A Girl Named Summer (9 page)

“I’m really excited about it,” he said. “Are you sure you don’t want to run with me every day? We could pace each other and—”

“No,” she interrupted, inwardly grimacing at the sound of panic in her voice.
Coward
, she berated herself. “I do better when I’m alone,” she lied.
Disgusting
, she thought.
I am a disgusting, lying
…“I’d better go inside,” she added. “It’s late and I like to get up and uh…exercise first thing in the morning.”

“I had a good time tonight. I’m glad you invited
me.” He carried her towel to the front door and handed it to her. “I’ll call you tomorrow after work.”

“Great,” Summer whispered. She knew he was going to kiss her and tilted her head back. He didn’t disappoint her. The first touch of his lips sent tremors racing down her legs. It was a perfect kiss, not awkward or clumsy.

After David left, Summer went to her bedroom. She wasn’t sure if she walked or floated up the stairs. She was in love! For the first time in her life she knew what loving someone was all about. It was heaven and it was torture. The race! She had lied to David. He would find out soon enough, when she fell flat on her face after the first twenty paces, and then what would he think of her? How could he possibly love a lying, no-good cheat? It would be so easy to blame Regina, but Summer was honest enough with herself to admit that she had willingly gone along with the fabrication.

The problem had to have a solution. Didn’t Grandpa say that often enough? A good night’s sleep and she would be clearheaded. Answers would come with the morning sun. On that positive thought, Summer went to bed, hugging her pillow tightly, pretending it was David.

“So much for positive thinking,” Summer muttered the following morning. She had been up for hours and still not a single plan of action presented itself, and Regina’s phone call didn’t help matters. She actually suggested that Summer start shopping for something to wear to the dumb race!

In desperation, Summer decided to confide in her grandfather. She knew he would never betray her confidence. Besides, he would probably forget what she told him before the day was out. And more important, she did value his opinion. He was a wise man. He would think of some way for her to save face and get out of the race. She was sure of it.

Chapter
8

“W
hat do you mean, I ‘better get in shape’?” Summer stammered. She leaned against the workbench and decided to try again. “Grandpa, you don’t understand. I want you to help me think of a way to get out of the race. Not get ready for it!”

Grandpa finally gave her his full attention. He placed his hammer on the table and sat on the edge of the chipped oak chair he was going to refinish someday. “What are you telling me, girl? That you’re a quitter before you’ve even begun?”

“There isn’t enough time,” Summer argued. “And I’m not in shape for this, mentally or physically. I’m…puny.”

“Nonsense, child. You’ve got the long legs; you’re thin…Why, you’re the spitting image of what a runner should be.”

“But…but…”

“No buts about it. You’ve asked my advice, Summer. Now listen to me. You could do it. Now, don’t shake your head that way. You could do it. But you have to want it bad enough. And you have to work.

“Most important, you have to want it for you, not for David, not for me…not for anyone but yourself. I’ve never known you to be a quitter before, Summer. It’s a trait the Irish don’t abide.”

“I’ve never tried anything like this before,” Summer muttered. “I don’t care if I win or not, I just don’t want to look like a complete fool.” There, the truth was out. Summer felt better just saying the words. She was always worried about what other people thought. Was that so terribly wrong? “Grandpa, I wish…”

“I’m waiting,” her grandfather returned patiently.

“Maybe I could give it a try.”

“And I’ll help you,” he replied. “That’s my girl. I knew you had your grandmother’s spunk in you. It was just hidden under a few layers.”

“Guess I better get started. Only problem is, I don’t know where to begin. I need new running shoes.”

“You need a training program and a trainer. And you’re in luck, little girl. You’ve got the best. Me!”

Humility was never one of Grandpa’s strong points. Summer didn’t quite hide her smile. “Then you really will help me?”

“Don’t need to ask that. Of course I’ll help you. We start tomorrow.” Her grandfather rubbed his hands together and continued. “This afternoon we’ll get you
those shoes. I’ll need a few things myself. We’ll stop at the sporting goods store at the mall. Go and get your brother ready. I’ll be up in a few minutes.”

Summer had to admit that she hadn’t seen her grandfather so excited about a project in a long time. He grinned in gleeful anticipation. He was already getting into the role of a trainer, she thought.

They had just walked into the house after their shopping jaunt when the phone rang. It was David.

“Just wondered what you were up to,” he said in that husky voice that made Summer’s stomach flip over.

“Helping with dinner,” Summer answered. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing,” David said. “I just got home and no one’s here. They left a note about some cold chicken.”

“We’re having meatloaf. Not mine. Mom made it.” Summer giggled. “My last meatloaf broke the garbage disposal.”

“Sure sounds better than cold chicken. I hate cold chicken.” She took the hint and asked David to hold on for a minute. She ran to find her mother in the kitchen and asked her if David could join them for dinner.

“David, would you like to have dinner with us?” Summer asked breathlessly when she returned to the phone.

“Is it okay?”

“Of course. We would love to have you.”

“Great,” David answered.

“See you in about an hour.”

She didn’t wait for his answer. Time was crucial. She had less than sixty minutes to get ready.

Grandpa’s leprechauns were on Summer’s side. Dinner was calm and orderly. In short, everyone behaved. David helped clear the table and then took Grandpa up on his offer to tour the basement.

