Page 66 of Smoke and Glitter

Working. Talk soon.

"I thought she needed space."

"Maybe she did."

I look back at her.

Summer gives me a small shrug. "I'm not going to pretend I know what she needs from you right now. She may not even know. I just know she's leaving to take an assignment in London."

"In nine days."

"In nine days."

I drag a hand over my jaw.

"I thought we had time."

The words are out before I realize I'm going to say them. Summer goes quiet, which is worse than if she'd answered right away.

Finally she says, "Maybe that's why I'm here."

I look at her.

"I'm not telling you to chase her. I'm not telling you to leave her alone. I'm definitely not going to explain Autumn to you because she'd kill me, and she'd probably be right."

Despite everything, a breath of a laugh gets out of me. Summer's mouth lifts for half a second before it disappears again.

"I just don't want you standing here next week realizing there was something you wanted to say and you kept waiting because you thought you had more time."

I don't know what to do with that. There are things I want to say. That's the fucking problem.

"I don't know what she wants from me anymore."

Summer studies me. "Then don't guess."

I look at her.

"That's all I'm going to say."

Someone calls my name from the other end of the bar, but Tony gets there before I have to move.

Summer looks toward him, then back at me.

"I love you, Sam."

My throat tightens unexpectedly.

"I love you too."

"And I love her."

"Of course you do."

"So I'm staying out of the rest of it." She starts to get up, then stops. "But nine days is nine days, and it's not nothing."

I nod. This time I don't tell her I heard her.

She leaves money beside the untouched drink, squeezes my forearm once and heads for the door.