Summer Serenade by Belle Calhoune

Author:Belle Calhoune [Calhoune, Belle]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Belle Calhoune Books
Published: 2017-06-13T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Five

“I want to come live with you.”

The words had rolled around in Jonas’s head all night long, causing him a serious lack of sleep. Hannah had slept over last night. His sister had poured her heart out to him about her feelings of alienation and angst. She had never been so brutally honest or vulnerable. Jonas wished he could take on all of her problems so she wouldn’t have to suffer. But he knew part of this came with growing up.

“Are you all right?” Elle asked. “You don’t look so great.”

“I’m all right,” he said, his voice sounding weary to his own ears. “When I got home last night Hannah was sitting on my doorstep.”

“Wow,” Elle said. “Did something happen?”

Jonas shrugged. “It’s the same old stuff that’s been bothering her. But it seems as if everything has come to a head with my parents. She asked to move in with me.”

“Oh, Jonas, that’s a big ask. How would your parents feel about it?”

“To be honest, I’m not quite certain. And honestly, I’m not sure how I feel about it myself.” He folded his arms across his chest. “It would be a huge responsibility.”

Elle let out a low whistle. “I can only imagine. So how did you leave it with her?”

“I told her I’d talk to our folks and think about it,” Jonas said, running a hand through his hair. “I have to be honest. This might sound selfish, but I’ve been looking forward to inviting you over to dinner or to watch a movie. I never imagined I’d be playing the role of surrogate father.”

Elle gazed at him, then playfully batted her eyelashes at him.

“So you’ve been planning to invite me out on a date, huh?”

“I’ve been thinking about it. What do you say, Elle? How about you come over tomorrow night and I’ll grill for us? It’s supposed to be a gorgeous summer night.”

“I’d like that,” Elle said. “Just let me know what to bring. Hot dogs? Buns? A dessert?”

Jonas subtly reached down and took her hand in his. He casually looked around the diner to make sure no one had noticed. “All I ask is that you bring yourself. Trust me, there’s never going to be a time when that’s not enough.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Jonas worried that he was wearing his heart on his sleeve. Elle smiled at him and walked toward the window where she grabbed her customers’ orders. Jonas looked away from her, warning himself not to get too invested in Elle Harrington. Especially since he had no idea of how she felt about him. As it was, he already felt as if he might be in over his head.

***

Elle didn’t know why she was so nervous about a simple get together at Jonas’s house. All day at work she’d been thinking about it. What should she wear? Should she bring along a bottle of wine? Or did that seem like too much of a date thing? She wasn’t even certain if this was a date or a simple matter of two friends hanging out.

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