Page 13 of Blue Summer

Yes, I have, but what kind of sister would I be if I put her in harm's way? I would never forgive myself if something happened to her because of me. I sit lost in my thoughts for a couple of minutes before we pull up to a huge gate. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Roan as he hits a button near his mirror and the gate slowly opens. We start up a long, winding road that has tall trees all down the side of it.

“Where, um, are we?”

His mouth tilts up in a slight smirk before he answers me, “Home.”

We come to the end of the driveway and pull up in front of a huge, detached garage that opens with another push of a button from Roan. The house that rose up to greet me when we first came to the circular end of the driveway was more than impressive, it was gothic in nature.

“Are you, like, Batman or something?”

This elicits a huge laugh that goes straight to his eyes. A woman could get used to making a man like him laugh and stay happy all the time. I can’t help but smile back as his whole face transforms into something sexy and mischievous, it is a look that makes someone want to come out and play with him… whatever game he wants to play.

“I’m one of those crazy people who chose to do my job because I want to make a difference and do something good. My mom and dad passed in a plane crash when I was in my early twenties and away at college. I decided I wanted to take a different track than being a lawyer. The guy who came and told me they passed was really great. He became my training officer when I graduated from the academy. I still think of this place as mostly my mom and dad’s if we’re just being truthful.”

“Wow. That… is a lot better story than Batman's.”

“Not a DC fan?”

“I guess I like some of their stuff but I’m mostly a Mar…,” my phone interrupts my confession. It’s my sister. I send her a quick text telling her I will call her back soon.

The mood in the car has changed though and I am left with a fresh reminder of why I’m really here with Roan. This isn’t him actually bringing me home because we’re a thing. This is his version of some fucked up witness protection program. This isn’t him really wanting me to live in his house with him but a necessity he sees as his responsibility. Besides, who wants to move in with one another after one pseudo-date and a little old threat? That would just be silly.

Right?

Chapter Twelve

Roan

“You should tell your sister what is going on?”

“You should mind your own business.” The sassy answer comes from the little blonde sitting at the counter waiting for me to set noodles and grilled cheese in front of her.

I wanted to make sure she was fed before I actually showed her up to her room. Maybe it was an attempt to keep the allusion of this being a real date going. I decided to go old school for the comfort factor it offers. Her sister has been texting her furiously now for the last thirty minutes.

“Would you want her to lie to you?”

“I’m not lying to her…”

“Okay, would you want her to not tell you if she was in trouble or danger? Answer me this, would you be alright not knowing if it were her in your place?” I am rewarded with a frown and a glare from under her lashes. She's clearly not amused by me.

“Isn’t it enough that I allowed you to kidnap me…,” she holds up her hand, “for my own ‘safety’? Must you also be right about this?”

This time when the phone chimes, she snatches it up and walks to the other side of the kitchen. “Hey Nolia, how’s things going with mom and dad? Did you find the shirt you were looking for in my room the…”

Even standing a kitchen apart I can hear her sister’s response. She must be yelling it if I can catch it.

“Don’t you ‘hey Nolia’ me! What is going on with you, Summer, and this time no more stupid lies?”

Summer turns away from me so it’s harder to hear what they are saying as I divide the food between us.

“No!” At the alarm I hear in Summer’s voice, I move around the island to offer her some comfort or… fight her demons for her. Something, anything. “Don’t come! I told you; I am fine. I’m safe and… I’m with the… a… cop. Safest place in the world. So don’t come!”

“Would it help if I talked to her?”

She mouths a big, emphatic no before going to the opposite end of the kitchen from where I am. I follow her. I might not be able to fight all of her demons for her but I can damned sure be there for her to offer support and courage.

“Pearl is… with me. But more importantly… the police are with me so I am perfectly… no, I would only worry if you came. Please. Please stay with Mom and Dad and I will be home in a few days, a week at the most.”

She starts walking back and forth, lightly pacing in front of me. Maybe it’s not me she is trying to get away from but all the lies she keeps telling her sister. I'm not sure what I would do in her place since I don’t have siblings and I can understand her urges to keep someone she loves safe, but I’ve never seen lying do anybody any good. It just muddles the water, makes everything all murky and hard to see.

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