Read Online Summers' Love, A Cute and Funny Cinderella Love Story (LPC Romantic Comedy Series) by Stu Summers - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Stu Summers
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Stu Summers’ beach house! Can you believe that? Oh, this was such a good idea. I can’t believe I almost didn’t come. Thanks for insisting. But I need you to do me a huge favor. If you look on that small desk in my kitchen you will see a manila folder. Inside is a contact list of potential clients. These are women who responded to our lead generation program and said they might be interested in attending a stun gun party. I need you to send each one an email from my laptop asking if they would like an autographed copy of Stu Summers’ latest novel as a perk for buying a Tasmania personal protection device. You can word it however you like. I’ll be able to check the responses from my phone. I’m sure I can talk him into signing as many copies as I want.” She grinned so broadly her cheeks hurt. “Nassau here I come!”
Kate ended the call and slipped the phone back into her Coach knock-off. Only then did she dare look in the mirror. She gasped. If Stu Summers didn’t think this was hideous … well, he really was a fiction writer.
Kate washed her face, reapplied her makeup, ran a brush through her hair and then gave it a “tossed” look with her fingers before returning to the kitchen. But Stu wasn’t there. She took a few steps toward the island until she found him standing slightly beyond a pair of open French doors on the back porch looking across the water at the sunset.
At the sound of her footsteps, he turned. If the look on his face was any indication, her touch-up had produced the proper effect.
He eased toward a small table situated between two rockers and lifted a wine bottle from its holder.
He poured and offered a glass to Kate. “Let me know if it’s okay. It’s from a vineyard I’ve never heard of.”
Kate, recalling how the wine snobs at the vineyard did it, swirled her glass around and inhaled the wine’s sweet aroma. She sipped. “Not bad. Has a hint of oak and something else. Apple, maybe.”
“Actually, I’m surprised there is any left. It’s been months since I’ve been here.” He gestured toward two rocking chairs. “Shall we?”
Kate settled into the rocker next to his. He kicked off his loafers and rested his feet on the porch railing.
Intimate, Kate thought. Maybe too much so. She tried to ignore the uneasiness she felt. His invitation to dinner was all well and good but she still did not have a place to stay. She wondered if she should mention something to him, but she didn’t want to appear too forward. Or give him the wrong impression. Based on her experience, even the slightest hint of an overnight stay could be interpreted by a guy as an invitation for sex.
The wind picked up, bringing with it the smell of rain. The breeze rattled the reeds growing along the creek bank.
She took another sip of wine and said, “There’s something I need to tell you.”
She heard him echo her words at the same time and together they laughed.
“You first,” he said.
“No, you.”
He sipped his wine and turned his gaze toward the wide expanse of water, allowing his silence to serve as a response. Lightning flashed in the distance, illuminating the clouds.
“Think that rain will reach us?” she asked.
“Are you worried about your car? Does the top leak?”
“No, I’m sure it’ll be fine where it is.”
He shifted in the rocker, resting his elbows on the arms and studied her. “What was it you were about to say?”
Even in the fading light of dusk she could see the intensity of his blue eyes. Never had anyone looked at her with such genuine interest.
She hesitated, unsure how to answer. Finally she blurted out, “I … don’t have a place to stay?”
“Ever or just tonight?”
“Tonight,” she said, softly laughing.
“In that case, you’re in luck. Turns out I have more than enough room to accommodate a homeless person.”
Once more, she found it impossible to believe she was sitting on a back porch rocking chair and enjoying wine with Stu Summers.
Kate ended the call and slipped the phone back into her Coach knock-off. Only then did she dare look in the mirror. She gasped. If Stu Summers didn’t think this was hideous … well, he really was a fiction writer.
Kate washed her face, reapplied her makeup, ran a brush through her hair and then gave it a “tossed” look with her fingers before returning to the kitchen. But Stu wasn’t there. She took a few steps toward the island until she found him standing slightly beyond a pair of open French doors on the back porch looking across the water at the sunset.
At the sound of her footsteps, he turned. If the look on his face was any indication, her touch-up had produced the proper effect.
He eased toward a small table situated between two rockers and lifted a wine bottle from its holder.
He poured and offered a glass to Kate. “Let me know if it’s okay. It’s from a vineyard I’ve never heard of.”
Kate, recalling how the wine snobs at the vineyard did it, swirled her glass around and inhaled the wine’s sweet aroma. She sipped. “Not bad. Has a hint of oak and something else. Apple, maybe.”
“Actually, I’m surprised there is any left. It’s been months since I’ve been here.” He gestured toward two rocking chairs. “Shall we?”
Kate settled into the rocker next to his. He kicked off his loafers and rested his feet on the porch railing.
Intimate, Kate thought. Maybe too much so. She tried to ignore the uneasiness she felt. His invitation to dinner was all well and good but she still did not have a place to stay. She wondered if she should mention something to him, but she didn’t want to appear too forward. Or give him the wrong impression. Based on her experience, even the slightest hint of an overnight stay could be interpreted by a guy as an invitation for sex.
The wind picked up, bringing with it the smell of rain. The breeze rattled the reeds growing along the creek bank.
She took another sip of wine and said, “There’s something I need to tell you.”
She heard him echo her words at the same time and together they laughed.
“You first,” he said.
“No, you.”
He sipped his wine and turned his gaze toward the wide expanse of water, allowing his silence to serve as a response. Lightning flashed in the distance, illuminating the clouds.
“Think that rain will reach us?” she asked.
“Are you worried about your car? Does the top leak?”
“No, I’m sure it’ll be fine where it is.”
He shifted in the rocker, resting his elbows on the arms and studied her. “What was it you were about to say?”
Even in the fading light of dusk she could see the intensity of his blue eyes. Never had anyone looked at her with such genuine interest.
She hesitated, unsure how to answer. Finally she blurted out, “I … don’t have a place to stay?”
“Ever or just tonight?”
“Tonight,” she said, softly laughing.
“In that case, you’re in luck. Turns out I have more than enough room to accommodate a homeless person.”
Once more, she found it impossible to believe she was sitting on a back porch rocking chair and enjoying wine with Stu Summers.
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