Lasting Summer - [Loving Summer 05] (7 page)

Chapter
11

Summer

I
met with Cooper
again at the beach the following weekend after having lunch again at Errol
King’s Oyster House.

We worked on shooting footage at the
beach, and I helped film a bit of him talking about the beach, talking about
the history of Malibu and how there were pirate caves hidden all over Malibu.

“Summer,” Cooper said. “You’re a natural
in front of the camera. How about I film you sharing what you love most about
this place? I want to capture the essence of a place by showing how a place can
affect people.”

“Oh, Cooper, but this is about your
story, your view. It shouldn’t be about me. I’m not the star of your
documentary.”

Cooper put his hands on my shoulders and
brought my chin up to look into his eyes. “Summer, since I met you, you’ve
opened up an entirely new way of life for me. You’ve become a part of my world
so what you say about this place, matters to me.”

He leaned in close, and I closed my
eyes. I’ve just met him, but our bond has been so strong, it felt as though
I’ve known him all my life.

I waited for his kiss and waited. I
opened my eyes to see Cooper staring at me, his eyes full of sadness.

Was he thinking of his ex-girlfriend?

Was he still heartbroken and unable to
move on?

Since spending more time with Cooper and
getting involved in his documentary; I was able to step away from Aunt Sookie’s
Academy, from Drew, and even Rachel for a while, and not get consumed with the
turmoil I felt from all of that. I needed some time and space away from them,
just to clear my head. Cooper had been the medicine I needed to help me heal
from the loss of my family – Aunt Sookie and the Donovans.

But was I ready for another romantic
relationship again?

Was I ready to start something with
Cooper, although both of our hearts have been broken recently?

Cooper made that decision for both of us
by dropping his hands from my face and stepping back. “Um, I’d like very much
to have your commentary on this beach, this place, and what it means to you,
Summer. I know it holds a special meaning for you so I want to capture that
love and passion you have. It is that love which makes a place thrive. Without
it, it is like a plant without the sun, and it will wither and die.”

I smiled. “Sure, Cooper, I will be
honored to be part of your film. But I’m not even dressed for it. I mean I’m
just wearing a tank top and shorts. I don’t even have makeup on.”

“Trust me, Summer,” he said, using his
finger to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, “You don’t need anything else to
make you beautiful.”

My heart jumped for a second before
settling down. Cooper just called me beautiful.

“Are you sure?” I asked. “I mean I know
how the camera tends to wash people out and…”

“You are perfect the way you are,
Summer,” Cooper said.

My heart jumped again for a second time,
as my mind had a moment of déjà vu thinking where did I hear something like
that once.

My Perfect Summer.

It was what Nat called me in his last
letter to me.

At that realization, I was brought back
to the state of mind when I read it. Elation that Nat was alive, sadness for
finding out he was alive just to have him walk away from me forever, and anger
for not telling me earlier, for keeping secrets from me.

“Are you alright?” Cooper asked leaning
in.

“I’m just remembering a few memories
about my ex and…”

Cooper wrapped his arms around me. “Try
not to think about it. It can overwhelm you if you delve on sad things.
Besides, you’re here to give me moral support, right? Quit thinking about
yourself, and help me film this documentary,” he joked.

“True,” I said. “I…”

“No, ‘I’ this,” Cooper scolded me. “It’s
‘Cooper, where do you want me to stand?’ ‘Cooper, how about if I say this?’
‘Cooper, can I get you anything since you look parched, and ready to keel over
from thirst?’ ‘Cooper…how about we stop by my place and I invite you in so we
can get to see what makes Summer tick?’ ‘Cooper…’”

“Are you trying to tell me something?” I
asked dryly.

“Focus on me, Summer, and you won’t go
back into that place of darkness. I don’t want you to go there, and as someone
who cares about you, I will be there to help you through it, just like you’re
doing this for me.”

“Thank you, Coop,” I said, leaning my
head on his chest. “I needed that.”

“Coop?” Cooper asked.

“Yeah, it’s short for Cooper. I think
it’s time I start calling you by your nickname.”

“Do I need to have one?” he asked.

“I tend to give nicknames to people I
have an affection for,” I said. “So, you’re Coop.”

“And you’re Sum,” Cooper said.

“Yup!” I laughed.

Cooper ruffled my hair with his hand and
pulled me in close for a hug. “You’re crazy, you know that?”

“So I’ve been told.”

“Crazy, beautiful, funny, passionate…”
Cooper’s eyes roamed around my face before settling down on my lips.

I made a face, sticking my tongue out,
hoping to be as silly as possible to break his gaze or I would be in serious
trouble wanting him to kiss me.

Cooper laughed. “And adorable.”

“I’m trying to live up to my namesake,”
I said. “Being all sunny and happiness…you know being Summer.”

“You don’t have to try,” Cooper said
softly, his fingers back up to cup my chin. “You are.”

“Uh huh,” I squeaked. Damn he was so
gorgeous and sexy staring at me with those expressive beautiful soulful eyes.

He was staring at me again as though he
was trying to decide what to do. His expression grew from soulful to darker in
a matter of seconds.

Oh uh…now it was my turn to keep him
from going down the rabbit hole.

“Hey listen Cooper, my house is just a
short walk down the beach. Let’s go there. I can freshen up for the filming,
and you can get something to drink. I think you mentioned you were parched?”

That broke his gaze from my lips and he
smiled slowly in a way that again made my inner lustful self say, “Hot damn
that man is scorching hot.”

“Alright, Summer,” Coop said. “Take me
to your palace.”

I grabbed his hand, and pulled him
through the sand towards the Pad. I think I knew him well enough to trust him
knowing where I lived. We reached the steps leading up to the house, when he
stopped, looked around and grinned happily.

