If Only You Were Mine

Chapter 1 Sloane

SLOANE

~APRIL~

Istare down at the bright pink paper in my hands. I have to re-read it a dozen times before the words finally click in my head.

SUMMER RENOVATIONS!

ALL TENANTS MUST BE OUT OF THEIR APARTMENTS FROM APRIL 15th - SEPTEMBER 1st.

Do you know what today is? April 10th.

The semester ended on the 7th. This can’t possibly be allowed. They can’t just kick us out, I paid summer rent! I groan and flip the paper over and see if there’s any fine print.

WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING PAYMENT OR ABOUT SUMMER RENT, PLEASE REACH OUT TO JEN IN THE OFFICE FOR ASSISTANCE.

IF YOU PLAN ON STAYING AT PINE LAKE FOR THE FALL SEMESTER, AND HAD PLANNED ON STAYING THROUGH THE SUMMER, WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE. IF YOUR DEPOSIT HAS BEEN PAID, YOU CAN APPLY IT TO THE FALL SEMESTER AND REQUEST A DISCOUNTED RATE FOR THE 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEAR.

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER, AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOU IN THE FALL.

Pine Lake Management

Well, this is just fan-fucking-tastic. I drop the flyer onto my counter and run a frustrated hand through my chestnut hair.

What am I going to do?

I have five days to pack my bags and figure out where I’m going to stay for the entire summer.

It’s fucking irritating. They can’t do stuff like this, can they?

Flopping down onto my couch, I think about my next steps.

I call down to the office, but of course, the line is busy, and I really don’t want to wait on hold for three hours just to talk to Jen when I know I won’t get any kind of solution.

I look around the space a final time before my gaze sets back on the paper lying on the counter, letting out a frustrated sigh.

I pick up my phone and begin making calls, hoping there is one person in my very small circle who can help me out.

It’s been two days since I found that stupid paper taped to my door, and I’ve exhausted every possible option, including looking into what it would cost to put myself in a hotel for three months, which is slightly outrageous.

I could afford it, but I don’t want to. So I bite back my pride as I look at my phone, the contact name staring up at me, taunting me.

This is my last option, and if it fails, then yeah, I’ll get a hotel, but all this would cost me is a tank or two of gas and the momentary swallow of my pride. It almost isn’t worth it.

Home. Well, it’s not really home anymore, it’s just the place where I grew up. The place where my parents still live is the place I avoid at all costs.

Timberline, Colorado. A small town that is about half an hour away from Denver, with cold winters and pretty amazing summers.

The only real downside is that my parents reside there. My family comes with a huge pile of complicated bullshit that I try to stay very far away from.

Briar Monroe, my father, is one of the best attorneys in the state. He is also a douche bag that doesn’t have any room in his heart for his youngest child.

Monica Braithwaite, my mother, divorced Briar almost four years ago and made what was already a miserable high school experience even worse. Turns out they had been mutually cheating on each other for years.

Charlotte (Lottie) Monroe, my oldest sister, is Monica’s favorite. While she’s following in my dad's footsteps and becoming a lawyer, she’s pretty much the spitting image of Monica.

Kaden Monroe, the middle child, is my dad's pride and joy. He just finished his senior year at Cali U and has declared for the NBA draft. He’s the only one in the family who even pretends that I exist.

Then there’s me. Sloane. The girl who was never supposed to be born, and the one who will never amount to anything.

I moved to Georgia to go to Raymor University, with a small wad of cash and no idea what I wanted to do with my life. It’s been almost three years since I last saw my parents, and I haven’t talked to them since spring break a few months ago.

Raymor University has been the best thing to ever happen to me. Once I got out from under the influence of my parents, I was able to take a look in the mirror and decide to make a change.

I’m no longer the girl who left Timberline.

I found that I actually really enjoy going to the gym.

My new environment made me want to be something.

I still don't know what that something is yet, but I know that I'm destined for more.

It just took getting out of my small town and away from my toxic parents to realize it.

I stare at my phone for a long time before finally tapping the phone icon next to Briar’s contact.

I’m actually very surprised that he even picks up at all.

“Sloane?”

“Hi, Dad.”

There’s a long pause, and for a moment, I’m afraid that he’s just going to hang up on me. He doesn’t.

“Haven’t heard from you in a while.”

Yeah, well, the phone goes both ways. I have to take a slow, deep breath before I answer. “Yeah, you know how it is. Finals are always crazy, and all that other end-of-year stuff.”

