Summer's Landing (A Loving Summer Standalone Novel Series): Loving Summer Spinoff (Loving Summer Series Book 9) (5 page)

Chapter 8

Summer

I
thought meeting up with Drew for dinner as
half a couple with Nat would be awkward, but this was even worse.

Rachel
and Luis met up with Nat and I as we entered the posh and expensive Empress
Golden Lotus Restaurant on the top floor of the Century Building in Century
City. Rachel wore a sapphire blue traditional Chinese qipao dress, with gold
and purple embroidery. Fitting tight among her curves, Rachel was stunning. The
blue of her dress brought out her sparkling blue eyes, and the purple of the
embroidered flowers on her dress brought out her hair.

Luis
couldn’t keep his eyes off of her…and his hands, which I noticed Nat noticing
as well. Luis himself had cleaned up nicely.  His black hair matched Rachel’s,
which he had slicked back off his face. He was dressed in black slacks which
hugged his muscular legs and tight butt, and he wore a blue silk shirt buttoned
up to his neck, which was also tight around his arms and shoulders.

Coloring-wise,
they matched like prom dates, but only more sophisticated.

“You
guys looked like you coordinated your outfits,” I said to Rachel.

“Well,
we’re supposed to be a couple, aren’t we?” Rachel said nervously. Being a
couple and looking like one wasn’t her thing.

“You
dressed Luis?” I asked surprised.

Rachel
hesitated and said, “I went over to his place after Nat’s, and Luis had me
worried he wouldn’t be able to pull off looking like the kind of guy I would
normally be seen with at film premieres and parties…you know, get photographed
with because I’m in the public eye all the time. So I went over to see what he
was going to wear.”

“Take
charge, Rachel,” I said. “I know how that feels to have to watch what you wear
and how you look in the public eyes…been there done that with Astor, and I’m
glad I’ve done that and left that.”

“Well,
Luis,” Rachel said, “surprised me. You’d think a guy who looks as hot as he does
with all muscles and a body that won’t quit is all brawny, but his place is
nicely decorated. Even cleaner than my place in Beverly Hills. His quarters
were modern with New York sophistication. I think he lived in New York once.”

“So
his wardrobe?”

“I
had nothing to worry about. He had a closet full of designer men’s suits like
Armani, Brionis, and even some sleek Pradas. He had every designer men’s shoes
too. Burberry, John Lobb…some Nikes.”

“Didn’t
expect that of him,” I said.

“I
was dressed in plain black,” Rachel said. “A black mini dress with just this
gold necklace, and Luis said it was all wrong. Boring. He called up someone and
said he needed a blue silk Chinese qipao and to have it delivered to a room at
the Blue Meridien Hotel. He grabbed his Tumi duffle bag, filled it with things
including his clothes and drove me to the hotel.”

“Then
what?” I couldn’t help feeling like giggling. Rachel had never been swept off
her feet like some lady before. She usually was the one in charge.

“We
go up to the room, and he opened the door. There were candles and flowers. I
mean like romantic,” Rachel looked awkward.

“The
dress was hanging on a hanger, and I said I’ll just change, but he said he
would help me. Well, he did,” Rachel said. “He helped get me out of my dress
alright, with his hands and lips and more…”

“Rachel…you
and Luis?” I asked.

“Alright,
I’ll confess to you, Summer, but you can’t tell Nat or he’ll flip since I don’t
want him knowing his men and I…” she looked away, “I’ve had sex with Luis, and
a few other men at Nat’s compound. I can’t help it, Summer. When I see a man
built like Luis…I’m addicted to sex. Been so for years.”

I
almost dropped my mouth. “You’re okay with that?”

“I
don’t get attached to any of them. I just have sex with them. I don’t feel
anything else for them,” Rachel said.

“But
Luis doesn’t know?” I asked.

“He
knows I just want sex,” Rachel said. “I think that’s fine with him, but now I’m
beginning to think otherwise. The last thing I want is for a guy to start
fawning over me when all I want is for him to fuck me.”

“I
never knew,” I said. “So this pretending to be a couple thing between you and
Luis tonight?”

“The
last thing I wanted,” Rachel said.

“Great,”
I said.

“I’ll
play along…it’s what I’m great at…acting, but I won’t like it.”

“Well,
start acting then, Rach,” I said eyeing Luis walking towards us along with
Drew, whom Luis went down to the lobby to get.

