Summer Trouble: A Ruby Romp Novella

by Ruby Rowe

  “I’m sorry I’m sometimes a bitch, too.”

  Jason rubs his hand on the top of my head, messing up my hair further.

  “I still can’t believe this. I’ve always suspected you liked him.”

  “I love him, Jason. I do, and I can’t believe I became one of those girls who thought if she spent enough time with the guy she loves, he’d love her back and change.”

  The tears come again, and he scowls.

  “Maybe I should send him home.”

  “No, I need closure. Please, let him come up.”

  Colton

  Jason finds me waiting on the couch in their family room. My foot is tapping while I sweat my ass off in the jeans I opted to wear this evening. His lips purse, and an icy gaze narrows on me.

  “You’ve broken my sweet, innocent sister, so let me make myself clear. If you touch Summer again without being in a committed relationship with her, our friendship is over.”

  Nodding at him in agreement, I stand up. What else can I say? He’s going to forgive me even after I crushed his sister’s heart. I owe him this in return.

  As I drudge up the staircase, it’s as if I’m wearing my steel-toe boots times ten. I tap on her door, and her soft voice tells me to come in.

  “Hey, can we talk?” I ask. Damn, she’s a mess, but I can imagine how beautiful she looked before everything blew up this evening.

  Her pretty dress is now wrinkly, and the smooth skin of her face is left with the evidence of the tears she shed.

  She’s sitting up in bed, so I take a seat at the side of it. Jason said not to touch her, but I know what kind of touching he meant, so I feel it’s safe to take her hand in mine.

  “I’m sorry about what I texted you. It wasn’t what I meant.”

  “What did you mean then?”

  “I think it came out because I was worrying about how I felt over not spending enough time with you. I don’t believe we’ve spent too much time together, other than for the fact we both knew it had to come to an end.”

  Nodding, she looks away, but it’s too late for me not to notice her watery eyes.

  “So what you said before all this began is still true.”

  I cup her cheek, but she pulls away and jerks her hand free, too.

  “Again, Summer, I apologize. I was aware of how much you liked me before I ever touched you, so I should’ve known better than to believe you wouldn’t want more.

  “The messed up thing is, I still don’t regret it. I’ve enjoyed every second of our time together, but I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

  “I’m not mad at you. You warned me, and I didn’t listen. I guess I thought you were feeling the same way. Let me ask you something… If we were staying in close proximity to each other, would you date me then?”

  Tell her... Tell her you want to try to make it work no matter how far apart you are.

  But if I screw it up again, I lose two friends.

  Also, she’s young. She’ll want someone else at some point.

  “Are you going to respond, or is the silence your answer?”

  “No. I’m sorry, but I wouldn’t change my mind. Maybe someday things could be different, but not now.”

  Her tears refuse to mask her pain from me, so I swipe them from her cheek. “Please, tell me you’re going to be OK from this and that we’ll remain friends.”

  Clearing her throat, she bestows a brave smile.

  “We had an agreement about our time together, so I have no right to hold it against you. Yes … we’re still friends.”

  I wish this made me feel better, but it doesn’t.

  “Jason’s pretty pissed at me, so I’m not going to see you again before I leave.”

  “I think that’s best, too.” Her words sting, and I deserve every bit of the pain. Not wanting to prolong the inevitable, I lean in and kiss her sweet lips.

  She flinches, and I feel her cheeks lift from her eyes clenching shut. She’s about to come apart, and I can’t stomach to witness it.

  “Goodbye, Summer.” Without a backward glance, I flee her room and tear out the front door.

  It’s done.

  What’s best for the both of us is in motion.

  Then why do I feel I’ve made the biggest mistake of my life?

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  One Month Later

  Summer

  I’m putting my mascara on when a text comes through. Looking down where my cell phone is sitting on the vanity, I freeze with my brush still at my eyelid.

  Colton.

