Seth pulled the Range Rover up to Caleb Nichol's compound. Valets sprang
into action, holding the door open for Summer and taking the keys for him.
"We are so, so late," Summer worried as they climbed the stairs to the front door. Seth took her arm and looped it through his own.
"Better late than never, don't you think?" He spoke softly, making sure that she understood the double meaning of his words.
"I guess I am worth waiting for," she flirted. She gave his arm a quick squeeze. "And so were you."
The doors to the mansion spun open for them as if commanded by an invisible master. Since this was Caleb Nichol's house, that scenario wasn't entirely impossible. The party itself was pretty extraordinary, and Seth usually wasn't impressed by Newport parties. Julie Cooper had obviously gone for an ocean theme, and it was incredible. Layers of tonal blue tulle criss- crossed the ceiling, with strands of crystals reflecting light around the room. Bowls of fish were everywhere, and Seth noticed that the waiters were passed out appetizers of quiche shaped like starfish. He took Summer's hand as Caleb Nichol approached them with a man Seth didn't recognize.
"Seth!" His grandfather slapped him on the back and glanced at Summer with obvious approval on his face. "Who is this darling girl?"
Summer blushed and shook Caleb's hand. "Summer Roberts," she introduced herself. "We met briefly on Thanksgiving."
A look of recognition flicked across Caleb's face, and then his eyes widened a bit as he remembered Seth's little debacle. "Ah," he chuckled. "Summer Roberts? Is your father Darren?"
"That's right." Summer glanced down for a moment, and Seth jumped in. He extended his hand to that man standing next to his grandfather.
"Oh, I apologize." Caleb turned to the man. "Summer Roberts, Seth Cohen, this is Michael Anderson. Michael is-"
"Vice-president of investments at Barrett Financial Enterprises." Summer burst in. She blushed. "I'm sorry for interrupting, but, wow. Your work on the Atmason deal is legendary."
Caleb looked at her, questioning. "Did your father tell you about that?"
"No, he's not much for banking." Summer's eyes brightened. "I'm actually quite interested in how you view the possibilities for controlled subsidies in the wake of the Pendleton Tower real estate deal."
Seth, Caleb and Michael all looked at her, slightly stunned. Michael smiled and began to speak, as Caleb excused himself and pulled Seth a few steps away.
"She is incredible!" Caleb exclaimed. "Do you know how rare it is for someone to actually have the kind of vision where they can see that Pendleton will affect controlled subsidies?"
Seth shook his head. He didn't even know what Pendleton was, or, for that matter, what controlled subsidies were.
"You know," Caleb looked thoughtful, "She reminds me of your mother." He shook his head, and his face set back into the tough businessman that Seth recognized. "Excuse me, I have some guests to greet."
As Caleb moved into the crowd of people, Seth watched Summer speak with Michael Anderson. With all his years of watching people, Seth could tell that Michael was impressed. Where had she learned so much about the financial world? Seth thought back to the study he had discovered earlier and the stack of banking books piled on the filing cabinet. He recalled the books and the novel that was open on the desk. Was it possible that there were two new sides to Summer? The banking Summer and the literary Summer?
Summer bounded back over to Seth. "I can't believe I just met Michael Anderson!" she exclaimed. "How cool is that?"
"Super cool," Seth laughed. "Is that the kind of thing you work on in your study?"
He'd obviously touched on a sensitive subject, because Summer visibly recoiled. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I won't mention it again." He raised his voice a little. "C'mon, let's find Ryan and Marissa - I heard that there's a 'Young Adults' area outside."
Summer smiled at him and followed him out to the pool. She knew that she'd have to explain the study later, but something was holding her back. She just needed time, she told herself.
Outside, Summer spotted Marissa dancing wildly. She turned to Seth. "I think there might be something wrong with Marissa." The two looked over at Marissa. She was moving erratically, swaying from side to side. "I'm going to go check on her, ok?" Summer kissed him quickly and hurried over to her friend. Seth began to scan the crowd for Ryan, and paused when his eyes met hers.
