Catching Summer

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Summer

Two years later

“You do realize you’ve been my patient for two years now,” Philip remarked, smiling warmly. He was in his late thirties with salt-and-pepper hair and kind green eyes. After I broke down with Lara, I’d decided it was time to get the help I needed. Dr. Philip Parker was my savior, the man who helped me see things in a different light.

“What can I say? I’ve gotten used to you.” Every Tuesday afternoon, I had an hour-long session with him before the dinner crowd would show up at my restaurant, the Carolina Tavern. It had been my husband’s dream to start up his own place, and I did it for him, with the help of his brother, Grayson.

“Or maybe you’re just a little scared of letting go? You’ve come a long way, Summer. I don’t think I can help you any more than I already have. And even then, you’ve done all of this yourself. I’ve just been here to listen to you. Do your parents still call on a regular basis? I know for a while there they were calling every day.”

Calling every day was an understatement. It used to be multiple times a day until Lara told them to give me a break. At first, it was hard being asked if I was okay and what could they do to make me feel better. There was nothing they could do. Talking with Philip and having Lara around had helped me tremendously.

“They still do,” I said, chuckling. “And, speaking of which, I forgot to tell you they came in from Virginia last weekend. I hadn’t seen them since Easter.”

“I know it can’t be easy to be away from your family, but at least you have Lara and Grayson.”

“And you,” I added. “I know you think I’m ready to be on my own, but I don’t feel like I’m at that point to break free yet. Can you give me another few sessions of your time?”

Smiling widely, he nodded. “Take all the time you need. I stopped charging your insurance company months ago.”

“Which is why you get free meals when you come to the tavern. I think we come out even,” I countered, getting to my feet. My time was up, and I needed to get back to the restaurant.

He grinned and stood, standing about a head taller than me. I started for the door and he opened it for me. “That we do, but I enjoy the atmosphere there and the food is amazing. I kind of like our mutual agreement.”

“So do I.” I stepped out into the hall and turned around. “Still on for tomorrow night?”

He nodded. “I’ll be there.” Before I could start down the hall, he stopped me. “You know, it wouldn’t hurt for you to go out and have some fun every once in a while, maybe with someone you could be interested in. All you ever talk about is the restaurant and your sister.”

“That’s all my life is right now. I don’t have time for anything else.” I didn’t know if I was even ready for that kind of step. “But I’ll think about it if anyone asks me out.” I was pretty sure no one would. I was around the same men every week and most of them were Lara’s friends. They all knew my past and chose to stay away. I was thankful they never hit on me.

“You do that,” Philip agreed. “I think it could help you get to the next stage of healing.”

I smiled quickly and waved, but when I walked out of view my smile disappeared. I was afraid to date someone else. Austin was all I’d known for years. I still remembered the first day we met. I had just finished nursing school and was on my lunch break, rushing to grab a drink and sandwich from Panera Bread. The second I turned the corner, I was walking past a gym when the door slammed open and I ran right into it, spilling my drink down the front of my scrubs. Austin apologized, but I couldn’t help but see the amused grin on his face before he tried to hide it. Needless to say, it had made me mad so I dumped the rest of my soda on his head. After that, we stood there and laughed. He was so easy to fall in love with.

Once out of the building, I took a deep breath and crossed the street. Dr. Parker’s building was right around the corner from where my first encounter with Austin had happened. I’d cried for months every time I had to walk by that spot, but over time I got used to it. Now it was a welcome memory. I liked walking past that gym and remembering what it was like to meet Austin for the first time, the way he’d tried so hard not to laugh when I stood there covered in soda. I was about to reach our spot when my phone chirped in my pocket. It was Lara.

Lara: You’re late. Your meetings with Dr. McDreamy are getting later and later. ;)

Dr. McDreamy? I had to admit, Philip was a good-looking man, but our relationship was strictly professional. Over the past couple of months, Lara had tried to get me to go out with her to meet guys, but I wasn’t interested. I was never one for going to bars so guys could rub up on me. Besides, she didn’t want to do that stuff, either. She was hung up on Luke Collins, a motocross racer who happened to be good friends with her best friend, our neighbor Kate Davis.

Kate was my friend, too, but I wasn’t as close to her as Lara was. She was going to help me keep my nursing certifications current by letting me help out our city’s NFL team for a couple of weeks. She was their full-time physician now that she’d gone back to school and finished. Even though I co-owned a restaurant with Austin’s brother, Grayson, I didn’t want my certifications to expire. I figured it was always good to have a plan B. If the restaurant failed, I needed to have something to fall back on. The business was constantly booming so I didn’t have to worry about that just yet, but the future was never certain. Before I could respond to Lara’s text, my phone beeped again.

Lara: You’re not having s*x on his desk are you?

What the hell? Had she lost her mind? Shaking my head, I texted her back.

Me: Sorry to disappoint you, but NO! Lost track of time. Be there in fifteen minutes.

That girl was seriously going to drive me insane. After sending the text, I called Kate’s number and waited for her to pick up, only to turn the corner and run straight into a body that felt as if I’d hit a brick wall. Gasping, I fumbled with my phone and tripped, but a masculine set of hands caught my arms, stopping me from falling on my backside.

“Whoa, thank you,” I exclaimed breathlessly, looking up into the sun at my rescuer. When he came into view, he smiled and picked up my phone. It was Evan Townsend, Kate’s NFL football–playing brother, dressed in a pair of blue gym shorts and a white tank top. His blond hair was in disarray and he stared down at me with those stormy gray eyes of his as he held out my phone. There was always something about those eyes that made me nervous.