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Lexie
Thesoftgrainsof warm, white sand rubbed against Lexie’s feet as if she was stepping straight into a plush rug. With her sandals in her hand, she followed Kennedy toward a concrete staircase built into the grassy land beneath it. It looked like something straight out of an exotic travel magazine. She slipped her sandals back on and continued through the jungle. The broad trees instantly blocked the sun and a cool breeze grazed across her cheeks. She sucked in a surprised breath as the house...er, mansion, towered before her. They walked straight up onto a concrete patio complete with pool chairs, a fire pit, what appeared to be a full-service bar, and a massive pool that overlooked the turquoise waters. The house was three stories high and boasted windows on each level. Adam had caught up to them and wrapped his arm around Kennedy as they eyed the house excitedly.
“There are like, fifteen rooms?” he glanced at Kennedy questioning.
She nodded her head and he continued. “Yeah, and obviously we won’t need that many. There are also staff members on site. You won’t get cell service out here, so I’d suggest just putting your phone in airplane mode or leaving it in the lock boxes in the rooms. There are landlines within the house and outbuildings so we can reach each other when needed. We have full access to the house, the pool, and the beach out there where the boat is. Feel free to wander around and get yourself used to the house, we’ll be here for a few days!”
Kennedy and Adam turned, arm in arm, as they walked into the sliding doors at the base of the house. Lexie stood for a moment in awe of the beauty before her. She hadn’t grown up around riches and hadn’t ventured much out of Otsego. The fanciest home she had been to was probably Beau’s or Eagle’s, so this was a whole different thing for her.
“You gonna pick a room or do you just plan on sleeping out here tonight?” Nav’s familiar voice rang out next to her.
She turned briefly to face him, catching him just as the sun brushed across his nose, illuminating the various colors of his eyes. “I’m just taking it all in.”
He nodded. “It’s...huge,” he said with a chuckle. “Come on, I’ll show you which room I want so you can pick one on the opposite end of the house,” he said as he motioned toward the basement door.
She rolled her eyes. She didn’t need to be on opposite ends of the house from Nav. In all honesty, what he did to her in college broke her heart over and over again, but she had come to understand several things over the years, and watching Nav live his life the way he did, she knew there was never going to be a different outcome for them. No matter if she had begged him to stay, if she hadn’t gotten mad at him that night, or even if she called off her marriage to Oliver. Nothing would have changed the man Nav turned into and despite his devilish good looks and her intense attraction to him, Lexie knew it never would have worked out. They were just two different people.
She followed Nav through the glass doors gaping at the grandeur around them. Their friends’ voices filled the home in echoes of laughter and happiness. Lexie ventured down each hallway, familiarizing herself with the layout of the home while looking for the perfect place to rest her head for the night. The basement rooms were mainly entertainment rooms, with one small guest bedroom at the end of the hall. She opted to see what else was available as she climbed the winding staircase to the main floor, which held moremagnificence than the last.
She ascended up to the top floor, following the voices around her. Eagle and Sedona were rightfully situated in the master suite, with Adam and Kennedy in the other large room next to them. Avanna and Payson were facing them across the hallway. Lexie continued down the long corridor, separating herself from the couples. As she approached the opposite end of the hall, she pushed open the door on the right revealing a beautifully lit bedroom. The windows were facing straight out to the water. Lexie could see the pool below and the sandy beaches just on the other side of the elevated land the house rested upon. The bedding was starkly white and looked luxurious. She plopped her bag onto the bed and pushed open the bathroom door. It was only a half bath, but it was still nice to have a toilet in her bedroom so she didn’t have to wander the dark halls at night.
“Turns out I’m not interested in being a part of the lovers’ section of the house. Do you mind if I take one of the rooms around here?” Nav poked his head into the room and asked hesitantly. She was tempted to tell him to take his shit to the basement and figure it out for himself, but in a house this large, it’s not like they would run into each other much, even if their rooms were nearby. She shook her head and waved her arms. “Cool,” he said as he opened the door across from hers. She poked her head out, noting his room was identical to hers, but the windows faced out toward the forest instead of the ocean.
Wanting to explore more of the property, Lexie left her bag behind and wandered back down to the main floor where the joyous echoes of her friends were collecting. The whir of a blender filled the space as Sedona stood behind the bar surrounded by colorful liquor bottles.
“Want one?” she yelled out.
Lexie nodded and stepped behind Sedona, opening cabinets in search of glasses for the drinks Sedona was preparing.
“Anyone else want one?” Lexie yelled out as the whir slowed, silencing the room. A stampede of elephants clamored down the stairs as the men appeared one by one in the large entertainment area. Lexie rested the glasses onto the counter with a clank as each landed against the marble top. Nav leaned down onto his elbows, reaching out to spin an empty glass in his hands. Lexie narrowed her eyes at an oblivious Nav, reaching behind her to grab another glass from the cupboard.
Sedona poured the icy concoction into all eight glasses while Lexie followed behind with a can of whipped cream. She quickly grabbed the last glass, letting the sweet, creamy alcohol slip down her throat. Although the frozen chill was welcomed on such a hot day, the added fire from the alcohol hit her belly almost immediately, reminding her to slow down.
Before she met Oliver, Lexie was a free bird. On any given weekend throughout the year, Lexie could be found center stage at the wildest parties. She made quick friends and people enjoyed having her around because of her spunk and free spirit. Lexie’s life transformed as the wave of change rolled over her the moment she met Oliver. Instead of wild nights out, Lexie found herself wanting to stay home alongside her new beau. She found herself swept under the current of his love, wrapped up in every piece of him. Her once-chaotic life had mellowed to a quiet rebirth.
As she stood here now, glancing around the room at the friends she used to pass out alongside after a wild night of partying, she realized over the years they had all changed. While some changed in quiet slow movements, others changed suddenly, like herself. Eagle was no longer the brooding ass that stood in the corner of the parties and looked down upon the party-goers, Adam was no longer the party animal who cared about nothing, and Nav... Nav had changed most of all. In the last forty-eight hours, she could see parts of who he used to be, but this new Nav sitting in front of her was no longer the boy she once knew.