Anna.
"We are so, so late," Summer worried as they climbed the stairs to the front door. Seth took her arm and looped it through his own.
"Better late than never, don't you think?" He spoke softly, making sure that she understood the double meaning of his words.
"I guess I am worth waiting for," she flirted. She gave his arm a quick squeeze. "And so were you."
The doors to the mansion spun open for them as if commanded by an invisible master. Since this was Caleb Nichol's house, that scenario wasn't entirely impossible. The party itself was pretty extraordinary, and Seth usually wasn't impressed by Newport parties. Julie Cooper had obviously gone for an ocean theme, and it was incredible. Layers of tonal blue tulle criss- crossed the ceiling, with strands of crystals reflecting light around the room. Bowls of fish were everywhere, and Seth noticed that the waiters were passed out appetizers of quiche shaped like starfish. He took Summer's hand as Caleb Nichol approached them with a man Seth didn't recognize.
"Seth!" His grandfather slapped him on the back and glanced at Summer with obvious approval on his face. "Who is this darling girl?"
Summer blushed and shook Caleb's hand. "Summer Roberts," she introduced herself. "We met briefly on Thanksgiving."
A look of recognition flicked across Caleb's face, and then his eyes widened a bit as he remembered Seth's little debacle. "Ah," he chuckled. "Summer Roberts? Is your father Darren?"
"That's right." Summer glanced down for a moment, and Seth jumped in. He extended his hand to that man standing next to his grandfather.
"Oh, I apologize." Caleb turned to the man. "Summer Roberts, Seth Cohen, this is Michael Anderson. Michael is-"
"Vice-president of investments at Barrett Financial Enterprises." Summer burst in. She blushed. "I'm sorry for interrupting, but, wow. Your work on the Atmason deal is legendary."
Caleb looked at her, questioning. "Did your father tell you about that?"
"No, he's not much for banking." Summer's eyes brightened. "I'm actually quite interested in how you view the possibilities for controlled subsidies in the wake of the Pendleton Tower real estate deal."
Seth, Caleb and Michael all looked at her, slightly stunned. Michael smiled and began to speak, as Caleb excused himself and pulled Seth a few steps away.
"She is incredible!" Caleb exclaimed. "Do you know how rare it is for someone to actually have the kind of vision where they can see that Pendleton will affect controlled subsidies?"
Seth shook his head. He didn't even know what Pendleton was, or, for that matter, what controlled subsidies were.
"You know," Caleb looked thoughtful, "She reminds me of your mother." He shook his head, and his face set back into the tough businessman that Seth recognized. "Excuse me, I have some guests to greet."
As Caleb moved into the crowd of people, Seth watched Summer speak with Michael Anderson. With all his years of watching people, Seth could tell that Michael was impressed. Where had she learned so much about the financial world? Seth thought back to the study he had discovered earlier and the stack of banking books piled on the filing cabinet. He recalled the books and the novel that was open on the desk. Was it possible that there were two new sides to Summer? The banking Summer and the literary Summer?
Summer bounded back over to Seth. "I can't believe I just met Michael Anderson!" she exclaimed. "How cool is that?"
"Super cool," Seth laughed. "Is that the kind of thing you work on in your study?"
He'd obviously touched on a sensitive subject, because Summer visibly recoiled. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I won't mention it again." He raised his voice a little. "C'mon, let's find Ryan and Marissa - I heard that there's a 'Young Adults' area outside."
Summer smiled at him and followed him out to the pool. She knew that she'd have to explain the study later, but something was holding her back. She just needed time, she told herself.
Outside, Summer spotted Marissa dancing wildly. She turned to Seth. "I think there might be something wrong with Marissa." The two looked over at Marissa. She was moving erratically, swaying from side to side. "I'm going to go check on her, ok?" Summer kissed him quickly and hurried over to her friend. Seth began to scan the crowd for Ryan, and paused when his eyes met hers.
Anna.