  Colton: I want to see how you’re doing. Will you FaceTime with me from your phone?

  Dropping my mascara brush in the sink, I eye the black streak it made. I’m staring into the white ceramic bowl, wondering what in the hell I should do. Swiping my phone, I run out of the bathroom to where Lydia is studying on her bed.

  “Colton wants to FaceTime with me.”

  “Do you want to talk to him? And see him?”

  “I don’t know. I mean, I do know, but I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

  “Me, either. You’re finally doing a little better.” Reading his message again, I mumble, “Maybe he’s missing me.”

  “I want to smack the guy. I might have to find him on campus and do just that.” Her brown hair gets tossed over her shoulder in true Lydia fashion, but her matching eyes are hardened at the moment.

  “I’m going to do it. I miss his face and his voice. Even if it torments me, the fact remains that we’re friends. I miss him.”

  “I’ll go hang out at the Commons while you do your thing.” Hopping off her bed, Lydia shoves the book she was reading inside her backpack and slings it over her shoulder.

  Once she leaves the room, I scurry to the bathroom. My fingers go to work straightening up my wavy hair before I finish with my mascara. Inhaling and exhaling deeply, I get situated on my bed and hit the FaceTime button for Colton.

  He soon appears, smiling enough to showcase his adorable dimples, and I could swear his gaze reveals a fleeting glimpse of relief.

  “Hey, young lady, how’s it goin’?”

  “Good. How are you?”

  “Uh, I’m all right. Your brother’s driving me crazy already.”

  “He’s the master of that skill.”

  “How do you like school?”

  I shrug. “Not much exciting happening yet.”

  Silence settles in, leaving us staring awkwardly at each other. I use the moment to admire him in his navy t-shirt. The sleeves are short enough to show the bulges of his tanned biceps beneath.

  His hair’s a little longer than he wore it while he was home, and when he glides a hand over the dark stubble on his chiseled jawline, I feel the butterflies stir.

  “Are you really doing all right?” I ask before I chew on my lip.

  “I miss you. I just wanted to talk to my friend and be sure she’s good … and safe.”

  “I miss you, too, and I’m fine.”

  “And as always, you’re beautiful.”

  “Thank you. You look great, too.”

  “We should stay in touch. Maybe even go to dinner when I’m home over fall break.”

  Frustration flares from old wounds, and if I don’t end this call soon, I’ll be begging him to come to my room.

  “Uh, maybe Jason should go with us, too.”

  “Right.” His disappointed gaze darts away.

  “I’m sorry, but I have to get to class soon.”

  Quickly bringing his eyes back to mine, he sits up straighter.

  “Listen to me, Summer. Promise me you’ll be careful on campus and at parties … and when you’re alone with guys.”

  “Seriously? You already think that’s what I’m doing? I don’t need another big brother, Colton. I have to go.” Angry that he thinks I’d sleep with someone else, I hang up on him.

  Although he truly looked lost without me, he still didn’t say what would make it safe to tell him I’m right here.

  Colton

  “Le
t’s go to the Commons,” Jason says, nudging me on the shoulder. I’m on the couch playing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, exiling my brain to the swamps and battlefields of Velen, so I don’t think about the terrain of Summer Nichols’ body.

  “It’ll be overrun with freshmen, and we’re not even living on campus this year, so why go over there?”

  “Because there will be a slew of fresh meat to pick from.”

  “I don’t want to hook up with any eighteen-year-old girls but Summ–I mean any girls.”

  “Shut off the game before you turn into a Crone.” Grabbing my controller, Jason pushes the buttons until my character dies. “Even if you don’t want to hook up with any of them, I might.”

  “I thought we had a talk about you looking for something more serious.”

  Shrugging, he glides a hand through his blond hair. The color reminds me of Summer’s, so now he has me further annoyed.

  “First of all, you’re not looking for something serious, so why should I? Second, the first semester is about frat parties and one-night stands. Hell, I’m overdue for a threesome, too, so I’ve got plenty of time before I have to settle on serious.”

