Chapter 13
It felt like an eternity, but Friday is finally here! Holy shit, I never thought we’d make it. I was supposed to work until four today. But one employee from work took over my shift. He was looking for extra hours, so it worked out in both our favors.
I woke up feeling super positive at seven.
We will ignore the minor panic attack I had while packing.
When I get in my head, it can turn into a whirlwind of anxiety.
I have so many emotions trying to make an appearance today.
I don’t know what to expect for this short beach trip.
I was face-to-face with Theo for maybe five to ten minutes at Taylor’s party, and we barely spoke because my dumbass ran off like a scared little puppy.
Now I’m spontaneously meeting him at the beach to stay a couple nights. Life can be a strange ride, let me tell you. Danielle attempted to pack the entire apartment in her suitcase. After tackling her on her bed, I talked some sense into her hard-headed ass.
We are opposites with packing. I plan my outfit for each day and bring one emergency outfit. That’s not including the bare minimum of essentials needed. I fucking despise coming back from a vacation and having to spend an hour putting things away I didn’t even touch.
We’ve been on the road for nearly an hour now and should arrive around lunchtime or shortly after.
I ended up asking Theo if Chase would mind Lottie tagging along.
It took me staying up late Wednesday night overthinking the situation before I finally mustered up the courage to text and ask him.
I’m pretty sure I wasted the worry on nothing.
He seemed cool with it and let me know Leo would be there, too. Originally, I was going to ask Nora to keep her. But with everything that’s been going on with her, I didn’t want to bother with it. I’d much rather Lottie be with me, anyway. You never know, she just might make a new doggy friend.
I haven’t even told Nora about Theo yet. Honestly, I wanted to wait to see how this trip would go. I’d hate to make a big deal out of it, and then this trip be a huge fail, and I never see or speak to him again.
She knows that Danielle and I are going to the beach and meeting a couple of people there, but she didn’t ask too many questions.
Theo told me I could invite her, but I knew what her answer would be.
She would rather it be the two of us taking one of our day trips, jamming to her favorite musician, Stevie Nicks.
Danielle made sure she primped to perfection before we left home.
Which she doesn’t need, since she is naturally a looker.
Her raven-tinted hair falls just a little over her shoulders.
Her dark, thick lashes make her deep blue eyes pop, and sometimes I catch myself staring into them.
Minus when she pisses me off, which is every other day.
But I love her for it; she is my best friend. She doesn’t want to admit it, but I know she’s looking forward to meeting Chase. I pray he has a decent personality. The last thing I want is her pouting about the guy with a dull sense of humor.
The GPS shows we’re getting close to the beach house.
I’m trying not to freak, but I can’t deny that I’m nervous.
I try distracting my mind by rolling my window down and gazing at the endless rows of palm trees.
There is something about them that warms my veins.
I take a deep breath, soaking the salty air into my lungs.
The sky is an aqua blue; big cotton-like clouds dance across the open sky.
This is my happy place; a temporary healing session if you will. And I’m thankful to be here with Danielle, I adore our mini adventures together. But I can’t help but wish Nora was here with us. I miss her.
My nerves are getting the best of me as we get closer to our destination. I’m feeling so many emotions right now. The eagerness to actually meet Theo hits me, but also an unsettling sensation crawls through me.
This trip can only go two ways. Either we hit it off and become friends and figure out whatever this is, or we realize this was all a joke and a waste of precious time, then we part ways and pretend we never met. Even considering that as a possibility almost makes me sad.
We pull up to a two-story coral-painted beach house; the shutters are a pretty shell-creamed color.
There are Dwarf Date Palm trees on each side of the front stairs.
Chinese Fan Palms sit left and right of the house wrapped with cream stone.
I notice different shapes and sizes of seashells sitting along the stones in a variety of colors.
Probably all plucked from the sand near the ocean.
This place is so cute and gives the best beachy vibes. I can already picture how the inside will look just by the well-nurtured yard and the appearance of the outside.
I shoot Theo a quick text to let him know we are here. We haven’t even exited the car yet, and within seconds I spot two males walking up from the backyard. I instantly glue my eyes to Theo.
