Waiting For Summer
“No, he isn’t an ex. Just a friend.”
“If he’s only a friend, why are you being so secretive?”
After she’d finished taping the box back up, Summer stacked some unopened boxes on top of it. She admired Danni’s determination when it came to Bare Sophistication customers. However, in this case, she wished she’d drop it.
“I’m not being secretive. I just prefer not to discuss it.”
“Not being secretive?” Danni walked over to Summer and reenacted Summer’s reaction to the box when she first opened it. “If you hadn’t looked like your hand got caught in the cookie jar, I never would have asked who was in the photo.”
Summer was still trying to formulate a response when Nicole LeBlanc and Aaliyah Bai came strolling into the boutique.
“Hey, ladies,” Aaliyah said as she glanced around the shop. “Looks like you got a lot done this morning.”
“Here you go.” Nicole handed Summer a chai tea latte and Danni her usual cup of coffee. “We figured you both would need nourishment for the all-nighter we’re about pull.”
Summer and Danni only had two months to get the entire boutique ready for the grand opening. Luckily, Aaliyah and Nicole had offered to help. Since Danni had been born in Miami, she knew Nicole from high school. Nicole had been nice enough to meet Summer for lunch when she first arrived in Miami, and they immediately realized they shared a love for fashion and beauty. Nicole was an extremely talented makeup artist and Aaliyah was a beauty photographer who’d met Summer and Nicole at a beauty trade show. The three quickly formed a friendship, which grew even stronger when Danni arrived.
“What did we miss?” Aaliyah asked.
“Nothing much,” Danni said as she took a sip of coffee. “Only Summer refusing to tell me about her friend. Her guy friend slash ex-boyfriend. I’m not sure.”
“Recent ex-boyfriend or past ex-boyfriend?” Nicole asked.
“Is he cute, average or really attractive?” Aaliyah asked. “Or is he the so-sexy-I-still-see-him-in-my-dreams type of ex?”
Summer cut her eyes at Danni. “How is it that in less than ten minutes you’ve already started gossip circulating in the office?”
“Girl, please. It’s not gossip. I know you were the one in that photo. He looked cute, but I didn’t get a good glance. And this is hardly an office. Right now, the boutique is still under construction, and even after renovations are complete, the shop definitely won’t have an office feel.”
Summer sipped her chai tea latte and started unpacking another box. She didn’t want to talk about the photo. She considered all the women in the room friends, but she still didn’t feel inclined to be the topic of conversation. Thankfully, they moved on to another conversation and didn’t push her any further. This evening, they had to focus on organizing all the boxes, racks and displays, and develop some sort of unpacking system for the next few weeks. The guy in the photo had caused enough distractions to last her a lifetime. Even though Summer had Danni to help her, she still had a lot on her plate and none of the tasks on her to-do list included thinking about him.
* * *
Aiden Chase stepped into the building that Palmer Lane Photography was renting for the next year and breathed out a sigh of accomplishment. He’d been a fashion photographer at Palmer Lane for eight years. After having several successful exhibits in Los Angeles and New York, he was finally getting a chance to present his work at Palmer Lane’s debut Miami exhibit studio.
“I really like the space you’ve chosen.”
“Thanks,” Aiden said to his friend Daxton Perry. Daxton was Aiden’s business manager at Palmer Lane Photography. The two had been assigned to work together right after Aiden had joined the company. When Aiden called Daxton and told him he’d found the perfect Miami location for the photo exhibit, Daxton had agreed to fly in from Los Angeles and view the space.
“I got approval to fill out the contract if I agreed that the space was exactly what we were looking for. When we finalize the theme and reach out to the two other photographers, we can start getting everything else into place.”
Being one of the top fashion photographers at Palmer Lane had its benefits. Aiden’s exhibits in LA and New York had been considerably smaller and he hadn’t been the featured photographer in any of his showcases. This Miami showcase was his time to shine. His career was at an all-time high.
“Sounds like a plan. I was hoping you liked the place. Were you able to talk to the team about me residing in Miami for the next six months before I head to Qatar for International Fashion Week in Doha?”
