One Summer Isn't Enough (Summer, #4)

chapter 13

BELLY

The next morning when I wake up, I panic for a second because I don't know where I am. But then I register Conrad's arm around me, pulling me close to him. I look around and remember that I'm in Boston, and this time not on a trip.

As if he can hear my thoughts, Conrad comes to wake and rubs his eyes. "What time is it?" he asks groggily.

I turn my head to glance at the alarm clock. "7:45," I tell him, brushing the hair out of his eyes.

He closes his eyes and smiles, murmuring, "God, I love waking up next to you. And now you're staying." He says this like he can't actually believe it's real, and it makes my heart melt. With his eyes closed, he leans in and laughs softly when he feels my lips on his.

Plopping back onto the pillow, he rubs his eyes awake and sits up halfway, propping his arm up to support his head. Tucking a lock of hair behind my ear, he reminds me, "Today's your first day at the new publishing house."

I nod, taking a breath. As much as I was dying to finally move in with Conrad, I really loved the last publishing house. Even if it wasn't what I wanted to do for my whole life, it was a really nice environment. And I don't know what this one's going to be like.

"Are you nervous?" he asks, like he can read whats going through my head. I think about it, and then reply, "Not really, because today's supposed to be a kind of testing-the-waters kind of day. But...I don't know, you know how I feel about new jobs."

He laughs. "True. You complained about that one Micheals job for a solid month. And I had to be on the receiving end for a majority of it."

I smack him with a pillow and he laughs harder. "Shut up! We can't all be saving lives left and right like you do."

He rolls his eyes, tracing his index finger back and forth on my palm. "Okay, the saving lives thing sounds like publicizing for Grey's Anatomy. I'm an oncologist, Belly. Not very much action there."

I put a finger on his lips before he says more. "What you do is amazing, Con. And it takes a lot of time and effort."

"Okay, okay. But you can't degrade your job if I can't degrade mine. Deal?"

"Deal."

After an hour, I'm showered and dressed and am sipping coffee out of the seashell-patterned mug Conrad knows I love. He bounds down the stairs a few minutes later, looking handsome as ever in a light-gray polo tucked into navy slacks, his hair still damp from his shower. I've opted for a belted v-neck sheath dress in a tan plaid pattern–Taylor made me buy it when we went shopping during my last visit to Florida. Conrad sees me and whistles in the cheesiest way, like I'm a showgirl, and I cover my face and laugh. We grab our stuff–computer bags, keys, phones–and get in his car. He wanted to drop me off on my first day, even though that means he has to pick me up at the end of the day, too. But he insisted on being there for my first day.

I didn't eat anything since I didn't feel very hungry this morning, which is unusual because I'm usually starving after 8:30, but I packed a croissant in my purse in case I get hungry.

When we get to the house, the butterflies in my stomach have made a reappearance and I'm suddenly all nervous inside. Conrad sees me taking a deep breath before opening the door and stops me. "Hey, hey, hey."

I look over at him and attempt a brave smile. I think it came out looking more like a grimace, though.

He turns towards me and runs his fingers along the bottom of my hair. "Belly, it's going to go great. You're so massively talented and you have so much experience under your belt already! You'll be fine," he says, adding, "More than that. You'll flourish."

That was just what I needed to hear. As he was saying it, my heart ached because of how much he reminded me of Susannah. He looked so much like her in that moment, with the same blue eyes and laugh lines just beginning to show up. The way he ended his pep talk with a dramatic word, like she always would. But that gives me hope, and it makes me braver; I need to do this, to make Susannah proud.

I nod determinedly and run my hand over his cheek, kissing him gently before opening the car door. "I'll see you at five, okay?"

He smiles and nods. "I love you. You'll be great, okay?"

I blow a kiss at him. "I love you too, Connie. Drive safe! I'll text you when things are settled."

He waves again before driving off, and I'm on my own. I got this, though. With two of my favorite people freshly in my mind, how could I not?