That Summer With Me - Julie Prestsater Page 0,14

sleeping? Was it a dream? Melody blinked several times, took off her glasses, rubbed her eyes, and put them back on. For a moment, she considered marching into the restroom and throwing in her contacts. She was certifiably losing it.

She tapped on the screen again, waking her phone, and waited for the facial recognition to let her in so she could tune back into FB.

There it was. Right there. She hadn’t imagined it.

Jordan Aria sent a friend request.

She took a deep breath and practically squealed as she accepted. Her heart felt like it was going to pound right out of her chest and flop around on the floor with excitement. She was thrilled and scared at the same time. For as much giddiness she felt, there was an equal amount of fear. She kept asking herself what she was getting into. As much as she wanted to believe things could be different this time, that they had been thrown into each other’s lives after twenty years for a reason, her teenage broken heart cautioned her from trusting Jordan.

It was a warning she would take seriously.

She never wanted to feel that pain again.

Even so, she couldn’t help but wonder what was next for the two of them. As much as she resisted, they had moved past doctor-family member of patient pleasantries. They were Facebook friends now. It was official. It said so right there on the app. She laughed at her ridiculous train of thought. At least, she was keeping herself entertained a two o’clock in the morning.

Melody turned off the light and climbed under the covers, telling herself it was time to take a deep breath and a chill pill and go the eff to sleep. She could think about her new friend in the morning.

But then her phone chimed with another notification. This time it was Messenger.

You’re up? Can’t sleep? Same here. Favorite book?

First it was the movie. Now it was the book. Again, her eyes welled up. She smiled at her phone as tears meandered down each side of her face. In the safe space of her own home, Melody allowed herself to cry. Though, she was unsure if they were happy or sad tears. She supposed they were both.

I don’t have just one, she messaged back.

7?

She was hoping his first question wasn’t random. Of course, it wasn’t. He was just as nostalgic as she was.

Yes. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and everything in between.

Jordan’s next message surprised her. It was a phone number followed by, Call me. For old time’s sake. Let me read to you.

Oh, she was bawling now. Inconsolable buckets of tears ran down her face like a firehose opening on a wildfire. She really needed to do something about these uncontrollable emotions. Cancer had her sobbing. Reconnecting with Jordan had her weeping. She was a freaking sentimental mess. But Jordan got her yet again. Of all the things she missed about him, it was the nights they’d spent alone in her room together. One would think she had missed the hour long make-out sessions—she had missed those, too. But what she had longed for over the years was to lay in his arms again while he read aloud to her.

She had always been a fan of the Harry Potter books, and to her shock and horror, Jordan had not read them. It didn’t completely surprise her. The guy didn’t read a thing for pleasure. If it wasn’t a primary resource of some kind, he hadn’t read it. It made her sad for him, that he had missed out on so many of the things that had brought so much joy to her life. The connection with her mother, seeing movies with friends, watching her favorite teen drama, or reading a good book. His life had been so mapped out for him, turn by turn, with the final destination always in sight. He never had the opportunity to take a detour and just have some fun. It was no wonder they connected. As much as he needed her spontaneity, she needed his drive and structure.

So, one night, she handed him the first HP book and said, “I can’t stand for this nonsense any longer. You have not lived until you’ve experienced Harry Potter. Now, read.” She had snuggled up to him, resting her head on his chest and wrapping her arm around him. If she hadn’t been so excited, she might have fallen asleep to his deep voice