Summertime Read online

  SUMMERTIME

  WILLOW ASTER

  Copyright © 2022 by Willow Aster

  ISBN: 979-8-9861179-2-8

  Cover by Emily Wittig

  Editing by Christine Estevez

  The original version of Summertime is on Amazon Kindle Vella. Some names and scenes have been changed, edited, and added to for this version.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Nate, Greyley & Kira, and Indigo, my favorites of all time,

  I love you.

  You know me best and love me best and I’m so grateful for all of you.

  CONTENTS

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Chapter 57

  Chapter 58

  Chapter 59

  Chapter 60

  Chapter 61

  Chapter 62

  Chapter 63

  Chapter 64

  Chapter 65

  Chapter 66

  Chapter 67

  Chapter 68

  Chapter 69

  Chapter 70

  Chapter 71

  Chapter 72

  Chapter 73

  Chapter 74

  Chapter 75

  Sneak peek of Autumn Nights

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Also by Willow Aster

  1

  HELLO, HOLLYWOOD

  Everyone hopes for the best summer ever. At least I don’t think that’s just something you outgrow. My mom hasn’t. And this year, newly graduated from the University of North Carolina, I have built my hopes up to otherworldly status.

  I am counting on the best summer ever.

  After a lifetime of sporadic visits to see my director father in Hollywood, occasional phone calls from his crazy set locations, and incredible presents for all the holidays but a lack of presence, you might say…I am headed to California to spend the entire summer with my father. Sounds completely normal, right?

  Somehow, I’m not feeling the normalcy quite yet.

  Last week, I went to the grocery store and saw my dad’s face on the cover of TIME Magazine with the title: Cole Winters, the Most Influential Director of All Time. Insert eye roll here. I’m proud of him and even inspired that he’s followed his dreams, but I’d probably be more so if I saw him on a regular basis and if I’d watched more of his movies. But that’s part of why I’m here—to get to know him better.

  For this girl from Charlotte, where I live a simple life with my mama, our dog Jericho, and my sister Autumn, I don’t quite know what to expect.

  What I do not expect is the sexy-ass driver that picks me up at the airport in place of my dad. It’s hard to be disappointed that Dad’s not here when this chiseled god with dark wavy hair that’s slightly too long says, “Summer Winters?”

  You can imagine the jokes I’ve heard all my life about the name. It wasn’t my mom’s finest move. And then she went and did it again with my sister. But hey, my dad had already bailed double by then, so I cut her some slack for giving us the dumbest combo in the history of names.

  But this guy, he says it in this husky rasp that makes chill bumps pop out across my skin and I shiver.

  “Present,” I say, lifting my hand like I’m in school.

  The hell is wrong with me?

  He nods and his features don’t move in a smile or a frown, he just sort of pleasantly takes my luggage and puts it in the trunk before opening the back door for me. My messy updo and leggings suddenly feel like they’re not my best look. In fact, I’m certain they’re not. I really wish I’d made more of an effort, but how was I to know I’d be facing this hottie? It was the crack of crack when I left for the airport this morning and a five-hour flight.

  Once I’m in the car and we’re driving out of the airport, I’m always shocked that there really are so many palm trees. And also, that LA isn’t super pretty. I mean, I’ve seen it enough now to know both of these things, but it still seems to catch me by surprise.

  “You haven’t told me your name. How do I know you aren’t kidnapping me and holding me for a ridiculously high ransom?”

  He looks at me from the rearview mirror, eyes still giving nothing away. “You should have asked that before you got in the car, Summer Winters. Little late now.” At the light, he looks back and smirks. “Hudson Callihan at your service.”

  “Well, that’s a distinguished name. So, you drive for my dad?”

  “You could say that.”

  “Is he nice to work for?”

  “Most days.”

  I like that he’s not sugarcoating it for me. “And when he’s not?”

  “Then everyone stays out of his way.”

  “Noted.”

  His eyes meet mine in the mirror again. “It’s been a long time since you visited your dad?”

  “A few years. I haven’t been to the Malibu house yet.”

  “Ahh. You’ll like it.”

  “Do you know what my dad’s doing today that he couldn’t be interrupted to come pick me up at the airport?”

  “You noticed that, huh.”

  I snort and then cringe. Snorting is so not Hollywood.

