I was surprised to get the call from Grandma Jane asking me to come to the fair tonight. When I declined, she pressed harder, saying she and Captain “wanted the company.”

That had me stumped. I didn’t point out that their granddaughter was with them all summer and could easily keep them company. But they didn’t mention her and I didn’t ask, for obvious reasons.

But as I come into view of the boisterous crowd of families, teenagers, and couples milling outside the ticket booth, I realize that maybe I should’ve asked. Summer’s standing between her grandparents, the bright yellow straps of her sundress standing out on her browned, toned shoulders, as she points to the ticket sign above their heads. She says something to Captain, who laughs and shakes his head.

I curse under my breath. I consider forgetting about the whole thing, driving home and calling them with some lame excuse of why I’m skipping out, but I realize I’m stuck. My sudden absence would make an already awkward situation worse. At least, I think.

I park my truck and start toward the entrance. Dread builds with every slow step toward the beautiful woman in the yellow dress. “Good to see you’re feeling better,” I say, coming up behind Summer.

She whirls around and stares at me. Based on her wide eyes and pale face, I’m guessing she didn’t know I was joining their cozy group of three. “Koa? What are you—”

“Koa!” Grandma Jane cries, pulling me into a warm embrace. “We were just going to buy tickets. Can’t decide how many to get.”

“I want a hundred, but Summer’s positive she’s gonna get me on a few of those rides.” Captain grins at his granddaughter. “So she wants double that. What do you think, sonny?”

Three pairs of eyes focus on me: two questioning, the third livid. I meet the livid pair. “Why not two hundred? Summer always knows best, isn’t that right?”

Her eyes narrow. I smile back at her.

“That’s settled, then,” Captain says, clapping Summer on the shoulder and bringing her in. “Ready?”

I take a deep breath as they move off, like a weight’s been lifted off my chest. I turn to Grandma Jane and find her eyes on me. “Is everything alright between you and Summer?”

That didn’t take long. “I think everything’s fine.” I offer her my arm. “Want to head over to the line?”

She nods. “You two just seem…” Grandma Jane looks up at me as I move us through the crowd “…distant.”

“Do we?” I say, keeping my eyes ahead of me. “That’s weird.”

“Or maybe it’s just that you haven’t seen each other in a while. It’s been a few days, right?”

“Five.”

Her eyebrows shoot up. “Keeping count?”

“Hard not to when you’re out there alone for a week.”

“Out where alone for a week?” Captain asks as we reach them. Christ, the man’s got superhuman hearing.

“Nothing,” I say, failing to see a way to tell the truth without embarrassing Summer in front of her grandparents.

Jane lays a hand on my arm. “Koa was just telling me how lonely he’s getting without Summer.”

Summer gapes at me.

“Uh, that’s not exactly what I said.”

“Then what exactly did you say?” Summer demands.

I grit my teeth at her tone. Screw being professional. She’s asking for it. “That I’m struggling to do the work of two during the height of the season.”

Summer glances away. “Well, I—I wasn’t feeling well.”

“You seem to be in sparkling health now.” I motion to the rollercoaster flying over the head of the crowd. “Hope your illness doesn’t flare up and inconvenience your fun night out.”

Summer’s face turns even darker. “I doubt you’ve had any trouble out there without me, Captain. I’m sure I only got in the way.”

We glower at each other, the sound of laughter and fair games filling the moody silence.

“Alright…” Jane says slowly, glancing between us “…glad to see there’s no problem here. Now, who’s ready for a little fun?”

* * *

I’m sitting on a bench, watching the bright, colorful lights of the ferris wheel flash and dance against the black night sky, when a finger taps me on my shoulder. I glance around to find Summer staring down at me, her gaze impassive and guarded. “I’m grabbing beers. Would you like one?”

I’m struck speechless by her thoughtfulness. “Gramps told me to ask you,” she adds.

Oh.

“Sure.”

She starts off toward the line snaking around the beer stand.

“Wait!” I call out. She stops and turns, cocking an eyebrow for my question. “Need help?”

“I’ll be fine,” she says, starting forward again. I roll my eyes and follow after her. She glances over at me as I fall into step next to her. “I said I was fine.”

“Do me a favor?”

“Okay…”

“Stop being a brat.”

“How dare you—”

“Be rational,” I finish. “How exactly are you going to carry four twenty-ounce beers through a crowd like this?”

“I…” She trails off as we reach the end of the line.

I sigh. “I’m not stalking you, I’m only trying to be nice. Try it sometime.”

She scowls at me and opens her mouth, then snaps it shut. The anger drains from her face in an instant. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“Everything. Right now, earlier, this whole week.” She turns to me as we inch forward. “I can’t believe I abandoned you on the boat like that.”

