That Summer Feeling: SUMMER 4EVER [H.S.]

58. Summer Went Away

"Can we fuck first?"

Harry nearly spits out the water he just drank, coughing a bit when he forces it down his throat and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, turning to me.

"What?"

I smile a little. "You heard me."

"Lace, we're in my car in broad daylight. There are people everywhere—"

"So just drive someplace else." I reach out to fit my hand behind his neck, lightly scratching along his hairline like I know he likes and flutter my eyelash sweetly at him to beckon him further.

He narrows his eyes at me after a moment and starts smiling. "I know what you're doing and the answer is no."

"Why not?" I release a breath and drag my hand down to the crook of his elbow so I don't stuff my fingernails in my mouth and start chewing on them out of a nervous habit as I had been on the way here.

"Because you have to go right now."

"We'll be quick. It'll make me less nervous."

He leans over the middle console, using his hand to cradle my cheek while his other hand rests between us so he doesn't hurt his wrist further. The sea foam green of his eyes was almost enough to calm me completely as they flicker between mine. The gentle strokes of his thumb against my cheekbone feel like swaying inside a hammock by the beach.

"Why don't you just use that as motivation instead? Go and I'll be here waiting for you, ready to take care of you afterwards, hm? How does that sound?" He teasingly dragged his thumb beneath my bottom lip, tracing the curve as his brows lightly raise at me when I stay quiet.

"Fine. I'll go," I reluctantly say with a small puff of annoyance and turn my head but Harry's hand moves me back to face him.

"I'm proud of you."

The corners of my lips lightly lift. "I haven't done anything yet. I can still run the other way when you leave."

"But you won't 'cause I know you." He gently pinches my chin to bring me forward to his lips for a sweet peck. "And you're ready for this. You can do it."

I sigh when he releases me and picks up his water bottle to drink out of again. My eyes flicker to the building right outside the car window to my left. I re-read the sign. Butterfly Moon Gallery.

It still looks the same like I hadn't been gone for almost a full eight months. I can almost see myself rushing into those doors with my hands full of coffee while rolls of poster paper are tucked into one armpit or whatever I was sent out to collect that day. It was busy work towards the end of it. I felt neglected at times with the tasks I had to deal with while everyone else got to do the cooler aspects but a part of me missed that.

"What if she changed her mind? What if she takes one look at me and decides not to do this anymore?" I look at Harry again. "No, you know what, this was a dumb idea. Let's just go."

"Don't do that." He grabs my hand and makes me look at him. "If she didn't want to see you, she wouldn't have responded to your email. She invited you here, she wants you here. You're ready."

Yesterday morning I had a sudden burst of confidence to send my old boss, Adele, an email for some reason. I wanted to fill the blank space with endless apologies and regret for the way I acted but I thought it would be best to do it in person. So I simply wrote to her, 'Hey Adele, I'm in town for the next week and I'd really like to meet with you. I'd like to apologize for my actions in person. If not, I completely understand. Best, Lacey Winters'.

Before I convinced myself she wanted nothing to do with me or that she had blocked my email address, she wrote me back twenty minutes later, 'Hi Lacey. I'd like that too. Can you meet me tomorrow at the gallery around 2? It's the only time I have free before I have to leave town on Friday - A.G.