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“We’ve been good friends ever since. I was his maid of honor at his wedding.” Summer glanced around. “Where is Silas?”
“Back in Texas. I’m out here on business. All alone. How long are you staying out here?”
“A few more weeks, then eventually I’ll have to go home and face my mother.”
Miles rolled his eyes. “What did she do this time?” Miles glanced at Cody, then pinned Summer in his gaze. “Because if she did this”—he waved his hand up and down to indicate Cody—“you should kiss her feet. He’s gorgeous.”
Summer laughed. “I guess you could say my mother brought us together, but not how you think. Remember how I told you my father wanted nothing to do with me?”
Miles frowned. “Yes. His loss.”
Summer shook her head. “No, my mother’s scheming. He didn’t know I existed at all.”
“Well, damn. I’m so sorry.”
“Yeah. My father and his family live here in Carmel. Cody is my father’s business partner. He came to Texas to bring me home.”
Miles gave Cody an appreciative look. “I like you even more. She needs someone to stop her mother from poking at her all the time.”
“Summer can hold her own, but I’m happy to be the one she turns to when it all gets to be too much.” Because that’s how they’d come together. That’s what he wanted to be for her always.
“Keep him,” Miles implored Summer. “There aren’t many like him. I know. It took years for me to find Silas.”
The waiters began to serve dinner.
“We should get our drinks and find our table.” Cody held his hand out to Miles. “Nice to meet you. I look forward to seeing you soon.”
“Me too.” Miles hugged Summer. “Brunch, lunch, dinner, drinks, something, yes?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Call, text, send a DM, whatever, but let’s make it happen.” With that, Miles fell in with the crowd making their way to the numbered tables.
Cody wrapped his arm around Summer’s waist. “I like your friend.”
“He’s a good guy. And really smart. He helped me in some of my classes.”
“And what did you do for him? Besides save his life.” Because Cody knew something else had bonded them for life.
“While his parents knew from Miles’s early years on that he was gay, they preferred he didn’t advertise or flaunt it. They were afraid for him. They didn’t want people to ridicule him or treat him differently than others.”
“Or worse,” Cody guessed.
“Yes. But when Miles announced his engagement to Silas, his parents were happy for him, but also taken aback by the comments their friends made to them. They withdrew from participating in the wedding preparations.”
“I’m guessing not just physically, but financially.”
Summer nodded. “I own a lot of beautiful properties. So I offered one to them for free.”
“Which one?”
“A beautiful home in Italy surrounded by vineyards.”
“You own a winery?”
She shook her head. “No. I lease the land to a vintner, who makes delicious wine. In particular, a really lovely peach wine for me.”
“I didn’t know you liked that. Go on.”
