I decided to ignore her comments about my parents. I was simply too happy to let them rain on my parade from over two-thousand miles away. “So how long are you staying? Tell me you’ll be here for my birthday. Jhett keeps trying to convince me that we need to have a party, but I really just want to have a nice dinner. Wait until you try Jhett’s cooking. Oh my gosh, Hannah, you’ve never had anything like his food before.” I went on giddily and settled down onto the couch across from her.
“Well, you’re stuck with me for the next week and a half. And you can bet your sweet ass we’re having a party. My best friend only turns twenty-one once.” I gave her an unenthusiastic look. “Well okay, party pooper, you don’t have to drink - but I sure as hell will. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, right?”
I bit my lip to keep from laughing. “Whatever tickles your pickle, Hannah.” I put my arms behind my head while Hannah made herself at home and found the remote. She turned on the TV, flicking through the channels until she stopped on some wedding show. I rolled my eyes; thankful she couldn’t see my sassy gesture.
I couldn’t believe this was all Ginger’s idea. A pang of guilt hit me harder than I expected. As much as I didn’t want to, I needed to tell her thank you. I debated with myself for a few seconds before I pulled out my phone and sent her a text.
Thank you for my birthday present. It was perfect.
I left it short and sweet, knowing that I could go into detail with her later.
“Everything okay?” My breathing picked up when my nerves rose. Nothing ever got past Hannah.
I nodded to her reassuringly before she rolled over and returned her attention back to the TV. It didn’t take long until that familiar heavy feeling weighed down my eyelids. As much as I tried, I just couldn’t fight it anymore.
“She sure is cute when she sleeps.”
“Mmhmm. I could watch her all night.”
“Good God. Yeah, like that’s not creepy at all. Does she actually buy into that stuff?”
Their voices made themselves known before I could open my eyes. I moaned internally, thinking about Hannah and Jhett meeting for the first time while I was knocked out. “Yes, I do. I think it’s sweet, creeper. How long have I been out for?” I asked as I stretched out. Hannah was perched at my feet and Jhett sat on the arm on the couch, his arms folded across his chest, looking down at me with a smile that could melt my insides.
“Well, Hannah and I have been able to chat and start dinner….so I’d say at least two hours.” Jhett got up and slipped in next to me, letting me head rest of one of his legs.
“Are you serious? I didn’t even do that much today.” I glared at Hannah. “Why’d you let me fall asleep? I have so much I want to do with you. And, hey – wait - why are you not freaking out that Hannah is in the living room?” I questioned Jhett as I looked up at him.
Jhett pulled his shoulders up in a shrug. “I may or may not have known about it….”
“So you knew that Ginger planned this whole thing…?” I raised my eyebrow at him, hoping that he had some answers.
“I did. I told you she wasn’t one-hundred percent evil. She honestly felt bad about what happened, and she wanted to make sure that your best friend was here for your birthday. I only pointed her in the right direction. She may not be good at saying she’s sorry, but she really did try hard to make it right in her own way,” Jhett explained, giving Hannah a slight nod. She smiled at him from her spot on the couch. She was just as dazzled by Jhett as I was when I first met him.
I caught a whiff of dinner that made me shoot straight up. “Are you making what I think you’re making?” I asked Jhett, grabbing onto his t-shirt with both hands like an eager child.
He pursed his lips together. “Mayyybe. This is a night for celebrating. Not only is Hannah here, but we can officially open our doors at the restaurant on July fourth.” Jhett beamed from ear to ear with pride.
The excitement was too much for me; I couldn’t hold myself back any longer. I threw my arms around Jhett’s neck and covered his entire face, including his lips, with short and sweet kisses. “Jhett! That’s so exciting. It’s actually happening.”
“Yeah, that is something I will never get used to seeing…” Hannah interjected from outside the happy bubble Jhett and I created.
I kept my arms around Jhett and scoffed at her. “She’s just jealous because I was forced to deal with her doing this to every guy and their uncle for years.” I stuck my tongue out at her. “Now, I’m ready for some ‘Kill Ya Spaghetti and Meatballs’!” I jumped up with Jhett’s hand in mine and ran over to the kitchen, lifting up the lid to the sauce. I dipped my finger in and tasted it.
“’Kill Ya Spaghetti and Meatballs’?” Hannah asked as she followed behind us.