  Staring up at the ceiling, I think about how different we’ve become. I can’t get my dick hard for a date with my hand, yet he’s hoping for a pee-pee massage from two chicks at once.

  Standing, I stretch my arms and try to reengage with reality.

  “All right. Let’s go. I know you’re not gonna stop bugging me until we do.”

  Jason drives us over to campus in his Charger. The August sun is beaming down on us through the windshield, and even with shorts on, a tank top and the air-conditioning running, I’m hot and anxious.

  I want to go back to my vampire state of being cooped up in the apartment. I won’t mention it to Jason, though, since he makes fun of me every time I voice my frustration over the heat.

  Just because I grew up in Georgia doesn’t mean I was born with lizard skin. I think back to Summer teasing me about the same thing, but it was different with her.

  She’d bring the guys and me a cooler of Gatorade drinks on job sites and gift me one of her adorable smiles.

  The men on the rooftops would check her out, and the whole time I’d be thinking she was mine, but really she wasn’t.

  We’d spend a half hour in bed having a conversation about the chillier places we’d like to travel to, and I’d realize more every day that she was not one-dimensional like so many girls her age.

  After parking, we walk to the Commons, and I can’t help but notice all of the young ones. You can spot them by their brand new wardrobes and stylish hair. It’s like they’re in grade school all over again, getting their new cool clothes before the first day of class.

  By the time they’re seniors, the guys will be in athletic shorts and old shirts like me, and the girls will have become lazy wearing their hair up like they just rolled out of bed. When it gets cold enough, they’ll even have their pajama pants on in public.

  God, why am I thinking of this bullshit? I know; it’s because I’ll dwell on anything not to think about her.

  “I’ll grab us drinks from the vending machine. Find us seats,” Jason says.

  Is he for real wanting us to sit at a table in here like we have nothing better to do? Is he trying to look desperate?

  Huffing out a breath, I find a table like he said. Resting my elbows on it, I put my palms to my eyes and think about how disgusted I am for not telling Summer how I felt yesterday when we talked.

  I’ve come to realize that a long-distance relationship with her would be better than not having her at all, but I blew that opportunity yet again.

  A chair scrapes the floor, and I hear the sound of him setting a soda down in front of me. Then, I hear something else … a giggle–a voice–a familiar warmth. Jerking my head up, my eyes veer toward the drugging sound.

  Summer.

  “Summer’s here. Why?” I ask Jason, never taking my eyes off my girl.

  “You passed the test, my friend.”

  I have to look at him to know what the hell he’s talking about.

  “What do you mean? And who are those guys talking to her?”

  “Summer’s enrolled here. She didn’t tell you when you started spending time together because she thought you wouldn’t have anything to do with her. She worried you’d think she would follow you back here, expecting a relationship.

  “And I didn’t tell you because I was doing everything in my power to ensure you never ran into her.

  “I didn’t want her getting hurt while you strung her along and fucked other chicks, but you’ve given me a reason to change my mind, so here you go.” Holding his hand out in her direction, he smiles.

  “What the fuck’s happening?”

  “You’ve been moping around for a month, miserable as shit, and I can’t bear it any longer, not from her, either.

  “Since you managed to screw up getting her back yesterday, I figured you needed help. You deserve to know she’s here in case you want to try again to make things right.”

  “I can’t believe this. Maybe she doesn’t want to see me. She didn’t tell me she was here, and she was pissed at me when we hung up yesterday.”

  “Only because you pretty much accused her of fucking around already. What did you expect her to say? Trust me, she doesn’t want anyone else. Now’s your chance to tell her how you really feel.”

  After staring at him for a few seconds, I shift my gaze to Summer. She’s gorgeous in a yellow sundress, her golden blond waves almost matching. She’s laughing and talking with a few guys, and then it’s as if she senses me.

