wow, your family really does go back a long way.”

  He smiles at that.

  Our dessert comes and we eat it in mostly comfortable silence like we’re an old married couple. Then finally the bill is delivered.

  We leave the restaurant and Jeremy drives me home. We talk about travel—all the places we’ve seen and the cities we want to visit. Jeremy and I have a lot in common. I really can’t think of a better, more perfect first date. Except that I can’t get the image out of my brain of Cade standing and watching as we pulled away.

  Jeremy stops in front of The Pepper House, getting out and coming around to open my door. My stomach flutters with the expectation of a kiss goodnight.

  Gently, Jeremy takes my hand. “I really had a nice time. Thanks for the date.”

  I smile. “Me too.”

  He lowers his head and presses his lips to mine. I return the kiss, expecting I don’t know, excitement, passion. But it’s only a quick kiss, and after he pulls away, he places a sweet peck on my cheek. “Meeting you has definitely brightened up my summer. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  He gives my hand an affectionate squeeze before getting in his car and pulling away.

  I watch his taillights, replaying the kiss in my head. It’d been a nice, proper, first kiss. A nice, proper, first kiss? Who am I, my mom?

  Gwenny will want to know if it was hot. Did it wow you? I can hear her asking.

  No, it didn’t wow me. It was sweet. There’s nothing wrong with sweet. Sweet’s good. Right?

  “So are you two official?”

  I swing around
to see Cade standing in the shadows. “What are you doing here?”

  “There was a plumbing leak in Cottage Two, and your aunt called me. I was just on my way home and saw you two pull in.”

  He just stood there and watched us kiss? My face grows warm in embarrassment. “You should have coughed or something to let us know you were there.”

  “Sorry.” He emerges from the shadows and I swallow the sudden nervousness in my throat. The tilt of his smiling lips draws my attention, and it seems all I can stare at as he comes closer.

  I try to think of something to say, but for the life of me, I can’t even remember what he just said.

  He comes to a stop in front of me. My mind screams for me to do something, say something, but all I manage is to continue standing here, staring at his lips.

  Cade shifts ever so slightly and his soapy scent fills my senses. “Goodnight, Em,” he whispers before disappearing into the night.

  I stay right where I am, staring at nothing in particular, listening to my rapid breaths as my heart bangs against my chest wall. This is the reaction I expected earlier, with Jeremy, but Cade didn’t even kiss me.

  Eventually, I manage a swallow.

  My cell buzzes and I jump. “Hello?” I answer, slightly out of breath.

  “Well,” Gwenny drawls. “You sound winded. Did I interrupt you and Jeremy making out?”

  I laugh. “No.”

  “Sooo, tell me about the date.”

  As I walk through The Pepper House and up to my room, I tell her about the dinner, the friendliness, the good-night kiss. “But . . .”

  “But?” she prompts.

  “It was all fine. But then Cade was here when I got home, and he saw the good-night kiss, and I don’t know, he was right in front of me and I could barely breathe, and—”

  “What did he do?” she whispers.

  I sigh. “Nothing. He told me goodnight, whispered it actually.”

  “Whispered it?”

  “Oh, Gwenny, he smelled so good. He wasn’t even touching me and I could feel his warmth, he was standing that close.”

  “Em,” my sister sighs my name. “He sounds amazing. They both do actually. I think I’m jealous.”

  “Don’t be. I’m completely confused right now.”

  “Go out with both of them.”

  “Gwenny, that’s not me. You know that.” I pause. “You know what else?”

  “What?”

  “I’m going surfing with Cade tomorrow.”

  “Good, you can get to know him better. You can wear your new bikini! See, it’s really perfect!”

  “I don’t know. I think it’s just going to be awkward.”

  “You’ll be fine. Just act like nothing happened, have fun, and look hot in your bikini. That’s it!”

  “Sure. It’s just that easy.” I’m suddenly not looking forward to tomorrow. “Okay, I’ll call you and let you know how it goes.”

  “Great! And Em, seriously, just relax and have fun.”

  I hang up the phone. I’ll try, but I already know I’ll be distracted.

  By Cade.

  Chapter 18

  Breakfast comes and goes, but I barely remember scrambling the eggs, as preoccupied with my surfing lesson as I am.

  Cade stops into the kitchen as Domino and I finish cleaning up. “We still on for surfing?”

  I grin. “Definitely!”

  “Thirty minutes?”

  “I’ll be there.”

  I peek my head into Frederick’s room. “What should I wear for surfing?”

  He looks up from his laptop. “What have you got?”

  “Two bikinis.”

  He goes over to his dresser and pulls out a white shirt. “This is a rash guard. Throw this on over your top and you should be good to go.”

  “Cool, thanks.” I put on the blue-and-white bikini, not the one Gwenny bought me. She’ll be mad I’m not looking “hot,” but I need to focus.

  Outside, I meet Cade.

  He gives me a once-over. “Hey, don’t you look all surfer girl.”

  I motion to my outfit. “Rashguard, courtesy of Frederick.”

  Cade already secured a surfboard to a bracket off the side of the moped. “Climb on,” he says, doing the same.

  “Oh, we’re not taking the van?”

  “Nope.”