Oh
God, Drew looked like Adonis. His dark hair was swept back and his blue eyes
were glistening with that playboy billionaire confidence. He was dressed in a
black Brioni suit with a grey shirt and blue tie, which matched his eyes. And he
walked into the restaurant with that Drew swagger and style, which had every
woman admiring him, while men looked on with envy.

Nat
and Luis joined him walking down the center of the room to our table in the
back corner. The three of them were a sight of male beauty to behold.

“Who
are they?” I heard a woman whispered to her friend.

“Drew
Donovan, the billionaire who owned Donovan Dynamics. The one on his left is
Andrew Hocking Knight, another billionaire who owned Knight Industries, and the
one on the right of Drew, I think he’s a football player. Don’t know, and don’t
care. I’d take any one of them any day,” her friend gushed.

Rachel
rolled her eyes.

“I’m
part owner of Donovan Dynamics, you don’t see people fawning over me for it.”

“It’s
that billionaire bad boy thing,” I said. “Very popular now since Fifty Shades
of Grey came out. You know that whole Christian Grey bad boy BDSM thing. If he
wasn’t so handsome and so filthy rich, I wonder if women would find a guy like
him attractive?”

“I
would just go for the BDSM thing,” Rachel said mischievously. “Done it, and
well, it’s not for everyone, but it is something I would try again.”

I
looked over at Luis, who was almost at our table.

Rachel
smiled and said, “The guy’s more surprising than you think.”

“Look
who’s here?” Nat said, arriving to our table and coming over to me. “Drew.”

I
had a hard time facing him. Looking into his eyes as though nothing’s
different.

“Hi
Summer,” Drew said coming over to me. He was the Drew I knew who was friendly
and cordial to everyone. Not the Drew who would say my name with a hint of
affection and sometimes awe. “You look nice in that dress.”

“Thank
you,” I said smiling, as I would to anyone who just complimented me.

“Isn’t
it nice to see Nat back in town again?” Drew asked. “He travels a lot for work.
You must miss him.”

I
nodded. “I do.”

The
old Drew would’ve leaned in and whispered, “I can make you feel less lonely,
Summer. I could make you forget everything when you’re with me.”

Instead,
this Drew said, “Better spend as much time as you can with him. That guy…he
can’t stop talking about you. Summer this. Summer that. You have him wrapped
all around your fingers, don’t you, Summer? It’s what you wanted since
childhood, and your crush on him.”

I
thought this would be the time Drew started remembering about his childhood
crush on me, but he said, “I’ll be seeing you again, Summer. I have to go sit
down now. They’re serving the first course. Swallow tail nest soup.
Delicious.”  He walked away and sat down in the chair next to Luis and Nat.

Rachel,
who sat next to Luis, and next to me, nudged me. “What did Drew say?”

“He
said I should spend as much time with Nat as possible, and that Nat couldn’t
stop talking about me to him.”

“Oh,”
Rachel said. “Still no memory of you with him.” She sounded disappointed.

“Might
need something more drastic than just seeing me here,” I said.

“Right,”
Rachel said, reaching down with her hand, underneath the table.

Luis
suddenly looked over at Rachel, and turned to her. He leaned in and whispered
something in her ears. Rachel laughed and said, “Luis! That tickles.”

“So,
Luis,” Nat said looking pointedly at Rachel. “How long have you and Rachel been
together? It came as a surprise you two were dating.”

Rachel
was taking a sip of water, but started choking.

Luis
took his linen napkin and reached over to gently wipe Rachel’s lips. “Are you
alright, Baby?” he asked her.

“Um
hmmm,” Rachel nodded.

“Good
Baby,” Luis took Rachel’s hand and started playing with it with his before
kissing her on the knuckles. “I don’t want anything to happen to you on my
watch, especially choking.” He laughed, and so did Rachel.

“I’m
glad you’re taking good care of her and protecting her on your watch,” Nat
said. “Perhaps too good of a care?”

“Oh
Nat,” Rachel said. “Luis and I hit it off right away. We found we shared a lot
in common, and well, now we’re together.”

Rachel
turned to Luis and kissed him on his lips. Luis grabbed Rachel, and kissed her
back.

Drew
and Nat looked at Luis skeptically as any older brother would when meeting
their baby sister’s boyfriend for the first time.

“We
hope to be together for a long time like you and Summer,” Luis said to Nat.

Nat
looked at me and smiled before reaching over to take my hand and kissing my
knuckles. It felt rehearsed. I smiled prettily going along with the ruse.