“Yes, they agreed that you should stay in Miami and we’ll cover the cost of living and any travel expenses for photo shoots you may have for the duration of your time here. I’ll probably travel back and forth to Miami for a couple months, too, until we get the ball rolling.”
“Great, because I’m staying at a hotel now, but I already found the place I want to stay temporarily.”
“Why am I not surprised,” Daxton said with a laugh. “Ever since I approached you with this Miami opportunity, you’ve been more involved than I’ve ever seen you for any other project. What are you not telling me?”
Aiden appreciated Daxton’s friendship, but he valued his work ethic and keen business sense even more. At thirty-two, Dax was just as driven as he had been at twenty-four when they’d first met. Just last month, he’d been promoted to director of business development; however, he’d agreed to continue being Aiden’s business manager since the two had formed a tight bond. Dax was well on his way to becoming vice president of business development for Palmer Lane.
“Nothing to tell. Just excited to be the headline photographer for this exhibit.” That was only partially true. Yes, Aiden was excited about the exhibit, but he was even more excited about a certain someone who was opening a boutique a few blocks away from the location of the Palmer Lane exhibit space.
“I have a few calls to make so that we can lock in this property. Do you have dinner plans?” Dax asked as they stepped out the building into the fresh Miami air. It was nearing six o’clock in the evening, so it wasn’t as crowded in Miami Beach as it had been midday. Most people were probably getting ready for a night out.
Aiden glanced down the street in the direction of the one location he’d been thinking about since he’d arrived two days ago. “Umm, I actually do have plans.” Or, at least, I hope I’ll have plans. “How about we meet in the morning?”
“I’m on a red-eye flight tonight, so call me. I’ll be at the office.” Dax took out his smartphone and was already dialing away as he walked back to his car. Aiden didn’t feel like driving back to his hotel. In fact, there was only one place he felt like being and before he could contemplate his next move, his feet were already walking in the opposite direction of his car.
According to Google maps, the address Summer’s sister Winter had given him meant that their new shop was only four blocks away. Although he’d briefly seen Summer a couple years ago, when she was leaving their high school reunion, he couldn’t believe that he finally had the chance to really see her after all this time. There was a time in his life he’d spent every day with Summer. She may not miss him as much as he missed her, but she’d been on his mind a lot lately.
Man, who am I kidding? Summer Dupree hadn’t just been on his mind lately. She’d been on his mind constantly since the first day she walked into his kindergarten class.
Twenty-five years ago...
“Class, I’d like you all to meet Summer Dupree. She’s new to town, so I want you all to give her a warm welcome.”
Aiden looked up from the cartoon picture he was coloring to see the new student. It was a girl. A pretty girl in a pink floral dress.
“Aiden, Summer’s going to be your buddy,” his teacher said as she walked Summer over to him. “So be nice to her.”
“Yes, Mrs. Perkins,” he said as Summer took a seat next to him. There were six other students at their table, and until Summer had arrived, he’d been the only one without a buddy since Clarke’s family had moved.
“Hi, I’m Aiden.” Instead of returning his greeting, she turned to talk to the girls at the table. He was a little disappointed that she didn’t want to talk to him, but he kept coloring his picture. A few minutes later, he heard one of the girls asking her to repeat her name. When she did, they snickered a little. Aiden couldn’t be sure, but laughing at her name seemed wrong. Though Summer just laughed it off, before long, the whole table was repeating Summer’s name and laughing.
Aiden stared at the new girl a little longer. She may be laughing along with them, but her eyes looked sad. He stopped coloring his picture and leaned toward her.
“What’s your name again?” he asked. She looked confused.
“Summer.” Her voice was really low, as if she assumed he was asking for the same reason the others had. Aiden smiled as big as he could and made sure the other students were listening.
“You have the best name ever! Summer days are the best.”
All the other kids began to nod their heads in agreement before returning to coloring their pictures. To his surprise, Summer laughed and leaned over to give him a quick hug. “Thank you, Aiden,” she whispered to him.
“You’re welcome.” Her big round eyes didn’t seem sad anymore and that made him happy. She even scooted her chair closer to him.
“Want to help me color my picture?” Summer asked. Aiden glanced around the table noticing that no other kids were coloring together. When he looked back at Summer, he didn’t know why, but he wanted to do anything she wanted to do.