  “He had a last-minute guest come through town. He asked you to meet him for dinner. It’ll give you time to rest a bit, change, do whatever you want to do for a couple of hours.”

  “How nice,” I say under my breath.

  I can’t say I’m surprised that I’m already disappointed, but when my dad asked me to come for the summer, I thought maybe we would have the opportunity to—you know what? I’m not even going to finish that thought. I’m here. I need to give him a chance. Take him as he is, all that. Fresh start, yada, yada.

  Hudson is quiet and as much as I want to get to know him better and stare at the way his hair curls around his ear on the one side and the way his tanned arms look against the steering wheel, being in the back seat with the sun shining on my face is making me so sleepy. I close my eyes for just a minute and I guess I fall asleep because the next thing I know, Hudson’s hand is on my shoulder, leaning over me with concern.

  I jump and he pulls back, standing up.

&n
bsp; “I’m sorry. You weren’t waking up.”

  “I was dreaming.” I stare at him and see the whole picture in front of me. “We were on the beach and a jellyfish walked out and stung both of us.”

  Hudson laughs for the first time and I stare at him, stunned. Holy crabcake over a campfire, he is a sight to behold.

  “Do you just say whatever you’re thinking at all times?” he asks, still grinning.

  I step out of the car and shrug. “Most of the time.” I pride myself on being upfront about things, but I have to keep some things private. Such as the fact that I wouldn’t mind ripping his clothes off right now.

  His light eyes twinkle and his white teeth do that little twinkle thing that teeth commercials do, I swear it. And by the way he smirks at me as he pulls my luggage out of the car, I think maybe my face gives away what I haven’t said.

  My hopes for the best summer are looking up. About six feet, two inches up, to be exact.

  2

  HOME, SWEET, SO NOT HOME

  I stretch once I’m out of the car and turn slowly to face the house. Or mansion. Geez, Dad. Overcompensating for something? The circular drive is impressive and the mansion gazing down at me is even more so. I can smell the salty air and would wager a guess that the ocean is just right over there in the backyard.

  Five of my house in Charlotte would fit in this one.

  The yard is spacious. A couple acres maybe, which is like a jillion in California. Even I know that much.

  “A couple horses that way.” He points to his left. “Tennis courts past that. Pool in the back, can’t miss the ocean…”

  “Who’d he have to kill to get this place?” I ask Hudson, and again with his smirk. It is a dang cute smirk.

  “Have you watched your dad’s movies?” he asks.

  “Most of them. Usually a little blast-happy for my taste. I did really enjoy Midnight though.”

  “Really?” He sounds pleased at that and I glance over at him. We walk to the front door and he opens it without knocking. “I would’ve pegged you as more of a rom-com kind of girl.”

  “Oh, I love rom-coms, but my favorite are the bittersweet, cry in your sleeve at the sadness while being amazed at how deep the dialogue is, kind of movies. With a little laughter thrown in, so it’s not too morose.”

  “Specific.”

  “I’m a writer, what can I say? I care about the words, not just watching things explode.”

  Hudson and I get locked in a stare and he looks like he wants to say something, but instead, he sets my luggage down.

  I glance around the open floor plan. It really is beautiful. Cozy couches and fresh flowers, windows everywhere. Everything is white but the flowers and the hardwood floors, more white than I’d imagine in a bachelor pad, but then again, my dad could have twelve wives living here for all I know. They’d certainly fit.

  The ocean is right there. Just walk outside and into the water.

  Maybe I don’t even need to connect with my dad, maybe it’ll be enough that I am in this paradise for the next few months.

  “I can show you to your room, if you’d like.”

  “That would be great.”

  He grabs my luggage again, even though I’ve tried every time to take it myself, and we walk down the hall past the kitchen.

  “This is my favorite side of the house. You get the best view of the water.” He opens a door and it’s hard not to gasp.

  The walls are white, the bed linens are white, the couch is white, but there are walls of glass and the room is literally suspended over the water. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

  “Wow,” I whisper.

  “Think you can be comfortable here?”

  I look back at him and feel sad that he’s probably going to leave as soon as I answer him. He can let my dad know I’m settled and wash his hands of me. Meanwhile, I feel like I want to hang onto the only person I know…even if it’s only been an hour since I met him.

  “I think so.” It comes out sounding sadder than I intended and I try to smile to lighten it up.