Summer was amazed that she wasn’t the least bit nervous about leaving David with her grandfather—and hadn’t been, not since he had witnessed the runaway vacuum cleaner. Instinct told her that David understood and really cared about the elderly gentleman. It was a nice feeling, not being worried all the time.

After she finished the dishes, she joined Michael on the bottom basement step and watched while her grandfather showed David a few of his inventions. David seemed mesmerized by the vacuum cleaner, and before long the two were busy taking the unit apart. David had entered Grandpa’s world, and it wasn’t long before Summer realized he had forgotten she was even there. Jealousy reared its nasty head for a moment, but then she reminded herself that he was in
her
basement and that he was apparently having a good time.

She dragged a sleepy Michael off to bed, getting through his bath in record time with the promise that she would read some of
The Jogging Manual
, which her grandfather had purchased today. It would be his bedtime story.

Michael was asleep within five minutes. The first chapter of the book could have put anyone to sleep, she decided. She went back to the basement steps, book in hand, and started reading again. Chapter five captured her attention, and she began reading in earnest. It was devoted to the marathon runner and kept mentioning the wall that each and every runner encountered at some point. It was an invisible wall, and the description of the body’s reaction was vivid and depressing. Yet, every runner that was quoted promised that once you got past the wall, a fresh spurt of energy mysteriously manufactured itself inside the body. It was all totally foreign to Summer, and she wondered if David had ever experienced such a thing.

David and Grandpa stopped their work around nine-thirty, and Summer suggested that she and David sit on the porch for a while. She fixed them each a glass of lemonade, and they sat next to each other on the bright green porch swing, sipping their drinks

He pulled her closer and took hold of her hand. “What are you thinking about?”

“The wall,” she answered. “The runner’s wall. Have you ever heard of it?”

“Sure,” he replied. “Happens after the first ten or fifteen miles. You feel like you just ran smack into a cement wall.”

“Have you? I mean, has it ever happened to you? Do you run that far?”

“I’ve never run more than eight miles a day, and
no, I’ve never experienced the wall. To tell you the truth, it kind of scares me.”

“I’ve never experienced it either,” she said, and almost laughed out loud with that admission. It was the understatement of the year.

“Where do you run? I’ve never seen you at the park.”

“Oh, just around the neighborhood,” she said. It was getting harder and harder to look at him when she lied. She felt as if she were about to grow a very long nose, just like in the fairy tale.

“You should try running in the park. It’s exactly two miles to the gate and back, and the jogger’s path is easy on your feet.”

“When do you run?” she asked.

“After my morning lessons. My favorite time is around dinner, though. Before I eat of course. It’s nice with the sun going down and all.” He seemed a little uneasy with his observation.

“There’s a bit of an artist’s appreciation in you,” Summer teased.

“Guess so,” he answered with a grin. “If it’s okay with you, I’m coming over tomorrow after dinner to help your grandfather. We think we’ve figured out what’s wrong with the vacuum.”

“Come for dinner,” Summer suggested. She knew her mother wouldn’t mind. Her parents might not understand how much she wanted to work at the Pizza Paddle with Regina, but they were more than generous
with dinner invitations. Her friends were always welcome.

“If you’re sure it’s all right,” he answered.

Summer nodded.

“I better get going.” He gave Summer a quick kiss and then stood up. Placing their glasses on the railing, he turned to her and pulled her into his arms. “Thanks for tonight,” he said, hugging her. “I like being here.”

She felt herself blush and smiled. Try as she might, she couldn’t seem to think of a suitable reply.

“How about going to bingo together Monday night? Think your grandfather would ride with me instead of walking?”

“I’m sure he would,” she answered. “I’ll call you tomorrow.” He leaned down and kissed her again, and she wrapped her arms around his waist, enthusiastically hugging him.

He gave her a sexy wink and started down the steps. “Good night…Rosebud.” He chuckled all the way to the car.

She waited until the car pulled away before confronting her family. “Okay,” she snapped like a drill sergeant when she found her grandfather and parents in the kitchen, “who told David my nickname was Rosebud?”

Chapter
9

“I
think I’m in love, Regina. Really, really in love.” Summer was sitting on the edge of her bed, lacing her new running shoes while she spoke. Her friend was sprawled across the middle of the bed, listening to Summer’s every word while she ate a chocolate chip cookie.

“How can you be sure? What are the symptoms?” she asked. “I don’t think I’ve ever been in love.”

“When David and I are together, I get all…” She groped for the words to describe how she was feeling.

“What?”

“I can’t explain it. Last night David ate dinner with us, and I ate a huge helping of beets before I remembered that I hate them. It’s scary, Regina. All I can think about is David, what he’s doing, what he’s thinking.
And when I’m with him, I feel so…complete. I’m not making sense, am I?”

“No,” she answered. “But I think not making sense is all part of the package when you’re in love. Do you think I’ll ever fall in love?”

“Of course.” Summer stood up and examined herself in the mirror. She was wearing a pair of faded cutoffs and a tank top. “I don’t look like a runner, do I?”

“No, but I think I know what’s missing,” Regina replied. “You need a cap.”

Summer laughed and immediately opened the top drawer of her bureau. Her hair was pulled back, and she carefully adjusted the ball cap into position. “Grandpa thought of everything,” Summer said with a giggle. “I’ve got five of these, all different colors.”