Page 41 of Paging Dr. Summers

Part of me wanted to tell her that her mom was nuts, and you can’t tell someone they have to have a summer fling. Relationships weretricky—even the transient ones. Sometimes things just didn’t click. You couldn’t force it. “If it doesn’t happen, don’t beat yourself up about it.”

“I’ll try not to, but maybe Roman will be the one.”

Who the hell was Roman?

“Roman?” I questioned, feeling a new weight in my gut.

“Oh.” she perked up. “Lola is setting me up on a blind date with him this week. We’re going to double with her and Alejandro, her on-and-off-again boyfriend. But let’s talk about something else.” She strung her arm through mine.

I wanted more information about this Roman. And how was it she was already ingratiating herself with the likes of the Harrington family? They were practically Aspen Lake royalty.

“I feel like we need to catch up. How’s work?”

Brooke’s touch immediately made me relax and forget about this Roman character. Her fingers were warm and gentle, and her skin was soft and silky, reminding me how much I missed a woman’s touch. Her scent enveloped me—it was perfectly feminine.

I was so wrapped up in her, I could hardly think. I knew she had asked me something, but I didn’t care what the question was—I only hoped the answer had something to do with her staying next to me. She didn’t need a summer fling. Maybe she could settle for a summer of friendship. I would be her willing victim.

“Logan? Did you hear me? How’s work?”

Work? Yes. Work.

“It’s better,” I said offhandedly, trying to shake off the pull Brooke had on me, all the while wanting to give in to it.

“Better? Was something wrong?”

“Me,” I admitted.

She shot me a quizzical glance. “You?”

“Yes, I had forgotten for a while that my job was more than physically healing people. I forgot that sometimes a listening ear and my time heal as much or more. You reminded me of that.”

“Aww, Logan.” She leaned into me more. “You’re going to make me cry.”

“All right,” our guide, Rico, called. “Here’s our first of tenplatforms.” I hadn’t realized we’d walked so far. Brooke was far too easy to get lost in.

Brooke gave my arm a squeeze. “I’m so excited.”

I realized I was too. It had been so long since I’d felt anything other than loss and dread, I’d forgotten what it felt like to be happy. I’d forgotten I could go on adventures. Probably because the greatest adventures I’d ever been on were with Erica. She would plan the most elaborate vacations, making sure we hit every tourist attraction. Surely, she wouldn’t begrudge me an adventure with a friend ... even if that friend was a beautiful woman.

In my heart, I knew she would want me to be happy. Probably just not long-term happy with someone like Brooke. Erica would pick someone like her friend Zuri. In fact, she’d once joked I could marry Zuri in the event of her death. That was never going to happen. Zuri, while intelligent and beautiful, and driven like Erica, lacked a certain warmth I desired in a partner. The kind of warmth Brooke had in spades.

“Up first are Brooke and Logan,” Rico informed us.

“Yes!” Brooke put up her hand to high-five me.

I slapped my hand against hers, and for the briefest moment, she curled her fingers around mine. Embarrassed, she let go and rushed to the ladder.

As I followed her, I wondered if perhaps she shared some of my same more-than-friendly thoughts. But then I remembered she was going on a date with Roman and that she was bound and determined to find a summer fling.

“Careful on your way up,” Rico instructed. “Shawn is there waiting for you.”

Brooke smiled at me before she began her climb. “I’ll see you at the top.”

Why did every word that came out of her mouth sound so good?

“How long are you in town?” Shawn was asking Brooke by the time I made it up the ladder.

It sounded like Brooke was already making friends. I had to say I didn’t care for the way Shawn’s eyes were roving over her. I was beginningto think Brooke was a man magnet. At this rate, she was definitely going to find her fling.

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