Page 27 of Seven Lost Summers (Broken Oasis #3)

Theo

Now

W

e’re

at

Xander’s

place,

scattered around the pool, the sun beating down like it’s got something to prove. Chlorine clings to the air, thick with sunscreen and the smoky bite of whatever Xander’s cooking on the grill.

It should be easy. Beer in hand, feet up, the pool cool enough to cut the heat. One of those rare fucking moments where time slows and nobody’s bleeding out on the inside.

I take a long sip of my beer, letting the sound of splashing water, lazy conversation, and laughter I’m not part of settle into the space around me.

It’s been a week since we were at Bianca’s grave, and for once, it hasn’t felt like I’m drowning.

The grief still sits in my chest, but it’s quieter now.

Less of a storm, more like a shadow. I still see her everywhere.

I saw her in Quinn’s smile, reminding me of the echo of those nights the four of us couldn’t stop laughing.

I see her in the songs Nate plays without realizing they used to be her favorites.

I guess talking about her with Quinn, saying Bianca’s name out loud instead of bottling it up made a difference. The box of photos Quinn gave us helped too, at least for me.

Nate, though... I’m still not so sure. I know being at Quinn’s place got to him.

It hit him every bit as hard as it did me. We spoke long about it on the way home. The way it seemed walking back into her world, seeing the way she’s living, how fucking different it is from the life we’ve built.

Every day since we got home, I’ve gone through that box of photos. Sorting through the pieces. The kind of shit that shouldn’t mean much but somehow means everything.

There’s one photo Quinn took at that backyard band concert Bianca begged us all to go to, swearing the overpriced tickets were worth it. She dragged all three of us, anyway. Me, Nate, and Quinn, promising it’d be a night to remember.

She wasn’t wrong. Worst fucking concert of my life.

The band sucked. The speakers blew out halfway through. I’m pretty sure the drummer was high off his ass, barely able to hold a beat.

But when Quinn pulled that old, crumpled ticket stub out of the box, none of that mattered.

Because suddenly, I was back there. Watching Bianca laugh so hard she could barely stand. Back to her dragging us all into a makeshift mosh pit with fifteen people, swearing it was the best night of her life. Back to the way she made everything feel bigger. Louder. More alive.

The second Quinn showed us that stub, we fucking lost it. We laughed until our ribs ached as we remembered that night.

That’s what Quinn gave us. A reason to remember. To hold onto the happy stuff, instead of drowning in the day that we lost her.

My gaze drifts toward Scarlet and Ace, tucked away at the far end of the pool, wrapped up in each other like nothing else exists. She’s on his lap, her body pressed tight against his. They’re making out, completely unbothered by the world around them.

Ace’s hands grip her waist, holding her like he’s fucking addicted.

It’s almost too much, the way they make it appear so damn effortless.

A smirk tugs at my mouth as I set my beer down, the beginnings of an idea creeping in. One I already know I won’t ignore.

Time to piss off Ace.

I shove up from my seat, roll the tension from my shoulders, and dive headfirst into the pool. The cold slams into me, dulling everything for a moment. I break the surface beside them, close enough to make my presence known.

Ace barely reacts, too busy with his tongue down her throat to notice anything else. Scarlet’s fingers are tangled in his hair, his hands still glued to her waist.

I slick my wet hair back, water dripping down my spine as I smirk.

“Damn, Ace,” I say, loud enough to make sure it lands. “You’re kissing like you’re trying to lick the inside of her lungs. We celebrating something, or just horny on a Tuesday?”

“Fuck off, Theo.”

“I would,” I shoot back, all grin and no apology, “but I’m kinda worried she’s gonna need CPR if you keep sucking the life out of her like that.”

Ace turns his head toward me, the kind of slow that says he’s already cataloging every brutal way he could take me out and still make it look like an accident.

Which means… Mission fucking accomplished.

I grin, stretching out along the pool’s edge as if I’ve got all the time in the world.

“Don’t stop on my account,” I add, smirking, every word a dare.

Ace opens his mouth, ready to put me in my place, but before he can fire off whatever smartass comeback he’s got loaded, someone cuts him off.

“Uncle Theo!”

The tiny voice cuts through everything.

I turn in time to see Alex waddling over, floaties strapped tight to his arms. His eyes are locked on me like I’m the most important person in his world right now.

Ace clenches his jaw, swallowing whatever insult he was about to throw my way.

I flash him a smug smile and push off the wall, drifting out, waiting for Alex. His tiny arms churn hard, floaties bouncing with every splash as he kicks toward me, determined as hell.

