The Sweetest Summer

Chapter Seventy - If You Love Her

Eli -

My eyelids cracked open to the feeling of something disturbing my left leg. It was an odd, foreign sensation, and in my half-asleep state I reached my arm out for Avery. It was too early to be awake, and I needed to hold her for at least a few more hours.

The feeling roused me again, and I realize the disturbance was more of a...pecking?! My eyelids popped open at once, and I was greeted by the largest seagull I'd seen in my entire Southern California life. Pecking at my pants leg like it was breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

"Holy fuck! Fuck the fuck off!" I cried, kicking wildly at the thing, and thankfully it took instruction well, flying off into the sunrise. Wait...sunrise?!

I examined my white dress shirt and dark slacks that were sweat and tequila stained. Not that I could really notice over the sand in my ass, and pounding in my head.

The rest of beach was deserted, but somehow looked familiar. Thank God. I'd made it back to my parents house in Malibu. Or rather my dad's place...mom didn't live here anymore.

She hadn't since...I tried to search my hungover brain for the right word, but I couldn't find it. Divorce. There. That was it. I deserved a fucking Medal of Honor for making it home, and forming a coherent thought after downing that entire bottle of Casamigos.

"You ready to switch to the strong stuff now?" My dad's gruff voice called from the porch behind me, and I peeled myself from the sand, staggering a little as I stood. I should be mortified dad found me utterly passed out on the beach, but I knew he was no angel when he was my age. The judgment gage on him was literally zero.

"You got a Bloody Mary?" I put one palm over my eyes as I climbed the stairs.

"Nah, something better." He thrust a peeling, aqua blue mug into my hands. "Coffee."

"Black?"

"Is there was any other way?"

We both sipped in silence, and turned our attention toward the waves.

"Did you have a good time last night?" I asked, hoping to make small talk.

"I did. Until I had to drag your drunk ass home..." Still no judgement in his voice. Just facts.

"What do you mean drag?" My stomach lurched a little.

"You kept saying something about 'me leaving you there', and 'that your entire life was over', or some bullshit."

I made a noncommittal sound somewhere in the back of my throat. Fucking mortifying...but also accurate. Watching Avery leave with Hawthorn last night, made me feel like my life was over. As pitiful as that sounded.

When I had nothing else to contribute, my father continued, resting his mug onto the worn ledge of the porch.

"I was in love before too...I mean before your mom." His eyes flicked to the left...in the direction of Avery's family's beach house.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." He picked up his mug again, but set it down before it could reach his pensive lips. "She was beautiful, and smart, and compassionate, and witty."

"So what happened?"

"Your mom did."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Not that I regret it. If we wouldn't have reconciled, I wouldn't have you, and you're by far my biggest accomplishment."

"Thanks, dad."

He waved me off. "All I'm saying is, don't fall into your old man's footsteps. Follow your heart, no matter how much is up against you."