Stay With Me (She's With Me #2) - Jessica Cunsolo Page 0,48
cross the room and head for the balcony. I slide open the balcony door and see the grass of the backyard, which eventually turns into sand, then ocean. It’s so peaceful.
“Char, did you end up knocking people out for this room after all?” I tease her, wondering how we landed the balcony and gorgeous view.
“They let us have it since you’re paying for all our food and stuff,” Charlotte answers as we step back into the room and close the door.
“Plus, we figured that you two would be least likely to jump off the balcony in a drunken stupor,” Annalisa says, giving Chase a sharp look.
“Once! It happened once and I landed in the pool!” Chase defends himself, adding in a mumble, “They never let me live that down.”
I’ve only ever seen Chase drunk once, when he showed up at Charlotte’s resolved to declare his love for her before I stopped him, but clearly this guy does some pretty dumb things when he’s had too much to drink. Drunk Chase stories just get weirder and weirder every time I hear them.
“Technically, it’s Aiden’s money,” I clarify. “He should get first choice of rooms.”
Annalisa scoffs. “Please, have you met the man? He wouldn’t let us give him the better room instead of you.”
I hide my blush behind my hair.
“Speaking of,” Charlotte continues for Annalisa, “you promised us details. You and Aiden. Kissing. For who knows how long now?! Spill.”
“Yas, give us all the deets!” Noah squeals, trying his best to imitate Charlotte. All that does is earn him three glares; only Chase finds it hilarious.
“Okay, out now you two. Go make us some hamburgers or something if you’re bored,” Annalisa commands, opening the door wider and pointing into the hallway.
They don’t move, but Chase looks at Noah. “You hungry?”
Noah smiles. “I could eat.”
They get up and head out the door, arguing about which type of meat to barbeque.
“I want cheese on my burger!” I call after them as Annalisa shuts the door.
She and Charlotte turn on me, their eyes focused on me like they’re stranded on a desert island and I’m the last ounce of life saving water. Suddenly, I wish Noah and Chase were still here.
“Are you going to tell us the details or are we going to have to force them out of you?” Annalisa threatens.
“Put your throwing knives away. Sit down and I’ll tell you.” I sigh, mentally preparing myself for Charlotte’s squeals of delight and Annalisa’s line of interrogation.
We get comfy on the bed, sitting in a circle facing each other with our legs crossed.
“When did you guys become official?” Charlotte asks, eyes lighting up with excitement.
“We’re not official. We haven’t officially had that awkward what are we conversation. We technically haven’t even been on a real date.”
I know that Aiden and I have a deep connection—I know all his dark secrets and he knows mine—but I can’t really tell them that. Plus, we really didn’t have that what are we conversation that no one ever looks forward to, and I’d rather we didn’t. I still haven’t figured out how to tell him I’m leaving in a few weeks. I’ve been trying not to think about it but he has to understand. Right?
“When was your first kiss? It looks to me like he has a full access pass to kiss you whenever he wants.” Charlotte smiles, genuinely happy for me.
I tell them about our first kiss. I tell them how I avoided him for weeks after that because I was scared. I don’t tell them about my confession to Aiden about my past, but I tell them that after he got arrested, we cleared the air and since then we’ve just had a connection.
“I’m so happy you and Aiden found each other! If there’s anyone who can put him in his place, it’s you. We’ve seen it multiple times.” Annalisa laughs.
“I’m happy for you too! Totally not trying to think about how you two can go on supercute double dates and I’ll get ditched and sit at home like a single loser,” Charlotte says, I think only half joking.
“It’s okay, Char. I don’t see Aiden and me going on a date and ditching you anytime soon,” I reply.
Really though, I won’t be able to ditch Charlotte to go on a date, since I’ll be leaving town before that can happen. But I guess that means that I technically am ditching Charlotte, except for forever instead of one night.
“That just means Char is next on the boyfriend list,”