The Summer of Us: A Romance Anthology

by AJ Matthews

  They stayed for a couple of days. Yesterday was our first alone. Alone in our apartment, well it’s different than even when he moved in with us on his birthday. Sure we shared a bed, but we shared a bed in my old bedroom in my parent’s home. There is something significant about sharing a bed in our home.

  Yesterday, our first day alone, I wanted to spend in bed doing all our favorite in bed related activities. No such luck. Autistics and stress. We spent the day walking every inch of campus, showing Rid all his classes and mapping out the quickest routes for him to get to each. Even going as far as to decide on the dining hall we’ll meet in for lunch, the one that sits, according to Ridley’s calculations, exactly halfway between his and my last classes before noon.

  We checked in with the student’s with disabilities center to introduce him, and have him find out the exact procedure he needs, step by step, for his classes. Again, autistics have quirks. Then last night, we met his cousin Jordan for dinner. She’s a hoot. A non-autistic version of Ridley. We made plans for her and her boyfriend to come grill with us later in the week.

  “Come on Leif, get up.” Rid rolls over to kiss my jaw. “You want the shower first? I’ll make coffee.” Because he’s precise and uses the scoop, he makes better coffee than I do by my dump a pile of grounds in the filter method.

  “Sounds good, babe.”

  He rolls out of bed. I’m excited for him. First day of real school. Rid, as do I, only wears boxer briefs to sleep in, so if I have to get up, at least I can do it watching that gorgeous backside walk away to make us coffee.

  I’ve got a head full of shampoo suds and a tally running in my mind of all the things I have to do today, when Rid pops in the bathroom to tell me the coffee is ready.

  “Thanks. Hey Rid?”

  “Yes?”

  “Come here for a sec. I need your assistance.” I stick my soapy hand out through the shower curtain and waggle my fingers until he takes them in his hand. The moment he does, my hand closes around his and I tug him inside the shower with me.

  Standing shocked and probably a bit confused, he asks, “I thought you needed my assistance?”

  “I do,” I say.

  “Now my underwear are wet.”

  “Guess you’d better take them off, then.”

  Rid smiles his communication smirk at me. “Leif, we have class.”

  “We have time, babe.”

  So we have to suck down our coffee out of travel mugs and eat raw pop tarts for breakfast to make it to our classes on time? Ridley’s shower assistance was totally worth it.

  My first two classes of the day turn out to be an even split. The early one should be a breeze. Class number two, not so much. I’ve been waiting on Rid now for ten minutes in our previously decided upon dining hall to meet for lunch. I tried calling to see if he maybe got lost or turned around or something. He never answered.

  Finally my phone flashes with his number, “Hey,” I answer. “Where are you?”

  “Do you know the guy who owns this phone?” A girl’s voice asks me.

  What?

  “Yes.” I rush out, panicked. “Where is he?”

  “I don’t know what happened, but he’s having a major freak-out.”

  “Where?”

  “Kendall Hall.”

  “I’ll be right there.” No sign off, I disconnect from the call and take off toward Kendall Hall. He’s not outside, but it doesn’t take a genius to know which way to run once I get inside. I can hear him melting down.

  Shit! Ridley hasn’t had a meltdown of this magnitude since we first met. A crowd of gawkers has gathered around the door to a classroom.

  “Move.” I order them. Most of them do, even with the shooting of dirty looks or eye rolls. Standing just past the crowd, there’s Rid hitting his head, over and over, as he cries. My boyfriend hits his head hard. Really freaking hard. Leaving red marks and his nose has blood dripping. And they’re all just watching.

  “Security’s on its way,” the, I’m assuming, professor tells me.

  “You don’t need security. Ridley.” I use my firm tone. “Stop. Now.” There’s a crack where he hears me but doesn’t stop completely. So I try again. “Ridley. Stop.” Once he hears me, and maybe because it’s me he hears, my voice specifically, it’s like flicking off a light.

  He just stops. Then turns his head to look at me, “Leif?”

  “Yeah babe.” Relief. “Can I touch you?” I ask.

  He nods.

  From my pocket I pull a crumpled up napkin to wipe the blood from his nose.

  Then after that’s been dealt with, with permission, I wrap my arms around him and hug. “What happened?” I need the details before I start going off on people. Rid’s still too shaken up to explain yet which means the professor needs to answer some questions.

  “What happened?” I ask the guy.

  “He tried to use a microphone with his iPad. I told him he couldn’t in my class. Teachers have the right of preference. He kept it out, so I took it away, told him he could have it back end of semester.”

  “You took it away?”

  “Right of preference.” He repeats himself. It’s such a lame excuse I have to check my urge to punch him in the gonads.

  “Not when it’s part of his plan. Did he introduce himself at the start of class?” The asshat just blinks. “Didn’t he give you the information from the student’s with disabilities center?” He blinks again. “Sorry, blinking is not an answer. Did he?” I push.

  “Yes. Though I was busy and didn’t read it.”

  Yep. Gonad punch. Expulsion would almost be worth it.

  “He’s autistic, has an aversion to pens and pencils so he’s allowed to use the microphone hooked up to his iPad. Give it back now.” The asshat opens an attaché case and pulls out Rid’s external microphone. Security arrives then.