  “Uh, okay.” Swinging my leg over, I sit behind him

  He turns the key. “We’re going to Parquito Bay. It’s got good beginner waves.”

  Cade rolls the moped forward and putters down the driveway. He turns onto the coastal highway and picks up speed. I look for a place to put my hands and finally decide to hold on to his waist.

  He scoots back on the seat, getting comfortable, putting our bodies even closer. My fingers press into his soft T-shirt and the firm muscles underneath. His soapy scent swirls around me, and I lean forward a little to inhale.

  About fifteen minutes later he pulls off to the side of the road and cuts the engine. “We’re here. Go on down.” He unhooks the board from the bracket. “I’ll be there in a sec.”

  I walk between the sand dunes onto Parquito Beach. Flinging my flip-flops to the side, I make my way down to the water’s edge. Sunlight dances beams across the turquoise water as it rolls to shore. Beautiful.

  “What do you think?” Cade comes up beside me.

  “It’s absolutely gorgeous. How is it possible for a place to be so perfect?”

  He gazes out over the water. “I know. I can’t imagine ever leaving.”

  “Really?”

  “This is home. I love it here.”

  The matter-of-factness in his voice makes me smile. “I can see why.”

  Funny how Jeremy said just the opposite. Two guys born and raised here. One content to stay and one eager to leave. I get it. To each their own and all that.

  Cade squints. “Looks like we’ve got the beach to ourselves. Good thing. You won’t hit anybody then.”

  “Hey!” I defend myself.

  Laughing, he nods to the board. “I already waxed it, so we’re good to go.”

  He slips off his T-shirt and tosses it up the beach. I take in a delicious second of his tanned chest before he lays down on the board.

  “This is a longboard. It’s good for small waves. Good learner board. So, what we’re going to practice first is just getting up on your knees.” From his lying-down position, he mimics paddling with his arms, then he lifts up and swings his knees under him, landing about center on the board. “Now you try.”

  He moves out of the way and I stretch out belly-down on the board, hoping beyond hope that my bikini-clad butt looks good. I paddle, lift up, and bring my knees under, easily mimicking Cade. Reaching down, he repositions my left knee, and I catch my breath.

  “Try to keep one knee in front for stability,” he says. “All right, now let’s try feet.”

  We switch positions, him on the board and me watching. Holding on to the sides, he jumps to his feet. “I surf left. You’ll just have to see what feels right to you.”

  He moves and I practice jumping to my feet, feeling pretty confident that I land the first time. I wish he’d make another adjustment to my leg or knee or even foot.

  “Looks good. Now, let’s get in the water.” Taking the board, Cade and I wade into the ocean, diving through the waves as we get farther out. He stops when the water hits us chest-high. With his hand on the board, he smiles across at me with pure happiness dancing in his light blue eyes. “Ready?”

  “Definitely.”

  “Okay, get on up, and I’ll push you into the right wave. When you feel it lift you, that’s when you try to get to your knees.”

  A wave rolls past us, sending us both up and down with the swell. I hop onto the board and topple right over the other side—straight into Cade.

  He grabs for me as I go under, and when I surface a wave pushes me into him. He holds me tight against him, laughing.

  I try to play it cool, wiping the water from my eyes. “Gl
ad to provide you with some morning entertainment.”

  With another chuckle, he repositions our bodies, wrapping his arm around my waist, and I nearly stop breathing.

  “Let’s try this again.” He effortlessly swings me up onto the board, looking toward the ocean and the waves.

  “Ready . . . ready . . . ready . . . okay now. Paddle!”

  He pushes me forward, and I paddle with my arms. The wave lifts me, I grab onto the board, bring my knees up under me, and I’m surfing.

  I’m surfing!

  I ride the wave all the way to shore until the board bottoms out on the sand and I fall off. I whip around to find Cade in the water pumping the air with both his fists.

  “Awesome!” he yells, swimming toward me. He comes up right beside me, grabs me up in a huge hug, and swings me around. “That was great!”

  As he puts me down on the sand I look up at him, grinning. He returns my grin and then suddenly everything stops. There is no ocean, no sand, nor sun. It’s him. And me.

  We lean in, and our lips meet. Gwenny always talks about a “wow factor,” and this is it.

  Our mouths open, and as we deepen the kiss, the whole world falls away. All too soon, he pulls away, and when I open my eyes, a frown crosses his face.

  A frown? Oh, no.

  “Uh, okay, let’s get back in the water.” He scoops up the board and turns away.

  I stand in the sand, the water lapping against my shins, and watch him take the board deeper into the ocean.

  What just happened?

  He glances back. “You coming?”

  With a forced smile, I nod.

  I make my thoughts wait. I’ll focus on surfing—not Cade, that amazing kiss, or how different he and Jeremy are.

  Yes, I’ll deal with that later.

  Chapter 19

  Later that day, after Cade drops me off at The Pepper House, I find myself in the kitchen. I left a message for Gwenny, begging her to call me back as soon as humanly possible. I need to talk about the kiss.

  I still can’t believe it happened, and how totally amazing it was—almost the complete opposite of Jeremy’s sweet, “proper” first-date kiss.

  Cade’s was just, well, wow.