Page 27 of Stealing Summer

“Thanks,” I replied, my cheeks warming with his praise. But beneath the surface, a small part of me still wanted another taste of his lips, and I knew that no amount of laughter or distraction could completely erase the desire. Time would tell if I could resist the pull towards Reese Carrington.

“Hey, so how have you been doing?” I asked tentatively, shifting my gaze from the water to his expression. “I heard you and Blair had a pretty big argument last night.”

Reese sighed, running a hand through his tousled hair. “Yeah, we did. But things will be fine. It’s just that... we both know this situation isn’t going anywhere. We’ve been dragging it on for too long, and it’s time to let it go.”

“Is that really what you want?” I questioned, my own heart twisting at the thought of Reese getting back together with her. Despite their tumultuous history, they seemed like such a perfect couple–-the gorgeous boy with the stunning, wealthy girl who always turned heads wherever she went.

“It is what I want,” he admitted, his eyes searching mine for a moment before looking away. “But other times, I wonder if it’s just easier to do the same shit we’ve been doing because it’s what everyone expects.” He shifted uncomfortably, clearly struggling with the vulnerability he was displaying.

“I get it,” I offered reassuringly, hoping to ease his discomfort. “But maybe if you stopped trying so hard to please everyone else and do what you want, you’d be happier. And who knows? You might even stop being such a dick most of the time.”

His eyes widened in surprise and then narrowed playfully. “Oh, so now I’m a dick?”

“I’m not wrong!” I defended myself with a grin, realizing how much I liked this rare moment when Reese let his guard down and allowed me to see beyond his tough exterior.

“Fair enough,” he agreed, smirking. Reese’s eyes danced with amusement, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Hey, I call it like I see it,” I said, trying to stifle my giggles.

“Alright, I’ll give you that,” he said, snickering, his laughter infectious. It felt like a weight had been lifted from both of our shoulders as we shared this light-hearted moment.

“You really should laugh more often and relax, Reese. You’re not too terrible when you put your guard down.”

“Hartford, are you actually complimenting me right now?” Reese feigned shock, placing a hand over his heart dramatically. “I’m touched.”

“Watch it,” I warned, unable to suppress my grin. “Or I might take it back.”

We spent the rest of the evening making our way around the lake, talking and laughing more than I ever expected. He told me stories from his childhood, like the first time his dad took him to Italy.

“I told my dad I wanted the real deal, and next thing I knew, we were on a flight to Italy.” he said nonchalantly.

My mouth fell open, unsure whether to laugh or be jealous. “Just like that? Out of nowhere?”

“Just like that.” He nodded, looking proud and a tad sheepish at the same time. “Landed in Rome and had the best pasta of my life by dinner.”

“Wow,” I breathed out, a mixture of amazement and amusement dancing in my thoughts. “I can’t even imagine that. If I told my mom I wanted authentic Italian, she’d toss me an apron and tell me to start boiling the noodles myself.”

Reese laughed, an infectious sound that made me smile despite the bright, flashing reminder of how different our worlds were. “Yeah, it’s crazy thinking back on it now. My dad... he always tried to make the impossible happen for me when I was younger.”

“Must’ve been nice,” I mused, not with envy, but a genuine curiosity for this life that was so different from my own experiences. I was struck by how different he seemed away from everyone else—more relaxed and genuinely charming.

"And what about your mom?" Reese asked, his voice gentle as he raised an eyebrow, "tell me more about her."

Even now, I couldn't help but smile at an act of kindness she did that I’ll never forget. "She was a little strict growing up. But I could talk to her about anything. She did something pretty amazing for me once, kind of like my version of Italy."

"Go on," Reese urged, raising an eyebrow with genuine interest.

"My Grandma and I, we used to garden together—she had the most beautiful flowers I've ever seen." The corners of my mouth lifted unconsciously. "It was our thing. After she passed, it felt like a piece of me went with her and all that beauty was gone. But somehow, every time spring rolls around and I see flowers start to bloom, it's like she's still here, you know?"

"Sounds like she meant a lot to you," Reese said softly, holding my gaze with genuine empathy.

"More than I can explain. And Mom—she noticed how much I missed her. One day, she came home with these seeds..." I trailed off, lost in the recollection of the day my mother handed me the tiny packet.

"Seeds?" Reese repeated, his curiosity piqued.

"Rare ones. Himalayan poppy seeds. They were Grandma's favorite. The flowers are this light blue color that you'd swear couldn't exist naturally. Magical almost." It was the only thing I planted since she passed.

"Did they grow?" he asked, leaning in closer.

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