Chapter Four
The parking lot at Carpe Diem was packed on a Saturday night. Summer season was starting to hit the Pines; tourists from around the country were already making it a destination as their children finished school, some earlier than others.
Summer was used to it, but Jake still looked uneasy, with everything being five times as busy in those three months. He found a spot at the end of the lot and muttered something about the jerk parking crooked beside him.
“What do you think they want to talk to us about? It’s always something big with your brother.” Jake got out of the truck, and Summer could tell he was cranky. She took a deep breath and joined him, walking across the gravel lot to the bar’s entrance.
Summer answered as they strolled, “Who knows? I asked Dad, but he didn’t know either.”
The sounds of a sporting event carried through the air as they entered, and Summer looked up to see a football game on the TV. She was glad to see the game was almost over. She hated talking over the annoying sportscasters.
“We should have gone to the Hive,” Summer said in Jake’s ear, and he nodded.
“Over there.” Jake pointed to a booth at the far end of the bar, where it was a little quieter. Garrett and Peter were sitting there, sipping on a couple of beers. They got out of their seats as Summer and Jake arrived.
“Glad you guys could make it,” Garrett said, sliding back into his seat. Peter sat opposite of him, so Summer sat beside her brother, Jake beside Peter.
“Of course. It’s nice to do this,” Summer said.
Garrett nudged her with an elbow. “You do know we meet every Sunday for family dinner, right?”
“Yeah, but this is just us ‘kids’.” Summer was glad to see Garrett laugh at that. He was over thirty-five and hardly thought of himself as a kid. But to Summer, he would always be that sweet blond troublemaking teenager in her heart.
The waitress came, someone Summer hadn’t seen before, and took their drink order. Summer ordered a white wine, and Jake joined the boys with a beer.
“School almost wrapped up?” Summer asked Garrett.
“Close. Finals this coming week, and then I’m home free for another summer,” Garrett said, and Summer thought she saw a hint of sadness in his eyes.
“Good. Good,” she said.
“How about you two?” Peter took over. “Wedding going to plan?”
Summer noticed Jake make a “cut it out” gesture beside her. “No. It’s fine. If anyone will understand, it’s these two.” The waitress came back, setting their drinks down. “Thanks. We need a few more minutes with the menus,” Summer told her, setting her hand over the unopened booklet.
“What is it? Control freak Barbara rearing her ugly side?” Garrett asked.
Summer laughed at this and shook her head. “Not really. I just… we’re getting married at the Little Blue Church, because it would break Mom’s heart if her only daughter didn’t get married where she did all those years ago.”
“She didn’t try to get me to marry there,” Garrett said with a pouting lip. “Thank God,” he finished off.
“I think it’s sweet,” Peter said, and Summer tried to gauge if he really meant it. He looked as though he did.
“Why?” Summer asked.
“She loves you kids more than anything in the world. She had a wonderful wedding to the man of her dreams almost forty years ago, and she wants you to have the same experience. Plus, they are paying for it, so she has the right.” Peter leaned back and took a drink of his beer.
“But does that give her full control? What about the wedding we want?” Summer looked at Jake, who’d stayed quiet about the wedding stuff lately.
“What do you want, Summer?” Garrett asked, and she didn’t answer right away. She thought about it and found she really didn’t know. She just wanted to be married to Jake and maybe look like a fairy-tale princess in the process. It wasn’t too much to ask, she argued silently.
“I want to get married, and not at a stuffy church an hour away from the reception. I want a simple service, with a classy but rustic reception. I want to wear an elegant white dress, and hold Jake’s hands in his dark gray suit, and have a ring slipped on my finger in front of my close friends and family, not with Mom’s produce suppliers watching. Or our third cousins, whom we haven’t seen in twenty years, because God forbid we insult some obscure relatives.” Summer felt good getting it out. She could picture her vision for the event and knew it was nothing like the one she was getting.
Jake’s foot tapped hers, and he looked into her eyes. “I wish you’d have told me about this.” She felt a burst of anxiety as she adjusted her topknot while thinking of a response.
“I didn’t want to bother you. I told you my mom and I would arrange everything, and you agreed you were fine with that,” she said.
“Yes, but that was because I thought you were getting what you wanted. I just wanted you to be happy, so I was staying out of it.” Jake’s voice was rising, and Summer glanced at Garrett beside her.
“Sorry for bringing this up now,” Summer said.
“I’m enjoying the show, sis,” Garrett said with a grin.
