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In short, my answer to Katie was simple—it was possible to be in love with someone after only knowing them for a few months because I had been falling in love with my best friend since I met him.
“In the words ofSex and the City,” I said calmly. Katie stared at me with hopeful eyes, and I smiled reassuringly. “Abso-fucking-lutely.”
Katie raised her eyebrows. “So I’m not crazy?”
“Nope,” I snapped and stood up. “You are not crazy.”
She relaxed and threw herself back into packing. I followed her lead and decided to focus on my own empty duffel that sat unbothered in the middle of my bed.
“However”—I peeked into the living room, and Katie paused her packing—“you did just get advice from someone who has a Fun Dip and a guy she can’t have. Do with that what you will.”
“Is it too late to uninvite you to this trip!” she yelled from her spot on the couch.
I tossed a pile of clothes I had already pulled from my laundry into my duffel and scanned my room for last-minute items. “Abso-fucking-lutely,” I murmured.
Chapter51
Jaxon
March 2016
When Saturday morning rolled around,it was the first taste of spring weather Bowling Green had all season. It was sixty-five degrees—according to my phone—and the sun shining through my blinds made my room warmer than usual.
I blinked a few times to adjust to the light and checked the time. My alarm was set to go off in a few minutes. I could hear movement in the living room already. Since everyone was leaving from our apartment, I assumed that people had arrived early. There wasn’t anything else to do but pack the cars and wait to leave.
I rolled out of bed and took a quick shower so I could get down to the parking lot. I set my duffel and my bookbag on the bed and double-checked that I had everything I needed.
When I emerged from my room, a small crowd of people was standing around our living room. I recognized most of them—people from parties we threw and a few guys from the football team. There were two girls I didn’t recognize that Jared was talking to. I cocked my head in his direction, and he returned the gesture.
A familiar voice came from behind the counter. “Hey, Jax.”
My eyes landed on Heather, and I adjusted the grip on my bags. I continued walking toward the front door and jogged down the stairs. It was too early to deal with Heather, especially since I hadn’t had a drop of coffee.
I unlocked my Jeep, and the trunk popped open. A few bags fell out at the release of the door, and I shook my head. I should’ve known that Bryson wouldn’t take the time to pack the trunk correctly.
“Fuckin’ Kennedy,” I said to no one in particular.
Minutes later, Bryson, Jared, and the rest of the apartment came walking down the stairs just as Connor pulled into the lot with Maci and Katie.
“Did you lock up the place?” I asked Bryson.
He nodded and sipped his Monster. “I’m gonna ride with Brad and Aaliyah. Are you good?”
I looked toward Brad’s car and saw the exact reason why Bryson wanted to ride in that vehicle. Aaliyah was Heather and Reagan’s roommate. He hooked up with her a few weeks ago, and she had invited one of her friends from home to come on the trip. Aaliyah’s friend was right up Bryson’s alley—someone who would be gone from campus after break and a notch on his belt he wouldn’t have to see again.
“I’m good,” I assured him, and he shot me a grin.
Connor appeared and looked over the trunk situation. “Hey.” He shook his head and knew it had Bryson written all over it. “Katie and I only have two bags between the two of us.”
“There’s plenty of space back there,” I said. I started the engine and cranked up the heat so it was warm when we were ready to go. The last thing I wanted to hear for the first fifteen minutes of the drive was Katie complaining about how ‘chilly’ it was in the backseat.
Connor scanned the crowd in the parking lot and looked back at me. “Who else is riding with us?”
I rolled my eyes and knew where he was going with this. I watched Katie and Maci laughing as they unloaded the trunk of Connor’s car.
Connor gestured toward Heather, Reagan, and some people I didn’t know. “Maybe ask Maci to ride with us?” he offered innocently and walked around to the backseat.
Just as he left my side, Heather came strutting across the parking lot. My mind went into panic mode, and I jogged over to where Maci and Katie were. There was no fucking way I would last for an hour in a car with Heather. I would probably toss her ass out of it as soon as we hit the highway.
