Page 39 of Summer Ever After
I’m not about to deep-dive into the complexity of my feelings and how I feel like a failure every time I set foot on a golf course. How the pressure of being the best cripples me. How I’m lost without my golf identity. How I think, ‘Just do your best. That’s all you can do,’ is a statement made up by losers who can’t win anything. And how happiness is an unattainable feeling completely out of my reach.
That all seems a little heavy for a late-night text with my sister I barely have a relationship with.
Walker
Yep, doing great.
Capri
Good. Maybe I’ll see you in SunsetHarbor when I come to visit this weekend.
Walker
Yeah, let me know when you’re here.
We end the conversation like we’re supposed to, like siblings who actually want to see each other. But I’m not dumb. Capri doesn’t want to see or hang out with me—I haven’t earned that from her.
I’m just the jerk older brother who was rude to her growing up and never put any effort into fixing that.
It’s a hard label to ditch.
Jane
“So you and Beau are done?”Cat follows behind me as we carry boxes of flowers through the Belacourt Resort lobby.
We’re helping Jaclyn VanTussen with the floral arrangements for the wedding later tonight. Jaclyn’s flower business is small but thriving. I’m here because I know how stressed she’s been about this event, but I have a feeling Cat is here to earn some extra cash. I told Jaclyn to give her my portion from today.
“Beau and I are just friends.” I set the box down outside on one of the tables and wait for Cat so we can return to Jaclyn’s golf cart for the last two boxes. “No amount of romance tropes are going to change that.” No matter how hard I push.
“I could’ve told you that.”
“Hey now.” I bump my hip into Cat’s. “This whole thing is a work in progress. Just because it didn’t work out with Beau?—”
“And Dax,” she adds with a smile.
I ignore her and continue. “Just because it didn’t work out withthemdoesn’t mean it won’t work out with somebody else.”
I mean, that’s what I keep telling myself because I’m allabout positivity. But deep down, I’m scared my plan won’t work at all. And if I can’t find love with any of the men on this island, what happens next? Do I move and leave the only place I’ve ever called home, the place that I love? Or do I spend the rest of my life—or at least the foreseeable future—alone? I don’t like either of those options. Another reason to keep forging ahead with the Summer of Jane Hayes.
“So, who’s up next on your list?” Cat asks.
My chin lifts with pride as we walk back through the lobby. “I have a date with Blake Mickelsen tomorrow. We’re going to brunch and then over to the baseball field because he has a coed softball game.”
Blake is not a top contender on my list of single men, but we were talking at work yesterday, so I decided to ask him out. Why not? You never know ‘til you know.
“You’re watching Blake play softball for your date? How does that check off one of your romance tropes?”
“Well, first of all, a relationship with Blake is an office romance. You know, because he runs the parks-and-rec department on the island.”
“Oh, right. I guess that works.”
“Plus, I know what number he wears for his softball team, and I’m going to wear it. I’m hoping for one of those ‘You’re only wearing my jersey number’ moments.”
Her brows hover in confusion. “It’s city league. How can you wear his jersey?”
I grab one of the last boxes of flowers from the back of the cart, leaving the other for Cat. “I have access to all the extra team jerseys from over the years. I found Blake’s number in one of the old piles.”
“So that’s it? You’re going to wear his jersey number, and he’s going to get all possessive, and that’s supposed to magically make you guys fall in love?”