Nat
moved closer and then wrapped his arms around me before kissing me fully on my
mouth. “Keeping a relationship strong this long, well, it takes a lot of loving
and pleasing,” he said, kissing me slowly and softly again. “It takes getting
know what pleases her, and what makes her happy.” He kissed my cheeks then, and
leaned in to whisper in my ear, “I love you, Summer.”

I
couldn’t help the warm blush that swept over my face then.

Nat
leaned in to whisper in my ear, “I always have.”

I
looked over at Drew, and he was watching me closely. The blue of his eyes had
grown darker. Or was it just the lighting of the room?

“I
remember Summer always having this crush on you, Nat,” Drew said suddenly.

“I
didn’t realize she did until we were teens,” Nat said. “By then, I realized I also
loved Summer. How could I not?” He kissed me again in front of Drew. “This
woman is amazing.” He reached over and held me in his arms before kissing me
fully on the lips. “My Summer,” he said, “my perfect sweet Summer, is
everything a man could wish for and more.”

If
the old Drew was at all there in Drew, he would be all over Nat now, trying to
get his hands off me, and acting like a possessive caveman.

Instead,
Drew smiled. He raised his glass and said, “Here’s a toast to the most loving
couple I’ve known for most of my life – Nat and Summer!”

That’s
when my heart fell, and I knew Drew truly did not remember ever being with me
and the love we had for each other.

Chapter 9

Summer

            “
S
ummer,” I turned around as Nat, Drew, Rachel,
Luis, and I walked out of the restaurant. We had an excruciating eight course
meal and was too full to even crawl out of our chairs.

            I
stopped walking, and Nat stopped along with me. Rachel looked over where she
was walking ahead with Luis.

            “Summer,”
Drew walked over to me. He looked at Nat and then at me again. “I found some
things.”

            Was
this it? Was this the moment Drew would confess this had all been a joke and
that he wanted us to be together? I held my breath.

            Nat
didn’t look too happy all of a sudden. In fact, he looked almost angry. He took
a possessive step forward between Drew and I. “What did you find?” he asked
Drew.

            “I
don’t know how it got there,” Drew said, “but Summer’s clothes and even her
things…they’re at my place. I could only think she stayed there when I’m away.”

            “It’s
a lot closer to the hospital than my place in Malibu,” I said. It was true. I
had started staying over at Drew’s place near USC which used to be Nat’s at
Donovan Dynamics’ Los Angeles building when the commute to the hospital became
too long. Drew said he wanted me to when I started getting calls at 2 in the
morning or 3 or whatever ungodly hour to rush to the hospital for emergencies.
“You said it was okay,” I said to Drew.

            “I
did?” Drew asked, looking confused. “I guess it makes sense since it is closer
to where you work. It’s Donovan Dynamics after all, and I have the only private
residential floor of that building. It was Nat’s place before so I guess it’s
okay.”

            “I’ll
pick up my stuff, Drew,” I said.  “I don’t think I’d stay over there anytime
soon.” I looked over at Nat, who looked at Drew angrily, but at me with a concerned
look.

            “What’s
going on?” Rachel asked, coming over.

            “Drew
found my things at his place,” I said.

            “Really?”
Rachel asked. “That’s because my dear brother Drew, you see, Summer and you…”

            “Had
an agreement,” I said quickly, trying to stop Rachel from making an awkward
dinner even more awkward. “I get to stay at his place at Donovan Dynamics since
it’s big enough when I’m on call at the hospital. But now that I see I won’t be
there for a while, I’ll go over and pack my things.”

            Rachel
shot Drew a mean look. “If you want Summer out of your place, I’d be happy to
have her stay with me in Beverly Hills.”

            “Won’t
be necessary,” Nat said gruffly. “Summer’s staying with me, in my quarters. If
have to, I’d have her driven to the hospital when she gets a call to be there.”

            “Look,”
Drew said, running his hand through his hair. “Summer’s welcome to keep her
stuff there. I just thought she ought to know she had her things there.”

            “No,
Drew,” I said. “Since Nat offered, and…”

            “Summer’s
my girl,” Nat said, “She should be with me at my place. From now on. I don’t
want here anywhere else except with me.” He looked into my eyes, and I could
see he meant it.

            “Okay
then,” Drew said. “Summer, you can come over anytime to pick up your things.
But I should let you know, I’m having some friends come over to my place, and
it would be awkward for them to see I have women’s things over at my place. I
didn’t want them to get the wrong idea, you know.”

            “The
wrong idea, huh?” Rachel asked angrily. “Will maybe you should. What kind of
friends are these?”

