Anyway, things weren’t completely tense in my life. For starters, I’d heard from Lawson, and Kit could kick me for being in my feelings as long as I was about my stepbrother and not telling her more about my childhood crush. He hadn’t officially asked me out yet for coffee, but we had been texting back and forth. He was really busy with his pharmacy school program, and since I was focused on my last year too, I wasn’t trying to bug him too much for a date. We’d talked mostly about school, classes and how the term was going. Of course, Kit constantly saw me over my phone and nudged me more than once to make a move.

“You can call him, you know,” she’d said one night. “Ask him out?”

And then, no joke my phone buzzed.

We’d both screeched seeing Lawson’s name, and after a few texts back and forth came the question.

Lawson: How about that coffee Saturday night? Or dinner?

The fact I’d gotten a dinner request more than meant something, but my stomach dropped at the fact I actually had plans.

Me: I’m actually going out of town with my mom. A last-minute thing. Rain check?

Mom had called earlier in the week to let me know she wanted to do a girls trip since I had a three-day weekend from school. There was a national holiday on Monday so she surprised me with an impromptu invite for a spa weekend. She’d invited Kit too, and since we’d both wanted out of this dorm and away from the stepbrother bastard, we’d jumped on it. I’d asked if Dad would be around, but she said he was busy with his own plans for the weekend.

Lawson: This wouldn’t be you teaching me a lesson, would it? Since it took me so long to ask? *wink emoji*

I laughed as my phone buzzed again.

Lawson: Grad school has been hell, but I’m really regretting my prioritizing now if you say no. Really want to go out with you. *smile emoji*

So, um, yeah totally the most perfect thing he could have said.

Me: Oh, it’s so not a brush off. I really do have plans, but let’s do the weekend after. I’d get out of this, but my mom wants to do a girls weekend and I like never see her.

Lawson: Totally get it, but couldn’t help giving you a hard time. Haha. You have fun. I’ll get at you when you get back.

I told Kit about the response, and we both squealed. We came from the same town and though we’d gone to rival schools, even she’d heard of the golden boy who was captain of like all the sports back then.

“Such a hot piece of ass,” she’d said, which was totally a Kit answer.

The week breezed by pretty fast after that, and even being around Jax hadn’t bothered me knowing I’d see my mom soon. I missed her, and any chance I got to take my mind off this whole thing with the step sibling from hell was one I’d jump on.

Mom sent a car for both Kit and me on Saturday morning, real early so we could make the most of our day at the spa.

I’d locked up our dorm, and besides a few glares and some eye rolls a couple days before, I had managed not to see Jaxen. He’d been out most of the week, doing God only knew what he did. Probably getting laid or making someone else’s life hell.

Since he wasn’t ruining mine at the present, I went on my merry little way, Kit clearly pumped by this whole extended weekend.

She’d packed like four bags and wore nothing but a bikini top and shorts for the day. She had a really cute body and flaunted it whenever she could. I stayed more modest in my off-the-shoulder peasant top and high-waisted shorts. I paired it with a set of lace-up sandals, and where I was more vintage chic, my best friend was spring break at the Hamptons. She was yin to my yang, and I loved her for it.

We’d fallen a sleep on each other in the black town car. It’d come really early so we got caught up on our Zs then. About an hour or two later, we woke up to find we’d arrived to

a fancy resort off the Florida coast. My parents and I had vacationed to this one before with its beautiful views of the beach and its seaside cabanas. I was well aware the place wasn’t cheap, but Mom spared no expense when she was in her treating mood. She’d even sprinkled a little more of her fairy dust when the door was opened and champagne flutes with raspberries were passed Kit’s and my way.

Kit chugged hers, hugging me over to her. “Have I mentioned how much I adore your mom?”

I merely laughed at her since she always brought stuff like that up, how my parents were quote unquote “loaded” and I should take advantage of it more. Again, that was their money, and when I made my own, I intended to treat myself. I was well aware that school teachers didn’t make much, but my parents also taught me about investments and I had several mutual funds that had been growing for years now from my own savings. My adoptive father had also put a trust in my name, but like the mutual funds, I’d been growing it since I’d gained access at eighteen. I wouldn’t squander the gifts life had given me and hadn’t been born with money. Before Rick Fairchild had come into our lives, Mom and I had been a middle income household. I was well aware what was given could be taken away, so no, I didn’t throw around money.

I let Kit be her Kit self, though, sipping my champagne while we were led into the ritzy resort. This place was like Disney World for adults, and I looked forward to pedicures and hot stone massages. They even had yoga classes in the morning, so I could imagine the three of us would be doing that too. Mom and I always took advantage of that option when we stayed here.

“Oh, darling. Woohoo!”

And speak of the devil, in came my mother, already ready and raring to go the moment Kit and I crossed the threshold of the resort. She had her terry cloth robe on, basically dancing her way over to us in her flip-flops.

“Hey, Mom,” I said, hugging her so tight. She smelled warm, like home. Her dark hair up, she had a relaxed flush to her cheeks, and I wondered if she’d already had a rubdown before we arrived.

She smacked a kiss on my cheek. “Oh, honey. I’m so happy you’re here. Good trip? Not too bumpy on the road?”

Tags: Eden O'Neill Court University Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net