Disclaimer: I still don't know The O.C. That's Fox and Josh Schwartz.
(AN: I know Summer was a little out of character. Actually everyone might be slightly out of character but that's because they've all grown up. Ok now this is the time where there's this big jump into the future. I'm talking like a year later. So to fill you in on what's been going on in the lives of our favorite teens turned twenty-somethings, I decided to put the gossip in an author's note. To pick up where we left off there's a few things you need to know. #1, Summer has been with Matt Evans for a little over seven months . They're not in love but she tolerates him. #2 Ryan and Marissa recently got engaged. I'd write it but I just don't have the time because I'm a college kid now but maybe I'll go back and write it in later. Last but not least # 3, Seth is still with the fabulous Lauren and he recently bought a ring to follow in his somewhat brother's footsteps. Now you're all caught up. Please don't hate me for all of the drama but I assure you this is a Seth/Summer story and no story is complete without some drama.)
"Alright so you talked to Valerie and she said that it's possible to get that flower arrangement even though it'd be out of season, right?" Marissa asked over her shoulder as Summer followed behind.
"Yes. She said it would be slightly more expensive but it can be done," Summer replied.
"Well that's one more thing to cross off on my list," Marissa sighed as she walked into the dressing room with yet another wedding dress.
"Coop, your wedding is like four months away. We'll get your gown today and then you can just chill a little."
"I can't chill, Sum. I've got a lot of planning to do in four months. Not to mention the fact that Ryan and I still haven't planned out everything for the shower that is in two weeks."
"I thought Kirsten was throwing the shower for you two."
"She is."
"Then what are you worried about? If she's throwing it, then she's the one who has to worry about it," Summer grinned.
"You have a point," Marissa giggled.
"Of course I do. I always have a point. See, Coop, its Kirsten's problem."
"What's my problem?" Kirsten asked walking into the small dress shop.
"Hey you finally made it," Marissa smiled and hugged Kirsten as she came out of the dressing room with a new wedding gown on.
"Oh honey that is gorgeous," Kirsten gasped.
"Coop that is the dress!" Summer exclaimed.
"Really? You think so?"
Kirsten and Summer both nodded.
"Great, because I absolutely adore it," Marissa gushed.
"You and me, both," Summer confessed with tears in her eyes.
"Sum, what's wrong?"
"No. It's not like that, Coop. Nothing's wrong. It's just so perfect. That is like literally the perfect dress for you."
Kirsten nodded tears clouding her eyes as well. Marissa couldn't help but smile as tears sprung to her own eyes. The three women hugged each other just as Julie Cooper waltzed in the shop.
"Marissa, darling, that dress is absolutely beautiful," Julie grinned.
"You like it, mom?"
"Like it? Are you kidding me? I love it! I wish I had a dress like that."
Marissa smiled. Things were finally working out for her. Her mother was still a pain in the ass but luckily not as evil. Plus she was going to marry Ryan. Marissa had never been happier. Summer thought that Marissa was glowing.
The four women left the dress shop with Marissa's wedding gown. They decided to stop by The Oceanfront Restaurant and get some lunch. When they walked in they noticed Summer's agent, Jerry, was there having a meeting with Ronald Bergman about a new movie Ronald was producing.
"Jerry?" Summer asked with a grin.
"Sum, darling, what are you doing here?" Jerry asked getting up and kissing her cheek in a very cheesy Hollywood kind of way.
"Having lunch. And you?"
"Ah yes. Summer, I would like to introduce you to Mr. Ronald Bergman. Ronald this is Summer Roberts, the one I was telling you about."
"It is a pleasure to finally meet you. I've heard many wonderful things about you," Mr. Bergman said and shook Summer's hand.
"Thank you. It's a pleasure to meet you as well."
"Would you care to join us?" Mr. Bergman asked.
"I would love to but actually I'm part of the wedding party," Summer smiled gesturing towards the other three women.
"A wedding? Are you getting married?"
"Oh no, not me. It's my best friend Marissa's wedding. I'm her maid of honor so we all helped her find her gown today and decided to go out for lunch."
