Catching Summer (Second Chances, #6)

“Only you would say something like that. What about Luke?” I asked, hoping to change the subject from me. “Why don’t we talk about you and him?”

Huffing, she rolled her eyes. She didn’t want to admit it, but what Luke had done to her had really taken a toll on her. I didn’t like seeing her heartbroken. “There’s not much to tell. He doesn’t notice me, even when I’m right in front of him. Judging by the sea donkeys he’s screwing around with, I need extra-large tits and to let my ass cheeks hang out of my shorts to get his attention. He acts as if what we did didn’t even happen.”

Grabbing my keys and my purse, I patted her soothingly on the shoulder and kissed her head. I knew it made her angry to see him with other women, especially after he ghosted on her after a one-night stand. Worthless bastard. “Maybe you just need to move on, too. Forget about him and find someone else.” I knew that was easier said than done.

Lowering her head, she covered her face and sighed. “I’ll make you a deal,” she mentioned softly. “If you go out on a date with someone, I’ll forget all about Luke.”

“You promise?” I could do this for my sister. Maybe I’m not ready for emotional ties, but she was and she needed to find someone who loved her. She was wasting her time worrying about Luke when obviously all he cared about was getting a new piece of ass every week.

She nodded and lifted her sad gaze to mine. “I promise. It’s been three months since the last time he talked to me. I’ve just been foolish to think he would change.”

“Just keep your head up and don’t let him know he hurt you.”

“I won’t.” Unfortunately, Lara’s response lacked conviction.

Looking over at the clock, I gasped when I realized what time it was. I rushed to the door and ripped it open. “I have to meet Kate before I’m late. I’ll see you this afternoon.”

“Have fun,” she called out as I shut the door.

Taking a CPR class wasn’t exactly what I considered fun, but it was going to feel good to do what I used to love doing.



The place I had to meet Kate was actually the facility where the players mainly worked out and practiced during their training. When I pulled up, the parking lot was full. Kate and Cooper, her husband and the quarterback for the Carolina Cougars, were standing at the door waiting for me. As soon as I got out of my car, she waved me over.

She was dressed in one of Cooper’s jerseys, which was enormous on her except a little snug over her belly. “Are you ready to play tonsil hockey with the mannequins?” she asked with a huge grin on her face.

I laughed. “Just as long as I pass. It’s been a while since I’ve practiced CPR.”

She waved me off. “You’ll do fine. It’ll be good to have your help here. It’s hard to move as fast as I used to.”

“It’s because you’re about to bust,” Cooper teased. He shook his head and turned his attention to me, his blue eyes lit with humor. “I keep telling her if she doesn’t watch it, she’s going to have that baby on the field. By how hard he kicks, I have a feeling he’ll be a football player. He’ll put Jaxon to shame.”

“Who will?” a voice behind me called out. When I looked over my shoulder, I saw Jaxon marching up to us with a sly smile on his face. He had on a red baseball cap. Underneath it, his hair was so dark it looked almost black. His eyes were the color of amber. Cooper slapped him on the shoulder and Kate giggled when he joined us.

“I believe they were saying their son is going to be a better kicker than you,” I told him.

Jaxon shook his head, grinning. “That wouldn’t surprise me. It’s a good thing I won’t have to worry about a job when that time comes. I’ll be old and decrepit before Cooper Junior takes the field.”

“Won’t we all,” Cooper said, chuckling.

Kate laughed and nodded toward the facility door. “All right, Summer, you ready? Our instructor’s name is Gary Wilford. He’s funny as hell so I know he’ll make the course interesting.”

“Are you going to be hanging out with the team?” Jaxon asked, focusing on me.

I nodded. “Just for a little while. I’m trying to keep up with my certifications so I stay up to date with my nursing. You never know when the restaurant will take a dive.”

Everyone snorted and looked at me like I’d lost my mind. I was just being realistic. “That’s not going to happen,” he said. “But it’ll be good to have you here. Hopefully, it’ll get mama over here off our backs.”

Kate rolled her eyes and grabbed my arm, pulling me toward the door. “Stop giving me reasons to bitch at you and I’ll stop,” she shouted over her shoulder. Once inside, she let me go and laughed. “I swear, they have no idea how hard it is to be pregnant.”

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