ALEXIS (AGE 20)

AS I WAITED TO board my flight to Los Angeles, I’d never wished I was old enough to drink more. It was my first time flying, and I was a bundle of nerves. The acid in my stomach churned, and I felt like I was going to vomit.

My phone dinged. I slid my trembling finger across the screen and couldn’t help but smile.

Colt: Hey, Allie. I can’t believe you’re really coming to spend the summer with me. I can’t wait to see you. You’re doing the right thing. Love you. Xoxo

Colt: P.S. Stop freaking out. You’re not getting in my car if you smell like puke.

I laughed aloud as I typed out my reply.

Alex: If I die, you’ll regret your last words, ass.

Colt: You’re not going to die. But just in case...fine, you can ride in my car...but you’ll have to ride naked.

Alex: I have extra clothes, idiot.

Colt: Why do you always have to take the fun out of everything?

Alex: We’re boarding. See you soon.

Colt: Love ya, Al!

I filed into the plane, and after putting my carry-on in the cubby, I curled into my window seat. I put my earbuds in and shut my eyes, attempting to relax.

The plane jerked and started taxiing, and I squeezed my eyes tighter together, praying for God to just let me live through this.

A hand squeezed my knee, and I jumped. I opened my eyes to find the once empty seat beside me now occupied by an older woman. She must’ve been at least seventy years old. Her dark brown skin was wrinkled, and her long hair was solid white. “Virgin?” she croaked.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“You’re a virgin, dearie. I can tell.”

Was this woman serious? “Not that it’s any of your business, but I am not a virgin. I haven’t been for a very long time now.”

She laughed ’til tears dripped from her weary eyes. “Oh, child. I meant that it’s your first time flying. I couldn’t care less who’s been between those legs.” She shook her head. “You’re cute.”

My cheeks flamed. “Oh.” Now that I’d just made a complete idiot of myself, I didn’t know what to say. I turned to stare out of the window and watched the city getting smaller and smaller beneath us.

“I’m off to spend the summer with my son and grandbabies. You?”

“That’s nice,” I said, smiling sweetly. “I’m spending the summer with my best friend. He goes to UCLA. A basketball player. He’s really good. We haven’t seen each other much in the last few years because he’s always practicing.”

“Ah,” she said, giving me a knowing smile. “Don’t waste this chance.”

“Chance?”

“That’s what this is, right? A chance to make him fall in love with you? To choose you?”

I shook my head. “Nah. You’re wrong about this one. We’re just friends...have been our entire lives. I actually have a boyfriend...well, had. I don’t know what we are now.”

She nodded. “What happened with the boyfriend?”

“He, ummm. He proposed, and I’m just not sure I’m ready for that, you know?”

“Have you been dating a long time?” she asked.

“A few years. I thought it was what I wanted...but when he asked, I just...I don’t know. I just couldn’t say yes. I told him to give me the summer to think about it.”

“Can I be frank with you...?” she hesitated, waiting for my name.

“Alexis.”

“Don’t marry that boy, Alexis. If he were the one, you wouldn’t have hesitated. A few years is enough time to know how you feel about a person. Trust me, he’s not the one.”

I laughed nervously. “And you can come to this conclusion after spending only a few minutes in my company?”

“Darlin’ I’ve lived a long life. Take it from a woman who’s been in your shoes. Marry the one you’re running toward...not the one you’re running from.”

Her words struck a chord because I knew that she was right. I’d loved Colton for all of my life; I just never knew what to do about it.

“Thank you...?” I looked at her expectantly.

“Gertie. Name’s Gertrude, but muh friends call me Gertie.”

She showed me pictures of her grandchildren, and we talked like we’d known each other our whole lives. Gertie was an insightful woman, and I think I’d finally met my match. She barely stopped to catch her breath between stories.

Before long, the plane was taxiing, and I’d been so absorbed in her world that I hadn’t even realized when the sick feeling in my stomach left. I thanked her for distracting me then we exchanged numbers. And as I drew closer to seeing my best friend, that awful nausea was replaced by a fluttering of butterflies. I was nervous and excited.

And I was on a mission.

When I reached the baggage claim, Colt was already there. My God, he was the most beautiful man I’d ever seen. Tears pricked my eyes as I ran into his waiting arms. Colton lifted me a good foot off the ground, swinging me from side to side as he hugged me close.

I reached up and ran my fingers through those golden brown curls I’d missed so much, and he leaned down, placing a kiss at my temple.

Tears poured from my eyes. I felt so at home for the first time in so long. Colton’s arms, his smell, his curls, dimples, and those eyes...dear God, those eyes.

“Welcome home, Allie,” he whispered, setting me on my feet. And he couldn’t have spoken more perfect words.

“He’s a cutie, Alex,” Gertie said, appearing out of nowhere.

I laughed, and Colton gave me a confused smile. “This is my new friend, Gertie. Gertie, this is my friend, Colton.”

Gertrude reached out her frail hand, which looked even smaller in Colton’s ginormous one. “Nice to meet you, young man.”

Colton smiled, revealing those panty-melting dimples. “Pleasure’s all mine, ma’am. Thanks for keeping my girl company on the flight.”

Gertie gave me a pair of knowing eyes, no doubt picking up on the possessive way that Colt referred to me, but it was nothing new. We’d always belonged to each other. It didn’t mean anything significant.