“Yeah, I can help you.” They colored for the rest of the time in silence. Usually around this time all Aiden thought about was recess and lunch. Not today. Today was different. Today he was more excited to learn about the girl sitting next to him than he was about anything else.
Chapter 2
“Are we going to take a break and eat soon?” Nicole asked.
“Sure, how about we head down the street to that Cuban restaurant in an hour?” Summer suggested.
“That works,” Nicole responded. “There’s only so much coffee and tea I can drink. I need food. Or chocolate. Or wine. Hmm, maybe all three.”
The women shared a laugh.
“Speaking of chocolate, I almost forgot to tell you guys what I heard,” Aaliyah said. “I know we all frequently check out popular magazines for what’s hot and new in fashion, so you won’t believe who’s in Miami right now.”
“Who?” Danni asked.
“Well, he’s tall and milk chocolate with the type of body that all sex dreams are made of.”
Danni huffed. “That could be anybody depending on your type.”
“He’s also well traveled, under thirty-five and rumor has it that it’s not just his looks that are deadly. He has the personality to match.”
“Idris Elba,” Nicole guessed.
“She said under thirty-five,” Summer said with a laugh.
“Well, he’s sexy and chocolate, so Idris is always my first choice. Is it Michael B. Jordan?” Nicole guessed again.
Aaliyah shook her head, indicating that wasn’t right, either. “It’s someone who works in the fashion industry, but is occasionally in magazines just as much as his work.”
Summer froze just as she was picking up another box. Call it intuition, but she didn’t think she liked where this conversation was headed. She didn’t say photographer, so maybe it’s not him.
“And he just so happens to be one of the top fashion photographers of today.”
The box slipped slightly in her hand when Aaliyah finished her statement. Sure enough, Sherlock Danni was observing her every move.
“Can you nix the details and just tell us who it is?” Nicole asked.
“Aiden Chase,” Aaliyah said, clasping her hands together in excitement. “Another photographer I know spotted him walking down the street yesterday.”
Summer put on her best poker face as Danni continued to watch her.
“Are you okay, Summer? You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.”
“Yep, I’m fine.”
“Really?” Danni walked over to Summer and lifted the box that kept slipping out of her hands, placing it on the floor. Summer was grateful, until Danni spoke again.
“Aaliyah, I’ve heard of him before, but what else do you know about him? Since you’re a photographer, I know you’re more familiar with him than I am.”
“I don’t know much. Just that he’s thirty years old. His work in South Africa is getting a lot of recognition right now. He lives in Los Angeles, but oftentimes, is on the New York fashion scene and he grew up in New Jersey.”
“Oh, New Jersey. You don’t say?” Danni was speaking to the group, but looking solely at Summer in curiosity. Summer gave Danni her best can-you-please-drop-it? look and, to her surprise, Danni nodded her head in agreement. She then walked over to the sound system they had recently installed and turned the music up a little louder. It didn’t matter that Danni had dropped the issue, because now Summer’s mind was racing with thoughts about Aiden.
Why didn’t he tell me he was coming to Miami? And why didn’t he contact me as soon as he got here? Even though they hadn’t seen each other in eight years—with the exception of that brief eye lock a couple of years ago—they still remained in contact with each other. He was once her best friend in the whole world. They may have had some disagreements that she’d rather not rehash, but after they’d reconnected via email and social media, it had felt like they were in a good place.
She touched the necklace secured underneath her shirt. They may be in a good place, but they definitely weren’t in the best place. Several times, Aiden had asked to Skype or FaceTime with Summer and she’d refused. She hadn’t really known why at the time, but after giving it some thought, she’d realized she hadn’t been prepared to see him. Even if it wasn’t in person.
Growing up in New Jersey hadn’t been easy for either one of them. Life after New Jersey hadn’t been so peachy, either. Their friendship had always been more of an emotional connection rather than one based on similarities. Although they had a lot in common, they were opposite in a lot of ways, too. In Autumn’s words, they complemented each other.
“Are you guys ready to go to dinner now? I think I’m done working for today.”
