Page 73 of No One But You

I wrapped Summer in a large hug. “Oh, Summer.” I squeezed her extra hard, mainly because I knew it would aggravate her. “Thank you. That means a lot.”

She smiled as she pulled away. “You deserve to be happy Kora.”

“You do too, Summer,” Darlene said as she wrapped her arms around both of us.

“Yeah, well I don’t think there’s any man who can handle me, so I’ll just need to keep you two close.”

We watched her walk toward Tonya and Kaye and give them hugs, and Darlene and I settled back into our chairs.

“I wish she’d find someone who could get underneath that harsh exterior of hers, and get to know the Summer we know and love,” Darlene said.

“One day it’ll happen. I have no doubt,” I said as I sipped my wine.

We sat enjoying the afternoon for a while and laughed at the kids playing in the sand box and watched the men across the yard.

“Maybe we finally got our wish,” Darlene said in a quiet voice.

I scrunched my brow. “About?”

“We always wanted guys who were friends and got along so we could grow old together and our kids would be like family.”

I nodded. We always did say that. “Let’s not jump to any conclusions.”

“You’re right, and with how you’re going, James will be in high school before you have any kids.”

“Okay, let’s slow your roll. I’m not going to argue. Right now, I’m just happy Kai and I are good.”

Darlene’s face lit up. “And I’m happy for you.”

The guys finished their game and joined us. Bryson had his arms full with James. “I think someone’s getting tired.”

James leaned toward Darlene, who took him and flattened out his hair with her hand. “Yeah, it looks like he’s beat.”

Bryson helped her up, and they walked together to say goodnight.

“It is getting late,” I said as I cuddled into Kai. “Do you want to come to my house? Maybe spend the night?” After watching him across the yard, and not being with him over a week, I really missed him and wanted to show him how much.

He rubbed my back, sparking goosebumps across my skin and a tingling in my groin. Just a simple touch and a look from those crystal eyes was all it took. I was putty in his hands and wanted him to mold me into anything he desired. But the look on his face stopped me in my tracks. “What’s wrong?”

He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. “Even though I’d love nothing more than to be with you all night, I need to go home and check on Terry. I left him washing dishes at the pub with Nico, and I want to make sure he didn’t heist any of Trevor’s liquor.”

My smile reached my eyes. “I thought things were going better?”

“They are, but I’m still concerned when he’s alone. I feel like the tables have turned and I’m the father and he’s my responsibility.”

“And that’s why Trevor brought me by.”

I turned quickly, and there was Terry. He looked good. He had shaved and cleaned up a little since the last time I saw him.

Tonya, Kaye, and Charles came over. Charles held out his hand. “I’m Charles. You must be Terry.”

“I am. Nice to meet you,” Terry replied as he returned the handshake.

“Well, Terry, come on and grab a burger and a Coke. We’re getting ready to play cards. I need a partner.” Tonya wrapped her hand around his arm and pulled him off to the patio table where the cards were set up.

It didn’t take long for laughter and joking to fill the air as the book club and men played cards. “Things look good here. I’ve gotta go check on the animals. Want to go for a walk?” I asked Kai.

“Of course.”

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