Page 53 of Summer Affair

“Thanks for helping out,” she said, her voice carrying a hint of weariness. “It was…nice having you around.”

“Any time. It’s nice to mix things up a bit. Keeps the day interesting,” Dean said as he smiled back at her.

She wanted to say more, to ask about what they were doing and where they were headed, but the words wouldn’t come. For now, she decided to let it be, content to enjoy the summer and whatever it brought. And as they walked out together, she couldn’t help but feel that maybe, just maybe, things would work out the way they were supposed to in the end.

Since Dean was working the dinner shift in the dining hall, she headed home alone, stopping off at the small grocery store along the way to grab a frozen dinner, some ice cream, and tampons.

The cramps had made her day twice as bad and were probably the reason for her foul mood.

An hour later, she was soaking in a hot tub that smelled like strawberries and cream as she ate a large bowl of chocolate ice cream with some of the hard chocolate shell stuff on top. And yet she couldn’t help but sulk.

What she wanted was a night filled with sexy-fun playtime with Dean, not a bath that reminded her of the Strawberry Shortcake cartoon.

She put on her softest pajamas, crawled into bed, and flipped on the cartoon channel. She was just drifting off to sleep when Dean’s text came in.

“You okay?”

She smiled as she typed. “Yeah, how was tonight?”

“Good. You seemed down earlier.”

“Cramps,” she typed and then deleted it. “Just tired.”

“Rest. I’m off tomorrow. You?”

“Nope, the day after.”

“I can switch things up if you want to head out for a sail then. Damion says I can take out his new catamaran.”

Andrea’s heart fluttered at the thought of spending a day on the water with Dean. It was exactly the kind of carefree, spontaneous adventure she craved. She pictured the sun on her face, the wind in her hair, and the two of them enjoying the freedom of the open water.

“Sounds perfect,” she typed with a smile.

“Great. I’ll pick you up at ten.”

She felt excitement spread through her entire body. “Perfect. Can’t wait. Night.”

She set her phone down and rolled over. The idea of spending an entire day alone with Dean, away from the camp and their usual roles, was both exciting and a little intimidating. It would be just the two of them, no distractions, no work to pull them away. It was the kind of opportunity she’d been hoping for, a chance to see where things could go between them.

She pulled the covers up, snuggling into her pillow with a contented sigh. The soft glow of the TV lit up her room, casting a comforting light as she drifted off to sleep with thoughts of sailing with Dean on the catamaran.

The next day, Andrea was once again busy at work, her schedule packed with back-to-back clients. She even had to find someone to sit in on the water volleyball game she was supposed to referee.

In the middle of prepping for an appointment, she was surprised to see Amy walk in, looking disheveled and upset.

“We’re fighting again,” Amy blurted out, her voice tinged with frustration. “This time it’s real, Andrea. I’m going to divorce him. I’m moving back in with you.”

Andrea felt her stomach knot. She glanced around, noticing a few curious stares from her coworkers.

She pulled her sister into an empty room. She took a deep breath and tried to keep her voice steady.

“I’m sorry you’re going through this, but I really can’t have you stay with me again,” she said quietly.

Amy’s face twisted in anger. “So you’re just going to leave me hanging? Some sister you are!”

Andrea felt the room closing in, her anxiety spiking. “Amy, please, not here,” she pleaded, but her sister was already storming out, slamming the door behind her. The tension in the air was thick, and Andrea felt a wave of nausea wash over her. She rushed to the bathroom, barely making it before she threw up. She stayed in the restroom for a moment, gathering herself.

Feeling drained and shaky, Andrea took a deep breath before heading back to the front desk, where Kara was checking in her next client. Her colleague looked up from her work, her eyes widening in concern as she took in Andrea’s ashen complexion.