Page 9 of No Summer Hotter than You

I was in the middle of typing, “What the hell did you get yourself into to be asking me this?” when he immediately responded.

Anthony

Will you be

My girlfriend ?

CHAPTER 4

anthony

I let out a long sigh in my parked Jeep in my parents’ driveway. I was trying to mentally prepare myself for what was to come for the evening. I made time to eat dinner with my parents at least twice a week since they weren’t getting any younger and I loved to spend as much time as I could with them. Despite all the efforts I made to be a good son and come home to see them, my dad always claimed I had too much time on my hands to hang out with them because I’m single.

Tonight was a little different, though. Aunt Sue was here now. She arrived last night, and I had yet to see her.

As I took in another deep breath, a truck rolled up into the driveway to my side. It was my dad. He threw me an amused look before he parked in the garage. I got out of my car with the bouquet Shoua helped me select last night.

“Why aren’t you inside?” he asked.

“I’m mentally preparing myself,” I answered honestly.

My dad laughed, coming to my side as we both beeped our cars locked. He shook his head at me. “C’mon on, son. Sue isn’t that bad.”

“Aunt Sue isn’t the problem. It’s when she—” I started but couldn’t finish. I felt like I was being too honestly rude if I did.

My dad gave me a small smile. He sure looked tickled. “When she tries to set you up with her daughter?”

“I fucking hate it when Aunt Sue does that,” I groaned.

I think it was natural for Aunt Sue to play the role of the matchmaker, especially with her playing a role in my parents’ love story. If it wasn’t for her and her words of encouragement, Andy and me may have never been born. Aunt Sue was the only one who encouraged my mom to go on a date with that Midwestern white boy who asked her out. My parents were a success, but that was just because they loved each other.

Evelyn and me, on the other hand? Nah. I saw her like a younger sister, much like how I saw Julie as my sister. And that was it.

“It doesn’t help that Evelyn’s also fully invested in all of this. Why are they still trying to push for this anyways?” I asked. “You’d think that after all these years of Evelyn and her mom pushing for this that they’d get the hint that I don’t like her. It’s not like I’m Andy and she’s Julie.”

Andy had always been in love with Julie Lo. She’s the daughter of our mom’s best friend, Auntie Yee. After her dad passed away when we were kids, we moved in next door to them to be a form of strength for them. Julie and her younger brother, Jonathan, naturally grew up close to us twins because of this.

Now they were finally together and living under the same roof after years of Andy being a love-sick dumbass.

“Look, son, this is just a speculation, but I think Sue was insistent on visiting us again this year because of the news of Julie and Andy.”

I frowned. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

“Nope. Your mom and I believe she’s here because she’s honing in on you.”

I let out a frustrated sigh as my hand reached out to push my fringe out of my face. “Absolutely not. Tell Mom that I refuse to entertain her and her daughter with this.”

“Sue is persistent because you’re single, even if you say no. All that matters to her is that there’s a possibility. Just get a girlfriend and then it’ll be easier.”

I grumbled as I gave my dad a pointed look. “I don’t have time.”

My dad let out his usual loud and bellowed chuckle, mocking me. “You do. You’re just too comfortable being single. You have dinner with us two times a week, which your mom and me are grateful for. But shouldn’t you be going on dates instead of hanging out with your aging parents on a Friday night?”

“I really don’t have time to date, Dad.” I shook my head at him. “I would rather focus on work right now.”

His smile grew wider. “Of course you don’t! You’re practically here with us every other day! At this point, you might as well move back in,” he teased. “Just so you know, your mom and I want to see grandkids soon, Anthony. It’s about time you and your brother start making your way towards that.”

“Well, you’re in luck,” I snorted. “Because that’s exactly where Andy’s heading soon with Julie.”

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