ONCE MORE, WITH YOU

XXV

Summer Preston

Solené walked over to the woman I now knew as Drew and whispered something in her ear.

Nolan caught my eye, raising an eyebrow as if to ask if I knew what was going on.

I shook my head, frustration bubbling in my chest.

Nolan sighed, tossing his trash and pushing his chair in before switching off the TV. Then, he made his way over to me.

"Okay, I know you heard her call Sol baby, but I don't think you should panic—"

"You don't think I should panic?" I snapped. "Some random bitch waltzes in here and now she's calling my girlfriend baby?"

"She could just be some obsessed ex. Just wait for Solené to explain."

"You're right. I'll wait," I said, forcing a smile.

"No, Summer. I know that look. Don't go causing—"

"Just hold my stuff," I said, dropping everything at his feet and patting his shoulder.

As I stalked toward Solené and fucking Drew, I barely registered Nolan calling Adrianna, telling her to come downstairs. I didn't care. My focus was on my girlfriend—and what looked like someone else's.

I stopped next to Solené, whose expression was unreadable. She looked stressed.

When she noticed me, her shoulders tensed. "Summer, go back over there with Nolan. Just let me handle this."

"You want me to let you handle this alone? She just called you baby. The only person who should be calling you that is me. Your girlfriend."

Drew's eyes lit up. She smirked at me.

"Aww, Sol, you're cheating on me?" she mocked.

My jaw clenched. "What the fuck do you mean she's cheating on you?"

"Solené didn't tell you?" Drew's gaze flicked between us, her smirk widening.

"Apparently not," I deadpanned.

Drew let out a dramatic sigh. "Solené and I are married." She gave me a slow, deliberate once-over before scoffing. "Or at least, I thought we were—until she ran off to play house with you."

I stared at her. "Married?"

"She's lying," Solené said quickly, but Drew just kept going.

"You didn't know?" she asked, feigning surprise. "That's cute. Sol's got a thing for keeping secrets, huh?"

I took a step closer. "Don't look at me like that."

Drew laughed. "Relax. It's just funny to me. I mean... you? Really?" She wrinkled her nose like I was something she scraped off the bottom of her shoe. "I guess Sol always had a weakness for easy distractions."

I chuckled, low and dark, before swinging—but before my fist could connect, strong arms wrapped around my waist, yanking me back.

"Summer, I asked you once. Now I'm telling you," Solené's voice was sharp as she lifted me off the ground, carrying me away from Drew. "Go sit with Nolan and wait for me. I'll explain everything."

I didn't fight her. I didn't say a word. I just snatched my stuff from Nolan and stormed out of the building.

Just as we reached my car, Adrianna jogged up, out of breath. "What happened—"

"Not now, Adrianna," Nolan and I snapped in unison.

She rolled her eyes. "Fine. Whatever."

I unlocked the car—the car I never drive, by the way, but of course, I had been too busy trying to impress someone who had been lying to my face—and we all climbed inside.