AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He shrugged like it would be insane if he didn’t remember. “At least your end of the conversation. I remember a lot about that day. I sometimes hear that T-shirt song too.”
“Thomas Rhett.” I nudged him playfully. “See, you’re just dying to be a country boy.”
“Nope.” He shot me a sexy grin. He flicked on his turn signal, and we glided onto an exit ramp.
Connor shot up from his napping position against the back door as the Jeep slowed down. His sudden movement made Katie bolt up, and she glanced around at her location. It was like their half-hour snooze made them both forget where they were.
“How far are we?” Connor stretched and pulled Katie’s legs into his lap.
“We have about ten more minutes. We’re in Port Clinton,” Jaxon said, peering into the backseat. “You guys better rally up because we’re starting the party as soon as we get there.”
My stomach growled, and I drained the rest of my coffee. “I can’t even think of alcohol until I get some food.”
“Oh, we’ll have food too,” Jaxon confirmed. He slowed at a red light, and our surroundings became less open and crowded with businesses and restaurants. Condo complexes and apartments started to pop up the closer we got to the water.
I cracked the window, and a gust of fresh lake air wafted into the cabin. Katie groaned and pulled her blanket over her head.
I laughed at her gut reaction and turned around in my seat. “Connor, where can we stop for groceries?” I didn’t see any chain brand stores popping up as we continued down the road.
“There is a market at the next light. Jared just texted me and said they want to stop somewhere and eat, but I’d rather make food at the place.”
“Let’s do that,” Katie said and sat up. She drank the rest of her coffee and I cheered into the rearview, applauding her for her effort.
Jaxon and Connor laughed as we pulled into a lot for Sal’s Food Market. It was a family-owned store—comparable in size to the Kroger we had back in Bowling Green. The four of us roamed the aisles, everyone throwing in items that fit the long weekend agenda.
About forty-five minutes later, we had a cart full of essentials and an obnoxious amount of alcohol that would last us way longer than the four days we would be here. Back on campus, we were spoiled with options if we ran out of drinks. There were plenty of stores open late and gas stations within walking distance, but out here we were limited. No one wanted to take that chance.
“As soon as we unload everything, I am making my Blood Orange Sangria,” Katie announced to the car once everyone was in.
“Oh no,” Jaxon and I said at the same time.
We looked at each other and laughed, recalling the drink that Katie served the first night Jaxon ever went out with us. Katie’s mouth fell open, and she leaned forward like she was going to scold our behavior.
“Did I miss something?” Connor asked. He looked offended at the inside joke the three of us shared.
“You missed the best drink ever,” Katie defended her bartending skills and fell back in her seat.
I spent the last few minutes of our journey in my head, recalling everything her deadly drink prompted. Blood Orange Sangria was how Jaxon and I both started our evening together, but the way we ended it was much messier.
It was insane how much had happened since October. I had never craved someone the way I wanted Jaxon. I didn’t think it was possible to want him more today than I did back then. Everything that filled the gaps of time between when we met and where we were now just pushed me closer to him. He had become one of the most important people in my life.
I watched Jaxon type in Connor’s gate code, and we pulled inside the complex. Beautiful navy and white condos lined the coast on all sides of the peninsula. There were breaks every three or four condos so people could access the beach from the parking lot, which had been tastefully landscaped with white roses and trimmed hedges. Our gang was about to look very out of place in such an upscale-looking neighborhood.
Connor instructed Jaxon to go all the way to the end of the strip. His family owned the last condo on the right-hand side, which was easily the biggest property in that row.
“Home sweet home,” Connor said and climbed out of the back seat.
Jaxon turned off the engine, and the rest of us emerged from the Jeep. I heard Jaxon let out an exaggerated stretch on the other side of the car. Katie jogged excitedly to the trunk, and Connor popped it open. We all grabbed armfuls of grocery bags and started the process of unloading.
We weaved through the short path from the parking lot to the front door of Connor’s condo. He unlocked the door, and it was clear it had just recently been cleaned. We were hit with a wave of lemon, clean linen, and coconut. It was an interesting combo, but as soon as I laid eyes on the view of the lake directly at the back of the living room, it all made sense.
Once down the hallway that extended from the front door, we entered the kitchen and dining area, which fed into a gigantic living space. A huge L-shaped couch, a loveseat, and an oversized recliner all faced a flat-screen TV mounted above a fireplace. It was cozy and breathtaking at the same time.
“Baby, this is gorgeous!” Katie exclaimed and set her armful of bags on the counter. A huge smile spread across her face, and Connor stared at her like he was noticing her for the first time. He hoped to get this exact reaction from her, and he certainly didn’t disappoint.
“Yeah, when you said you had a place up here, I wasn’t really sure what to expect,” Jaxon added. He walked across the living room and peered out the back sliding door to have a full view of the lake.
“There are two bedrooms down the hall toward the front door, but Katie and I will be in the one on the left since it’s the master suite,” Connor said. “There is a bedroom over there next to the fireplace and two bedrooms downstairs. It does get warmer down there, but there is a game room and a den down there too.”
