The Summer I Met You

CHAPTER 7

We stop at a light, and I can't help my wandering eyes. They land on the brunette. I'm a leg guy and hers are pretty great. She keeps them pressed tightly together. My eyes cross over her chest and then up to her face, which she makes sure to keep hidden.

Unable to contain my curiosity anymore, I ask, "Do I know you?"

The words slip out before I have a chance to catch myself. Her hair falls into her face, and I fight the urge to reach over and brush it behind her to get a better look. I've never done that to a girl, even the ones I dated.

"Light's green, Romeo." Alexa chuckles.

My cheeks burn as I look up. Sure enough, the light is green. Even though I get no answer, I'm embarrassed to have asked that question. For the rest of the ride to the shop I stay quiet and attempt to concentrate on the road ahead.

I can finally breathe when we reach the parking lot of the shop. It's almost like the brunette can't get out quick enough when I stop the truck. It takes Alexa a few seconds, but she finally gets the hint and opens the door to get out.

"Alexa, honey, how are you?" Margie asks once we're in the office, like they are best friends.

Alexa lets out a huge dramatic sigh and smacks her hands down on the desk like the world is ending. "Okay, I guess. If my car didn't hate me so much, I'd probably say great."

Margie gives the girl a sympathetic smile as I linger by the door that leads to the shop. The TV hanging across the room hums to life with the Starlien theme song. I glance up just as Lennox Taylor's face appears on screen. Holy shit. My brain finally connects the dots. It hits me like a ton of bricks. That's when, for the first time this afternoon, her green eyes shoot right through me like lasers zeroing in on their target. Lennox Taylor. How could I have not recognized those eyes?

"It's you!"

She stands behind Alexa still attempting to cover her face. Why is she even bothering? The Lennox Taylor I met in the airport would have jumped down my throat the first chance she got. This one is shy and reserved, like she wouldn't hurt a fly.

"It's me," she whispers.

Not wanting to get yelled at again, I head back into the shop area. Alexa's voice drifts as she says something to Lennox, but I ignore it as I shut the door.

***

Hours later I'm at the basketball courts in town, watching Dan shoot hoops by himself. Unlike me Dan is a fan of sports, basketball being his favorite. The ball hits the rim and bounces off towards the bleachers where I sit. He scoops the ball up in his arms and runs over to me.

"Hey man," he says. "You look like you have a lot going on in that head of yours."

I laugh because there's always a lot going on up there. "When do I not?"

Dan rolls the ball in his hands but stays focused on me. "What's up, though?"

I take a moment to find the best approach to this conversation, because he and I don't have the same outlook about the subject matter. In the end I start by saying, "Remember how I said I ran into Lennox Taylor at the airport?"

Dan's face morphs into a dreamy smile. He actually loves the Starlien TV show and has a major thing for Lennox. When I told him about my run in with her at the airport his response was, wish that was me, I would let that girl yell at me anytime she wants.

I'm a little concerned with what he might do with the next bit of information, but I have to tell someone.

"I saw her again."

Dan stops spinning the ball and now I've got his full attention. "Like in a dream? Are You having sexy dreams about her, Maxy boy?"

I roll my eyes. It's times like these when just for a minute I'd like him to be serious.

"No, like in person," I continue, steering the conversation away from the gutter.

He quickly responds. "Where?"

I've created a monster. Now he's going to spend the entire summer searching for her.

"Her friend was the damsel in distress."

His jaw drops open and I'm tempted to close it.

"And you didn't tell me? Or take a picture? Dude, I thought we were friends." He puts a hand on his chest like he's been wounded.

"Of course, I didn't take a picture." I let out a snort, Dan is ridiculous. "Anyway, she recognized me after our airport run in. It was weird though, she acted like she didn't want me to know it was her."

"Maybe she's got the hots for you. I mean you're a prize if I ever saw one."

I shake my head, laughing at Dan's ridiculous comment. "I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment."

He grins. "Damn." He stares off at the court. "How do you get so lucky?"

"You call that lucky?" I scoff.

He ignores that and instead bares his teeth in a grin. "So, who's this friend..."

"No, not going there." I pick up the basketball and chuck it at him.

If the roles were reversed, I'm sure that Dan would be the first person to tell me who the friend was so that it may lead me to Lennox, but I'm not Dan. I don't care if that girl yelled at me and the freaking paparazzi heard it, I'm not going to rat her out so that Dan can go on a wild goose chase to find her. I'm not that kind of guy. No matter how much Dan matters to me, and no matter how much I despise the girl, I won't be that guy.