That Summer With Me - Julie Prestsater Page 0,3

happening, man?” Jordan asked. “Just missed me?”

Jace chuckled. “Of course. That’s it,” he said. “I’m actually calling for Joy. She met someone the other day who needs your help.”

“How so?” he asked, then took a quick sip of his coffee while he watched Millie get yet another refill of cereal.

“Apparently this woman needs a consultation for treatment options sooner rather than later. Her appointment isn’t for another three months.”

“Do you have all the details?”

“Sorry, bro. I don’t. I’ll email you contact information, and maybe you can pass it along to someone who can review her chart and help.”

“I’ll take care of it. Just send me what you have.” Jordan could hear a bunch of chatter on Jace’s end of the line. It sounded like his friend’s wife. “Is that Joy?”

“Sure is. She wants me to tell you the patient’s daughter is our age, and she’s really hot.”

Jordan rolled his eyes. “Got it.” They both chuckled as they said their goodbyes. He took another sip of his coffee and let out a long sigh.

Why is everyone trying to set me up? Work was heartbreaking enough on most days. He didn’t need it in his personal life, too.

Chapter 3

MELODY

Melody anxiously waited with her mom to meet Dr. Ambrose at SoCal Cancer Center. She had called Joy immediately to thank her for the help. A new appointment was scheduled for the day after they arrived back from Seattle. Joy worked fast, and she was grateful beyond words.

She was also nervous. She had a small notebook in her hands where she had written down questions her mom had. “I know I’m going to forget, honey,” her mother had said. “So, write them down and take notes.” She’d do anything for this woman. She had been her rock for her entire life. She had been there for her through her divorce and never once judged her for the plenty of mistakes that she had made. Melody’s mom only offered support without offering her own two cents. And that’s exactly what she planned to do for her mom.

They both sat in the doctor’s office, their knees bouncing up and down, wringing their hands, and chewing on their bottom lips. Melody laughed inside. They were so much alike it killed her when she was a teenager, but now she loved it. She appreciated it more than she ever thought she would. Cancer had a way of doing that—make a person appreciate the things they’d taken for granted. She looked at the world with a different lens, feeling gratitude for every little thing that seemed so inconsequential.

It wasn’t long before the door opened behind them. “Good morning, Mrs. Valdez.”

Melody knew that voice. It couldn’t be. She turned quickly in her seat to get a better look.

“Melody?” he said, his eyes glued to hers.

“Jordan?” He was not Dr. Ambrose. He was the love of her life. The one who got away. The one who took her young heart and shredded it to pieces. The one who left her crying herself to sleep for months before she was utterly exhausted and had to summon the strength to move on.

“You two know each other?” her mom asked. She gave her daughter a raise of the brow, letting her know she wanted all the details later. Even now, some twenty years later, Melody didn’t know if she had it in her to talk about that time in her life again.

“Yes,” the doctor shared before he turned to his patient. “You must be Mary Ann.” He was now at his desk, leaning over with his hand out for a shake. “I’m Dr. Aria.” He offered the gesture to Melody. She paused at first before giving him her shaky hand.

The next half hour was a blur as Melody tried to steady her breathing, calm the rapid beating of her heart, and slow the thoughts running circles in her head. Her face was hot, her chest was tight, and warmth prickled her skin from the inside out.

After all these years, she was sitting across from Jordan Aria. He was just as gorgeous now as he was at seventeen. Taller, for sure. Stronger? Definitely. His body had filled out with age. He no longer had the body of a teenager—which was even nice back then. He was all man now, and she needed to check herself before she drooled all over her notebook. How could this be happening? How could she be getting lost in his green, almond-shaped eyes? How could she want to comb her