            Drew
grinned sheepishly. “Well, Rach. You know, since I’m not married, and only
28…women throw themselves at me all the time. Give me their numbers and stuff
like that…”

            “The
Drew Effect?” Rachel asked. “Don’t tell me suddenly, it’s back after all these
years?”

            “What
do you mean, Rach?” Drew asked. “I never lost it.”

            Rachel
looked at me and said, “When do you want me to strangle him?”

            “What
are you talking about?” Drew asked. “Just because you’re with Luis, and Nat is
with Summer…I’m not about to swear off women. I’m still a single guy, whom…” he
pulled out his phone and punched in a few words, “according to People, is one
of the Top 100 Beautiful People. Nat and Rach, by-the-way, you’re on there
too.”

            “Never
cared for those lists,” Nat said.

            “Really?”
Rachel reached for Drew’s phone. “Why didn’t my publicist tell me. I’ve got to
post about it to thank everyone.”

            “Drew…”
I bit back my hurt and looked down. He didn’t remember anything about us. If he
did, he would never talk about the Drew Effect in front of me. Not since we got
engaged. He would never have said anything about having other women, any women
over at his place. The last time was back in college at USC when we weren’t
together.

            “Oh,
Astor Fairway is on that list, too?” Rachel said, scrolling through the
article.

            Nat
laughed. “Well, he deserved it. When Summer was dating him, I hated his guts. I
thought he was some kind of pretty boy who just wanted to get into Summer’s
pants, but he had proven to be a good guy. He really admired and cared for Aunt
Sookie.”

            I
added, “And he stepped up to help keep her legacy alive by naming a theater
after her and becoming a partner at her Academy. He’s a true friend.”

            “Astor
Fairway?” Drew asked. “The fair-headed boy who always hung around us at Aunt
Sookie’s?”

            “Yes,”
Nat said. “The guy you didn’t like, either.”

            “Because
he was better-looking than me?” Drew asked grinning.

            Rachel
rolled her eyes. “No, Drew, because of Summer.”

            Drew
looked at me and blinked his eyes. “Did he do something to Summer that Nat
didn’t like?”

            Rachel
sighed and said, “Astor Fairway was Summer’s first boyfriend. They were pretty
serious too. She went away with him for a while after Aunt Sookie’s death,
and…”

            Drew’s
eyes widen and he looked like he was hit by a flashback. “I remember how Nat
blew up at Summer one time because she was going over to his house. Summer was
just a teen then, and Nat cared about her…We thought he was up to no good…”

            Nat
pursed his lips and said, “At least some memory of Summer is coming back.”

            “Summer
was really hot that summer,” Drew said. “No wonder a teen heartthrob like Astor
Fairway wanted to date her. She wasn’t as pretty before but that summer, she
really blossomed.”

            I
looked over at Drew the same time Nat and Rachel did. Maybe now he would
remember his feelings.

            Drew
was quiet for a moment. Then he looked up, grabbed his phone out of Rachel’s
hands and said, “I better clean up my place if I want to make a good impression
on the ladies. If you’ll excuse me, I have to run.”

            Rachel
looked over at me as Drew began running, and she came over to hug me. “Go after
him, Summer,” she said. “He’s coming around, and well, go pick up your things
before anyone else does.”

            “Sir,”
Luis said, stepping up to Nat, “there are some last minute details about the
mission Hector and I need to go over with you. Some logistics we have to cover
tonight.”

            Nat
looked over at me and said, “Go over to Drew’s and do what you need to do.
Playtime’s over. I need to go with Luis back to the compound. A man’s safety
and life may be at risk, along with ours if we don’t plan things right.”

            “Go
ahead, Luis,” Rachel said. “And thanks for a great time.” She stood up on
tiptoes to kiss him on the lips.

            Luis
grabbed her and gave her a deep kiss before letting her go. “I had fun, too,
girl,” he said. “Until next time!”

            Nat
laughed and slapped Luis on the back as they left together.

            I
turned to Rachel, and she pushed me forward. “Maybe you can still catch Drew
before he leaves.” She pulled out her phone and started calling. “I’ll stall
him and tell him you’ll meet him in the lobby downstairs to go with him to pick
up your things.”

            “Okay,”
I said, rushing down the hallway to the elevators.

            When
I reached the lobby to the Century Building, Drew was standing by the plush
leather sofas in the lobby. He still took my breath away when I saw him glance
up at me.

            “Summer,”
he said smiling widely. He walked over to me in long strides. “I thought you
weren’t coming, and Rachel had lied, trying to get back at me for whatever
cruel deed I had done to her when we were little.”

