I don’t know why my nerves are all aflutter as I walk from the dining room, through the great room, and into the foyer. By the time I place my hand on the knob to pull open the door, my heart is working triple-time. When the door opens and I see who’s standing outside, I can’t believe my eyes.
“Alec? What are you doing here?”
He grins, and my knees weaken. He looks ridiculously gorgeous in a white shirt and dark jeans that are ripped at one knee. His thick hair is styled back with a classic side part that lifts high off his head. If Rose hadn’t gifted me the pretty pink off-the-shoulder dress I’m wearing now, then I would probably feel underdressed.
“I was heading to Island Grille to meet up with some friends and thought maybe you’d want to come with. I know I invited you to my Fourth of July party, but that’s still a few weeks out. It’s time to make some friends, Summer Girl.” He winks, causing my stomach to flip.
Summer Girl. No one has ever called me that before, but I guarantee I wouldn’t have found it half as flattering coming from anyone else. “I don’t know if I should.” Although my heart is screaming to say yes, my insecurities outweigh it. “Your friends don’t exactly like me. Your girlfriend, Iris, especially.”
He pinches his brows together. “Iris isn’t my girlfriend, and neither of them know you. The rest of my friends haven’t met you.”
His words are few and simple, but I can see the sincerity behind his eyes and hear the honesty in his tone. Alec Stone is a rare gem who just might change things for me if I give him a chance. He knows how his friends feel about me, yet he wants me to hang out anyway.
“True,” I say slowly, a smile creeping onto my face.
“You’re not going to make me beg, are you? Because you should know, I’m not above begging. In fact, I’m one of those guys who loves the chase. The more you turn me down, the more effort I’ll put in. And that’s the honest truth.”
I laugh, a real laugh that comes straight from my gut. It’s been a long time since I’ve done that. “Okay, fine.” I hold up my hand. “But you better not be setting me up for some kind of prank or new girl initiation or something.”
“I promise, no pranks, and the only initiation you might have to suffer through is a game of pool with me. I’m pretty good. The humiliation you might face from losing will set the tone for the rest of your life in this town.” He shrugs, a sparkle in his eyes. “No big deal.”
I bite down on my lip and step back from the entrance. “I’ll need to let Rose know.”
Not even a second passes. “It’s fine with me, dear. I heard.” Rose shouts her permission from the dining room. “Have a good time.”
My heart races when I realize Rose was listening the entire time. I roll my eyes while Alec laughs, then I step back across the threshold. “I guess that means I’m all yours.”
The way Alec looks at me next—with a lingering stare while his smile slips from his lips and desire lights up his eyes—it does dangerous things to my core. “Lucky me.”
He shoves his hands in his pockets, gives me a sideways grin, then leads me to his lifted white truck. It’s not until I’m strapped inside that I take my first deep breath since seeing Alec standing at my front door. This feels a lot like a date, but I know it would be crazy for me to even entertain the thought of Alec wanting more than friendship with me. He’s gorgeous, and I’m…
Alec opens his driver’s-side door before I can finish my own negative thought, then we’re rolling toward the gates of Summer Island with the windows down and the wind blowing through our hair. He blasts a rock song I’m vaguely familiar with, and I’m almost relieved the music is too loud for us to carry on a conversation. I’m still reeling from the fact that he showed up at my door, so I take the ride to Summer Island to steady my nerves.
It seems to work, until we park and I see just how packed the restaurant is. Lights dance from the inside stage, where a band is jamming out. Loud voices and laughter carry into the parking lot, and smoke rises from the chimney over the kitchen. It seems like the entire town is here.
“So, this is a crazy night out in Apollo Beach, huh?” I ask Alec after we meet at the front of his truck.
He leans against one of his headlights, indicating he’s in no rush to go inside. “This is it. Not such a boring old town, is it?”
I shake my head and stand beside him so we’re looking at the restaurant. “I definitely don’t think it’s a boring old town. The opposite, actually. I think it’s beautiful here. And I’m not just talking about the beach. This island alone is—” I struggle to find the right word. Unique. Mystical. Picturesque. Nothing quite fits how I feel.
“A little slice of heaven?” He peers sideways at me with hopeful eyes.
“Okay, sure. Let’s go with that. I still can’t get over that my family created all of this. I had no idea.”
Confusion spreads across his face. “Really? You didn’t know about the island or your family’s role in the development of this town?”
I shrug, knowing this is a big admission to someone I barely know. Something tells me I can trust Alec, though. “All of it. My mom never spoke with my grandparents. I never met my grandma, except for just after I was born. It’s like I woke up one morning and was transported into a whole new world.”
Sadness flickers in his eyes and guilt rushes through me. The last thing I want is Alec’s pity. “What about your dad?”
“He was never part of my life.”
Alec shakes his head. “Geez. I’m sorry, Kat.”
I push away from his truck, not wanting to continue down this dark, depressing road. “Don’t be. He’s the one missing out, right?”
Alec gives a firm nod. “Absolutely.” His gaze slips from my face, to my dress, and back up. “You’re a tough chick, aren’t you?”
His question makes me laugh. No one has ever called me that before. “Depends how you look at it, I guess.”
He tilts his head. “What does that mean?”
I bite down on my lip, not sure how much I should tell him about my past. He’s clearly curious about me, even though I’m not sure why. But I don’t want that curiosity to turn into something else. Like fear or disappointment. There’s a twisting in my gut. “Not all things are what they appear to be, Alec. You may see a tough chick, but maybe that’s because I don’t want you to see the truth.”
“And what’s your truth, Kat Summer?”
Air pushes up my throat, resembling a laugh. “That I’m completely and utterly lost.”
The corners of his mouth tips up into a smile. “Aren’t we all?”
A gust of wind blows, wrapping me in his crisp, cool scent. He even smells perfect. I could salivate over this guy. From head to toe, he’s a dream. “I think you’re a charmer, Alec Stone.” The smile that reaches his eyes tells me he knows it’s true.
“Only when I want to be.” He winks again, causing my insides to heat, then he wraps his hand around mine and squeezes. “What do you say? Think we’ve stalled enough?”
My eyes go straight to where our hands connect, and I wonder what his friends will think when they see us like this. He must sense my nervousness because he gives a gentle squeeze. “Or we can stay here and talk.”