there for her.
He couldn’t let her face this alone.
Greg didn’t miss the torment written all over Summer’s face as she paused outside the hospital cubicle where her father was resting. He wanted to push past her and go find out how bad things were so he could somehow cushion the blow for her, but he knew that was not how things worked.
There was nothing he could say or do to make this moment any easier for her. All he could do was let her know he was there for her. He’d never felt so helpless in his life.
Summer’s gaze lifted and met his. In that moment, he felt the true weight of her worry. He instinctively reached out to her and then gently squeezed her shoulder. And though he longed to pull her into a hug, he resisted the temptation.
He watched as she lifted her chin ever so slightly and squared her slender shoulders as though she were preparing herself to face whatever lay ahead. And then she stepped forward.
He remained where he was in the hallway. This path was one she needed to take on her own. He prayed she would receive good news. Her father just had to be all right.
But as she slipped past the curtain, he had no way of knowing what circumstances awaited her. Greg turned and started to pace. He just couldn’t stand still any longer.
He didn’t know how much time passed as he waited for word on her father. In all honesty, it felt like an eternity until he heard Summer call out his name. His back was to her. He braced himself and then he turned, not sure what he expected to find.
Summer stood just outside the curtain. There were tears on her cheeks. His heart sank. But then he noticed a smile pulling at her lips. He was confused.
He took long quick steps until he was standing right in front of her. “What’s going on?”
She swiped away the tears. “See for yourself.”
He didn’t want to do that. He wished she would tell him. But instead she stood there silently as she nodded toward the curtain. Great. Did he forget to tell her that he wasn’t good with hospitals?
He drew in a deep breath and then blew it out. He might as well get this over with quickly—like ripping off a bandage.
Expecting the worst, he stepped around the curtain to find her father lying on the bed. He wore a blue hospital gown with a lot of wires attached to him. But her father wore reading glasses as he held up his phone.
Jim Turner’s gaze rose to meet his. He removed his black-rimmed reading glasses. “Just the man I needed to have a word with.”
“How are you?”
“I’m good.” Jim glanced down at the wires attached to him. “I know it doesn’t look good, but this is all just a precaution. They’ve poked and prodded me, and so far they’ve found nothing.”
For the first time since hearing that Summer’s father was headed for the hospital, Greg took his first easy breath. “That’s great news.”
“Thanks. That’s why I finally convinced Susan and her sister to grab a bite to eat in the cafeteria. At least one of us should get to eat.”
Food. It was something neither he nor Summer had thought about since they left Bluestar. He’d have to make sure she got something to eat soon. Though, he might have to bring it to her here in the emergency room. He glanced over as she came to stand next to her father. He doubted the promise of food could drag her away from her father’s side.
“Can I get you something to eat?” Greg asked her father.
The man shook his head. “I don’t want to eat in case there’s another test they want to run. I don’t want anything to delay me getting out of here. The sooner, the better.”
“I understand. But if you change your mind, just let me know.”
“I will. Thank you. And I want to thank you for making sure Summer got here safely. Though I hate that you both had to drop everything to come here for nothing.”
“It definitely wasn’t for nothing. I’m glad you’re feeling better.” His gaze moved briefly to Summer before returning to her father. “I’m just glad I was there when she got the call.”
“I am too.” His gaze moved to his daughter. “I’m sorry for scaring you.”
“I should have been here,” Summer uttered. “I shouldn’t have been hours away on the island.”
Jim reached out and took his daughter’s hand in his own. “You were exactly where you belong.”
Summer shook her head. “I should be here in Maine. Close to you and Mom.”
“No, you shouldn’t. We made the decision to move here because it’s what worked for us. Your mother loves being close to her sisters again. Her happiness makes me happy. But our path shouldn’t be your path. You have your own life to lead, and from what I hear, your yoga studio is a big hit in Bluestar.”
Surprise filtered over Summer’s face. “You’ve been hearing about my studio?”
“Of course. You know I still have family and friends on the island?”
“Of course. I just didn’t think people were talking about Beach Love Yoga.”
“They are. And I can’t wait to see it for myself. Your mother and I are planning to make it there for Aster and Sam’s wedding next weekend.”
“But, Dad, you’re in the hospital. You can’t travel.”
He patted her hand. “Stop worrying. I’m fine and ready to hit the dance floor.”
Summer rolled her eyes. “We’ll see.”
“Don’t you worry. I plan to be home tonight for a late dinner.”
Her brows drew together. “You don’t want to rush things. What if they want to monitor you overnight?”
“You’re starting to sound like your mother. You both have to believe me when I tell you there’s nothing wrong with me. Isn’t that right, Greg?”
To hear his name being drawn into this conversation made his body tense. Both sets of eyes turned his way. It didn’t matter what he said now, he knew he would be in trouble. It was positively a no-win situation.
The best thing he could do was change the subject. And so he did just that by mentioning his boat. He knew Jim loved to talk about boats.
Greg told her father about how he’d just had the motor repaired. Her father told him he should have brought the boat to him, and they could have worked on it together just like they’d done many times in the past.
“Thank you,” Greg said. “Maybe I’ll take you up on the offer, if it happens again. But honestly, even if I had wanted your help, I never would have made it here. One morning the motor just wouldn’t start. I was at the dock.”
“Better at the dock instead of stuck at sea.”
“Agreed.” He didn’t even want to think about that predicament.
“They said it was a problem with the wiring.”
Her father frowned. “Be careful. Wiring problems can be tricky.”
“I will.”
Just then Summer’s mother and aunt joined them. There were hugs all around. That was one thing Greg loved about Summer’s family—the way they made him feel like he was a part of them. He had to keep reminding himself that things had changed, and now he was just a distant friend—though it didn’t feel like it. His gaze moved to Summer. She definitely didn’t feel like a distant friend.
As the women moved off to the side to talk quietly amongst themselves, Summer’s father gestured for him to lean in closer. “I wanted to thank you for being there for Summer.”
“It was nothing.” He couldn’t imagine not helping her.
“I think we both know that it’s a lot more than that. I’ll worry less about her now that I know you two have worked things out.” A smile lifted the corners of his mouth. “You were always good together. She was the spontaneous one, and you were the one that thought things out.”
“That was a long time ago.” Greg couldn’t let himself or anyone else get caught up in their past. “We’ve both grown and changed.” And now it was time to change the subject. “Summer’s yoga studio is growing.”
Pride reflected in her father’s eyes. “When she sets her mind to something, she does amazing things. She gets that from her mother.”
Greg had a feeling she got it from both of her parents. “Your daughter is amazing.”
“Just keep an eye on her, please. I know this scare really shook her up. I’ll rest better knowing you’re there for her when I can’t be.”
Now how was he supposed to tell Jim that he just couldn’t get wrapped up in Summer’s life again—that he couldn’t let himself get that close to her. “Don’t worry. I’ll always be there when she needs me.”
The sincerity of his statement struck him. He couldn’t imagine not being there for Summer, no matter how complicated their relationship might be. He would always be someone she could count on.
Jim smiled again. “Thank you.”
Greg’s gaze moved to Summer. Her face was animated as she said something to her mother. The more time he spent with her, the more he remembered how close they’d been right up until that infamous kiss. It had ruined everything. He couldn’t repeat that mistake. He wouldn’t let his feelings for her get out of control. He wouldn’t let anything ruin their second chance at being friends. He’d missed her more than he knew was possible.