“We’ll talk about this later.” Summer looked at Jake, who just shrugged in his navy button-up shirt. “What’s the big news you had to tell us in private over dinner?”
Garrett opened her menu for her. “We need to order for this to be classified as dinner. Plus, I’m starving. Peter made me try the new spin class place, and I’m exhausted.”
Summer felt her blood boiling, and Jake’s jaw dropped across the table.
“Was it something I said?” Garrett asked, and Summer realized she was clenching her jaw, trying to keep her anger in check.
Jake answered for her. “Summer’s a little upset by the new competition. Tell her there’s room for both of them in the Pines.”
Garrett took her hand and gave her puppy-dog eyes. “Sis, I didn’t know you were upset. From now on, I swear we won’t go there.”
“Hey, I liked it,” Peter said across the table, and then grunted as her brother likely kicked him in the shin.
“It’s fine. Go ahead. I already get your commitment with your monthly passes.” Summer made the joke, but she did feel a little betrayed. She had to let this go, because they had every right to try a spin class. It was more up her brother’s alley than yoga had ever been.
“You’re really worried about it?” Peter asked.
She nodded. “Attendance has been down, and they have a great social media thing going on. It’s okay. I have a plan.”
Before they could ask what it was, the waitress came, and they ordered food. Summer opted for a Cobb salad and smiled when Jake ordered the steak sandwich, his favorite at Carpe Diem. She liked that he was predictable when it came to things like that, but unpredictable where it mattered the most.
“Now that we’ve ordered,” Summer said, “maybe you can tell us what’s going on.”
Garrett lifted a hand, and motioned to Peter.
“Well. You were at my show in New York last summer.” Jake and Summer nodded, watching Peter nervously talk. He stroked his beard a few times then continued. “A collector bought a piece and contacted me later through the studio. He commissioned a painting, and when it was done and delivered, I received a dozen more requests from his well-off friends. It turns out I can make a real living at this, and not just one to get by on.”
“That’s great, buddy,” Jake said.
“Yes. But most of his clients are in New York, and it’s much easier to network and have shows if we’re in the heart of it.” Garrett took over, and Summer had a sinking feeling in her stomach.
“You’re leaving,” she whispered, feeling her body sink further into her seat.
“We’re leaving,” Peter replied quietly.
“That’s a good thing, guys. Why is everyone so down?” Jake asked.
Summer nodded and consciously straightened her posture. “It is a good thing. I’m so proud of you, Peter. And, Garrett, you’re going to love New York. What are you planning on doing there?”
“I don’t have anything lined up yet,” Garrett said. This surprised Summer. He wasn’t the type to make a decision like this without a job to go to. Peter must be doing really well.
“I’m sure you will in a heartbeat. Any school would be lucky to have you,” Summer said. “We’re going to miss you like crazy.” She felt the tears coming, but she kept them in check.
“We’re going to miss you guys too,” Peter said.
“Have you told Mom and Dad yet?” Summer asked.
Garrett shook his head. “Not yet. I wanted to get a few things finalized first.”
“Like what?” Jake asked.
“Bryan’s coming to town in a couple days and is listing my place,” Peter said.
The waitress and another server arrived with their dinner, and Summer looked at her plate with no appetite. She couldn’t help but feel like things were caving in around her.
“Summer, are you okay?” Garrett asked.
“I’m fine. I was just trying to get over my own stuff, and now you’re leaving. It just feels a little overwhelming,” she said. “I guess I always thought you would be close as our family grew together.”
“I know. I never expected to be looking for an apartment in Manhattan either,” Garrett said.
“Where are you looking?” she asked, sipping her wine. The cool liquid felt calming as it sank in. The heat around town had been unbearable the last few days.
“We’re heading there in a couple weeks to meet with an agent. We’re thinking Chelsea or the Village, preferably.”
“You’ll love it,” Summer said, remembering how much she loved that part of the city. At the same time, she’d been constantly stressed, out of money, and lonely. She glanced over at Jake, and felt his strength radiate from across the table. He started in on his steak, and she found her appetite was back. “You better tell Mom soon, though, or she’ll feel betrayed.”
“I know. How is it that I can be a grown married man and still feel scared of telling my mommy something?” Garrett asked.
“I know the feeling.” Summer poked at her salad. “I’m going with Mom to my check on my dress tomorrow. It’ll be hours of alone time, so wish me luck. I have a few things to get off my chest.”
They spent the rest of the evening talking about the future and enjoying each other’s company. Summer knew she would miss this when they were gone, so she soaked up every moment of it.