The Summer of Us (Mission Cove #1) - Melanie Moreland Page 0,3
Mission Cove, my father, or the gossips.
One where I didn’t have to hide or pretend. Where Sunny, her mom, and sisters could start fresh.
I stood and looked down at the water, the waves breaking against the rocks, deciding to go into town. I felt like some ice cream.
If Sunny happened to be behind the counter at the diner, that would be even better.
2
Linc
My father’s car was gone when I went back to the house. I was glad I didn’t have to see him again. I grabbed my keys and drove into town. Our large, rambling house was set on the hill overlooking the small town my father ruled—a gaudy, shiny symbol of his wealth and status.
I went to the diner, sitting patiently in the corner booth no one liked. It was somewhat hidden and closer to the kitchen, the smell of the grease from the fryer lingering in the air. The old air conditioner that hung over the front door didn’t have the force it needed to reach this far into the room, so it was warmer than the rest of the place and the booth was usually empty.
Lucky me.
From my vantage point, I watched Sunny in the diner, filling coffee, scooping ice cream, always smiling and friendly.
She was so pretty. Her hair was caught up in a high ponytail, the bright strawberry-blond gleaming under the artificial light. Despite her lack of height, you noticed her. Her smile and laughter, the kindness she treated everyone with.
She approached my booth, a mischievous grin pulling up one corner of her mouth and her eyes dancing.
“Hey, Lincoln. Didn’t expect to see you in here today.”
I winked. “Sunny-girl. I was hungry.” I eyed the way her uniform stretched over her high, tight tits and the short skirt showed off her tanned legs. I wasn’t hungry for food, and she knew that.
She set down the menu and glanced behind her. The diner wasn’t overly busy at the moment, mostly a few locals gathered around, sipping coffee, and gossiping. There was no one sitting close, so she leaned in and kissed me swiftly, then sat across from me.
“Hi,” she whispered.
“Hi.”
“Are you okay?” She frowned. “Was your dad at you again?”
I passed a hand over my face. “How can you tell?”
“You always get those lines on your forehead when you’re upset. And your dad always upsets you.”
“I’m fine.”
She bent closer, her eyes troubled. “Did he-did he hurt you?”
“No.”
The bell over the door chimed, and she stood. “I’ll be back. I get my break in ten minutes, and we’ll talk.”
My thoughts drifted to the last time my father and I’d had words.
His fist slammed into my ribs, stopping my breath and causing agonizing pain to ripple through my body. He knew exactly how to hit. To cause me pain without permanent damage, and where to hit so that no one could see.
“I told you to drop the fucking tart. She has no place in your life.”
I was on my knees, gasping for air, my mind racing.
I had fucked up and bought Sunny flowers on my credit card. She’d been having a bad day, and I wanted to do something to make her smile. I’d even had them delivered, remembering she had told me once she’d never been sent flowers.
My father saw the charge on the card and traced it.
And now I was taking the punishment.
He grabbed my hair and lifted my head. The anger on his face was frightening.
“Drop her, or I will drive her out of town. Her entire family. Got it? Some gold digger who has convinced you she likes you for anything except my money isn’t going to fuck up my plans.”
Another punch landed, and I was out cold. When I woke up, I was alone.
It was Sunny who saw the bruises. Sunny who made me tell her what happened. She listened with a horrified expression and decided we needed to break up.
“I’m not worth that,” she sobbed. “Someone needs to stop him.”
I held her arms, refusing to let her go. “No one can stop him, Sunny. I’m not giving you up. But I’m afraid,” I admitted. “Afraid of what he’d do to you.” I sucked in some air. “Don’t leave me, Sunny. Don’t make me go back to being alone again.”
She threw her arms around my neck. “I don’t want to.”
“We’ll have to be more careful. I can’t risk you.”