“Uh huh. So what’s the occasion? You’re not pregnant, are you?” he asks, his voice unconcerned.

The statement takes me off guard. I open my mouth to respond, but no words come out. I blink a few times before I’m able to find any kind of logic in my brain.

Is he joking? Am I really so out of touch that the only possible reason that I’d be calling him is to tell him that I'm pregnant? Because I know for a fact that he wouldn’t make the list of top five people I’d call if, for some crazy reason, being pregnant was the problem.

“No, not that.”

“Then what? Do you need money?”

“No, I don’t need money.”

“Then what do you need?” He sounds bored, like my mere existence is a bother to him.

If you shut up for five seconds, I would fucking tell you.

I don’t want to talk to you any more than you want to talk to me.

I let out another breath, so I don’t accidentally say the inside thoughts that are floating around my head.

“My apartment building is being renovated for the summer, and I was wondering if Chanel has any properties that I could rent from you guys for a few months.”

Chanel is my step-mom. She’s actually pretty nice, but since I ran away as soon as I graduated, I never really got to properly form any kind of relationship with her.

She also owns a few apartments and homes that she leases out as rentals, and has started doing Airbnb’s. At least that’s what Kaden told me.

“I have no idea. Let me talk to her and get back to you.”

“Ok, I have to be out by Friday, so if you could let me know sooner rather than later, that would be appreciated.”

“Will do. Bye.” He hangs up without another word.

I let out a sigh, deciding that it doesn’t really matter where I end up. I still have to be out of here by Friday, and this apartment isn’t going to pack itself. I hit shuffle on a random playlist and pack up what little items I actually call my own, setting them by the front door.

As I pack up the rest of my stuff, I look around at my empty apartment as a feeling of sadness settles over me.

I still haven’t heard from anyone about whether I have a place to go for the summer or not.

Timberline is a twenty-two-hour drive, if I go the whole way at once, which I will not be doing.

I stare at my phone, hoping for some kind of sign, anything that tells me I’m not all alone.

The hurt in my chest is enough to make me hate myself for even reaching out to Briar in the first place. I knew that I shouldn’t have. I knew that he’d let me down. I’m no good to him, so why would he ever try to help me out?

This is what I get for trying to be vulnerable.

The tears sting the back of my eyes as I climb into the driver’s seat.

I'm not sure where I’m going to go; maybe I'll just drive until I run out of fuel, and live there for the summer. I’m putting on my seat belt when I get a call from the last person I’m expecting to hear from.

“The fuck?” I mumble out loud. I accept the call and put the phone to my ear. “Uncle B?”

“Hey, kiddo. Long time no see,” he says, his deep voice carrying through the line and making me smile.

“Hi…I’m sorry. Why are you calling me?” I ask, confused.

Beckett Hayes. My dad’s lifelong best friend.

“Your dad didn’t tell you?”

I let out a sigh. Of course, he didn’t tell me. That would mean he’d have to remember that I even existed in the first place.

“Can we pretend for a second as he did, but I forgot,” I whisper, feeling my cheeks tinge pink. The pressure behind my eyes builds even more, and I’m not sure how long I have before I start ugly crying.

When I was younger, Beckett was the only person in my life who saw me besides my brother. Not in a weird way or anything, but he took care of me, picking me up from school because my dad didn’t show, going to events like Career Day, and he even took me to the only school dance I’ve ever been to.

“Yeah, sure.”

“Thanks,” I whisper, and suddenly I feel like I’m thirteen years old again, walking home from school because I have no one else to call.

“He called and said that you were looking for a place to stay over the summer, and asked if I could let you stay with me.”

“You don’t have to do that. I just… I’ll be fine. I can take care of myself. I appreciate the offer, but I’ll make it work.”

The first tear breaks loose, sliding down my cheek.

I don’t even bother brushing it away, because of course, he wouldn’t call.

Of course, Briar couldn’t manage to let me into his and Chanel’s perfect life for even a day or two.

Now he’s brought Beckett into all of this, and I feel like a fucking loser.

“Look, kid, I get it. The situation is out of your hands. I’m not doing this as a favor to your dad.

My house is big and empty; you’ll pretty much have the whole place to yourself.

You don’t have to stay the whole summer if you don’t want, but you can come stay for a few days til you figure it out. ”

I take in a shaky breath. “I hate that you are always the one to save me,” I whisper.

“I know, kiddo.”