Page 46 of Along Came Summer

While everyone in the room is still trying to process the news Ayla, suddenly gasps and jumps out of her seat, “Oh my god, are youengaged?!” she exclaims taking her sister’s hand into hers and studying the diamond engagement ring on her finger.

And there’s the second blow.

“Oh, uh, I probably should have led with that,” Mira winces, looking up at Devin, who rolls his eyes.

“You don’t say.” He utters sardonically.

“Devin asked me in Singapore, and I said yes, we’re getting married and having a baby. Surprise.” Mira declares sheepishly, and both she and Devin jump, startled when the room erupts into cheers and tears of joy while I stand there, jaw clenched tight and my hands fisted at my side, pushing down the urge to storm the fuck out of there.

“Hey, you.” I look up when I hear Mira’s voice, and she walks over to me; her smile falters ever so slightly when our eyes meet.

Keep smiling Levi, don’t let her know that you’re bleeding inside.

“Hi, congratulations, I’m stoked for you both,” I say, pulling her in for a hug. I hear Mira sigh when I give her a gentle squeeze before letting go and stepping back.

“Thank you, Levi.” She takes my hand and squeezes it, and I hate that my stomach flips the way it does at her touch. “You’ll always be special to me. I hope you know that,” she admits, her amber eyes welling up.

I force a smile and nod my head, “And you to me. There's a little corner of my heart with your name written all over it, Mira Evans.” I confess, reaching up to brush away a tear that rolls down her cheek. “But Devin has always been the one, and deep down, we’ve both always known that, even if we did our best to ignore it. So, no hard feelings, kid. I can’t think of two people more deserving of a happily ever after than the two of you.” I affirm, smiling and giving her hand a squeeze before pulling mine out of her hold and walking off out of the house.

I want to be happy for them, and perhaps, eventually, I will be. But in that moment, between the resentment and the suffocating ache in my chest, I couldn’t muster up a speck of merriment to share. Everything has happened so quickly that I’ve barely had time to process it.

I wasn’t lying, though, when I told her that her name was written in a corner of my heart because it truly is. Mira will always hold a special place in my life, whether she’s my brother’s wife or not.

I tried to convince myself that she didn't mean as much to me as I had initially thought, but when I saw her ex-partner, who was clearly unstable and wielding a knife against her, everything became clear. At that moment, I realised how deeply I cared for her because the mere thought of losing her sent a wave of crippling fear through me. And to this day I have never wanted to wrap my hands around someone’s throat and watch the light go out in their eyes as desperately as I did with that son of a bitch.

Closing the front door behind me, I draw in a deep breath to appease the irritation seething inside me. It's hard to believe, but all I want right now is to leave and head back home to Australia, back to Storm, where maybe things can feel normal again.

With a resigned sigh, I start up the matte black Yamaha R6, and it roars to life like a beast. I hop on and pull the sleek black helmet over my head, eager to split. It’s not my BMW roadster I have waiting for me back home, but for now, she'll do just fine.

I need to meditate. My head is a mess; for the first time in a long time, I can’t seem to think clearly. Usually, riding around aimlessly on the bike helps soothe me, but it’s not working. Hours later, after the sun had set, my muscles were still wound tight and burning with agitation.

As the bike comes to a halt, my eyes are drawn to Lovey's Sugar Shack across the street. This was not my intended destination. How did I end up here? Lifting my helmet's tinted visor, I peer through the window and see her, Summer, happily serving a customer with that bright, dimpled smile. I shouldn't be here. I don't deserve to be after the way I left her place that night. It was a beautiful and unexpected evening that we both needed, but I still to this day feel guilty for sneaking out after she fell asleep.

A girl like Summer deserved more. She’s such a kind-hearted girl—hell, I can sense the warmth of her energy from out here. But I couldn't face having the awkward morning-after conversation. Once the alcohol wore off, the reality of what we did hit me hard. Which is why I panicked and left without saying goodbye. What was I supposed to say to her? Thank you for a memorable night, but I’m not really looking to start anything romantic because I’m hung up on another girl. My brother’s girl, no less?

God, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth just thinking about it. Shaking my head, I slap the visor to my helmet shut and ride off down the street.

Screw meditating. I need a fucking drink.

* * *

Six weeks to the wedding.

“Remind me again why I’m here?”

“Could it be because you’re my big brother and one of my best men?” Devin answers as he walks back into the living room. “We have six weeks to the wedding and much to do.”

Serves you right for trying to rush it and plan a wedding in less than three months.

I roll my eyes, toss a handful of Skittles into my mouth and chew while I lay on Devin’s sofa, mindlessly scrolling through social media on my phone. “Uh-huh, and you have yet to tell me what it is I’m doing at this shindig.”

“It’s not a shindig, it’s our wedding.” Mira gripes from the dining table. “Dev, tell him to stop calling our wedding a shindig.”

I laugh sardonically, “You do realise I’molderthan him, right princess?”

Mira spins in her chair and gives me a peeved-off glare. I look over at Devin, “Wow, did she get a new batch of hormones today, or is she just mutating into a bridezilla?”

“Levi, shut up.” Devin hisses as he walks over to a stressed-out Mira and brushes a kiss on the top of her head. “Do you have any idea how stressful it is planning awedding,let alone doing it while pregnant?”

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