When Summer makes a bet with his best friend to remain romance free for the summer it seems easy to him. He has rarely dated or had much interest in dating and it's the last thing on his mind right now as he recovers from a bad depressive episode.
S...
This is the song I listened to the most while writing this chapter. There's link in my bio to my Summer Sunshine playlist
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The warm, slightly sweet scent of pancakes greets Summer when he goes down to the kitchen the next morning. He's never really liked pancakes much but he loves the way his grandpa makes them.
He doesn't even use a recipe. Not a written one anyway. He makes pancakes the way his mother taught him and she made them the way her mother taught her. He in turn taught Aurora, Aurélie and Ivy. Now Aurora is teaching Hailey. Several attempts were made by Aurélie and Ivy to teach Summer but they eventually gave up.
"We will teach your partner one day," Patrick had told Summer. "They will be family after all."
I wonder if Caleb—Summer stops the thought abruptly. He is not going to think about Caleb right now.
The kitchen is empty of everyone but Patrick. He is at the stove piling fluffy pancakes in a plate. "Good morning, mon étoile. Did you sleep well?"
Summer hadn't but he nods anyway. He's not in the mood for sympathy or concern today. "I'm sorry about what happened yesterday."
"You have nothing to apologize for, Summer," Patrick says. "It was good that you spoke up. Have some breakfast."
Summer accepts the plate of pancakes heaped in strawberries and cream that his grandpa offers him. "Where is everyone else?"
"Hailey is in the garden picking flowers with your mother. Agathe went into town to buy ice cream. Your aunt is still sleeping."
"I'm up now," Aurora comes into the kitchen looking only half awake with her golden hair still a little rumpled from sleeping.
She had cut her hair to her shoulders after Aurélie died in an attempt to look a little less like her twin. But she still looks so much like her that sometimes it hurts Summer to look at her.
"I see dad made pancakes for your second birthday celebration," Aurora says sitting down at the table. "It was always one of my favorite traditions."
"Mine too."
"Cinnamon and sugar topping?" Patrick asks his daughter.
"Yes, but I can do it, dad," she says starting to get up.
"No, no," Patrick waves a hand at her to sit back down. "Let me."
Aurora shakes her head but she sits back down. "He spoils us."
"He enjoys it," Summer says. Doing things for people seemed to be Patrick's favorite way of showing love. Caleb is like that too.
"I've missed it," Aurora admits.
"Me too." Summer absently stabs a strawberry with his fork. "How long are you staying in France?"
"We'll be here until the end of June and then I'm taking Hailey to spend a month with her dad while I work on some projects. You and Ivy leave tomorrow morning, don't you?"