He is wearing a plain black t-shirt with grey and black swim trunks.
How can such a simple outfit look so damn good on a human?
He is even more stunning in the daylight.
His luscious dirty blond hair glimmers as the sun’s rays naturally highlight each strand.
His flawless skin exudes a golden glow, blessed by the sun’s affectionate embrace.
I’m going to assume that Chase is the one walking in sync beside Theo. They stride towards us, both tall and strong. He looks to be maybe an inch taller and slightly thinner than Theo. Danielle and I look at each other before getting out of the car.
A huge sneaky grin spreads across her face. “Girl, shit is about to get wild.”
I smile back and playfully roll my eyes. I can’t help but feel excited about what’s to come for the weekend. We are at the beach with two hot-ass guys. At this moment, I feel utterly content.
The boys help get our things out of the trunk, which is mainly Danielle’s ridiculous amount of luggage.
Even the boys seemed surprised, noticing I only had one suitcase, and the rest was Danielle’s.
I catch Chase looking her up and down while she gathers a couple of bags to carry in.
I wonder if he finds her attractive. I would be shocked if not.
Danielle’s had no trouble getting what she wants from boys. She’s been a beauty since she was a child. I always envied her confidence in herself. It’s something I have lacked growing up. Being bullied in grade school didn’t help the shame I already felt towards my appearance.
Chase has chestnut-colored hair that lays long enough to almost cover his ears.
His deep hazel eyes are easy to look at.
He has a burly jawline, not quite as chiseled as Theo’s, but just enough to have any girl crawling.
And I think Danielle likes what she sees.
I know her taste pretty well, and I can see the two of them having some fun together.
Which knocks a weight off my shoulder. I can’t enjoy myself if she’s feeling some type of way, so things are looking good so far.
I smile at my thoughts and focus back on my task, not knowing that Theo is staring at me. Here we go. How long had he been hawking me while I was having a conversation in my head? I’ve tried to avoid lengthy eye contact with him.
I have not forgotten the trance he had me in at Taylor’s party. I just got here; it’s too early for this shit. I squint my eyes at him and give him a cute smile. “What are you staring at?”
He doesn’t break eye contact while biting his bottom lip slightly, which sends a sting through my insides. “You, obviously. No hello?”
I roll my eyes dramatically. “Oh, forgive me, Theo. Hello. Is that better?”
He shrugs his shoulders “It’ll do for now.”
I glance over his shoulder and see that Chase and Danielle are having a conversation. That’s a good sign, I think. Danielle is doing her little flirty giggles while twirling the ends of her hair, so I already know she’s feeling what she sees.
I decide to walk over to introduce myself. I try to shake his hand, but he pulls me in for a quick side hug. He seems very welcoming and laid back. Not to mention, he has the cutest ear-to-ear smile; I know she’s going to eat that up.
Lottie confidently trots over to Theo and vigorously licks his leg. “Ah, there’s that little fluffy rodent you call a dog,” he laughs.
“Watch it now!” I say through a snicker. She has a good sense of people, and I can tell she approves of him. I’d say we’re off to a good start so far.
We finally make it into the house. And just as I expected, the inside welcomes you with vibrant beach decor.
The walls hold different shades of white with small hanging trinkets.
The furniture is a mix of navy and light blues.
The decorative pillows on the cream-tinged couch are the same bright coral color that paints the outside of the house.
Seahorse statues stand tall on either side of the front door.
The end table holds an oval-crafted lamp that has different varieties of seashells dangling from the lampshade. The style is simple and cozy. I can picture Chase and his family holding many special memories in this place. Something I’ve never gotten to experience.
Chase seems like a real gentleman. And I can see why he and Theo are good friends.
They give us a quick tour of the house. Chase is staying in the downstairs primary bedroom, while Theo left us the bigger guest bedroom upstairs across from his room.
There is a full bath downstairs, and the upstairs restroom is at the end of the hall, which has a walk-in shower.
This whole house is so clean and well cared for. Lottie jumps up on the bed, wagging her tail back and forth. I’m so happy she is here; she loves little adventures with me.