“It’s okay.” It’s not, but I’m completely caught off guard by this sudden apology.

“I blew it just when I was really getting the hang of everything. Just when—” She stops and bites her lip.

“What?”

“Just when you were beginning to trust me,” she murmurs.

“Hey…” I take her hand and squeeze. I thought I wanted to see Summer grovel, to beg for forgiveness, but I was wrong. Her pain hurt me more than her week of silence ever could. “I do trust you.”

She smiles up at me for a moment, then gently tugs her hand out of mine. “Good. Me, too.”

“Though you did leave me to the mercy of the sharks.”

“Sharks?” A hint of a smile plays on her lips. “You’re being dramatic.”

“Am not.”

“In Maine?”

“Of course. There are also giant squids and man o’ wars and Loch Ness monsters and…”

Her eyes had been growing larger as I went. Now they narrow. She slaps my arm. “Quit it! I’m trying to apologize.”

“No small feat for you, either.”

“You’re impossible.”

“I am, but at least I got you smiling again…” I lower my voice “…and it’s a beautiful smile.”

Summer bites her lower lip and steps forward as the line moves. I reach out for her hand again, but she shrinks away. “No, Koa. I’m not talking about this.”

“Why not?”

She faces me, her eyes clear and fierce as she meets mine. “I don’t want to talk about unpleasant things.”

“Is that how you see it?” I demand, stung deeply by her words.

“I’m not doing this right now!” She takes a deep breath and steps forward.

“Fine, but can we talk about us soon?”

She thinks about it.

“Look, you can’t really ignore this forever. Ignore me forever.” I stop and stare at her. “Unless that’s what you want.”

“No,” she says quickly as we reach the counter. “Later, then.”

Later could mean a lot of things: later this week or later tonight. I know how I’m choosing to interpret it.

I grab the tray of beers from the counter and we move off into the crowd. “Hey…” Summer stares at the cardboard tray in my hands. “You said I wouldn’t be able to carry those!”

“How else was I going to talk to you?” I shrug off her shocked look. “I didn’t feel like dealing with that awkward silence any longer, did you?”

“Not really,” she admits.

I jostle her with my shoulder “Plus, I missed you.”

“Koa—”

“As a friend,” I add, leaving out the rest of what I wanted to say. “I like hanging out with you, Rae.”

“Really? Even though we’re constantly at each other’s throats?”

“Especially because of that. I like a woman with a lot of personality.” I know I’ve struck a nerve when her cheeks flush. Good. I’m done ignoring my feelings for her, and the sooner we talk about it, the sooner we can drop this charade that we’re just friends.

Captain and Jane grab their beers out of the tray as we reach them. I throw away the tray and grab the remaining two, holding one out to Summer. Our fingertips brush as she takes it, her soft touch racing through me like a drug. Her eyes meet mine above the sloshing golden liquid. Passion flits across them in fiery bursts, untamed and wild just like my own.

So I haven’t just struck a nerve in Summer, I’ve stirred feelings that she’s been trying to hide.

Jane clears her throat. “I think Grandpa and I are going to try our hand at some games.”

“We are?” Captain sucks in his breath as Jane nudges him in the ribcage. He scowls down at her. “What was that for?”

“What was what for, dear?” Jane says innocently. “I really wanted that stuffed giraffe back there, remember?”

“No, I don’t. Oof!” He rubs his side. “Hey, what was—”

She cuts him off with a nod in our direction. “Giraffe. Now.”

Gramps looks at Summer and me, then grins. “Oh! Riiight.”

Jane sighs and grabs his arm. “Let’s go, you old buffoon.”

Summer snaps her head up from her beer. “I’m surprised Gramps would agree to that, he hates carnival games.

I shrug. Jane’s up to something, but hell if I knew what. Anyway, I’m not complaining. I have Summer all to myself now, which means…

I turn to her. “So, about what we were talking about earlier—”

“Want a funnel cake?”

“What?”

“Funnel cake. You know, fried dough with lots of powered sugar?”

“I know the stuff.”

“Well, I love it.” Summer jerks her thumb over her shoulder. “I saw a place over there that smelled good. Why don’t I grab one?”

“First I wanted to talk.”

“After cake.”

I stare at her, not believing a word.

“I promise,” she adds. Her foot begins to tap the grass.

“Sure,” I say, like I have a choice. Summer’s vibrating like a pent-up racehorse. If I’d turned down funnel cake, I’m sure she’d have come up with three more ways to run away from this conversation. “Want me to come with you?”

“No!” She pauses to clear her throat. “I mean, no thanks.”

I watch her as she starts to back away. “Are you sure?”

“Sure I am.” She flashes me a hint of her old smile. “What’s the worst that can happen?”