  “We were told there was a disturbance,” the security guard says.

  “It’s over,” I tell them. “If he can get out of this class, don’t think I won’t report you.” I brazenly tell the professor. Yeah, I’m that pissed.

  That’s when I take Rid’s hand and lead him out of the classroom. There’s only one girl left and she’s not gawking but waiting with Ridley’s backpack and phone.

  “Thank you for calling me,” I say.

  “Is he switching out of that class?” she asks.

  I nod.

  She continues, “I’m the teaching assistant in the class across the hall. I’d been leaving when his meltdown started. My little brother is autistic, so I’m fairly familiar with autistic meltdowns. Anyway, if he wants to switch into my lit class, no pre-recs and I can look out for him.”

  “Oh wow, that would be great. What do you think, Rid?” He smiles his Ridley Smile at her and she blushes. “That smile would mean yes, by the way. I’m Leif. If in the course of your class he has any issues, call me just like you did. I’ll come running right away.”

  “It’s good he has a friend like you.”

  “We live together. We’re together, together.” Her mouth forms a perfect O then slides into a smile of her own. “So we won’t keep you. Would you mind writing down the course number for us so we can get him switched?”

  She gets right on that, hands me the paper which I stuff into my pocket and Rid and I take off to switch him out of the asshat’s class. We’ll find him a different professor to take next semester.

  Then we spend our lunch time getting him switched. The lines to change classes are always outrageous the first week of school. Rid looks wiped, as I’m sure a major meltdown would do to a person.

  “Can we start again tomorrow?” He asks me. “I’ll email all my professors and tell them I got sick. I’ll even email your professors.”

  “You don’t have to email mine. I’ll do it. But yeah, where do you want to go?”

  “I’d just like to go home.”

  “Sounds good to me, babe.”

  As we leave the registrar’s office, holding hands, he stops and
tugs on my hand to halt me. I spin to look at him. “Leif?” Rid asks.

  “Yeah?”

  “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “Coming to help me, loving me. Wanting me with you for more than just summer.”

  More from Sarah Zolton Arthur

  Other Side of Beautiful (A Beautifully Disturbed Novel Book 1): Meet Elle and Ben, and their fight to help her maneuver through mental illness.

  Amazon: Other Side of Beautiful

  Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/other-side-of-beautiful-sarah-zolton-arthur/1122307290

  Under Side of Courage (A Beautifully Disturbed Novel Book 2): Kip Daniels is an easy man to love by everybody except the man who should, the man he loves, his boyfriend Collin.

  Amazon: Underside of Courage

  Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/underside-of-courage-sarah-zolton-arthur/1125040331

  Kobo: Under Side of Courage

  And coming in 2017:

  Outside of Ordinary (A Beautifully Disturbed Novel Book 3): Come read Kelly’s attempt at redemption with the help of the only man she’s ever loved, Spencer Inaba.

  Under Sarah Elizabeth:

  Lady Sings the Blues (A Brimstone Lords MC Novel): Returning home to bury her father becomes the least of Elise Manning’s problems once she steps into a bar to drown her sorrows and meets the sexy bartender. Especially with a serial killer on the loose.

  Copyright © 2017 by Lexi Ostrow

  Interior Formatting by Colbert Creative Design LLC

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review. Participation in any aspect of piracy of copyrighted materials, inclusive of the obtainment of this book through non-retail or other unauthorized means, is in actionable violation of the author’s rights.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and registered trademark owners or all branded names referenced without TM, SM, or ® symbols due to formatting restraints, and is not claiming ownership of or collaboration with said trademark brands.

  Chapter One

  The warm breeze caressed Leslie’s face, leading her to believe it was Kenner’s hand. Turning to look behind her one last time she saw his back to her as he walked the other way – away from their past.

  Cool tears slipped down her cheeks, but she didn't force herself to remove them. Instead, she turned to look back out over the cliffs, into the sunset. The sun was setting on the final day of summer, on the last day of one of the best chapters of her life, and she was just going to have to be okay with that.

  Everything began, and so, everything ended. Every romance has a last summer, hers and Kenner’s had just run its course.

  “Are you certain?” Kenner stood, the toe of his shiny loafers knocking into the rounded-toe of her black heels. One hand gripped hers, the other the rolled piece of paper that simulated the diploma he received as he crossed the stage less than an hour before.

  Sucking in a deep breath, she willed herself to think of anything other than the caramel-colored eyes staring deeply into her gray-blue ones. The conversation had gone so much smoother last night, in front of her mirror, when she had rehearsed it.

  “It’s what’s best for us, Kenner.” The smallest hesitation in her words would give him the indication she was willing to change her mind.

  She wasn’t.

  His eyes narrowed, the hurt warring with the rising annoyance, possibly even anger. Yet, he didn’t let go of her hand, and he didn’t stop looking directly into her eyes – into her soul.

  “Deal. Three months, no strings. One final ride.”

  Her breath rushed out in a whoosh as surprise overtook her. For days she’d agonized over what would happen when she told Kenner she thought it best if they left their high school romance there, in high school.

