Summer With You

Chapter 1 Breakfast Dates

Celine

Sweat gathered at the back of my neck beneath my thick, blonde hair while I waited in line for the small, family-owned, breakfast diner right on the beach.

He was late as usual.

I checked my watch again, sighing in exasperation. He was supposed to be here ten minutes ago. It was typical of him to show up late. Honestly, I shouldn't have been surprised, but it was frustrating.

A couple at the front of the line entered the restaurant to be seated. There were only two more families until it was my turn. Where was he? He knew better than to be late for our Friday morning breakfast date. Nothing was out of the ordinary—we did this every week. Yet, every week, he was late.

I glanced at the parking lot, squinting against the harsh, summer rays. His black truck was still nowhere to be seen. I clenched my jaw. What was so hard about being on time?

Ace, my husband, promised he wouldn't be late today. Lately, he had been working nonstop with my brother, Ryan. They never left the office. I used to be there with them, but lately, the kids had been a handful, and I was beginning to be needed at home more than I was needed at work.

Pulling my phone out of my white purse, I sent a text to my sister-in-law Amber who graciously offered to look after my little boy since he was already a week into his summer vacation after his kindergarten graduation last week. My baby would be six soon and starting 'big kid school' as he often called it.

How's Charlie? - Celine

I watched the screen, hoping my crazy sister-in-law and best friend would answer quickly. I was nervous about leaving him with her. She had her hands full with little Nicky, who was going through every mother's favorite phase—the terrible twos. Not to mention, she was already four months pregnant and in the middle of packing up her house to move across town to something bigger for her forever-growing family.

I looked out at the parking lot again as the line moved just as my phone vibrated in my hand.

Tearing up my house, the little fucker! - Ames

"Excuse me, ma'am. Table for one?" I snapped my eyes up at the young, teenage girl standing in front of me. I closed my mouth, looking between her and my phone. I knew sending my child to her house was a bad idea. I should have just brought him with me to breakfast, but then telling Ace my news wouldn't be just about us anymore, and we needed this alone time. Where the hell was he?

"Uh, no. Table for two." The girl's questioning gaze darts around the space for a brief moment. "My husband is just running a few minutes late," I explained.

"Oh, I'm sorry, but I can't seat you until the party is complete." Was this girl serious? She couldn't seat a table for two without Ace being here?

I smiled at the young hostess. Ace and I had been coming to this restaurant for almost five years now. We'd never been declined a table, but then again, he'd also never been this late. Just as I was about to come up with some excuse as to why my darling husband was late, a familiar, tanned arm wrapped around my waist, shocking the hell out of me.

"Sorry I'm late, Princess." His familiar cologne instantly wrapped around me, and my spiking heart rate dropped at the warmth and sincerity in his soothing voice. He brushed a kiss to my temple, and I watched the girl's eyes grow large at the sight of my sexy-as-sin husband.

Twelve years later, he still made my heart skip a beat. And twelve years later, he still made every girl within seeing distance of him swoon.

"Right this way," the hostess mumbled as she began to lead us through the old, worn, mahogany doors into the cold, air-conditioned diner that was alive with noise. From the conversations of the other guests to the loud clanging of dishes being washed in the kitchen, the place was booming. It was easily one of the most popular breakfast diners where we lived.