Page 80 of The Monster I Loved
“Can you both do me one favor? Just be open to each other, for yourselves and the baby.”
We agreed.
As we made our way to work, Summer read something on her phone that made her cry.
“Bad news?”
She wiped her face. “Mr. Dorman died.”
He was a very old man. It wasn’t exactly a shock. I patted Summer’s arm and controlled the wheel with my free hand.
“He had a good life. Someone like Mr. Dorman, with so many family memories, isn’t regretful when their time is up.”
Summer was in a somber mood the rest of the day. I didn’t need any added confirmation that I’d fallen for her, but thefact my mood plummeted with hers was proof that this was no mistake. I wanted to see her happy. Her, our child, all of us.
I suggested she go home early, rest up, and we’d meet later. The outing I’d been dreading now seemed the perfect way to lift her spirits.
After an early dinner,we walked down Main Street and turned off a side street to patronize a grand opening. Tarrytown now had a karaoke bar! Normally, this wasn’t my vibe, but it was Daisy’s birthday. I wasn’t her biggest fan, but Summer was, and so I was in attendance. I sat in the back of the booth, sipping a drink from a plastic cup and ignoring the scratchy material of the cushion beneath me. The lighting was too bright, and the art on the wall was hideous, but I couldn’t have been happier to be there alongside Henry as Summer took her turn on the microphone. Henry wrinkled his face, and I furrowed my brow at him.
I tapped his shoulder. “You okay?”
Widening his eyes, Henry pointed at Summer.
Looking from him to her and back, I was more confused. “What?”
Seconds passed as Henry stared at me. “Don’t you hear it?”
Hear what? Summer was singing a love ballad by Whitney Houston, and I’d been back here telling myself it was meant for me.
“She sounds terrible.”
My mouth peeled back in a snarl. Henry obviously needed to get his ears checked. This was my first time hearing Summer sing, but she had a voice that could win awards.
“Stop joking!” I said.
The notes she swung out at the chorus gave me chills. I was pretty sure you only got those from the best vocalists. Hell, I didn’t think I’d even moved this much when Whitney was on stage.
Taking a swig of his beer, Henry looked at me. “You mean she isn’t hurting your ears too? Are you wearing earplugs?”
A streak of annoyance shot through me. I had to pause for a moment and loosen my balled fists, reminding myself that Henry liked to joke around. “Stop playing.”
Henry arched a brow. “Wait, you really like it?”
We sat next to each other, both of us waiting for the other to admit they were pulling the other’s leg.
“Damn, you have it bad, man.” Henry shook his head, smiling. “Really bad if you can pretend she’s not only singing off-key but completely ruining that song.”
Slamming my beer onto the table, I looked away from him and at Summer. I tuned out the music and really listened to her sing.Yep, just as I thought, the voice of an angel.
Daisy and Eden came to the booth to grab a beer.
Eden gave me a pained look. “Guess it’s up to you to keep Summer away from karaoke for the rest of her life.”
Hearing her words, Henry spat his beer all over his shirt and the table.
Ignoring him, I looked at Daisy. “IS she bad?”
“Bad would be an improvement,” Daisy muttered.
