His Summer Sunshine (Joy Sisters), page 1
His Summer Sunshine
JOY SISTERS
BELLA DARLING
Copyright © 2023 by Bella Darling
All rights reserved.
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Dedication
Love is waiting for you.
Contents
Bella’s Dirty Darlings
Synopsis
1. Summer
2. Asa
3. Summer
4. Asa
5. Summer
6. Asa
7. Summer
8. Asa
9. Summer
10. Asa
11. Summer
12. Asa
13. Summer
Epilogue
His Autumn Obsession
About the Author
Also by Bella Darling
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Bella’s Dirty Darlings
Synopsis
Summer Joy has been burned and is not looking for love.
Sure, she’d be open to it…in the future.
What she didn’t expect was the gruff boxer overtaking every aspect of her life.
He’s kind of a jerk, way over the top, and alpha to his core.
He’s all wrong for her, right?
Asa Carter cares about two things: his son and his boxing career.
But he wasn’t expecting the sweet little piece of sunshine his boy had made friends with.
Certainly hadn’t anticipated the one-two punch of love to strike when sparring with each other is all they did.
Ultimately, they both fight their attraction, but love has other plans.
Summer just got hotter with this age-gap, over-the-top alpha looking to claim his woman in the only way he knows how; by tossing her over his shoulder and straight into his bed.
CHAPTER 1
Summer
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. The sound of my pounding feet on the treadmill bleeds through the earbuds I popped in an hour ago…I’m still not exhausted enough. I have to work harder, run faster, but the damn belt can’t accelerate any more. The friggin’ machine is maxed out. That’s probably a good thing; I don’t think my jittery legs could run any faster, anyway.
When I started coming to Hank’s, it was to chase away the nightmares. Now it’s to chase away the demons. They’re always haunting me, waiting in the shadows, lurking as they prepare to pounce as soon as I pass out.
It’s been several months since the attack, and I’m still on edge. I think it has more to do with the fact that the guy hasn’t been caught yet. My hope for it happening dwindles with every passing day. My sisters know it happened, and Winter, the oldest, had been ready to burn everything down in order to find him, but even she doesn’t know all of what occurred. Nobody but the police do. As far as my family is concerned, I was beaten up and left in the street on a cold rainy night. They have no idea how far my attacker went. It’s something I live with alone.
“Hey, Sum!” Hitting the cool-down button, I glance over at Mateo, the grandson of the owner of the boxing gym, Hank.
“Hey, Mattie.” I wink when he growls at me. For twelve, he looks more like he’s eighteen. The kid is built like a tank and stands at least five inches taller than me.
“You always call me that.” But that whine gives his age away. I don’t know why he was so drawn to me from the first time I entered the gym, but anytime he sees me, he always comes by to say hi.
“Mattie suits you,” I tell him as the treadmill slows. A loud clatter from the back makes me jump and nearly lose my footing.
“You’re kind of clumsy,” Mateo laughs while eyeing me up, making sure I’m okay as the speed decreases again.
“I guess.” I won’t expand on why. He doesn’t need to know that everything makes me jump nowadays.
“You ever gonna explain about the scar?” His hand reaches up to touch his own jaw near his ear, in the exact spot my scar is. I shake my head. “I bet it’s a cool story. You fought off a gator, didn’t you, or maybe a shark!” He jumps and cheers.
I wish it were something so cool. My smile is tight as he mimics a shark attack and how I must have fought it off. “Mateo!” A sharp male voice from a few feet behind causes me to jump again, and this time, I do lose my footing.
“Oh shit, Summer!” the boy calls out as I’m about to go down, face first, and add to my collection of scars.
Suddenly I’m stopped, hanging midair as solid arms encircle my waist, lifting me away from the wayward treadmill and placing me on my feet on the linoleum floor. “Careful, sweetheart, wouldn’t want to mess up a pretty thing like you.”
Scrambling out of the man’s hold, I step a few feet away, digging my fingernails into my palms to school my features and erase the fear of not just falling but of him touching me.
“Whoa, Dad, that was so cool! You caught her midair!” Mateo is off the walls hyper now.
Clearing my throat, I finally look at my rescuer, and I’m sucker punched, the wind getting knocked from my lungs. He’s handsome. Sharp jawline, thick lips, crooked nose, high cheekbones, and eyes so light blue I could get lost in them.
“Thanks for that.” I wave to the still-running treadmill. Stepping up on the one next to it, I shut the machine down. It flashes my stats before I can stop it.
“Ninety minutes at full speed?” His voice is deep, rusty, like he doesn’t talk a lot. “That’s not good for someone your size.”
I bristle at the comment, forcing myself to ignore the unease at his substantial presence. He’s as tall as my brother-in-law Caspian but has more muscle, which doesn’t seem possible. And his entire body is covered in ink.
“I’m used to it,” I say, reaching for my water bottle and towel. Wiping the sweat off my face, neck, and chest, I gulp down the rest of my drink, needing a reprieve.
