Page 14 of Paging Dr. Summers

“Well, I’m here if you want to talk,” she said sincerely before she impishly grinned. “After listening to some of Brooke’s podcast episodes, I think she’s someone you could talk to as well. There’s something healing about her.”

I shifted uncomfortably, feeling like Eden, unfortunately, wasn’t wrong. As odd as Brooke was, there was something about her. Something I wished I could shake. “Be that as it may, I think we have very little in common.”

“That’s what would make it fun.” Eden wagged her brows. “You need different.”

I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I needed to be done with this conversation. My beautiful neighbor for the summer was going to stay just that—a neighbor who I planned to wave at and say hi to if our paths crossed.

“I need to get ready.” I headed for my room until someone knocked on the sliding glass back door. Which wasn’t unusual at the lake. Most people in the area used their back doors more than the front, given our access to the private beach and lake. But it wasn’t just anyone knocking.

“Oh, look, it’s Brooke. You should probably get that,” Eden said evilly, as if she’d known our neighbor would appear looking adorably sexy in cutoffs and an oversize T-shirt that fell off one shoulder, exposing her smooth ivory skin.

Brooke smiled brightly and waved, giving me no choice but to open the door. With trepidation, I walked toward it slowly, trying not to think about how it might feel to twirl my fingers in the silky strandsof the honey hair framing her heart-shaped face while getting lost in her enigmatic eyes. Why was she so maddeningly alluring?

When I opened the door, it almost annoyed me how attracted I was to her. “Hi,” I grumbled.

Brooke didn’t even flinch at my surliness. If anything, her smile widened. “Good morning. Sorry to bother you, but you’re the only people I know here so far, and I don’t have your numbers, so I couldn’t call. But I was hoping you could tell me where I could buy a paddleboard. It’s a bucket list item. Also ...” She bit her pink pouty lip. “Do either of you know how to paddleboard or where I could take lessons?”

Eden butted right in where she didn’t belong. “Logan loves to paddleboard, and he was just saying how he needed to replace his old ones. You two should shop together for some, and then he can give you some lessons.” She jumped off the couch and threw me adon’t screw this uplook.

What was there to screw up? I’d made my thoughts known where Brooke was concerned.

“I’m off to pick up Sophie. You two have fun.” Eden flitted off, knowing exactly what she was doing. There was no way I could refuse now without coming off like a major jerk. Which I thought about doing for a half second until I caught sight of Brooke beaming at me expectantly.

“Would you mind?” she asked.

Yes, I minded. This wasn’t how I’d seen my day off going. But Brooke’s infectious smile got to me, even though I thought it was odd her mother had left her a bucket list. However, I admit to being intrigued by what else her bucket list might contain. Hopefully I wouldn’t have to play a part in helping her check off another item.

“Sure,” I sighed, resigned. “I need to get ready for the day first.”

Her eyes drifted over me for half a second before she wrenched her gaze away, blushing. “Thank you. You’re the best.”

I wished that were true, but I hadn’t felt like the best at anything for a while now. “I’ll pick you up in an hour,” I mumbled.

“Okay,” she sang. “I look forward to it.”

I was afraid I did too.

I COULDN’T HELP BUT STEAL a few quick glances at Logan, his hands firmly gripping the steering wheel of a brand-new, shiny truck. The elegant shop fronts of Aspen Lake’s picturesque town danced by as we cruised along. The gentle hum of the engine provided the only soundtrack, while a light breeze blew in from my cracked window and brushed against my skin.

As we journeyed through the town, I racked my brain, searching for the perfect words to break the silence. Ever since he’d picked me up and we got past the normal pleasantries, there had been a lot of dead air. Which was weird, considering I could babble like no one’s business. But after our picnic the night before, the nerves had dissipated, and with them my need for constant chatter. Something about knowing there would never be anything romantic between us allowed me to be myself around Logan.

While I thought, I breathed in the new-car smell. Personally, I’d never own a new car. As with music, my taste in automobiles ran old. In fact, I wished Logan had picked me up in the convertible I’d seen in his driveway the day before. Maybe someday I’d get that wish, since I’d decided the night before that we were going to be best buds this summer.

It was like I could hear Mom telling me that this man was the one she’d had in mind when she’d written the bucket list, though he wasn’t who I’d pictured when I read “make a lifelong friend.” I’d just assumedit would be a woman and someone like my best friend, Claire, who was a little on the snarky side but would bring bleach to a crime scene you needed to cover up, no questions asked.

I wouldn’t hold the fact that he was a ridiculously handsome man against Logan. He couldn’t help it. Besides, he’d made it clear he was still very much in love with his wife, so I was in no danger of having more-than-friendly feelings for him. Even if he’d looked amazing earlier that morning in his athletic shorts and tank, with his ash blond hair damp from sweat and perfectly mussed. That wasn’t me drooling over him—it was just me being observant.

This was a win-win kind of situation. At least, I thought so. We both needed a friend, and I was ready for the job. Besides, I was taking life to the limit and getting out of my comfort zone.

“So, Eden mentioned you were in a band when you were in high school.”

“Eden,” he grumbled her name. No doubt Eden had once again cajoled him into spending time with me. That didn’t offend me. I just needed to make Logan feel secure in the fact that I would never, ever accidentally—or on purpose—proposition him again.

“Before we talk about your boy band days, maybe you could give me some advice about where I could meet some nice, single, emotionally available, and stable men.” I was only asking him so he would know I wasn’t considering him for the position.

Logan glanced my way, ripples appearing on his forehead as his face pinched tightly, apparently at a loss for words.

“We can rule out the hospital.” I giggled.

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