I shook my head and hugged my new friend goodbye. Before releasing me, she whispered, “I know love when I see it. Don’t let that boy go,” then she kissed my cheek and swatted my behind, sending me on my way.

“So, Gertie was a character,” Colt chuckled.

“Yeah.” I smiled. “She’s something.”

I stared at him the whole drive to his house. It was surreal being there with him. We’d spoken daily, but we hadn’t been alone together for so long. Even when he’d come home, Dean was always around.

We pulled up to a townhouse, and Colton turned off the car. “Before we walk into that house, I’m going to apologize in advance for my roommates. They have no manners. Al, they’ll probably hit on you, but they do that to anyone with a hole between their legs. Just shrug ’em off, okay?”

Wow. I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Noted. I will not allow myself to believe that your hot college roommates could possibly find me attractive,” I said, sticking my tongue out. This would be high school all over again. Only this time, I was ready to play.

“That’s not what I meant, Al.”

“I know. Let’s go.”

The rickety wood steps creaked beneath our feet as we climbed the front porch. Colton looked at me nervously before turning the key in the lock. “Don’t say I didn’t warn ya,” he said, pushing the door open.

He moved to the side, and when I stepped into the small living room, there were two guys seated on the couch in basketball shorts. I could get used to this.

“Alex, this is Finn,” Colt said, pointing to the blond, shirtless hunk on the right. “And that’s Blex.” He motioned to the left at the black, muscled giant with the remote in his hand.

“Nice to meet y’all,” I said, grinning from ear to ear.

“Damn, bro, you didn’t tell us little Alex was hot,” Finn said to Colt as he stood from the couch and reached out his hand for mine. Instead of shaking it like I expected, he lifted my fingers to his lips and placed a kiss on my knuckles. “Pleasure’s all mine, Lexi.”

“It’s Alex, asshole,” Colt said, thumping him on the chest. “And remember what I said.”

“What exactly did you say?” I asked, side-eyeing Colt.

He ignored that question as Blex walked over to greet me. He was a good foot and a half taller than my five feet two, and I had to crane my neck to meet his eyes. “Ignore those two idiots,” he offered in a deep baritone voice that suited his large frame perfectly. “I’m Blex,” he said, leaning in for a hug. Then he whispered into my ear, “And Colton is an idiot for not snatching you up when he had the chance.”

I coughed to clear my throat. “Thanks,” I whispered back. “I think so too.”

“All right, Blex. Don’t scare her off already,” Colton said, walking over to grab my hand and pull me from his friend’s embrace. “Let’s go get you settled.”

I turned back as Colt practically dragged me up the narrow, twisty stairs in the corner of the room. “So nice meeting you both!”

When I stepped into his room, a feeling of nostalgia hit me. It’d been so long since I’d shared his old bedroom with him, and although this room was different...it had that same smell that uniquely belonged to Colt. His room was much cleaner than the rest of the house, and I smiled remembering the way it used to drive him insane when I’d leave my things lying around his room.

Colt ran a hand through his hair and exhaled nervously. “We can share my bed...if that’s okay, or I’ll take the couch.”

That we’d sleep anywhere but together had never entered my mind, but it was cute the way he tried to respect my personal space. It also made me a little sad because personal space had never existed between us before. “Together’s fine, Colt.” I walked over to his dresser and found the framed photo of us from graduation, and it made me tear up. “God, we were inseparable. I miss us.” My eyes welled with tears as I ran a finger over our smiling faces.

Colton walked up, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind and resting his chin on the top of my head. “We’re still us, Allie.” I could feel his heart beating hard against my back as I rested my head on his chest and tried to savor the moment. Now that I was there, I already dreaded the day I’d have to leave.

We stood there for a few minutes before Blex barged into the room. “Hey, guys, pizza’s here!”

I was glad for the interruption. We were getting a little too close too fast. I didn’t want Colt thinking that he could treat me like his girlfriend whenever he felt like it. I had to remember to distance myself. The night before he left for California was the best of my life before it became the worst. I’d sworn that it changed things. That he must’ve felt everything I did. I’d have left Dean in a heartbeat if Colt had given any inclination that he’d wanted me to. But he never said a word. Nothing. He left, and our roles never changed. I was a mess for weeks, and then I’d decided to make the most of what I’d had with Dean, and I had...until he proposed. Gertie was right. I realized the moment he pulled that ring out of his pocket and dropped to his knee that all I’d been doing was distracting myself from my true feelings. When I pictured my future, it wasn’t with him.

“Great,” I said, pulling out of Colton’s arms. “I’m starved!”

“I’ll be down in a sec, Al. Gonna use the restroom.”

I followed Blex down the stairs to the kitchen and took a seat at the table.

“We only have a few minutes alone here, so I’ll make this quick. That boy has been in love with you his entire life, Alexis Mack, and the fact that you’re here and not wearing that frat boy’s ring suggests to me that you feel the same. Am I right?”

My eyes widened. “Well, I...It’s not that. Colt is,” I sputtered.

“Exactly. I can help you get Fowls...if that’s what you want. So, Miss Alex, the question is...do you want Colton Fowler?”

Did I want Colton Fowler? More than anything else in this world. Could I admit that to this guy that I’d only just met? I guess I didn’t have much choice. I bobbed my head up and down slowly. “More than anything,” I whispered.

His smile was warm and his bright white teeth a striking contrast to his dark chocolate skin. “Then follow my lead,” he said just as I heard Colt’s footsteps descending the stairs.