“I’m Asa, Mateo’s dad.” Looking between the two, it makes sense now, with how big the boy is.
“Summer.” I don’t offer more. My voice feels cold and robotic.
“She’s the best, Dad. She has this super cool scar on her jaw, but she won’t tell me what from. I think it’s a shark attack or maybe a gator.” Standing next to me, Mateo inspects it closer.
“Pops was looking for you; needs some help,” Asa tells his son, who mutters his disappointment before wandering off to find the older man. “He bothering you?”
“No, he’s nice. Keeps me company when I’m cooling down.” His eyes slide up and down my body, and when they stop mid-way, I glance down to see my shirt stuck up against my sweaty skin, showing off more of the scars from that night. White lines crisscross my stomach. I yank the material down, turn around, and fiddle with my bag on the ground.
“He’s a good kid.” Asa hedges closer; there’s curiosity in his tone. “Is it true? Shark attack.” His eyes bounce between my stomach and jaw.
I let out a doleful laugh and shake my head. “No. I won’t give him the answer, so I think he’s just trying to make up something cool.”
“I see.” He raises up a powerful arm to scratch his jaw. “So, is it worse than a shark attack?”
Blowing out a breath, I grind my jaw. “Depends on who you ask.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I can tell he doesn’t like my evasive answers, but I don’t know him from Adam, so he’s not getting shit from me.
“Well, if you ask someone who’s been attacked by a shark, they’ll tell you nothing’s worse. But to me,” I shrug. “Yeah, I guess it’s worse.” It’s consumed my entire existence since the night it happened. I’m not who I used to be, who I wanted to be. Not anymore.
A beat passes, and I can see he’s struggling with something, so I break the silence as I finish wiping down my machine. “Look, Mattie’s a great kid, he’s got quite the sense of humor, and I don’t want my baggage weighing him down. Not when he smiles so freely.”
“It’s Mateo,” he barks with the force of a blow.
Raising my hands, I sling my bag over my shoulder. “Sorry…Mateo.”
“He hates being called Mattie.”
I had no idea. He’s asked why I call him that but never asked me to stop.
“I won’t make the mistake again.” I have no interest in hurting the boy’s feelings.
“See that you don’t.” Spinning on his heel, Asa leaves as quickly as he appeared, and I feel like I’ve got whiplash. I’ve never had anyone go from smiling and flirting to being cautious and angry so quickly before.
“You out of here already, Summer?” Hank calls from where he and Mateo are cleaning weights.
“Yup, got a late night ahead of me.” Waving, I force myself to ignore the way Asa watches me.
“Later, Sum!” Mateo calls.
“See ya, Mateo!”
“What happened to Mattie?” He stands up straight now, hands on his hips. I don’t miss the shocked look on Asa’s face. His son must really hate the nickname, and now I’m curious as to why.
Shrugging, I lie. “Didn’t think you liked it.”
Pushing on the door, I catch a couple of boxers walking down the street towards the gym and tense. I want to run as fast as I can.
“I don’t like it from anyone else, just you. You can always call me Mattie.” The boy’s grin is s
“Alright, Mattie, see you next time.”
Darting out the door before the boxers reach me or Asa can give me shit again, I hustle to my Mercedes G-Class. I still can’t believe that Roman bought Bunny and me cars like it was no big deal. He’d insisted on it when we tried to protest. Valentine had been no help either. She was thrilled that he cared enough about us to want to provide something so basic. Because a Mercedes is so basic. It costs more than I’ve made in like three years.
Tossing my bag in the back, I climb in, and when she purrs to life, I still get the same thrill I always did. As I put it into drive, I notice Asa standing outside, arms crossed, looking formidable as he glares at me. Ignoring the man, I pull into the street and head home before my shift at Peaches & Cream—an underage nightclub I’ve been working at for a couple of months now as a bar girl.
CHAPTER 2
Asa
Who the fuck is she?
My son, Mateo, seems to know her quite well, but I’ve never seen her here before. Hell, I didn’t even realize women came into Hank’s. Not that they aren’t welcome, it’s just that it’s filled with meatheads looking to pound each other in the ring.
“Who is she?” I look at my dad.
“Summer,” he states plainly.
Rolling my eyes, I see Mateo hiding a grin. “No shit. She said that.”
“Not sure what else you want me to say, son.” Which says a whole shitload where my dad is concerned because he rarely likes anyone. But this girl, he’s got a soft spot for her.
“She’s been coming in for like a month,” Mateo fills in. He works most days at Hank’s after school and hangs with me on the weekends when I’m training. I’ve been the heavyweight champ for nearly eighteen months now, and it’s not because of luck. I train six days a week and spend more time here than at home.
Hank’s is famous for turning out some of the best boxers on the east coast. Pops himself was a cruiserweight champ for nearly three years. It wasn’t until Mom got sick that he hung up his gloves, opened the gym, and got her the treatment she needed. In the end, she never beat her cancer, but she lived out her life with Hank by her side and me underfoot.