            I
smiled back. For a while, I had forgotten about his memory lapse. For a while,
I was back to being the Summer that Drew loved and wanted to spend forever
with. “Drew!” I reached up my arms toward his neck and embraced him. Was he
really back?

“Wow,
Summer,” Drew said. “You’re so friendly. I’m happy to see you again, too,
although it’s only been about 10 minutes since we last saw each other.”

“Oh,
sorry, Drew,” I said. “I am pretty friendly with everyone. And we’re
practically family. I’ve always felt that way with all of you Donovans.”

“I
know,” Drew said. “That’s why I can’t wait for you and Nat to tie the knot.
It’ll be a race between Rachel and Luis, but you and Nat…you’ve been together
so long, I can’t wait to become an uncle. No pressure, of course.”

My
heart fell again. This time, tears welled up in my eyes. It was so hard not to
feel anything for Drew, being this close to him.

“Summer,
what’s wrong?” Drew asked. “You look like you’re about to cry.”

“Just
old memories,” I said. “And even some regrets.”

Drew
nodded. “Want to change the past?”

“No,
not at all,” I said, wiping away my tears. “Whatever happened, happened for a
reason. I’ve learned to accept that a long time ago when Nat left. I learned to
accept a lot of things.”

Drew
put his arms around me and hugged me close. “If it’s any consolation, Summer, I
struggle with my memories and past, too. I can’t for the life of me, remember
everything. I know I have been taking medication for the same kind of illness
my mother has, but I think I’m becoming more forgetful too.”  He steered me
towards the parking garage where his sleek silver Maserati was parked.

“You
are?” I asked, alarmed. This was new development for me. Drew never told me he
was experiencing side effects with his regular medication.

“You’re
a doctor, Summer. What does it mean when you black out sometimes and wake up 
somewhere else? I’ve been doing so lately, but I can’t remember if I’ve done
that before or if something is new.  I’ve seen that happened to my mother once
or twice before.”

We
got into his car, and I sat there, trying to make sense of it all. Could it be
related to his coma? To the coma medicine?

Drew
started his car and said, “This morning, for instance, I woke up and got ready
for work. I came down to the lobby of Donovan Dynamics, and everyone was
looking at me funny. I looked down and saw that I was only wearing my boxers. I
had forgotten to get dressed.”

I
looked at Drew and wished I could kiss him. Poor Drew...what he was going
through. He was literally losing him mind and memories.

“Drew,”
I said, “give me your keys. I’ll drive, not that I don’t trust you, but under
the circumstances of what you just told me, I think it’s best if you just rest
for now.”

He
gave me his keys, and we switched places in his car.

“I
also think we need to get you to my hospital to get examined.”

“So
my get together tonight with the girls is off?” Drew asked.

“I
think it’s best for you to cancel,” I said, gritting my teeth.

“Okay,
Doc,” Drew said. He pulled out his phone and made a few phone calls. “Hello,
Trixi, can’t have that drink with you tonight. Something came up. No, you’re
not being rejected. You’re one hot woman. Why would I do that? You can tell the
girlfriend you were bringing it’s canceled, could you? I like that idea. A
threesome in the tub sounds relaxing. Oh, baby, there’s enough of me to go
around. Don’t sound like that. You can invite another friend to join us for
next time. Okay, talk to you soon.”

I
almost gagged. I guessed I did.

“Are
you alright, Summer?” Drew asked. “It seemed like you were choking.”

“Something
went down the wrong pipe,” I said, coughing.

Drew
opened his glove compartment and took out a water bottle. “Here,” he said
handing it to me.

“Thanks,”
I said, opening it up and swallowing.  I shook my head. “I have forgotten how
you used to be such an unbelievable son of a biotch when it came to women.”

“Excuse
me?” Drew asked as I made my way onto the freeway towards the hospital I worked
at.

“So
1980s,” I said. “Calling women, ‘babes’ and thinking you are just God’s gift to
women. Oh please.”

“Well,
they fell for it, didn’t they?” Drew asked. “If they didn’t like it, why would
they respond so well to it? Who’s the smart one now?”

I
glanced over at Drew and rolled my eyes. Was Drew always this dense?

“Believe
me, only women with the IQ of a bunny would fall for that. Any women with any
sense of dignity would never fall for that. At least, not twice.” I never fell
for Drew’s ‘hey ladies look at me, I’m so hot’ line, didn’t I? Instead I fell
for the sweet sensitive and passionate man that was always there to hold me and
be there for me. That was the Drew I fell for, not this guy, whoever he was.