Perfect Summer by Bethany Lopez
Faith
“It’s such a beautiful day, I wish summer would never end.”
We were once again at the picnic area by the creek where we’d had our first date, and many after, and where Mitch had brought me for our auction picnic, except this time, Hope was with us.
I smiled as I watched her run around. She’d been going between jumping in the creek to doing twirls on the bank.
“Winters are harsh,” Mitch agreed, “but there’s something to be said for waking up to fresh snow, drinking mulled wine, and skiing.”
“Mm, that’s true,” I said, leaning back against his chest. “But I’ve always been more of a warm weather girl.”
“I know,” Mitch said softly, moving his head so he could nuzzle my neck.
“That feels nice,” I murmured, snuggling back into him.
We watched as Hope danced around and played, alternately laughing and talking to herself.
“The contractor called and said they’d like to meet up Thursday evening to go over building plans for the house. Does that work for you?” he asked.
I mentally checked my work schedule and said, “Yeah, that should be fine. My last client is at three on Thursday, and it’s just a cut, so I’ll be done by four.”
“Perfect, I’ll call them back and lock in a time. Have you thought about what you’d like to incorporate?”
I shifted to look back at him and said, “Are you kidding, I have one Pinterest board dedicated to the construction and another dedicated to the décor.”
I felt his chest rumble against my back as he laughed.
“Well, I’d love to see them…”
“Sure, but let’s do it when we get home on the computer. My phone screen is too small for you to get the full effect.”
“Makes sense.”
“Mr. Mitch, come spin me,” Hope called out.
When we’d arrived, Mitch had taken her by the hands and spun her around in circles, so of course, every five minutes since she’d been asking him to do it again. Like the trooper he was, he kept complying, but I knew from experience she’d wear him out eventually.
“Excuse me,” he said, so I scooted up and let him get up.
I watched Mitch spin Hope around and listened to her giggles, feeling utterly content.
Since it was there, I sat up and grabbed some cheese and crackers and popped them in my mouth. We’d only brought snacks with us, since we were planning to go out to dinner with my parents that evening.
I wasn’t sure how it had all come about, but my mom had called and said there was a new place a few miles outside of town that she and my dad really wanted to check out and had asked the three of us to go with them.
She’d also said it was kinda fancy and wouldn’t it be fun if we dressed up and did our hair and nails.
It was strange because she knew because of my salon, I never left the house without my hair and nails done, which I told her, but she simply said she just wanted to make sure.
It was all very suspicious.
I mean, my parents hardly ever went out to eat unless it was a birthday or anniversary, and never asked us to go with them. At least, not since I’d been back. I think they were afraid of how Hope may act in a restaurant, so they preferred to have us to their house or come to mine.
I wondered if they had something important they wanted to tell me.
Oh gosh, what if one of them is sick, or they want to tell me they’re getting a divorce or something?
I stood up and started pacing as all of the worst-case scenarios I could think of crossed my mind.
But why would my mom want me to dress up and look nice if it was bad news?
Nothing made sense, and I could feel my heart rate increasing as I worried over what could be going on.
“Hey, Faith,” Mitch called.
I looked over at him and Hope and saw they were standing by the overlook. It was a small wooden platform with a rail that stood a few feet over the creek, going out over the water. It was actually where Mitch and I had our first kiss.
“Yeah?” I called back, distracted.
“Come here, Mommy,” Hope called, waving her arm furiously.
I started toward them, my brain still going in a million different directions.
“Yeah, baby?” I asked when I reached them.
“Stand over here,” she said, taking my hand and moving me so my back was to the railing.
“Okay,” I said with a confused laugh.
I let her position me the way she wanted and tried to focus on the present. Afterall, there was no use fretting over what may come, they were going to tell me whatever they were going to tell me, and I’d deal with it.
Mitch grinned down at Hope, who was smiling sunnily back at him, and I had a moment to think about how sweet they were together, when Mitch brought his eyes to mine and lifted his hands.
When he opened them to reveal a small velvet box, then opened it and an oval-cut diamond ring caught the sunlight, I gasped and took an instinctive step back.
I hit the rail with more force than I intended, and I heard a crack seconds before I was freefalling backward.
I vaguely heard Mitch and Hope call out as my stomach dropped, along with my body, and I hit the hard edge of a rock. I felt a snap as I landed, seconds before cold water rushed over me, and I knew my arm was broken … again.