"I see. That's too bad. A catch like you, I figured you'd be the one working up the tabloids with big wedding plans," Mr. Bergman laughed.
"That'd certainly help with your movie," Jerry laughed.
Mr. Bergman nodded as he continued to laugh.
Summer smiled uncomfortably and forced a laugh as well.
"Well I'm sure you could talk Matt into it," Jerry still laughed.
"Oh that's right. You are with Matt Evans."
"Yeah I am. I should actually be getting back to Marissa and the rest of the group," Summer smiled trying to excuse herself from that conversation.
"It was nice meeting you, Mrs. Evans," Mr. Bergman called after her as Summer left.
She rolled her eyes as she returned to Marissa, Julie, and Kirsten.
"What was that all about?" Marissa asked.
"You don't want to know."
After finishing their lunch, the women parted in front of the restaurant. Marissa and Summer headed to Summer's car as her cell phone rang.
"Hello," Summer answered.
"Sum, babe, its Jerry."
"Hello, Jerry," Summer said exasperatedly.
"I've been thinking this over a lot and after my meeting with Ron, I think I've come up with a reasonable idea. Now just remember when I fly this one by you that I am your manager and I only have your best interests at heart. I deal with your career and I look for opportunities to further that career."
"Thereby furthering your own. Jerry, look, I know how the system works so don't give me that 'my best interest at heart' bullshit. You're my manager, you're the man, and you're the boss. I realize that my career lies in your hands. Now stop stalling and tell me your proposition," Summer sighed.
Marissa giggled and her best friend rolled her eyes.
"It's not a proposition per say…it's more of a business merger," Jerry said slowly.
"Business merger? What business is merging and with who?"
"Your martial status with Matt," Jerry answered quickly.
"My what! With who!" Summer exclaimed.
"It's just that after that meeting, I got to thinking that maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea if you were to become engaged. I mean it would totally boost your popularity and people would pay money to see just how Summer Roberts would go about being engaged. And yes in a movie you're playing a character, but the public still assumes that's how you react to the same situation so we should put you in that situation so more people will come see your movie. It's a business really," Jerry explained.
"A business deal? A business deal! You want me to get engaged as a business deal! I've got to words for ya, Jer!"
"If you tell me to f-,"
"I wasn't going to," Summer interrupted. "The words I had in mind were something a little closer to 'hell no' and not so much with the dropping of the f-bomb. What kind of girl do you think I am?"
"Of course. You're a true lady and real ladies such as yourself never use that kind of language," Jerry replied nervously.
"Don't lie, Jerry. We both know that I would. Just not today," Summer laughed.
"So you're not pissed?"
"Wrong! I am very pissed! But I'll let it slide it if you do."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning you drop this entire idea, Mr. Business Merger!"
"Ok, ok, ok. I've got it. Your answer is no and we never speak of this again. I've gotta dash. Chow."
Summer grunted as she hung up the phone.
"So Jerry wanted you to get in engaged for business purposes?" Marissa asked with a laugh.
"Yep," Summer replied shortly.
"Gotta love Hollywood."
"Yep."
"Come on, Sum. Let's go to the spa and get a free wax again because they're still secretly hoping for a celebrity endorsement," Marissa giggled.
"Alright. I should get all I can out of this celebrity business especially since Jerry's trying to," Summer replied with a laugh as her mood lightened back up.
"So when are you coming back?" Ryan asked.
"Tomorrow."
"Seriously? You're coming back tomorrow?"
"Yep."
"But the wedding is in four months. It's not like it's tomorrow," Ryan said slowly.
"So you don't want me to come home tomorrow?"
"No, it's not that! It's just that things are pretty stressful right now and well…I just…I just think that tomorrow's a little early…for the added stress to the…already stressful situation."
"So this is about Summer."
"No, Seth, it's not that. I mean yes it is but it's not that I don't want you here but I just think that maybe you should wait a while longer. Besides, you don't really want to stay away from Lauren for four months, do you?" Ryan asked.