Danni was the first to respond to Summer. “That’s fine with me.” Aaliyah and Nicole nodded their heads in agreement.
“I’m sorry I was all in your business,” Danni whispered to Summer as they prepared to close the shop for the night. “I didn’t mean to make you upset.”
Summer smiled. “It wasn’t you. I got caught up in my own thoughts.”
“I understand how that feels. If you ever need someone to talk to, I’m here.”
“I know, but thanks for telling me anyway.” She’d been thinking about Aiden way more than she should. Regardless of what they’d gone through as friends, her thoughts weren’t always so PG-13. Every now and then, he’d say something on the phone or write something in a text message that reminded her that he was—after all—a hot-blooded male. And she was a female who could appreciate all the characteristics that made him irresistible to other women. Not her, but other women for sure.
Just as Summer was locking the door, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on high alert and her breathing grew staggered.
“Oh, my gosh,” she heard Aaliyah say behind her. “Isn’t that... I think that’s...” Her voice trailed off as Summer slowly turned away from the door of the shop toward the person her friends were staring at. She knew who it was before her eyes landed on him.
“Aiden.” His name left her lips in a whisper as she gazed at him from across the street. He was wearing a pair of blue jeans that hung on his waist and a deep red V-neck T-shirt that stretched across his chest, accentuating his muscles. Seeing pictures of him on social media or in magazines over the years did nothing to prepare her for actually laying eyes on him in person. Her heart was beating so fast that she couldn’t help but clutch her chest to try to slow it down.
There wasn’t too much traffic on the street, but enough that he should have been paying more attention to the cars and foot traffic than to her. Yet, even as he crossed the street, his eyes remained fixed on hers. Her gaze briefly left his face to admire his graceful, yet powerful, stride. His walk had always done something to her. He never rushed when he walked, as if he had all the time in the world. She’d never tell him this, but she couldn’t even watch him walk without the melodies to every Jill Scott song ever created floating through her mind.
As he approached, she was able to cast her eyes across his face more closely. Aaliyah had described him as milk chocolate, but Summer had to slightly disagree. She’d spent most of her life admiring Aiden’s complexion and it was definitely more like a hazelnut dipped in a rich chocolate-caramel blend. His strong jawline, deep gingerbread-colored eyes, and low, neatly trimmed beard took his look from sexy to downright delicious. Not that she was thinking about her friend as delicious. She was just observing a known fact...or so she kept telling herself.
When he finally stood in front of her, he didn’t say anything. She felt his eyes on every part of her face, causing her cheeks to grow warmer by the second. Girl, get a hold of yourself. This was Aiden. Her old classmate Aiden. Her good friend Aiden. He must have sensed her discomfort because he finally broke the silence.
“There are no better days than summer days,” he said with a smile, causing Summer to laugh harder than she’d intended. Hearing him say those words brought her back to her first day in kindergarten. She’d laughed then. She laughed now.
“Well, those are the best days,” she replied as she leaned up to give him a hug. Just like that, the feeling of discomfort dimmed. It didn’t go away, but it definitely lessened. She ignored the butterflies she felt in her stomach when they embraced and, instead, relished the joy of seeing her long-time friend again.
* * *
She was there. In the flesh. For once, Summer wasn’t a figment of his imagination. She’d even smiled and hugged him, which was more of a greeting than he’d thought he would get. Summer never did like surprises, and Aiden being in Miami was definitely a surprise. He’d expected a playful punch on the arm to be the most contact they’d have.
“How did you get the address to the boutique?” Summer asked. “We don’t launch the website until next week.”
“Winter gave it to me when I called Bare Sophistication in Chicago.”
“Figures,” Summer said with a laugh. “What are you doing in Miami?”
“I have an exhibit opening soon, so I’m here to finalize those plans.”
“A new exhibit? That’s awesome!”
Aiden turned to the woman who had spoken on his left. He’d seen four of them standing near the boutique when he’d crossed the street, but the closer he got, the more his eyes were only drawn to Summer. Judging by the surprised look on Summer’s face, she’d forgotten they were there, as well.
“I shouldn’t have said anything. The exhibit hasn’t been announced yet,” he stated.
