MattPresentTemples throbbing, I stared around at the chaos and shook my head. While I'd been assembling my bedroom, Jenny had unpacked the kitchen stuff. Boxes were still scattered everywhere, my things mingling with my parents'. The plan had been to pack up whatever of theirs I didn't have room for and ship it to them.Perhaps leaving my furniture in Greensboro had been a mistake. I'd all but forgotten the floral-print couch and loveseat here, not to mention the knick-knacks and books. This place didn't feel any more mine than my house back home. The walls were white, scattered with paintings of flowers.The open floor plan allowed for creativity in furniture placement, but I wasn't creative, and all I could see when I looked around were years of July vacations. The large living room was separated from the kitchen by an island. I liked the distressed white cabinets and blue tile countertops, plus the stainless steel appliances were new. Bare, pale hardwood was throughout the fir
JennyPresentI'd crashed at Matt's the night before. He'd been adamant I not ride the motorcycle home while tired. I'd slept in the guest room, though very little sleep had been involved. All I kept thinking was he was in the room right next to mine. I wondered if he slept naked.Anyway, I arose early and started a pot of coffee for him, then left a reminder note the Salvation truck would be there at nine. I visited my grandfather-not a good visit-and packed a few items in an overnight bag. None of what I had in mind for Matt's house with regards to decor was difficult, but it would be time-consuming. Best I be prepared for a few late nights.It tore at my chest to see Matt worked up like that yesterday. I knew he ruled by organization, even more so the past couple years, but I was totally unprepared for witnessing it in person. The confident, funny friend I knew had vacated the premises and had been replaced by an unsure, almost frightened person I didn't recognize. Whatever had
JennyJuly-Ten Years AgoI was so excited to have the Seasmoke crew back in town. This would be our third summer together, and the year seemed to take forever to pass. Matt and I talked once a week by phone and emailed, but it just wasn't the same.We'd done the customary bonfire and roasted marshmallows. We got caught up in chatting about our year and how things were going. They told me about where they'd be headed to college, and I got a little jealous. Grampy didn't have the money to send me to school, and with me inheriting the tavern someday, there wasn't a necessity. I'd enrolled in a tech program for a few business classes, but that's all I'd need besides my bartending license.Ian had been good ole Ian. Flirting and teasing. We hadn't slept together, but I had a feeling that would change this year. He wasn't a bad guy at all. He was charming and sweet and, to be honest, safe. My heart could never engage with Ian, but my body didn't seem to have that trouble. Last year, we'd
MattI rubbed my lips with my fingers and stared at the water. "Why do you only date tourists? Don't you want long-term someday? Marriage?"Her spine stiffened. "I'm not exactly the kind of girl a guy takes home to meet the family."My gaze jerked to hers, anger pounding my temples. Her profile offered me no insight to that bullshit answer. "What the hell does that mean? I've taken you home countless times. Explain."Pulling her knees to her chest, she rested her chin and wrapped her arms around her calves. Everything about her posture screamed defensive, even her avoidance of my eyes. "We never dated, though, and your view of me is skewed." The hesitant, reserved tone had my stomach knotting. And how I viewed her was not skewed, distorted, or any other effing thing. "Jenny, start talking."She rubbed her forehead in clear frustration. "When you grow up with next to nothing, people treat you like you're nothing. After my mom died and I went to live with Grampy, I was in a better
MattJuly-Two Years AgoStill shocked at my behavior, I followed Cara's directions to the pier and parked my car. She'd said very little since we'd left the nightclub together, and it was wringing my nerves raw. I was a bit of a good guy, a safe bet. Ergo, I'd never associated with the likes of a woman resembling Cara. I'd been instantly attracted to her and still didn't know why. Without a word, she climbed out of the car and headed toward the dunes. I followed, stepping under the stairs to the massive pier jutting out at least two hundred feet into the ocean. I'd never been down this way, but by the look of it, the pier was used by fisherman. This area was relatively deserted. No one wandered the beach. A few restaurants dotted both directions, but they were closed for the night.Staying under the canopy of the pier, she walked the width of beach until her toes dipped in the ocean. I came up beside her, glancing up at the dark brown painted planks and beams overhead. It offered
JennyMatt's bedroom door opened with a quiet snitch of a hinge, and I stilled. I'd left my door open because I hated enclosed spaces, especially while asleep and defenseless. I hoped the light or my movements hadn't woken him. He didn't move for several beats, and then his footsteps padded on the hardwood floor.As he came into view, my heart pounded. Stupid, but it was my visceral reaction to him every time. Twelve years and it hadn't evaporated. Especially when he wore nothing but a pair of black nylon shorts and an uncertain expression. He stopped in the hallway outside my door and sighed, not meeting my gaze. He gripped both sides of the doorframe, leaning into his hands. Head hung, he stared at his feet. I took in his lean, athletic build while he wasn't paying attention. My panties grew damp, but that wasn't unusual around him either. He was so damn beautiful. Not rugged or built. No edges or bulges. He was subtly sculpted as if created from stone. Slight ridges of a six pac
MattCoffee in hand, I stared out the patio door, watching tumultuous waves pound the shore. The weather matched my crappy mood. Sleet poured down in horizontal ugliness and the wind was brutal, bending palm trees nearly in half. The temp was only in the lower fifties, too. I hoped to hell Jenny didn't drive her motorcycle today. The thought of her on that deathtrap during ideal conditions gave me shudders.I shook my head. For the first time in my twenty-eight years, I understood Ian's insane alpha protectiveness he'd always possessed around Summer. Sure, I'd been defensive of my friends and family, cared about them a great deal. Honestly, though, I tended to bite back a smirk at the lengths Ian went to for Summer. The guy could go from zero to batshit in point five seconds if anyone so much as narrowed their eyes at her.After last night, I was thinking of writing him sonnets as an apology for ever questioning his devotion. Because...yeah. I got it now. Without. A. Doubt.From
JennyDecember-Six Years AgoI've never been so scared in all my life. Not even the time Jared had hurt me, nor the day I'd discovered my mother dead on the bathroom floor with a needle in her arm. Worry twisted in my belly and my hands wouldn't quit shaking. Pacing in the apartment over the bar, I took a few deep breaths, but my attempt at calm wasn't working.The past year, I'd been noticing subtle changes in Grampy. Little things. Him forgetting where he'd left his keys, putting milk in the cabinet instead of the fridge, and once he'd called me my mom's name. I'd chalked them up to him being distracted or just normal aging, but the other day had been an eye opener.He'd driven to the liquor supplier and had forgotten how to get home. If it hadn't been for one of our distributors finding him in the parking lot, lost, Lord knew what might've happened. Thinking he had a virus or something, I'd taken him to the ER. But when our doctor had called today with the results they'd run and