Chapter Three

I stepped outside and realized I hadn't called Emma.

"Ugh, where is my head right now?" I asked myself.

Just as I was digging in my purse for my cell phone, I heard someone yelling my name. I looked down the street and there were Emma and Jasper waving at me. I was so excited to see them. It felt like an eternity since we were all together, but in reality, it had only been three months. Emma Ross and Jasper Huntington were my two best friends. Emma and I had been friends since we were six years old, and Jasper joined us when we were ten. Emma and I had a passion for art. She was a fashion designer and I loved to draw and create. One of the reasons I studied architecture was because I'd always been fascinated with buildings and structures. Jasper went to culinary school and was now the head chef at Revenge with the dream of owning his own five-star restaurant one day.

I ran to them with a big smile and threw my arms around both of them for a big group hug.

"Ah, I missed you two so much." I fought to hold back the tears.

"Addison!" Jasper shrieked as he checked me out from head to toe. "Girl, you look fabulous."

“I missed you,” Emma spoke with a tear in her eye.

We headed back to the LAC building and I handed the man in front my ticket for my Escape. When my vehicle pulled up to the curb, I looked at Jasper.

 "You drive."

"My pleasure, girlfriend." He winked.

"Oh boy, better buckle up. You've never driven with hell on wheels in New York," Emma sighed.

Jasper shot Emma a look and I couldn't help but laugh.

"So how did the interview go?" Emma asked.

"They offered me the job."

Emma jumped from her seat.

"Oh my God, Addison, that is awesome."

Hitting Jasper on the shoulder, she excitedly spoke, "Do you know what this means, Jasper?"

Both of them, in harmony, began singing, "Addison's moving to New York. Addison’s moving to New York!”

"Ugh." I took in a sharp breath. "I don't know how my mom is going to handle the news."

 Suddenly, my excitement temporarily left, and worry set in. Jasper turned his head and looked at me.

 "Madeline's cool. She'll want what's best for you, and she'll be for whatever makes you happy."

 "Yeah, don't worry about it, Addy. Your mom will get used to the idea like my mom did," Emma spoke.

Jasper pulled into the garage of their apartment building and parked my Escape in visitor parking. He stood six feet tall and weighed about 180 lbs. His hair was strawberry blond and he kept it short in a clean crew cut. His daily style mainly consisted of jeans, t-shirts, and Converse shoes, even when he worked. He had a big smile that lit up a room, a charming personality, and he had one of the biggest hearts of anyone I had ever known. Jasper could have been my perfect boyfriend, if he wasn't gay. He grabbed my bag from the back seat while Emma and I linked arms and headed towards the elevator. The doors opened, and Emma pushed the button to the 20th floor.

"Ah!" she shrieked. "I'm so excited you're here. We're going to have so much fun, and now that you're moving to New York, we'll be the Three Musketeers once again."

Standing at five feet four and ninety pounds, Emma was one of the most exuberant people I'd ever known. She loved life and let everyone around her know it. She wore her black hair in a short bob that displayed fire-red highlights. Her big round emerald-colored eyes were always dancing with excitement.

"Come on, let me show you around.” Emma smiled as she grabbed my hand when we walked through the door of their apartment.

The living room decor was a modern couch in black and two modern square chairs in red. Glass tables complemented the room, as did the 50-inch HD TV that was mounted on the wall above the marble fireplace. The kitchen was decorated with white modern cabinets and black marble countertops. The apartment was a true dream, and between Jasper and Emma, it was decorated to perfection.

Jasper took my bag to the third bedroom and placed it on the bed.

"This is your room, Emma," he said as he waved his hand and motioned for me to step inside.

I walked in and fell back on the full-size bed. Jasper fell on one side of me and Emma on the other. The three of us lay there and stared at the ceiling.

"This will be your room when you officially move here," Emma spoke.

"You want me to move in with you?" I asked as I turned my head and looked at her.

Jasper grabbed my hand as Emma turned and looked at me.

"Duh. Where else would you live? Besides, my dad bought this three-bedroom apartment, hoping one day you would move in. Plus, Madeline would feel a lot better about your move here if you lived with us.”

It was now official. I was moving to New York, starting my career, and moving in with my two best friends. I grabbed Emma's hand and gently squeezed it along with Jasper’s.

"Thanks, guys. I don't know what to say."

Jasper sat up. "When do you start the new job?" he asked.

"Veronica said I could start whenever I'm ready and settled in New York, but no longer than a couple of weeks."

"Well then, we better get moving." Emma smiled as she rolled over and hugged me.