  Shutting up, her eyes survey the room. They reach mine, and her lips separate to suck in a breath.

  “Thank you for telling me she’s here and for trusting me with her. I won’t let you down.”

  I rise and walk over to her. The young guys look up at me and then to Summer.

  “The three of you need to disappear,” I say, never letting my eyes leave Summer’s. Catching on, they scatter fast. This is my chance. The moment of truth.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Summer

  Colton’s right here, and I don’t know what to say or do. He clenches my waist and pushes me against the wall behind me.

  Planting his palm next to my head, he leans in close, and it stirs up emotions I’ve fought to keep at bay. My breaths are rapid, and my lower lip quivers as I gaze up at him.

  “Jason told you,” I whisper.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you were here?”

  “Because in Savannah you said it wouldn’t change anything if we were close in distance. As much as I’ve been dying to see you, I realized I deserve better than being your friend with benefits.”

  From the abundance of pain I’ve felt since we parted ways, my eyes know the drill and flood with tears. “You didn’t even care if I screwed around with other guys.”

  Dropping his hand from the wall, he grips my chin.

  “God, Summer, I do care. I fucked up. I did, but it was only because I feared I’d be the one getting hurt.

  “You grinning and talking with those three assholes who were just standing here is exactly what I foresaw whenever I would think of you being at college.

  “I’ve had my time to fuck around and realize it’s not what I want anymore. You’re only eighteen, and you’re gonna hit a point where you’ll wonder what it’s like to be with another man.

  “There would be some night where you would have too much to drink, and you’d be frustrated we’re so far apart. An asshole would feed you bullshit, making you feel special the way I couldn’t, and you’d cave. I know because I’ve been that asshole.”

  I shake my head. “You don’t understand how much you mean to me, Colton. No matter how much time or distance separates us, I will only ever love you.”

  Leaning his head against mine, I hear him breathe me in.

  “Baby, I’m sorry. Once I saw your smile on my phone, I froze up, worrying
it wouldn’t work out, but I want it to, and not just because you’re here.” Grabbing my face, he kisses me, but I stay stone-still, not giving in to his touch.

  “Please, let me in, Summer. I love you, too.”

  How do I resist him when he said the words I’ve yearned to hear? His desire to love me, to possess what’s always been his... Tilting my eyes up at him, I give a faint smile.

  “You really love me?”

  “Yes, sweet cheeks, and I think I have for a long, long time.”

  Throwing my arms around his neck, I smack my lips to his. Our mouths open, tongues tangle, and like the first time we kissed, he envelops me in his strong embrace. Finally accepting I’m his, he’s taking possession of me, stopping time in its tracks.

  My fingers play with his hair in time with the strokes of our tongues, and I’m praying he’s the one I get to kiss forever.

  “I forgive you, and I’ve really missed you,” I say, coming up for air.

  “I’ve missed you, too, baby.”

  Planting a hand on my hip, I cock my head to the side.

  “Oh, but I almost forgot something important.”

  “What’s that?”

  “You have to promise me, Colton Graham, that you don’t think you’re leaving here with a girlfriend.”

  Granting me his heart-melting grin, he squeezes my waist. “That’s where you’re wrong, little girl. Damn straight I’m leaving here with a girlfriend, and I’m keeping her.”

  Grabbing my thighs, he flips me over his shoulder, being sure to cover my ass with my dress.

  “Colton!”

  He marches toward the door, and although blood rushes to my head, I’m still grinning from the happiness that’s engulfed me. Passing by my brother, he smiles at me and shakes his head, and out of nowhere, Colton smacks my ass, causing me to yelp.

  “Listen here, all you fuckers. She’s taken, so don’t even think of stepping near her,” he yells before he pushes through the exit door.

  “Which way to your dorm room, baby? I need to remind you of what’s mine.”

  “For the record, I’ve been yours since I was fourteen, when you picked me up like this to toss me in my swimming pool.”