Page 32 of Our Secret Summer

It was a lot and quite a few things seemed impossible yet, as always in life, she’d just have to do it. Hardest of all would be to pretend Dylan barely existed in her life, that Dylan was anything more to her than Connor’s mother whom Raffo had spent some time with in Big Bear, but nothing more than that.

“This gives us three days to get our story straight,” Raffo said, watching Dylan’s profile. “When you tell him we were here together, he’ll assume we became friends—it’s the only explanation that makes sense for why I stayed.”

“We’ll just tell him that we got along but we need a break from each other after spending so much time together.”

“You make it sound so easy.” Raffo assumed her relationship with Connor was very different than the one he had with his mother. She and Connor shared information that you didn’t tell a parent, no matter how close you were. She also predicted that Connor would scrutinize her in a very different manner than his mom. With Dylan, he’d need to get over the fact that she lied about her whereabouts for so long first. Raffo, on the other hand, would probably need to answer a fair few questions about Dylan’s state of mind and exactly how worried Connor should be about her.

“Some things we will have to play by ear. We can’t rehearse a few lines and then repeat them to Con verbatim. That’s not going to work.”

Raffo cleared her throat. “Have you ever asked yourself whether it would be easier to just tell him the truth?”

“No.” Dylan’s voice was firm, but she kept staring at the ceiling. “It’s none of his business.”

“It is, though.”

“I get that it’s more difficult for you.” Dylan’s voice softened and she turned on her side. “You’re friends. It’s not the same.”

“Ordinarily, me sleeping with someone new would be huge news.” Raffo tucked a strand of golden hair behind Dylan’s ear. “I was already with Mia when I met Connor. He’s only ever known me with her.”

“I get that you’re worried, but it’s always better to assume things will work out.”

“You’re so philosophical about this. It baffles me sometimes.” Raffo curled an arm around Dylan’s waist, now that she still could.

“In the grand scheme of things, of our lives, this is just a tiny blip. When I look back on this summer, I’d rather remember the amazing time you and I had together than the money I lost or that I couldn’t tell my son about it.”

“Oh, god,” Raffo groaned.

“What?” Dylan painted on one of her sexy half-smiles.

“When you say things like that, I like you even more.” Raffo scooted closer. “And I don’t know what I’m going to do without you.”

“You’re going to Raffo-Shah the hell out of life.” Dylan pushed her nose into Raffo’s hair. “You have so much to look forward to.”

“I’m a verb now, am I?”

“You’re everything,” Dylan whispered, the words barely audible but striking Raffo’s heart like thunder.

CHAPTER 23

Three days was nothing. Three last days with Raffo might as well have been three minutes for how quickly they vanished.

After dinner on their final evening together, Dylan wanted to stretch out the night as long as possible, because she didn’t want morning to come. She had a whole life in Los Angeles. She had friends—and a son she had missed the hell out of. She had a house with neighbors who believed she’d been living it up in Europe all this time.

Maybe it was the time pressure they were under or maybe it was the simple fact that Dylan had fallen deeply, hopelessly, and recklessly in love with Raffo. She’d only fully admitted this to herself the day before, when Raffo had revealed the painting of the lake house, and Dylan had felt it so bone-deep, so clearly, it simply could no longer be ignored. She had to ask.

“What if we did tell Connor?” Suddenly, even for Dylan, it was a viable option to be explored.

“What?” Raffo turned away from where she’d been silently gazing into the fire. “Where does that come from all of a sudden?”

“Raffo—I—” But Dylan couldn’t put that kind of pressure on Raffo. This was never supposed to beamorous. It was a summer fling—all the ingredients had been present. She shook her head. “Forget it. It’s crazy.” Though she’d admitted to having feelings weeks ago, Dylan couldn’t confess she’d fallen in love. Raffo’s heart was still raw from Mia, even if her ex’s name had barely crossed her lips this past week. Moreover, Raffo was thirty-two years old and things were happening for her, while Dylan was considering her final professional hurrah before retirement. And Connor would never accept it. What would they even do? Go on dates in LA? Have Sunday brunch with her son? None of it seemed remotely plausible.

“I’m going to miss you,” Raffo said, her voice rough. “So fucking much.” The smallest smile touched her lips. “It’s okay to be sad it’s over. Itissad. But it’s only sad because we had such a great time.”

“Yeah.” Dylan took in Raffo’s face, the gravity of it—and how different it looked to when they were in bed together.

“Have you figured out what you’re going to do?” Raffo asked. “Get a job or sell this place?”

Dylan shook her head. Right now, as they were sitting by this glorious lake, on their last night together, Dylan couldn’t fathom selling her Big Bear house, and all the memories they’d made in it. First, she would tell Connor about losing her savings. Then, she’d try to pick up her life in LA, after which she would try to make a decision.

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