Page 5 of Summer Love

"What did you two talk about when I left?" Dad asked when I finally dug into my food. I was starving.

I chewed, washing it down with lime water. "She mentioned something about going to school together, but I don't remember her."

"Kinsley said they were friends," Dad added.

"You were so focused on school, sports, and work. Even back then," Mom said with pride.

"She seemed like she knew me, and it wasn't for a good reason."

"Maybe she had a crush on you, and you didn't realize it. That wouldn't surprise me at all. I'm fairly sure that Sasha girl just declared that she was your girlfriend, and you were too distracted to tell her different."

Teenage Elena Perkins had a crush on me? That was interesting.

"I'm confident you'll represent this family and the business in the best light," Dad said dismissively.

Mom patted my hand. "We can always count on you."

The responsibility weighed heavily on my shoulders. I couldn't let my middle brothers take lead on this one. She'd be following them to bars, seeing them go home with random women. I didn't have a choice. If we wanted Kingston Construction to be known as a respected business in the community, I had to take the lead.

ChapterTwo

ELENA

Icouldn't believe Hudson Kingston. Of course, he didn't remember me. He'd never acknowledged me in school, even though we were in some of the same classes.

I'd admired him because he wasn't like the other jocks. He was athletic and smart and didn't seem that interested in girls. Until Sasha Owens declared him to be hers.

His brothers were notorious flirts. All the girls crushed on the Kingston brothers, but I only had eyes for the one who didn't see me.

I left the island after college, but I'd recently returned home to keep an eye on my grandmother. My parents were worried about her living alone on the island, and I didn't want her to go to one of those assisted-living places. She loved the beach, and I wanted her to live in her home as long as she was able.

I walked into her small cottage. "Grams?"

"In here, dear." She was seated in one of the overstuffed armchairs in front of the TV, which was blaring because her hearing wasn't the best. I turned it down and kissed her cheek.

"How was work?"

"I'm supposed to be shadowing one of the Kingston brothers for the most eligible bachelor feature," I said knowing she'd find it interesting.

Her eyes gleamed. "Oh, those boys are lookers."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Grams, seriously?"

"I'm hard of hearing, not blind. Now tell me which one is it? Or is it all of them?" she asked excitedly.

"His dad wants me to spend time with the oldest brother, Hudson. My boss, Valerie, wants me to talk to all the brothers because she claims islanders have always been enamored with them. I'm still trying to figure out what the story should be." According to Valerie, the brothers were a bit of a legend around town. The locals and tourists crushed on them, but no one had snagged one for her very own yet.

I bet it was because they weren't interested in settling down. Valerie wanted me to get the details on the brothers, find out what made them so attractive, and why no one could tie them down.

This was a far cry from the journalism work I did in Boston, but it was a job that allowed me to be near my grandmother, and that was all that mattered.

"Hudson. Is he the one who would have been in your class?" Grams asked.

I nodded. "That's right."

"Didn't you have a crush on him? I seem to remember you doodling his name in your notebook."

I flushed, not believing she'd remembered something like that. "That was a long time ago. I was silly."

---