A Summer To Remember (Seasons of Love & Lust Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

Especially me .”
    “And what is so wrong with you I should be ashamed we went with the moment, Jerrica? I love you. I have known you practically my whole life and we’re like family.”
    Yes, and that kiss we just shared was such a friendly kind of love, I thought sarcastically.
    “I’m damaged goods, Paul. Inside, everything is broken and my emotions are like shattered glass. I’m not good for any man, especially one as worthy as you.” I took his hand and we turned toward the house. “We won’t speak of this again and we won’t tell anyone it ever happened, okay?”
    “Fine. What happened tonight will be our little secret.”
    I breathed a deep sigh of relief and whispered, “Thank you.”
    I knew what had happened tonight would remain between us and he would never share it with a soul, not even my brother. That gave me a certain sense of comfort even if what we did was so right it was wrong.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Four
     
     
    The next morning, I awoke early, showered, and walked out to the pool area. Unfortunately, I hadn’t beat the early bird, Talia, who already lay out in a pristine white bathing suit that accentuated her voluptuous curves and looked stunning on her light olive skin which was already beginning to bronze.
    “Jesus, how long have you been up?” I asked as I lay in the lounger beside her and sprayed my skin with sunscreen.
    “Good morning to you too,” Talia responded cordially. “I am having a bit of a time adjusting to the new time zone after being on Pacific Standard Time for so long. I awoke about five and read a bit before I took a shower and made some fresh-squeezed orange juice. You look like you need it. Feeling a bit hungover?”
    I picked up the carafe on the glass table between us and poured myself a generous helping in a Baccarat crystal glass. “Is it that obvious I had too much to drink last night? This isn’t spiked with vodka, is it?”
    My best friend looked at me like I’d just asked her for a hit of crack cocaine. “Of course not! I have been in California a bit too long. I made myself a smoothie for breakfast and then made the orange juice. I don’t do any of that shit anymore. No marijuana and definitely no ciggies. I quit cold turkey because all my bad habits were starting to affect my voice and make it a little too husky.”
    “Husky is good. Think about all the great British neo-soul singers: Adele, Joss Stone, the late, great Amy Winehouse.” I finished spraying myself and set the sunscreen on the table then swallowed half my orange juice in a few deep swigs.
    “I don’t do neo-soul. I do pop, remember? I’m trying to make it and I don’t want to be in a certain niche that doesn’t sell well. I want to be a Mariah Carey or a Britney Spears.”
    “With better pipes? How are you ever going to make it if you keep writing songs for established artists and the company you work for would rather use you as a song writer rather than an artist? I told you it was going to be a hard slog but you ignored me. Making it as a singer-songwriter is no joke. There is a reason why there are so few.”
    Talia breathed deeply before she turned my way. “What was last night all about and you running off like your ass was on fire? Don’t you dare tell me it had anything to do with Paul or I will kill you myself.”
    I thought about it for a moment. Part of my behavior did have to do with Paul but the other part was all me. I didn’t want to hear about his perfect girlfriend or how they were so great together. I didn’t feel like explaining any of this to my best friend either so I just took the easy way out. I lied my ass off.
    “I don’t give a damn about who Paul is dating, and listening to Jude and him go on and on about Ashley made me want to vomit. It’s bad enough I will have to meet her…eventually.”
    “True…” Talia trailed off when we heard a ruckus at the front door. She rolled her eyes and we both had the same thought. It