"Out of Season"
By Sister Rose
Part 15
Standard disclaimer applies
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As Summer arrived at the car, Ryan Atwood jumped out to open the door for her, taking her bags from her and putting them in the trunk. He had been detailed to fetch the car while Summer checked out.
As she had endangered the life of a grandmother with a herd of children, cut off a pregnant shopper and zipped around at least one corner on just two wheels, Ryan had been happy to leave her to her doom. Apparently, she had survived the wrath of the pregnant shopper. She appeared intact, at any rate.
"Where now?" he said.
"Food," Summer said.
"You just ate."
"Yeah, but you didn't. You're going to need to keep your strength up for the rest of the day."
Ryan had to admit shopping was more tiring -- and dangerous -- than he would have thought.
A meal would have to be part of Summer's Valentine's present. He couldn't afford it if he thought of it as food.
At the table of the Mexican food place she had pointed out, she ordered for both of them -- in Spanish.
"So those college classes are really paying off for you," Ryan said.
"Ha, ha," she said. "For your information, I can order food in just about any language."
"Why am I not surprised?" Ryan said.
"When do you have to go to work, Mr. Unsurprised?"
"Joyce said 4, but I can be a little late."
"No, 4 should give us plenty of time," Summer said. "What did you have planned for today before I kidnapped you?"
"Nothing."
"Atwood," she said. "That look on your face when I told you my plans wasn't just fear. There was a little disappointment there, too."
Ryan had no idea she had watched his face that closely.
"I was supposed to visit Trey today," he said. "It's no biggie."
"Oh, Atwood," she said.
"No, it's cool," Ryan said. "I called him from Nina's when we took the plate back and told him I'll be there tomorrow."
"I'm sorry to ruin your plans with your brother. And I can't go with you tomorrow."
"You didn't ruin anything," he said. "It's just put off a day, not canceled. Besides..."
"Besides?" she prompted.
"I-like-spending-time-with-you," he said, fast and low.
He waited a beat then looked up in time to see a smile blossoming across her face.
"Me, too," she said.
Their food arrived, cutting off conversation amid the warnings about hot plates and the rearrangement of silverware and glasses and napkins on the blue tile-topped table.
"Hey," Summer said. Amazingly, she was eating again. What a metabolism.
"Hey, what?" Ryan said.
"Why aren't you bitching about us being in public where somebody can see us?" she said.
"Oh, yeah," Ryan said. "I forgot to tell you. I'm gay."
"What!" she said.
Ryan enjoyed the confused expression on her face and took another bite, chewing it slowly so he could enjoy that baffled expression longer.
"Give," she said, waving her fork precariously close to his nose.
"Last night Josh told me that I'm gay," Ryan said.
Ryan took another bite and watched Summer splutter.
"So how did the guys decide that?" Summer said.
"Mr. Saunders told them," Ryan said. "Well, he confirmed it. I guess they've had suspicions all along. It must be the fancy way I dress."
"Chip? Chip the doody-headed water polo player with shaved legs and chest had the nerve to say someone else is gay?"
"Guess so," Ryan said, distractedly. He was trying to get past the image of a doody-headed, shaven water polo player. And the unfortunate image of Mr. Saunders in Speedos. Eck. "He saw me talking to Mrs. Cohen's son."
"He is such an idiot!"
"Mr. Cohen?"
"No, Chip."
"Why do you date him?"
"Habit," Summer said. "But that's over tonight."
"Summer, don't dump your boyfriend because of me," Ryan said.
"It's not because of you," she said. "Or not just you. And he's not my boyfriend. You're my boyfriend. He's just been convenient. But after last night ... he had no reason to think anything but that you're my driver. I wouldn't ride home with him, so he got mad and followed us and then called the cops. What a whiny baby. Just because I wouldn't do what he wanted. It would serve him right if rumors started about what a lousy lay he is. If I tell Misty about that one time ..."
"Summer," Ryan interrupted her plotting. She looked up. "Your food is getting cold."
She stopped her narrative and started eating.
Ryan felt a little warmed. She had just tossed the "you're my boyfriend" in so casually. It had to be the way she actually thought of him, however wrong it was. On the other hand...
"Is he?"
"Is who what?" Summer said around a mouthful of chile relleno.
"Is he a lousy lay?"
"That's what Holly says. Of course, she says Luke's a lousy lay, too, and I've heard from Misty that's not true. But then Holly slept with Chip for revenge after Luke dumped her when she wouldn't be seen with him after his dad came out, not that Luke would care whether Holly skanked around or not. But then Marcy said Misty was spreading that rumor for Luke because he knew Holly was telling everyone about her bad experience with him. So then after Misty went around telling everyone how great Luke was, Holly had revenge sex with Chip. Of course, Holly has always been a slut. Did I tell you about TJ?"
Ryan suddenly remembered why he didn't ask about Newport gossip. But it appeared Summer hadn't had sex with Mr. Saunders, so at least he wasn't having sex with his supervisor's girlfriend as well as his boss' daughter. That was one sin off his shoulders.
"... and then she killed herself with pain pills. Everyone said it was an accident, but I haven't spoken to Holly since. And you're not listening anymore. Which part was the real question? Whether or not I slept with Chip?"
Ryan's face gave him away.
"No, Atwood, you're not sleeping with the boss' girlfriend, just the boss' daughter," she said.
Ryan hated it when she did that. And it was happening more often.
"I know you hate it when I do that, but it's kind of fun," she said. "Are we going to have dessert? The flan looks good."
Ryan thought of several possible responses and finally said, "Yes, please."
He waited a moment, then, because it was Valentine's Day, said, "While you order it, I'll go to the bathroom and put on the new clothes."
Summer's face made the sacrifice worthwhile. Especially when that face jumped up from the booth and ran around to his side to kiss his face.
Ryan knew he was turning into a ball-less wonder, but at times like these, he didn't particularly care.