"I'm so sorry." She pressed her cheek to the top of my chest and pulled me back into a hug. "I just got drunk and couldn't find you guys. Paul is a great guy, I promise, but I get it. I could have been hurt or raped. I promise it will never happen again."
"Alright." I moved back from the hug and dropped down on my bed as I tugged my fingers through my wild messy hair. "Easton has tickets to the Imagine Dragon's concert tonight if you're up for it."
"Oh yeah?" She smiled and sat back down on her bed. "How many?"
"Four I think." I dropped back and pressed my hands to my face. "You want to bring this Paul guy with you?"
"I'd love to, but if not, it's really no big deal." She pounced on the bed next to me. "Either way, we totally need to get something new to wear tonight. Don't you think?"
"Yeah, we could do that." I rolled onto my side as she flopped down on hers and cuddled up tow
ard me. "Did you get any sleep?"
"Some. Enough. Did you sleep with Easton?" She wagged her eyebrows as my expression softened.
"Yeah. It was fantastic." I shrugged and shook my head. "I'm sure it was one of many mistakes to come in this new single life, but it was well worth it."
"Why was it a mistake?" She reached out and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ears.
"Because, I'm falling in love with him." I swatted her hand away.
"Falling or have fallen?" She swatted back at me playfully.
"I don't know. I just want to enjoy the rest of the vacation and not think too much about it. I need to get my ass in gear when we get back home. I graduate in a few months. I need to get serious about a job." I rolled onto my back before sitting up. "Get dressed and let's go shopping. It's already two. I would think we need to meet up with handsome around seven or so to head out for the night."
"Text him about the extra ticket." Casey sat up beside me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "You know if it's meant to be, that it will be."
"I guess so." I got up and stretched. "And if not, fuck it."
"Yeah right." She rolled her eyes, knowing me far too well to let me bullshit her with my pseudo lackadaisical attitude.
"Shut it." I picked up a pillow and started what turned out to be the longest pillow fight in our history. We needed it, or at least I did.
Chapter 20
Easton
I woke to her having left sometime during my nap. I missed her warmth the minute I realized that I didn't have her next to me anymore. My phone was ringing from somewhere in the kitchen, but it took me a few minute to register what the noise was. I got up and half-stumbled toward the sound.
"This is Easton." I cleared my throat, and hoped like hell that it wasn't my boss. I had a million things to do, and the day was virtually shot for getting any of them done.
"Hi, baby. Your dad and I just wanted to check up on you. How's Florida? Have you taken any time for yourself?" My mother's voice was upbeat and filled with warmth.
I glanced at the clock through squinted eyes and walked back to the living room as I stretched. "Yeah, I'm having a good time. I just took a day off to enjoy the beach and stuff. I guess I passed out on the couch."
"Did I wake you? I'm sorry," my mother cooed.
"No she's not. She does that shit to me all the time." My father's voice was muted, but his response caused my lips to lift in a smile.
"Shut it, Carl." There was humor in her voice just before she broke out into giggles. My father had to be tickling her. If there was one relationship I treasured more than all others, it was the one between my mom and dad. I wanted a love like that, but it seemed impossible. Or was it? Vivian and I experienced something very similar right before we fell asleep.
"I should be home by Sunday if everything goes according to plan. Let's plan on breakfast Monday morning, though. There's a girl I met here, and I'm pretty sure she's gonna want to go to dinner Sunday night. She flies out tomorrow."
"Oh my goodness! Carl, he's found a girl," my mother screamed into the phone as she lost her mind with excitement.
I rolled my eyes and leaned back, sinking into the couch. She acted quite similar every time I talked about taking a girl out or having even the slightest interest in a woman. She was baby crazy, and in all honesty, I wished that one of my brothers would marry young and divert the pressure off of me.
"Mom. We're just friends." I glanced around the room and thought of Vivian, knowing that there was truth in my words but longing for a lot more than a friends with benefits arrangement. Some man was going to sweep my beautiful woman off her feet if I didn't soon. She wouldn't be on the market for long at all.