“No worries, we won’t say anything. I’m Aaliyah Bai, by the way.”
“Nice to meet you,” he said, extending his hand. “I’m Aiden Chase.”
“We know who you are,” Aaliyah said enthusiastically before winking at Summer. “This is Danni Allison and this is Nicole LeBlanc.” Aiden shook both of their hands, as well.
“The four of us were actually going to get dinner at a Cuban restaurant a few doors down,” Summer said after the introductions were done. “Would you like to join us?”
Aiden looked from Summer, to the women, and then back to Summer. What he really wanted to do was be alone with Summer, but obviously she didn’t want that.
“You know what? I forgot that I need to finish unpacking my stuff back at the condo,” Danni said.
“You finished unpacking last week.”
Danni ignored Summer’s statement and turned to Aaliyah and Nicole. “Ladies, care to join me back at Summer’s condo?”
Aiden smiled at Danni’s not-so-discreet way of helping him out.
“Summer, why don’t you and Aiden go ahead to the restaurant. You can tell us how it is later.”
Summer glanced at him before giving Danni a smile that seemed forced. “Okay, then I guess I’ll see you when I get home.”
Aiden observed her as she watched her friends retreat. She didn’t speak after they left, but turned to walk toward the restaurant. As they walked the short distance, she fidgeted with the straps of her purse, taking it on and off her shoulder several times before opting to leave it on her shoulder. Considering how uncomfortable he was making her, he shouldn’t have been checking her out—but he couldn’t help himself.
“You know, I ate a couple hours ago, so we don’t have to eat if you don’t want to.”
She stopped walking and turned to him. “I could always use a hand lifting some of the heavy boxes in the boutique. The grand opening is in two months, so we’re trying to get everything organized since the floors just got done.”
Good to know some things haven’t changed. When Summer got nervous about something, she always needed to remain busy. As long as she had something else to focus on, she was fine.
“Yeah, that sounds good. I didn’t get to the gym or go running today, so I could use a good workout lifting boxes.”
She studied his arms and even the simplest look from her warmed his body. “So, you still run?”
“Anytime I can.” Running was always something they had in common. “Do you still run?”
“At least four times a week.”
His eyes then raked over the snow-white shorts hugging her thighs and her flowy, yellow blouse. When she turned and began walking back to her boutique, he stole a glance at her creamy, butterscotch-colored legs.
He was still staring at her legs when she opened the door to her boutique and motioned for him to step inside.
“Welcome to Bare Sophistication Miami. It isn’t much to look at now, but it will be as soon as the furniture gets delivered in a couple weeks. I’m having a lounge space on the raised platform in the corner, and we’ll offer tea and infused water throughout the day for our customers.”
Aiden observed the space in detail, noting the deep walnut flooring throughout the boutique and crisp white shelving. Lavender, black and gray accent pieces sat on top of random boxes and counters.
“No home for the accent pieces yet?”
“Not yet. When the furniture arrives, I’m hoping I’ll lock down the feng shui of this place.”
“Well, even though there’s still work to be done, I can see the overall look you’re going for, and I think it’s going to be amazing.”
“Thanks,” Summer said with a soft smile. “Maybe this will help you visualize the space.” She walked over to him and handed him a binder that had been sitting on the front counter.
“Here are some of the preliminary drawings of how everything will look. Still a ways to go, but so far, I’m sticking to my design.”
He observed her as she explained each page in the binder, and he couldn’t help but listen in pride. She wasn’t his girlfriend and never had been. Hell, at the moment they weren’t even close friends, more like old friends trying to catch up. Yet the excitement in her smile made him even happier for her.
“Where do these stairs lead to?” He pointed at the staircase in the drawing before turning his head to look at the beautiful wooden staircase.
“There’s an upstairs loft area, but I haven’t figured out what to utilize the space for yet. I currently have a lot of racks stored up there and the flooring is complete, too.”
Summer pulled out a few sheets of paper that were placed in the back of the binder. “And here are a few new designs that Winter is currently working on for the grand opening in a couple months. We will have all the same lingerie as the Chicago location, only we’re adding a few pieces to represent that Miami flare. As the boutique matures, we’ll add more pieces for our target demographic.”