The Summer We Realized: Denim Days

By Shel Delisle

In the final installment of the hit series Denim Days, Mel and Duncan return to the lake for a week during their summer college for break. Both secretly wonder if there's a spark big enough to re-kindle the flame that was lit two summers ago.

Forget the rearview mirror, forward is the only way to go, and Duncan plans the road trip of a lifetime. From the depths of an iron mine, to the Mississippi headwaters, and a brief stay at the U, Mel and Duncan realize the path of love and friendship is filled with twists, turns, and many detours. Still, the two are determined to stay the course, but can they find a way to commit to the journey of more once the trip is over?

Fans of the first two books will find themselves quickly drawn into Mel and Duncan's witty banter and tender scenes as the star-crossed pair are given a second chance to grow from friends to lovers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shel Delisle
• Release date: Jun 17, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201469924

Shel Delisle

Shel Delisle swam with dolphins once upon a time, but they didn't speak to her. Unfortunately. Even though she lives in Florida with her hubby and three boys, she doesn't spend as much time as she would like in the water. Most days she writes fiction or works on the kid-lit community website, www.whatchareadingnow.com that she founded with two other writer friends.

Book preview

Our Denim Days #3

The Summer We Realized

By Shel Delisle

This book is a work of fiction.  Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part or in any form.

First edition by Something Else Publishing paperback edition November 2016

Copyright © 2016 Shel Delisle

DAY ONE

Duncan

One-part excitement, one-part apprehension, and two-parts fear crept up on me as I turned the rental car off onto the winding road that led to Mel’s lake house. It was strange to think about being in this place on my own, without Mom, Dad, or Cody. Even stranger to think that Uncle Glenn now owned our cottage where I’d spent time every summer when I was growing up. This place held so many memories, most of them good, so how was it possible for a place to feel foreign and like home at the same time? Weird.

I was glad Mel had broken things off with Leif. Selfish? Absolutely. But there was no way I’d have come for a visit if they were still an item. I’d never said that to Mel, at least not in so many words. It was more like, I know you’ll have a lot going on this summer.

Mel had said, He works at the golf course practically every day. So she knew what I was talking about. She didn’t break up with him so that I would visit. I was ninety-nine percent certain of that. She’d broken up because … well, I didn’t know for sure why. She wouldn’t talk about it, but I was certain he’d been a dick, and had always been one. I’d been right about that from the start. Call it a best friend’s instinct or a bro-dar, but I knew he would never stay faithful to her, the same way I never stay faithful. It takes one to know one, as they always say.

 The car crawled past Gustaf’s and down the hill toward our shared driveway. My tires crunched on the gravel as I turned in, and an overwhelming sadness masked the happiness I should’ve felt, like a fog that had settled on the lake and wouldn’t clear. Uncle Glenn’s camper was parked under the pines down by the lake. That, more than anything else, signaled the change that had happened since last year. Uncle Glenn stood at the back of his pickup trying to heft an over-sized lawn mower onto the flatbed. I got out of the car and jogged over to help him.

Well, lookit who it is? I didn’t know you were coming.

I probably should’ve called him, but expected Dad would let him know. Instead of answering, I squatted to wedge a shoulder under the mower and used it to lever the thing forward. Uncle Glenn slammed the tailgate and wiped his hands onto faded jeans.

So what are you doin’ here? You’re welcome to use the place, but none of us will be up here until next weekend.

 Mel’s family is here this week. I’ll be staying with them.

I would’ve figured if you were coming, it would’ve been late next, what with your Dad here and all.

He was coming up? Our communication, which was never great, had suffered since he moved out.

I didn’t know, was all I said.

Well the key to the shed is under the doormat, and you know where I keep the key to the camper. I gotta get back to Duluth.

This exchange was the friendliest Uncle Glenn had ever been to me. I wasn’t sure if it was because I was older, and he never knew how to talk to kids, or if it was because he was being kind because of the divorce. Not that it mattered. Thanks, I said. I should still be around when you get back.

He climbed into the cab and rested his elbow on the edge of the open window.  Well, have a nice time. Mel’s still a looker. Then he fired up the truck and took off, spitting gravel in his wake.

I was pretty sure he meant the comment on Mel’s appearance as a compliment, but it creeped me out a little. I walked back toward my car to get the duffle from the backseat and glanced at Mel’s porch. Something moved behind one of the curtains. It felt like it could’ve been my best friend.

DAY ONE

Mel

The moment Duncan stepped from the car I knew I hadn’t been worrying needlessly. His texts led me to believe that everything wasn’t hunky dory, and his appearance told me I’d already guessed what I hadn’t wanted to know. His face looked gaunt, not exactly pale, because he had remnants of a Florida tan, and his skin tone was darker than it had ever been when he lived here. But the healthy glow he usually had was missing, replaced by a gray undertone. His cheekbones jutted, highlighting the fact that he’d lost weight.

He wasn’t smiling…. Not even a hint of one. And behind his Ray Bans, I couldn’t see if there was a sparkle in his blue jean eyes.

But if you discounted all of that, everything was hunky dory.

I watched from behind a curtain as he helped his Uncle Glenn, but held myself back from charging outside.  Something about his uncle made me uneasy. Based on what Duncan had told me about him, I wasn’t the only one. He made Duncan uncomfortable too. 

When he pulled away, I dashed out the screen door and down the two uneven steps. My favorite jeans sagged on my hips as I ran. Duncan!

Mel!

I raced into his arms, nearly knocking him over in the process. It was then I realized how much weight he’d lost. I squeezed him like I never wanted to let go, because … I never wanted to let go.

He stroked the back of my head and murmured in my ear, It’s so good to see you. So good.

I knew the last couple months had been incredibly hard on Duncan. His parents had split up in March, Mr. Wilde moved out to a condo on the beach. All the signs pointed to divorce. When I told my mom what I’d heard from Duncan I’d said, I kinda saw this coming last summer when he came up. They seemed like they were already split up then.

Mom said, I’m surprised they lasted this long. That marriage has been over for years.

Her comment surprised me. Really?

You were younger, plus you and Duncan were always off doing something fun. I’m not surprised you didn’t notice.

It was true that Duncan’s parents always acted different than mine, but I’d always assumed it was because they had boys, or because Mr. Wilde worked such long hours.

Even if things hadn’t been great for a long time, I knew Duncan took his Dad’s move hard. He’d said as much when we talked the night after he left.

Then, three weeks later, he discovered Mina had been messing around with a mutual friend slash pre-med student. Ordinarily he was the one to end things, or at least do something that caused the girl to end it. So, I imagined the break up came as a shock. To him. I wasn’t shocked in the least. The only thing shocking to me was how long that relationship had lasted, longer