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Chapter Fourteen
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Two Years Later
“Please tell me you caught that on camera.” I laugh as I skirt around my room, collecting dirty clothes to take to the laundry room.
I have a basket sitting right next to my bed so you would think I’d be better about keeping things all in one place, but alas, I’ve gotten really bad about kicking things off and leaving them on the floor.
I blame it on the fact that I’m always busy. Between class and work, I barely have a moment to breathe. But in truth, it really boils down to a mild case of laziness. Of course, that only leaves me with more to clean up and sort when I actually do get a day off to catch up on things like laundry.
Today just happens to be one of those rare days when I have nowhere to be and I plan on taking full advantage of it. Laundry. Nap. Clean my room. Maybe another nap. Order in Chinese and eat my weight in Chow Mein while I binge watch Netflix. You get the idea.
“God I wish.” Lulu’s voice rings through the speaker of my phone that’s laying on my dresser, pulling me back to the conversation. “Though it was the funniest thing I think I’ve ever seen.”
I think it’s safe to say Lulu is having the time of her life in Texas. She lives in a sorority house with several other girls, and apparently spends most of her nights at parties. I guess last night’s party was quite the doozy. The frat guys were taking turns sledding down the staircase.
“I’m so jealous,” I admit, wishing I had time for things like parties. Not that I would actually go, but I can’t remember the last time I went out and did something fun.
Well that’s notentirelytrue. My roommate, Sophie and I did make the two hour trip to the city a couple of months ago and that was pretty fun. I hadn’t been to the Big Apple before. Needless to say, I spent entirely too much money while I was there, but it was well worth it.
“You should be jealous. I’m out here living it up and all you do is work, school, work, school.”
“That’s kinda the point though, isn’t it?”
“It’s not just about the education. It’s also about the experience. Something you’d know if you actually had a life.”
“I have a life,” I argue.
“Uh, huh. Sure you do.” I imagine her rolling her eyes dramatically at this very moment.
I open my mouth, ready to list all the reasons why she’s wrong, when a knock at my door stops me.
“Shit,” I grumble, snagging my phone off the dresser before taking it off of speaker phone. “Hang on, Lu. Soph forgot her key again.”
I unlock the door and tug it open, all the blood draining from my face when I see someone that is definitelynotSophie.
My mouth goes dry.
Alec...
“What...” I start, confusion the most prominent thing I feel.
It’s been weeks since we’ve spoken. Hell, months. Between my schedule and his, we haven’t had the time. Suffice it to say, he’s the last person I ever expected to show up on my doorstep.
He looks so different and yet somehow exactly the same. Older, but the same. His hair is a little longer, a little messier, and he’s got scruff covering his face. Which, if possible, makes him even more handsome.
I think back to the last time I saw him... The day of my graduation cookout. I remember that day like it was yesterday. It was one of the bestandworst days of my life.
God, has it really been two years?
“Hello?” Lulu’s voice in my ear snaps me out of my fog.
“Lu, I’m gonna have to call you back.” I let the phone slide away from my ear, ending the call without another word.
“Hope Russell.” His eyes do a full sweep of my body and I’m suddenly very aware of how horrible I look. I’m wearing old pajama shorts and a tank. My dirty hair is tied in a loose knot on top of my head, and I don’t have a lick of makeup on my face. “Damn have I missed you.”
Before I can react, he grabs my arm and tugs me to his chest, wrapping me in a tight hug. As soon as his scent fills my nostrils, I relax into his embrace. He smells exactly as I remember. He smells like home. And while I knew deep in my being that I missed him, I hadn’t realized just how much until this very moment.
