Page 14 of No Place Like Home
“Good night.”
I closed my eyes, suddenly exhausted.
“Hey, Row?”
“Yeah?” I answered, my voice already heavy with sleep.
“I’m glad you’re here.”
My heartbeat settled in my chest and a smile filled my face. “Me too, Summertime.”
Tonight would have been the perfect time to tell her the real reason I came home, but I’d be seeing her every day, and had nothing but time now. Tomorrow was another day. We could talk then.
I snuggled down into the pillow. Her quiet laugh at the television screen relaxed me and guided me to sleep.
“Something smells amazing!” I said, my voice scratchy and frog-like after I woke up the next morning. I stretched my arms over my head, scrubbed my hands over my face, and felt the mattress give a little.
“It’s about time you woke up,” Summer said as she sat next to me on the edge of the bed, two coffees in her hand.
I pushed to sitting and combed my fingers through my hair. “Good morning.” I took the coffee from her and took a sip. Rich and creamy. “Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me. Just get your lazy ass up.” She slapped my legs.
I pulled my feet from under the blanket and placed them over her lap.
“Come on Rowan. I hate feet and you know it.”
I chuckled. “Summer, when are you going to stop with your grumpiness? When you smile and have fun, you’re so much prettier.”
“First off, it’s seven a.m. Too early to be happy. Second, I’m not grumpy. I just don’t like your freaking fungus feet all over me.”
I lifted my feet toward her face and wiggled my toes. “Lick ’em, Summer,” I said in the sexiest voice I could muster this early in the morning. “You know you want to.”
She pulled my toe so hard it cracked. “Ow. Fuck.” I jerked it away. “What did you do that for?” I sat up taller.
“If you would have kept your fungus to yourself, you wouldn’t have had that happen to you.” The corner of her mouth ticked up and she hid her face in her coffee mug.
I watched her as she sipped her coffee. Her brown hair was stacked on top of her head in a messy bun, and some pieces of hair hung loose. Her face was just how I liked it best—void of makeup. Her hazel eyes popped more when fakeness didn’t hide them. “You look good, Summertime. Relaxed. And even though you try to hide it from everyone, you look happy and content.”
She blinked a couple times, her way of taking in a comment she didn’t want, then smiled. “Thanks. Maybe it’s the company. I’m really glad you’re here, Row. Even though you do snore.”
I chuckled. “Bullshit. I don’t snore.”
“Prove it.” She lifted her brow in a challenge and walked out of the room.
I shook my head, got out of bed, hopped in the shower, and got dressed.
When I walked into the kitchen, Summer was standing by the counter eating a bagel. “Made you breakfast,” she said as she gestured to the plate next to her.
See, shewasa caring person. She might try to make the world believe she didn’t give a shit about anyone or anything, but Kora, Darlene, and I knew that was just a cover. A safety device she put in place years ago. But she cared. When it came to her friends, she cared a lot.
I filled my coffee and took a seat. “Thanks for the bagel.”
“Of course,” she answered, not taking her eyes from her phone.
“So, what do you say we go to the river today?” I asked.
“The water’s a little chilly. It’s October.”