“It hasn’t changed,” he muttered.

“What?” I asked.

“Oh, just talking to myself,” he said.

“You look like you recognize this
place,” I said. “Have you been here before?”

We walked up the steps past the pool and
into the house where I led him to the kitchen. “If you sit here, I’ll get you
something to drink. What do you want? Soda? Juice? Water?”

“I’ll just have water,” he said looking
around.

I got a glass out of the cupboard, added
some ice, and filled it with a bottle of water from the refrigerator. I turned
around to hand Cooper the glass, but bumped into his chest. I almost dropped
the glass, as Cooper steadied me, took the glass and placed it on the counter
next to him.

“You scared me,” I said a little shook
up.

“Sorry I snuck up on you. I was just
wanting to lend you a hand.”

“It’s alright,” I said into his chest.
God he smelled good. Masculine, clean, and a little musky.

He looked down at me, “Summer…” he
began, his eyes filled with pain. “There’s something I…”

I held my breath.

“Oh hi!” Rachel walked out of her room
with a duffle bag. “I was just heading out. I booked a commercial, and it’s up
at San Fran so I’m flying there right now.”

“Rachel!” I went to her. She didn’t smile,
and I didn’t blame her. It had been awkward between us, when I broke up with
Drew and refused to talk to him for weeks, which she was against.

“Um, Astor will be at the Academy
covering for my class so…”

“That’s nice of Astor,” I said, actually
relieved I did listen to him and sold a part of the Academy to him.

“Yeah,” Rachel said carefully. “Astor’s
been incredible. It was a shame how you had to break up with him.”

“He broke up with me,” I said.

“Whatever. He’s too nice of a guy to
deserve having his heart broken.”

“What?”

“Well, hopefully he’d be different once
I come back from San Fran,” Rachel said. “Because it seems, you’ve already
moved on from him, from Drew, and even Nat!” She glanced over at Cooper who had
taken a seat at the kitchen island…the seat Nat usually sat in when he was
here. How appropriate, I thought.

For a moment Rachel seemed frozen as she
looked at Cooper. Then she shook her head. “Nah, it couldn’t be.”

“What couldn’t be?” I asked.

“Never mind. I must be just seeing
things. Anyways, I’m outta here, and um, whoever you are…”

“Cooper,” I said.

“Nice to meet you,” she said. “Just know
you’re in line with some pretty amazing guys for her so if you even want a
chance with her, you treat her right, not like my knucklehead brother Drew.”
With that, she walked out the door.

Despite whatever was going on between me
and her, whatever was going on between she and Astor, or even with Drew; I
still loved her like a sister. And she still had my back.

Cooper had an amused grin on his face as
his eyebrows cocked up in a question. “So…what’s going on with her?”

“She’s my best friend from babyhood, and
she lives with me here now that she’s going to USC for her freshman year. But
she and I…we just went through some pretty heavy stuff, not just about my ex,
who happened to be her twin. And my other ex, who happened to be her older
brother. I think me not being with either one of them had strained my
relationship with her.”

Cooper smiled. “Rachel, is it? She seems
pretty tough yet vulnerable inside. I can understand what she’s going through,
but in the end, it’s your life. You can’t live your life to please Rachel. In
the end, whomever you end up with will be your choice and no one else’s. Give
Rachel some time. Check up with her, talk to her, be her friend and sister. It
seemed she needs you more than she let on.”

I nodded. “You’re so wise,” I said. “Are
you sure you’re not an old man in some hot young guy’s body? Oh, did I just say
that?”

Cooper laughed. “So you think I’m hot?”

I blushed.

He came up to me and took my arms in his
hand, leading me to sit on the sofa next to him. “Do you think I’m as hot as
that Peacock in class?” he whispered close to my ears. “I have to admit, Sum, I
find you pretty hot yourself…”

“I’m…”

The front door opened, and I jumped up
from my seat. Who could that be?

A beautiful woman in her mid-40s with
long flowing chestnut hair and green eyes walked in. She was clad in a khaki
linen suit that flattered her trim athletic frame. From how glamorous she
looked, you wouldn’t believe she was an officer in the army, but in special
intelligence.

“Mom!” I cried, running to her.

“Summer!” she said, hugging me tight. “I
still can’t get over how big you’ve gotten while I was out fulfilling my
missions.”

“Are you going to stay before taking off
again?” I asked. “I mean…”

“I know what you mean,” she said,
patting my cheeks. “I have some time off, but I will be sent off again. It’s my
call of duty.”

“I know. I understand,” I said.

“I’m just glad you got a chance to grow
up with your Aunt Sookie when she was alive,” she said. “She was a remarkable
woman, Summer. I see a lot of her in you, and I’m glad she rubbed off on you
like you were her own child.”

I gulped, not wanting to cry,
remembering Aunt Sookie, her illness, and her sudden death.

“But duty calls in another way,” Mom
said. “The Donovans. We’re very close, Summer, you have to remember that.
They’ve helped me out so much when I needed help, like getting me back home to
you this last time, so I’m going out there to help take care of Nadine. Since
Nat left and since Drew moved here, she’s now being taken care of by a live-in
nurse. Nothing against that nurse, but she’s not family so I’m going there to
stay with her for the next few week or even a month or so before I get sent
overseas on another mission.”

“That’ll be what Mrs. Donovan needs,” I
said. “Yes, you should go. Don’t worry about me.”

“I came here to see you and to tell you
where I’m going. I also see you seem to be doing just fine. I know you are. We
Jones women, we’re from pretty strong stock, you know,” Mom said. “Aunt Sookie,
myself, and you. We are survivors, don’t you forget that.”