A Special Summer (Love Conquers All) (19 page)

Summer cringed with every word. Backing up and shifting to the left, attempting to put some distance between them because he was getting angry again and flirting with being out of control. His left eyebrow began twitching involuntarily, signaling he was reaching his boiling point.

Summer’s efforts to put space between them only infuriated him. He grabbed her by the shoulders with a firm hold. “Stop moving and answer me damn it!”

The moment he put his hands on Summer the confrontation escalated to a whole new level. Nick had crossed the line. All of his ranting, raving, and yelling was one thing, but this touching stuff while angry was something else. Every fiber she used to maintain her composure shattered. “Nick you promised…you promised you wouldn’t hurt me or the baby.”

Quickly Nick released his hold as she misinterpreted his gesture. “Summer, I’m not going to hurt you or the baby. I just want some answers. Please just tell me why you hid your pregnancy.” So far nothing she said made since to him.

He waited as she calmed down and found her voice. Her lips trembled when she spoke.

“I was afraid that you would be angry like you are right now.”

Nick nodded in agreement. He was past the point of angry. “Anything else?”

She nodded her head. “Yes.” Summer wanted to tell him her greatest fear, but would he hold it against her? Would he truly understand her reasoning? Would he care?

“Well?” Nick said impatiently waiting for an answer that would put his mind at ease.

“I was afraid of you, afraid of what you would do. I honestly thought I would never see you again. I had no idea you would come back to see me. I didn’t think you’d care about the baby.”

When Nick didn’t say anything, her heart began to sink. He still didn’t believe her. She could tell by the way he looked through her as if she wasn’t there.

“Please, Nick, don’t…” she whispered as tears fell from her eyes.

Nick wouldn’t let himself feel anything for Summer as he disassociated any affection he’d ever held for her. She had kept her secret and now she had to pay the consequences. He would handle this situation like any other opposition. It was cut and dry.

“Don’t what Summer? You were willing to keep my child away from me. I’ll be the first to admit I didn’t want children, but that gave you no right Summer, no right, not to tell me you were having a baby and I was the father.”

He walked over to the window and stared out into the darkness. That’s just how Summer made him feel, as if he was in complete darkness. He couldn’t stand to look at her right now.

Summer sat quietly crying.
He doesn’t understand I have to make him understand.
She rose from her sitting position to stand next to Nick.

“Nick, look at me please.”

He ignored her request as he kept his gaze focused ahead.

“Please believe me, I love you and never wanted it to be like this. I was just so scared of you. I knew you’d be angry with me, and that your anger would strike out to hurt me in the worst way. The only way that could destroy me…”

Summer’s eyes pleaded with Nick, though he never looked at her. “Nick, can’t you understand how I felt? How scared I was?”

Nick didn’t bother to answer her. Instead he asked a question of his own. “If I had never came back to see you, would you have eventually told me about the baby?” Nick already knew the answer to his question; he just had to hear her say it.

Summer wanted to lie, wanted to tell him that eventually she would have told him about their child.

Silence wrapped around them like a heavy cloak. She couldn’t bear to tell him that her intentions were to never let him know that their child existed if that’s what it would take to keep her baby. Tears continued to fall as no words would come from her mouth to tell him the truth.

Summer’s silence confirmed Nick’s suspicions. Glaring at her in disgust, he sneered, “Just what I thought. You’re no different than Veronica, Summer. You’re just as much of a conniving whore as she was.”

Stalking off, Nick left Summer stunned and crying in the living room.

Summer cringed at the words Nick hurled slapping her in the face. He’d said she was like Veronica. Veronica had used him, claimed he was the father of a baby she knew wasn’t his. She hadn’t loved Nick like Summer had. The only thing she’d been interested in was his money.

Emotions overtook her that were indescribable as she thought about how he’d compared her to a woman he downright loathed. She
was
carrying his baby. And she had never used him

the entire time they’d dated. Summer was devastated by Nick’s unfair judgment of her. She wanted to hate him for being so cruel, killing her with his words. But hating him would mean hating her child that was just as much a part of him as it was of her.

With lead legs, Summer made her way to Nick’s bedroom removing all of her items and taking them to the guest bedroom. Dropping everything on the floor, she crawled beneath the sheet and comforter of the queen size bed. Tears drenched the pillow as she cried until exhaustion and weariness claimed her.

♥♥♥

“Nick, man, what the hell’s wrong with you?” Kevin asked as he opened the front door of his townhouse to an enraged Nick.

“Just let me in.” Nick pushed pass Kevin not waiting for an invitation to come in.

Stopping mid-step, he pivoted on his heels. “My bad, do you have company?” Nick asked as he looked around Kevin’s bachelor pad.

“Nah man, come in and sit down. You want a drink?”

“Yeah, get me the usual.”

Kevin excused himself as Nick settled on the leather sofa in the living room. In no time he returned with a beer for himself and a double scotch for Nick. That was his usual drink whenever he was in a mood about something. Handing the scotch to Nick, he frowned as he watched his friend gulp down the drink without coming up for air.

“Dude what gives? What got you all ready to explode?”
This time.

“Summer.” Nick stated with irritation.

Kevin nodded his head as the name rolled off Nick’s tongue in disgust. Without saying a word, he gave Nick a look which told him to proceed. Kevin sat quiet as Nick told him about his confrontation with Summer.

Letting out a low whistle, Kevin asked in disbelief, “Man, you called the girl a whore to her face?” He didn’t even mention the fact he had compared her to Veronica. Anyone close to Nick knew he detested the woman. Did that mean he felt the same about Summer?
Mmm, poor Summer.

Nick nodded. “I was so pissed off I lost control. I didn’t mean to say that to her.”