  “I’m in the room next to you, so if you need anything and I’m around, just knock.”

  Well, that perks me right up. “You live here?”

  “Yep. I can show you all the secret hiding spots.” His words sound like he’s joking, but he doesn’t smile, just says it in that sexy low-key way that makes me wonder what in the world he’s thinking. He reaches in his pocket and holds out a card. “Your dad wanted me to give you this.” He seems embarrassed to say it, but I can’t hold it against him that my dad is an asshole for giving me his business card. Correction: Having someone else give me his business card. “I put my number on the back, and you can text me whenever. I work an insane amount of hours, but I’ll do whatever I can to help when you need it.”

  “I bet that’s what you say to all the girls,” I try to joke, but it comes out weak. I can’t pull off that sexy rasp like he can.

  “Your dad will be back in a couple of hours. Get some rest, or check out the horses. Bertha and Milly are sweet. Swim if you like.”

  I suddenly feel exhausted by the day. And all of it. The grandeur of this place, the expectations, all of it catches up with me.

  “I don’t need to be entertained, Hudson.” It’s sharp and it catches him off guard. He goes still and looks at me warily. “Thanks for everything. I’ll see to myself from here on.”

  He nods and doesn’t say anything as he leaves the room, shutting the door behind him.

  I fall back on my bed and stare out the window. It’s instantly calming. I felt like crying just moments ago, but when I stare out at the endless water, it makes me feel like my hurt feelings aren’t so big after all.

  Instead of sleeping, I FaceTime my mom to let her know I’m okay. I show her and Autumn the view and they are sufficiently impressed. Autumn has been doing college abroad, so she wanted to spend the summer with Mama instead of coming here. I don’t blame her, but I wish she was with me.

  “What are you doing tonight?” Mama asks.

  “I think we’re having dinner in an hour and a half.”

  “That sounds nice. Enjoy yourself, honey. Okay? And rest. You’ve worked your tail off the past four years getting your bachelor’s and keeping up your schedule at work. You deserve this time there in that beautiful setting. Enjoy every minute.”

  “You deserve a break too,” I tell her, my eyes filling with tears.

  My mom owns a group home for adults with disabilities. I’ve worked with her there for as long as I can remember, and I’m really going to miss some of the residents. Not Hank with the wandering hands and the foul mouth…or Ellen, who was like a dark thundercloud on the sunniest day…but everyone else.

  “My time will come.” She smiles. “This is your time now. Enjoy it.”

  I think of Hudson and how just looking at him is enjoyable. I grin back at her, partly because I want her to know I’m going to be okay, and also because I’m excited to see Hudson again. He lives here! I think that just sunk in. And I was rude to him before. Gah. I need to settle that so I can at least have one friend around here.

  3

  SURFER COMPETITION

  I hustle into the ginormous shower when I get off of the video chat. It’s also overlooking the water and I’m glad no ships are passing by with sailors and binoculars. It’s like I’m bathing outside in the open air with all this glass. Weird but oddly freeing, I guess.

  I feel better after talking to my mom and sister. As long as we talk often, I shouldn’t get too homesick. The summer will fly by and I’ll be home in August to have a couple of weeks with Autumn before she starts her senior year of college. Yes, we have the same dad. No, he wasn’t around for her birth either. Let’s just say my parents were high school sweethearts, but my dad had big Hollywood dreams that my mom didn’t seem to fit into. He was also a smooth talker and apparently didn’t know the meaning of using a condom.

  Mama never has a bad thing to say about my dad
though. She blames herself for two back-to-back pregnancies with a guy she knew was more committed to chasing his career than he could ever be to her. With Autumn, she was taking the pill, but that whole antibiotic thing was a slap in the face when she found out that nullified the pill. The rest is history, and I’m so grateful to have my sister.

  Dad thought he could handle papahood for about a minute when Autumn came along and then said something like nope, meant it the first time, I’m out. Mama says she doesn’t regret a thing. Yes, he broke her heart. Twice. But she has two amazing gifts to show for it. She really is the best mom in the world.

  I open my suitcase and shake out a cute dress I bought before I came. I should’ve hung it up when I got here. Oh well. I open the closet and gasp yet again. This closet already has clothes. Nice clothes. I check them out to see if they belong to someone. Does he have another daughter I don’t know about? I’d say it’s entirely possible. But the clothes all have tags on them and are my size.