Page 106 of A Sky Full Of Stars

Stepping off the hood, I pull her into my arms and kiss the side of her head, breathing her in. “Don’t ever be sorry. I would have happily called Summer with you here in my arms. I’m not trying to hide anything from you. I just…”

“Don’t like talking about it,” she finishes for me. “Believe me, I get it.”

“I know. You getme.”

“We have to go, right?” She tries to wriggle out of my arms.

“Hell, no. I’m not meeting her until you’re home getting ready for work, and I’m trying not to think about that douchebag being close to you.”

My lips curl into a scowl, making Lainey laugh. “It’s only two more months and then I’m gone.”

Her smile fades while my heart clenches. Two more months. It will never be enough time, but I’m not going to say that.

“And right now, we have two more hours. What should we do?”

Lainey steps back into my arms, wrapping hers around my waist before looking up at me through her lashes. She bites her lip as she looks away, and I hold back a groan, thinking about what I could do with that mouth.

“How about…” With excruciatingly slow movements, she walks her fingers up my chest, her eyes focused on her hands. I gulp, the anticipation killing me until she glances my way once more. “Would you rather play a championship game in your briefs or sleep in your gear the night before the game?”

“Would I what now?”

She bursts out laughing while I shake my head. That isnotwhere I thought she was going with her teasing, but any time with Lainey is a good time. So, after tickling her again, I pull her back onto the hood and there we stay, playing our little game. In our own world. Pretending nothing exists outside the little solace we’ve built.

And for the briefest moment, it feels real.

If only I didn’t have the strongest feeling it was all about to turn to shit.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Thomas

Standing in front of Summer’s apartment door feels like déjà vu at its worst, and this time I know how deep the cut will be. When I was last here, I was stupidly naive. I knew what had happened… I knew what I’d done. But hearing her say it and seeing her scars was a knife to my heart that I never saw coming.

After a deep breath, I ready myself to knock when Dylan opens the door, forcing me to step back. We may have spoken a few times since our confrontation all those months ago, but I don’t think we’ll ever be completely okay until Summer and I are.

“Dylan.” I nod as he wordlessly stares my way, making me question whether or not he knew I was coming. I open my mouth to ask him when he smiles. It’s not a warm, welcoming smile that you’d expect from a friend, but it’s real, so I’ll take it.

“Don’t get me wrong,” he begins, closing the door behind him. “I still think you were an absolute dick to her, and a little part of me wants to deck you. But none of us knew the full story. Least of all you. And I’m glad the two of you are finally talking.”

“Thanks…I think.” I raise an eyebrow in question, making Dylan laugh before he motions for me to go in.

“She’s waiting inside. I’m trusting you not to hurt her again.”

“Never,” I rush out because if there is one thing I know for certain, it’s that I’llneverhurt her again. “That will never happen.”

“Good to hear.”

He squeezes my shoulder as he walks away, his eyes flashing to the closed door once more. As though he’s not one hundred percent sure he wants to leave us alone. And I don’t blame him. Both he and Summer have been through so much. It’s reassuring to know they have each other—that one good thing blossomed through all of the bad.

When Dylan rounds the corner, out of sight, I take another deep breath and face Summer’s door, preparing to go inside. I’m nervous as hell, but when I step through the threshold, Summer stands from her position on the couch and smiles warmly. “Thank you for coming today. It’s good to see you,” she says politely, making me chuckle.

“It’s good to see you too. But it’s me, Sum. The guy who used to scream like a fox when you pulled my hair.”

Summer bites back her laugh before her expression turns serious. “What does the fox say?” she deadpans, completely easing my mind as her inside joke hits. I shoot her a wide smile before barking out the sound of a fox. Or at least, the sound we think it makes.

We went through a long phase, using that very question whenever we didn’t know the answer to something else, or didn’twantto answer something. Now that I think about it, I should have used it in one of my post-game interviews.

Summer laughs as she watches me, and I see the moment her nerves start to fade. “Okay. Come and sit down. I made pasta. Do you still hold the cheese?”

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