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“II missed you too! I can’t believe you’re here!”
We jump up and down and cheer together. People are looking our way, but who cares? Tyler and Mason come up behind us, both of them already chatting away.
“Mase!” I say and hug him tight. Tyler hugs Madison, and then we’re all talking at once and laughing.
I love how easily Tyler fits in like he’s always been a part of the group. I guess he kinda has, considering how much time he spent in Cali last fall. But either way, it makes things go smoother, and everyone’s in a good mood.
We skip baggage claim, Mason and Mads having only brought one carry-on duffel bag each. Once out of the airport, we find a place nearby to eat.
Conversation flows, as does the food, and it’s as if no time has passed since last seeing each other. Tyler hasn’t seen either of them in almost a year, but they treat him as if he never left.
I smile at everyone around the table, a warm feeling spreading over me.
I finally feel happy, satisfied, and content. I have my man and my friends, and we’re moving to beautiful Sierra Cove just like I always dreamed of.
“Pinch me,” I whisper to Tyler, and he looks at me strange.
“Why?” he whispers back.
“Because I feel like I’m dreaming.”
Tyler’s mouth curves up into a sexy grin, and my insides clench. “Trust me, Goody. You’re not dreaming. But you will be later.”
He winks, and I swear my panties get wet.
“Hey, you two lovebirds over there. No PDA,” Mads says with a laugh.
“I can’t help it,” I say as I grab Tyler’s chin and squeeze gently. “He’s too irresistible.”
Mason pretends to gag as Mads rolls her eyes. “Oh boy. Irresistible, huh? You’re a goner,” Mads says and points at us both. “You’re a goner too, Ty.”
“I’ll be a goner with Lo any day,” Tyler says, and I melt against him.Swoon.
“It’s hopeless,” Madison says to Mason, and we all dissolve into a fit of laughter.
If this is what happiness feels like, I never want to be sad again.
* * *
The Airbnb Tyler found for us to rent is gorgeous. It’s a cabin-style home with three bedrooms, two and half bathrooms, an open space eat-in kitchen, and a huge living room. There’s also a large porch off the back that leads down to an in-ground infinity pool. A little farther past the pool sits a hot tub, already steaming and bubbling away.
“Wow,” is all I keep saying as Mads and I walk through the place in complete awe. “This place is amazing.”
“I honestly didn’t expect it to be this nice, considering how cheap it was. But I guess the location deters people, something about a murder happening in a graveyard down the street. It was the subject of a podcast for months and brought a lot of attention to the area. Now people avoid it like the plague.”
“Are you serious?” I ask, suddenly creeped out. Anyone who knows me knows I hate being scared. “And you’re just telling us this now? Since when do you follow true crime?”
Madison and Mason don’t seem bothered. “It only ups the cool level for me,” Mason says as he dabs Madison, who nods in agreement.
Tyler cracks a smile and then bursts out laughing. “Nah, I’m just playing. My boss gave me a goodbye bonus, so I splurged a bit.”
I smack his shoulder, relief running through me in droves as Madison and Mason laugh their asses off in the background.“You’re a punk.”
Tyler comes at me quick, lifting me off the ground and throwing me over his shoulder. “What?” he asks as he taps me on the butt. “What did you call me?”
“A punk!” I shriek as Tyler walks toward the sliding glass doors of the porch.
“I think it’s time we take a dip in the pool.”