“How much control did you lose?” Kevin gaze was intense as he looked at his friend.

Nick hissed, “Damn! Kev, man I told you once don’t make me tell you again. I would never put my hands on Summer to hurt her.”

Throwing up his hands signaling he meant no offense. “A’ight man, my bad. I just know this whole situation has you uptight. I don’t want to see you do anything stupid.”

Nick grunted. “Uptight ain’t the word. I’ve never let a woman get as close to me as Summer. Not even Veronica. I started feeling things for her I never felt for any woman.”

Kevin grinned at his friend. “Don’t tell me my man done went and got himself bit by the love bug.”

Kevin cracked up when Nick let out a string of expletives. “I wouldn’t say love, but I do care a lot about her, especially since she’s carrying my baby. Never thought this day would come. Man, that’s why I’m all messed up in the head right now. It really hurts to know if I never found out Summer was pregnant she would’ve kept my kid from me.”

Kevin held his grin. Nick was in denial. He’d never admitted to anyone that a woman had hurt him. Women didn’t hurt the invincible Nick Stiles. It was usually the other way around. Not even Veronica had hurt him. He was more outraged, his ego bruised, than hurt. He had never cared for Veronica the way he had for Summer. Nick himself had just acknowledged as much. Kevin didn’t understand it; he saw it plain as day. Why couldn’t Nick see it? Nick was in love with Summer. How else could she have hurt Nick if he didn’t love her?

“Man what’s up with that goofy grin?”

Shrugging his broad shoulders, Kevin replied, “Oh, nothing man, nothing at all.” Kevin didn’t dare push. Nick eventually would conclude he was in love with Summer. Kevin just hoped it wasn’t too late. A person could only take but so much harshness. As far as he was concerned Nick was tittering on the fine line of being abusive in his behavior toward Summer. He had indirectly told him as much. Whether he meant to treat her that way wasn’t the issue, he had. Kevin kept his faith in his friend, his brother. Once Nick simmered down and was thinking with a rational brain in that stubborn head of his, he’d see the error of his ways and make things right between him and Summer. After all Nick loved the girl, and to Kevin’s surprise embraced the idea of fatherhood.

Kevin made a mental note to restock his condom supply. Rising to his feet, heading to the kitchen, he yelled over his shoulder, “You want a beer, man.”

“No, I’m cool.”

The two men talked for hours. When Nick stepped outside a new day was dawning. He’d been so angry, needing space from Summer that he’d left her alone all night unattended.

“So much for making sure she and the baby was taken care of.”

Over the next few days, Summer and Nick barely said two words to each other. They only spoke when necessary. His stubbornness and inability to forgive were major character flaws she found unbearable to cope with. If it weren’t for her present physical condition, she would’ve packed her bags and left days ago. Instead, she moved into the guest bedroom and avoided Nick at all cost.

Nick had taken to playing the avoiding game as well, spending more hours at the office leaving Summer in the care of Joan. Summer didn’t mind at all. Joan was good company and she liked the older woman a lot. Though Joan was old enough to be her mother they shared some of the same interests. They both loved romance novels, game shows, soap operas and crossword puzzles. When Summer begged her to watch Jerry Springer with her Joan playfully remarked, “Chile I ain’t watching that silly mess.” Within the first five minutes of the show the two were laughing hysterically at the crazy charades paraded on national television.

Joan was a good listener and a wise woman. With everything weighing so heavy on Summer, she confided in the older woman. Talking to her parents, Ava or Starr wasn’t an option. Joan sat next to her on the bed closely listening as she told her every facet of her relationship with Nick. From how they met, to the week they spent at his cabin, to how she was heartbroken when he ended their relationship, and how surprised she was to learn she was pregnant. Joan was the only soul she had told Nick threatened to get custody of their baby and how she feared he would go through with doing so.

Joan waited patiently until she was done talking. Taking Summer’s small hand in hers, she said, “I’ve worked for Nick, for ten years now −”

“I thought it was seven years.” Summer interjected cutting Joan off with a confused look.

Joan softly chuckled. “Nothing gets by you when it comes to that man.”

Summer sheepishly smiled. It was true, she knew just about everything there was to know about the man. “I’m sorry.”

“Oh, it’s all right sweetie. I worked for him the first three years cleaning his office building at night. He was looking for a housekeeper, so when he asked if I wanted the position I jumped at it. Anyway, back to you, sweetie. I know he can be hard, but he’s a fair man. I know you heard about that stankin’, low-life huzzy Veronica?”

Summer wanted to laugh at Joan’s description of the other woman, however, her pain wouldn’t allow her. Nick had said she was a conniving whore just like Veronica. A hurt expression flashed across Summer’s face that wasn’t missed by the older woman.

“What’s wrong sweetie?” Joan asked as she patted Summer’s hand.

“Nothing, I was just thinking about something. Go ahead, I’m sorry.”

Joan gently squeezed her hand.
Poor child is hurting so bad. I hope that boy get his act together. Can’t he see that this chile loves him? I swear sometimes he’s as stubborn as a mule.
“After that gal, Nick never trusted women the same. He never settled down with anyone more than a month, if that long, until you came along. Summer you’re special to him. Just give him time. He’s a good man, he’ll come around.”

“I don’t know Joan; he’s hardly said anything to me since the other night.”

“Just give him time sweetie.” Joan encouraged as she stood up. “Well, I’m gonna leave you to your afternoon nap. I need to get dinner started.”

Summer also stood from her seated position and opened her arms to hug the older woman. Joan stepped into the embrace and held Summer closely to her large bosom as she gently rubbed her back. Summer could’ve stayed there all day.