Page 5 of Jackson
Anxiety started to settle in my stomach. Whether I wanted to admit it or not, I was nervous about meeting Summer again. I was nervous of not being able to control myself around her. She didn’t mean to, but she affected me in ways that I struggled to keep on top of. I’d lied to her; I’d kept the truth from her for so long with good intent. I didn’t want to see her hurt; I didn’t want to be the one to hurt her with thetruth.
It was her face I saw in my mind as I fellasleep.
* * *
Ihated airports,I hated anywhere busy, but I parked the car and made my way inside. I’d deliberately arrived after her plane had landed. She’d be held up in immigration and baggage collection, and I hoped that I wouldn’t have to wait long. My palms began to sweat a little as my nervesincreased.
A throng of people weaved their way through the foyer. I scanned the crowd until I caught a glimpse of auburn hair. I watched her shoulder barge her way through a family that had stopped, without warning, in front of her—causing a mini pile-up of tourists. I laughed, and she looked my way. Her smile floored me, it always did. Her eyes shined as they focused on me. She ran, dragging her oversized suitcase behind her until she let go and flung herself into my arms. She wrapped her arms around my neck as I lifted her from herfeet.
“Jack. Oh, Jack, it’s so good to see you,” shesaid.
I nuzzled into the side of her neck and inhaled. She smelled the same; her scent was as comforting to me as the sound of thesea.
“It’s good to see you, too,” I said, as I lowered her to herfeet.
She stood and looked at me for a few seconds, tears formed in her eyes. She took a slight step back and raised her arm. Her slap across my chest had the couple standing next to us look oversharply.
“You shit, you’re a fucking shit for running away, Jackson,” Summersaid.
I tried not to laugh; I bit down hard on my lower lip as she struck me again. She had clenched her fist and tried her hardest to pound on my chest. She was a little over five feet tall, I was more than a foot taller, and I stifled my laughter as she bounced on her toes to reach. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled herclose.
“I know, baby. I know,” Isaid.
“Repeat after me, I am a fucking shit,” she said, looking up atme.
“You area…”
She fucking pinched me! Pinched me on the side, and ithurt.
“I am a fucking shit,” I said betweenlaughs.
“I have missed you so much. One day you were there and the next, gone. Not a word, Jack. Not a word. You made me fucking cry, and I vowed I’d never cry over a managain.”
I slung my arm over her shoulder and grabbed her case. Her words had me internally wincing, forsure.
“Summer, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, okay? Let’s get home and you can beat the shit out of me there. Doesn’t do my street cred any good being attacked by a five foot girl in a crowdedairport.”
She laughed as she tucked her arm around my waist and we walked to the carpark.
“Is it always this hot?” sheasked.
“Yep. Wait until you see my place. It’s right on thebeach.”
I loaded her case into the beat-up car I’d borrowed from Dexter and opened the passenger door for her. She smiled up at me, and for a moment, we stood and looked at each other. Despite her smile, her eyes were full of sadness and my chest constricted at the thought that I’d donethat.
“I’ve missed you so much,” Iwhispered.
She reached up and placed her palm on the side of my face, I closed myeyes.
“You’re not going to slap me again, are you?” Iasked.
She laughed. “No. I want to know why,though.”
“Let’s get home first.” I wanted the delay to gather mythoughts.
I watched her rub her palms over her eyes as we drove. She’d flown through the night and I doubted she’d gotten muchsleep.
We pulled up into the driveway and I ran around the car to open her door. I dragged her suitcase from the trunk and led her to the front door. She paused just after she walked in, taking in the expanse ofspace.