"No…this is why she's coming with me. Mom and Dad really want to meet her so she said she'd come with me. I've got the whole summer off of work and my boss said that he'd let me take a few weeks off at the beginning of the year for the wedding. If you add that all up I've got four months to sit around New York doing nothing. So I figured why not come back to Newport and do something," Seth explained.
"But what can you do in Newport?"
"I'm the best-man. I have things I have to do for the wedding. I can help with stuff."
"And Lauren will help you help with stuff?" Ryan questioned.
"Well yeah…ok so not everything. But she wants to help out with the wedding too. Plus this will give you a chance to get to know her. I want you guys to get along with each other."
"Ok. Alright, man. I guess- I guess I'll see you tomorrow. What time does your plane get in?"
"Ten."
"I'll come pick you two up then," Ryan said and hung up the phone just as Marissa and Summer walked in the house.
"Hey," Marissa grinned and quickly kissed Ryan.
"Hello," Ryan smiled back.
"Hi," Summer added in.
"Marissa, I think we need to talk about something. I just got off the phone and it's kind of important," Ryan glanced at Summer, "and it's kind of private."
"Oh. I got it. That's my cue to leave. I'll talk to you later, Coop."
"You don't have to leave, Summer. Just give us a minute."
"Ok," Summer said and walked out onto the back porch.
"So what's up?" Marissa asked.
"Seth's coming back tomorrow…to stay until the wedding."
"What!"
"And he's bringing Lauren to meet the folks and get my approval and let us all become friends," Ryan replied uneasily.
"Oh…well…alright. I guess I'll fill Sum in on the situation and um…well I hope they'll both be cool about this."
"It's been almost a year and half since they broke up. They're probably over it."
Ryan and Marissa exchanged glances.
"Yeah that's a lie. I just hope it's not too awkward," Ryan added.
"I'll go talk to her," Marissa nodded.
Marissa slide open the back door.
"Sum?"
"Hey."
"I need to talk to you about something."
Summer nodded, "Go on."
"It's about Seth."
Summer froze and stared straight ahead.
"He's coming back tomorrow…and he's going to stay here until the wedding," Marissa said slowly.
Summer didn't reply or even move. In fact, Marissa wasn't even sure if Summer was breathing.
"Summer? Are you okay?"
Summer inhaled deeply so Marissa continued.
"Lauren's coming too. So they'll both be staying here for four months. I guess they'll be staying with the Cohens. But yeah, they're coming tomorrow."
Summer remained silent.
"Are you okay with this, Sum?"
Summer turned to Marissa and smiled sweetly, too sweetly. It was clearly a fake smile that she plastered on her face as she spoke.
"Of course. I'm totally ok with this. Why wouldn't it be? He is Chino's best man. It only makes sense that he comes to help plan things. And it also only makes sense that he's bringing his girlfriend with him. I mean it'd be awfully hard on their relationship for him to be away from her for four months. So it's good that they're coming. Besides, it'll give me a chance to meet this fabulous…what's her name. And it'll give Seth a chance to meet…to meet…um…to meet Matt," Summer smiled.
"You do have Matt now."
"I do!"
"And you will get to meet Lauren, I guess."
"I will!" Summer confirmed with another fake smile.
"And at least you're practicing your fake smiles now," Marissa added.
"I am! Hey no. Coop, that's not fair. I'm not doing that," Summer protested.
"Yes you are. But that's good. I'm your best friend, I'm supposed to notice. But with this practice now no one else will."
"Very funny, Coop."
"What are you going to call her after the wedding?" Ryan asked as he came outside to join them.
"So you're assuming that the coast is clear and that there are no rage blackouts in sight. You're taking a big risk, Mr. Atwood," Summer teased.
Marissa laughed then asked, "Hey Sum, what are you going to call me after I'm married?"
"Coop. You'll always be Coop and he'll always be Chino…even after he's lived in New Port for 14 years…legally he's a citizen, but to me he'll always be Chino…and you'll always be Coop," Summer replied thoughtfully.
All three laughed.
