Page 13 of Something to Someone

SEVEN

SUMMER DAZE

Caroline

The sun was shining,the birds were chirping, and the kids were screaming—what a beautiful freaking day.

I narrowly avoided one child who sprinted in front of me and another who almost side-swiped me chasing after the first. I gritted my teeth and willed all other children in the vicinity to stay away from me until I could get inside.

I barely made it in the house before another scream erupted followed by a large splash from the pool. I shut the sliding glass door, but it did little to muffle the sounds.

Setting the empty tray of snacks on the kitchen island, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes for a moment.

“Do you need any help, sweetie?” My mom’s hand landed on my shoulder, and I startled at the contact.

“No, I’m okay. Thanks, though.”

She gave me an unconvincing look and grabbed the tray from in front of me. “I’ll help anyway,” she said. She opened the fridge and began sifting through the contents, searching for the fruit to replenish the tray.

“Care, do you have extra sunscreen?” My sister, Allison, appeared from around the corner with my nephew, Thomas, in tow. He was the reason there were twenty screaming children running around outside. Thomas and my niece, Olivia, were the only two people in the world who could have convinced me to let all their friends take over my house for the day.

Especially since it was Thomas’s eighth birthday.

“Yeah, it’s in my bathroom. The cabinet on the far right.”

“Thank you, thank you,” my older sister said and ushered Thomas in that direction. He was already sporting little red shoulders, but he had a huge smile on his face.

I thought they were all having a pretty good time, except my brother-in-law, Oliver, and my father who were manning the grill and listening to the kids demand hot dogs and hamburgers along with their parents chiming in with any dietary restrictions.

There was a very good reason why I had willingly and eagerly given up that particular job.

I rounded the island and started opening and arranging the fruit on the platter as my mom retrieved it from the fridge. She sighed dramatically when she noticed me, but it was her fault I had trouble relaxing, I’d gotten it from her.

She saddled up next to me at the counter and began her usual inquisition.

“How’s work going?”

“Have you hired anyone else?”

“Have you thought about selling the company yet?”

“Have you thought about selling your house?”

“Are you dating anyone?”

“Do you still have an aversion to love?”

“Mom!” I exclaimed with a huff. “I do not have an aversion to…love.”

She scoffed and loaded the container that once held the strawberries into the dishwasher. “You can’t even say the word without cringing. It sounds like you’re in pain.”

“Thank you so much for your thoughtful insight, Mother, but I’mjust fine. I am happy with my life,” I said, and for her benefit and to prove her wrong, I added, “I don’t need love.”

I pretended like I didn’t hear the way my voice dipped with the word or how it felt like my throat might close around it. Instead, I shot my mom a sweet, unbothered smile and hoped we’d finished with her questions. I’d answered each of them to the best of my ability—no, I wasn’t planning on selling anything, but yes, work was good. No, I wasn’t dating anyone, and I had no plans to.

I gave her my usual spiel about not settling on a man and not settling down unless he was exceptional. And how if that never happened, I would be fine.

I had no more answers to give her, so I hoped she would let it all go. My hope was dashed, though, when she started, “Caroline, just because you’ve had your heartbroken before, just because you’ve lost someone?—”

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