Page 2 of The Men of Summer
“You need to come back to Seaside, Dante.” I can’t discern what he’s hiding behind his commanding tone.
“Wh—what? No!” Hasn’t he said enough already? Not to my face, but still. My defense mechanisms kick in. “I can’t,” I snap, wondering if he recalls that I’m on tour. “The Music Festival isn’t for another two months… What’s going on anyway?” My lungs ache until a fleeting thought shakes my blinding anger. “Did something happen to Mom? Is that why you’re calling?” My throat constricts.
“Your mom’s fine. She’s at the hospital wit?—”
“How can she be fine if she’s at the hospital?”
“Listen to me, will you?” he growls. His gruff voice is laced with an emotion that I can’t decipher. I stop, incapable of walking. Incapable of talking. Incapable of standing. The ground slips away from under my feet, and I heave an audible sigh whilecollapsing on the California king-size bed. He takes that as his cue to carry on. “She’s at the hospital with Rita.” He hesitates. “Dante, it’s… it’s…”
Is Aunt Rita injured? “What is it, Dad? Spit it out already!”
“It’s Elsie, son.” My heart skips a beat. My mouth goes dry. My eyesight becomes blurry. “She’s in surgery. You should come home, Dante. You two have always been close. I’m sure she’d love to see you when she wakes up.”
I blanche. “What do you mean she’s in surgery?” My dad’s words slowly register. My brain freezes. My dad’s calling. I haven’t spoken to him in years. He’s been calling over and over again. “Is she okay?”
“The doctor says it doesn’t look good. She had a brain aneurysm, Dante. You should come home… please.”
My breath hitches, and my mouth turns parched. I nod as if he can see me. “I’ll be on the next flight.” Then, I hang up on him and fling my phone to the other side of the bed. I splay my palms across my face and try to return my breathing to normal. It fucking aches. I have to regroup… and fast. Elsie needs me.
Eventually, my shaky hand fetches my wallet from the nightstand drawer, and I withdraw an old photo of me and Zayn in Seaside. Zayn’s arm is wrapped around my shoulder, and I’m all smiles because I’m holding my sleeping four-month-old nephew for the first time. Well, godson. His head is resting in the crook of my left elbow, and his torso fits perfectly against my forearm. At the time, I marveled at how tiny he was. I remember worrying that I might drop him. I remember comparing his fair, freckled skin to his mother’s. I remember dwelling on how this tiny human unexpectedly turned Elsie’s world upside down.
I regret that my music kept me from meeting him sooner, especially because they had a huge celebration, and myabuelamade the trip from the Dominican Republic for the occasion. Aside from video chats, I haven’t seen her for months andmissed my godson’s birthday this year due to Coachella. My heart sinks.
“Ohhh, Jeremy.”
CHAPTER 2
LEAVE A LIGHT ON (TALK AWAY THE DARK)
Zayn
Ilie on my side and watch the love of my life sleep on his stomach. Being a stalker has apparently become my new favorite activity since we hurriedly flew back to Oregon.
I let out a loud sigh of relief at the cadence of my man’s snores. Their volume corresponds to his level of exhaustion.
Despite the unfamiliar surroundings, I spring out of bed as discreetly as possible when movement in the corner of the bedroom catches my eye. I don’t have the heart to wake Dante like he requested last night because it’s “his turn.” He needs to rest. Badly. After all, he’ll be back on the road in two days. The last few days have been an emotional rollercoaster for the Reyes family, and him especially.
“Shhh… you’re going to wake him up. Like he told you before bed, he needs his beauty sleep.” I lean over the railing of Jeremy’s crib to collect him, along with a couple of vital items. Teddy bear, check. Pacifier, check. Elsie’s favorite T, check. I halt as we stare at each other. I can’t believe that he managed to stand in hopes of escaping yet again. He offers me atimid, almost apologetic smile. My heart swells. He’s so freaking adorable.
Trying to get my bearings between the rough night and crowded space, I hold him with one arm and murmur at a barely audible volume, “Good morning, sleepyhead. I hope you are well rested.” I nod at his incoherent response, and he steals the bear and the T-shirt full of his mom’s scent, but he must prefer babbling to his pacifier, which he throws back into his crib. I shrug; there are at least two extras in the kitchen.
Jeremy looks up from his position tucked against my bare chest. His big chocolate eyes watch my every move with rapt attention. His warmth is soothing. I exhale, and so does he. In turn, I control my breathing so that he’ll keep relatively quiet until we exit the bedroom.
Will I ever admit to Dante how overjoyed I am at how fast Jeremy and I bonded?
I shake my head at the silly question when his stomach rumbles. “Yeah, yeah… I get the message; you’re starving. Let’s go.” I pause on the threshold and take a look around, wondering if I forgot something when it dawns on me that my phone is on the nightstand.
Strolling back into the bedroom, I grab it and can’t resist immortalizing my Sleeping Beauty. He’s too hot for his own good.
Note to self: Buy a new photo album and add this one!
I clumsily close the door behind us, then cradle Jeremy’s wispy copper curls. They’re so soft; I could do this all day… Actually, that’s not true. There are plenty of other things I’d rather do since I’m wide awake and my boyfriend’s within a half-mile radius, but this trip is of another nature.
For the time being, Jeremy is my priority.
My loud yawn makes Jeremy giggle. “Sorry about that. I haven’t slept much since you arrived.” Napping at the same timethat he does is the most logical option for Dante and me. Ever since Jeremy barged into our lives, I’ve become a light sleeper. Lucky for Dante, he’s been able to sleep through the night.
Jeremy’s tiny hand timidly caresses my stubbled jaw. His sweet gesture leaves a bitter aftertaste. His gaze widens and he frowns, withdrawing his hand like he’s been burnt. Then, he mumbles something, winces, and stares at his palm. His surprise is almost comical. I bet he’s wondering why my skin isn’t as soft as his mom’s.