“You made it, kid,” I say when he finally reaches me, breathless and beaming.

Alex grins proudly, pushing wet hair out of his face, chest puffed as if he swam the entire ocean.

“You wanna play a game?” I ask, smirking.

His eyes light up. “Yeah! What game?”

“Who can splash Uncle Ace the most?”

His mouth parts in surprise, eyes wide with awe. A slow smile spreads as he nods, arms already pulling back, ready for war.

“Theo, I swear to God—” Ace mutters, already regretting every decision that led him here.

I cut him off with a dramatic sigh, shaking my head as if the whole thing exhausts me.

“Man, you’re no fun anymore. Not that you ever were,” I add, floating backward, just out of range. “Seriously, let the kid live a little. Don’t crush his spirit before he even hits double digits.”

Alex doesn’t wait for a green light. His hands crash into the water with the fury of a pint-sized hurricane, spraying wild, chaotic splashes straight into Ace’s face.

Ace recoils with a sharp curse, water streaming from his lashes as he scrubs at his eyes.

Scarlet bursts out laughing, nearly doubling over. Alex beams like he’s unlocked a brand-new life achievement.

Ace looks ready to decide if murder is worth the jail time. “You’re a dead man, Theo.”

I grin, smug as hell, all teeth and no remorse. “Bring it, rockstar. But you’ll have to catch us first.”

Alex lets out a delighted shriek and takes off paddling as if his life depends on it, arms flailing, water churning behind him like a damn speedboat.

But before I can make my great escape, Ace is on me. One swift move, a solid grip—and I’m under. Fuck.

When I resurface, gasping and shaking water from my face, Alex’s giggle cuts through everything, echoing across the pool like music.

Ace is already on the hunt, slicing through the water with one target in sight. Alex.

Alex kicks harder, desperate to escape, but he doesn’t stand a chance. Ace catches him with ease, gripping the floaties, but this time, he doesn’t drag him under. He holds him steady instead, chest heaving, water dripping from his hair, and for a second, he looks… calm.

He lets Alex go but stays put. Big, broody, grumpy-as-fuck Ace, floating in the water with a kid who thinks the sun shines out of his ass.

I push through the water and drift over to Scarlet, stopping beside her.

Neither of us says a word. We just stand there, staring.

Alex laughs, splashing at Ace, who barely reacts, just smirks and flicks water back at him.

For all the shit I give Ace. For every time I’ve made it my mission to piss him off, this is who he is. The guy who plays gruff and untouchable, yet lets a kid cling to him as if he’s the safest place in the world.

“What’s up with Nate?” Scarlet asks, her voice low enough that only I can hear. But I know her. She’s been watching.

I shift my attention to where he stands by the grill, arms crossed, watching Xander flip whatever the hell he’s burning.

I shrug, not because I don’t care, but to pretend it doesn’t hurt seeing him like that.

“You know… it’s the time of year. Usual stuff.”

Scarlet keeps her gaze on Nate. “He said you guys went to Quinn’s. How is she?”

I shift, eyes lingering on Nate a second longer before I answer.

“She’s still Quinn. Strong. Beautiful. Tough as hell.” My voice drops. “The trip to Bianca’s grave didn’t hit as hard as the other times. Seeing Quinn there brought it all back. Reminded me of how it used to be when the four of us were only… us.”

Scarlet glances over, a hint of a smirk tugging at her lips. “Five of us, sometimes.”

A grin tugs at mine. “You did tag along more than a little.”

She shrugs, casual, though something softer flickers in her expression. “I liked being around you guys. Quinn and Bianca were—” She cuts herself off, clears her throat. “It felt solid back then.”

I nod. “Yeah. It did.”

We both go quiet, memories pressing heavy between us. The silence says it all—we’re all carrying the same ghost.

“So what’s lover boy going to do when you start touring next month?” I ask, shifting the conversation.

Her face lights up instantly, that effortless, excited smile taking over. She glances toward where Ace is still hanging with Alex.

“Ace is flying to London to meet up before you guys start touring,” she says, her voice softer now, a quiet joy settling in her chest. “He and Xander have been at the house all week, working on new songs. They’re good.” She looks back at me. “Are you keen to get back in the studio tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” I say, smirking. “Gives me a chance to annoy the big guy.”

Scarlet laughs. “Try not to get kicked out before lunch this time.”

The smile lingers on her face, and I catch myself watching longer than I mean to.

She’s different now. I’ve never seen her this happy—not until Nate and I finally pulled our heads out of our asses and stopped giving Ace hell. He makes her happy. And that’s what matters.