  The smallest twitch of the upper-right corner of his lip was the only indication he wasn’t as cool as he sounded. Three years ago she might not have understood the subtle gesture of annoyance, but she’d seen it plenty and knew that Kenner was merely playing it cool.

  “I love you,” she whispered, the words nearly swallowed up by the clamor from their classmates around them.

  “I think maybe,” Kenner swallowed so hard his Adam’s Apple bobbed, “that for the summer we shouldn’t say things like that.” His words were more than loud enough, causing three heads to turn their way.

  Biting the inside of her cheek was the only way to stop the tears. He was giving her precisely what she asked for, but she hadn’t realized how badly that would hurt.

  Fighting back the tears that threatened to fall she nodded abruptly. “I understand.” Squeezing her eyes shut she blew out a deep breath. “If you think it’s not a good idea . . . I mean that we should - ”

  “No. Let’s do it. One last wild ride, right?” He let out a sharp laugh, but his eyes were as sad as hers.

  Slipping her hand into his Leslie fought off the urge to change her mind for the millionth time in the last three minutes. He was going off to Stanford, and she was headed for NYU. Teenagers just didn't do long distance relationships. And high school sweethearts never last. The last thought were her father’s words as he’d helped her decide what to do.

  “This is for the best, Kenner. We need to be able to explore and grow without worrying about someone three thousand miles away.”

  “If you keep talking I’m going to do something I regret – like call this off.”

  He pulled his gaze from her, and his lips slipped into a smile she was unused to seeing; a phony one that felt cold.

  “You go. I know my mom’s going to want to get some family photo’s before I head off to the parties with you.”

  He snorted but didn't hesitate to drop a kiss to her lips. Kenner didn't linger, but it didn't matter. She could still feel the warm tingle against her skin that happened every time they touched.

  “I’ll come find you in fifteen to drive us to the party.” With a wave to someone else, he was gone from her side.

  For the first time, the reality of the situation was sinking in. Leslie felt alone without him by her side, as if a part of her was missing altogether. In approximately two months she would feel this way until something wonderful about college life would be able to distract her.

  Why does this hurt so much? She growled at herself. It had seemed so logical and easy last night. Of course, she knew that it would be difficult, she was walking away from her first love. Yet, she thought that doing it for the right reasons would have made it easier. Would have made it better to have one last summer.

  Chapter Two

  Kenner tipped the red cup to his lips and grinned at the waves. A cold rush of some cheap beer shot down his throat – the perfect cure for a brutal Texas summer. He'd officially been free from the confines of high school for eighteen hours, and all he'd done was party.

  "Need a refill?" Jerome asked from the chair next to him; sunglasses tipped down just enough to reveal his dark eyes.

  Swirling the remaining beer in the cup, he looked from inside the cup to the water ahead of him. Leslie was splashing shamelessly with some friends, and the sight would have once made him smile. Now, all it does was cause his stomach to sink like a lead balloon.

  “Absolutely,” he held his cup out to Jerome who snagged a can from the cooler.

  They weren’t even attempting to hide their drinking, and he was pretty sure no one would question them. Summer days were hot in Texas, and tourists made up the bulk of beach goers. It wasn’t likely that a cop would come by, or a lifeguard would care enough to report them.r />
  “Bottoms up,” his oldest friend grinned and passed over Kenner’s cup. “So, you ready to head to Cali?”

  He hadn’t planned on chugging the entire cup, but he sure as fuck did before responding. “It’s nothing really.”

  Jerome took the dark sunglasses off and leaned closer to him. “You mean you’re not even remotely nervous that breaking up with Leslie is going to send you into a downward spiral that no hot Cali chick can pull you out of?”

  He refrained from punching his best friendly – barely. “Thank you for reminding of all the reasons why I’m not looking forward to it.”

  Jerome shrugged and dropped a hand on Kenner's shoulder. "Most people would be worried about failing out of an ivy league school. But not you. You're worried more about how your high school girlfriend is leaving you." Jerome let go of his shoulder and reclined back in the chair. "I am sorry, but hey, one last summer seems like a pretty sweet gig."

  A bitter smile slipped into place. Jerome was the biggest player he'd ever met, so of course, he didn't understand what it was like to be losing someone with Leslie. She was more than just his first love, she was the person he'd planned on marry. From the moment Leslie had stepped into their Pre-Calculus class, he'd known she was the one for him. He'd never forget the moment she sat next to him.

  Brilliantly glossy dark hair had fallen over her shoulder and onto the desk as she’d leaned over to grab a green binder from her bag. He couldn’t remember the color of the stupid backpack, but he had been immediately mesmerized by the steel shade of blue of her eyes. They should have appeared cold, but there had been a kindness in them.

  It had taken him less than twenty minutes to get up the courage to ask her out. He hadn’t realized she was the new girl in school, but he’d felt pretty damn lucky to have met her in first period, especially considering she’d said yes.

  She could have had any guy in school. Leslie was beautiful, smart and had a presence about her that just set you at ease, made you feel like you were talking to a close friend who truly cared. Kenner hadn't been shocked when he'd fallen in love her, just that she had with him as well.