“Mom’s supposed to be here in an hour,” Mateo warns, then runs off.
That fucking viperous cunt. We share custody of Mateo, have for a couple of years now, and the boy hates it. She’s always got a new man in her bed. Never does any of what he calls ‘mom things’. I haven’t a clue what those are, and I wonder if I’m doing ‘dad things’.
Pops watches as he runs in the back, and I feel helpless. Anything else in my life, and I’m confident of what to do and how to do it, but parenting is fucking hard. We were only eighteen when Mateo came along. He was a blessing in disguise, and I love him more than my own life. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him. But the last couple of months, shit’s been going on at his mom’s house that he won’t tell me about, and it’s slowly killing me.
“I do believe the boy wants you to have sole custody again,” my father comments mutedly, like he’s trying to talk down a lion from attacking.
Hell, maybe he is.
“I’d like to know what’s happening at her house first.” Jillian was never great with Mateo when he was younger, when he needed her more. But around the time he turned eight, she started getting better. Wanting to be in his life.
“Still hasn’t told you?” I shake my head. Mateo isn’t one to say anything bad about his mom. He doesn’t like her a whole lot, but it’s still his mom, and he does love her. His words, not mine.
“Locked up tighter than Buckingham Palace,” I mutter, walking away to start a new workout. Climbing on the treadmill, thoughts of Summer immediately inundate my mind.
When Mateo was talking and laughing with her, he became so fuckin’ animated. I’d never seen him like that before. I admit I was a little jealous. Until I scared her feet right out from under her.
Holding the hot little morsel against my chest, feet off the ground, my entire body stood at attention. It was like I’d been electrocuted. I’ve never been so aware of another person before, let alone a woman.
Since I’ve started climbing the ranks of the boxing world and dominating the ring, women haven’t been on my mind much. The ring bunnies are as close to a woman as I’ve gotten in at least five years. I get teased about being a born-again virgin, but even now, almost an hour later, Summer remains on my mind. Along with those scars I saw covering her abdomen and jaw. Those are fresh, too. Stark white against her tan flesh. Someone fucked her up, and the rage that boiled inside when I saw them, bled through my words towards her and turned me into a dick.
Admittedly, it doesn’t take much to turn me into one to begin with, but this was one of those times when I wished I hadn’t. That girl, Summer—such a fitting name—she turns something inside of me. Makes me want to be a better man. Can’t really fuckin’ do that when I’m being a dick, however.
With summer break in full swing, Mateo will be spending more time at the gym with Pops and me now. He doesn’t complain; he likes the work, the money, and fuckin’ with some of the guys. They’re always so damn serious; they need to lighten up. He knows that, so he pranks them with stupid shit. Sometimes the guys will give him five bucks to go after one of the others, and it turns into a prank war that Pops or I have to put a stop to.
Leaning over the bench he’s currently cleaning, I ask, “How well do you know Summer?”
The sly smirk across his lips tells me he knows why I’m asking. “Well enough to know she’s too good for you.” The fuckin’ shit.
“Don’t fuck with me, boy.” I don’t know why I need to know everything or why I would want to. Jillian burned Mateo and me enough times over the years that I should be steering clear of any woman.
“She’s nice, Dad. A forever kind of girl.” When did he get so wise?
“Who says I don’t want forever?” Truthfully, I don’t know what the fuck I want.
His brows raise, and damn does he ever look just like me. “’Cause you’re always saying you have no interest in settling down. It’s me and boxing; no time for women.”
Mulling over his response, I feel regret churn in my gut. I don’t want my son to think women are anything other than a blessing, and it appears I’ve done just that.
Kneeling down next to him, I ask, “What do you want when you’re older?”
Sitting up, he leans against the bench, processing my question. “Like with a woman?” I nod. “I dunno. Ain’t I too young to be thinking about that?”
Shaking my head, I ruffle his hair. “You’re never too young to be thinking about the kind of woman you want to spend the rest of your life worshipping. Never too young for that, son.”
“Is that what you want with Summer?” His head tilts curiously as he watches me.
“I think I’d need to get to know her better to make that determination.” It’s a lie. I don’t need to know more than I already do.
I want Summer.
Forever would be a gift.
Forever would be that damn blessing, and I’m fuckin’ here for it.
CHAPTER 3
Summer
Leaning against the sticky bar, I anticipate the fine hairs on my arms being ripped off when I pull away, but I don’t care. Not as long as I get to watch Trixie dance circles around these guys vying for her attention. All of them are too young for her or not mature enough. She has a wildfire in her that matches her flaming hair, and I’m betting they sense that. It’s what keeps them invested, but they won’t win. None of them ever do.
Peaches & Cream has been pretty slow tonight, but it’s Thursday, so I expected that. When I first interviewed here, all I could imagine was my little sister Bunny getting lost in a place like this and screwing up at school. I was relieved when the owner, Ashton DeMarco, and his wife, Hadley, explained that on school nights, the kids who were still attending classes would get booted by eleven. Anyone else was welcome to stay until closing at two.