“Charlie named it that because it’s pretty spicy, and if you eat too much too fast, it’ll damn near kill ya,” Jhett chuckled while checking on the meatballs in the oven.
“Sooo…speaking of birthdays, I’m with you on this one, Jhett. She needs a party. And we’ve only got,” Hannah paused, looking at her wrist where a watch would have been theatrically, “a few days to plan one before this fine piece of ass has her big day.” She certainly was her over-dramatic self, and I knew she wouldn’t let this birthday-thing go.
“I’ve told you both, no party. We can have dinner here, just the three of us. I’m completely fine with low-key. Believe me.” I leaned my back against the kitchen counter. I was not ready to repeat the bonfire episode anytime soon.
Jhett kissed my forehead before turning towards the stove. “Maybe a low-key party would be okay?” He made the smart choice to avoid my evil stare.
“Really? Whose side are you on, here? Traitor.” I playfully shoved his shoulder with a laugh.
“I’m not on anyone’s side. I just think that we have a lot of reasons to celebrate, so why not have a party where we can celebrate all of them? And maybe we’ll squeeze in a tiny happy birthday song in there somewhere?” He covered his face with his arms in an attempt to block any further punches from me. When I didn’t answer him, he peeked out from behind his wrists. “I’ll take the lack of violence as a maybe.”
I let a deep breath out through my nose and threw my hands up in the air in frustration. Between the two of them, I knew I would never win. “Fine. We can have a non-birthday party with minimal birthday festivities. But that’s it! Got it?” I raised an eyebrow at both of them to make myself clear.
Hannah was clearly amused, judging by the way she jumped and clapped like a seal. She once again got her way with only a little help from Jhett. That was just the start to a night filled with never ending laughter. We sat outside on the patio and enjoyed dinner. I couldn’t help but take in the whole scene in wonder. This was it. This was the moment I sought out for as long as I could remember. All I wanted was to be happy and content with life, and sitting there on the patio, I knew I finally was. There was only one problem – it seemed that during every practically perfect moment in my life, there was always something that threatened to ruin it. But I wasn’t ready to accept that fate for me this time. I changed so much in such a short amount of time; I thought that maybe I could remain this way.
Music began to trickle through the backyard. Hannah found the outside stereo system and led me out into the grass. The backyard was strung with white lights that draped above us, which illuminated the trees that grew in the corners of the yard. Jhett watched from the porch while Hannah and I jumped around to the beats on the radio. I was fixated on him while I danced; he always seemed to draw me in, no matter how far apart we were.
“Thank you,” I mouthed to him. I knew Ginger wasn’t the only reason why Hannah had come.
“You love him, don’t you?” she whispered in my ear as our bodies still swayed in time to the beat.
Hannah’s question caused a fire to rise through my toes and up into my chest. I never thought about what loving Jhett would be like. I only knew that I didn’t want to find out what life was like without h
im.
“I knew it!” she accused me. My response was a short, knowing smile and nod in her direction. “He loves you, too, you know.”
I turned to Hannah and searched her eyes; I wanted to find the truth to her theory. There was a longing in them that told me she was envious, which made me wonder - was she right?
I sat up from the sweaty towel beneath me and dug my toes into the hot sand under my feet. I could easily pick Hannah’s laugh out of a crowd without even looking for her. She pranced in and out of the waves as they crashed down around her. She didn’t look out of place for one second on the beach, with her naturally glowing skin and the caramel curls that cascaded down her back. She came prepared, practically packing enough bikinis for every day she stayed, and not one of them went to waste yet. With only a token reassurance from Jhett that they could handle getting the rest of the restaurant ready without my help, Hannah and I spent our days exploring the beach and the surrounding attractions.
I couldn’t complain about the time off. I happily welcomed the vacation and the chance to have some real girl-time with Hannah. It was one thing to talk on the phone, but there was so much I missed about having her around in person. I also didn’t mind the small feeling of home that accompanied her. I didn’t realized how homesick I felt. It wasn’t that I missed my family – I was happy being free from the restrictions and the smothering – but I missed the slow and steady pace of life.
As if reading my mind, Hannah emerged from the ocean, looking like she was stepped out of a movie scene. I was envious; somehow I always managed to look like a drowning puppy when I went into the water. She wrapped a towel around her shoulders and plopped down in the sand beside me, close enough to lean her head on my shoulder.
“You have that look. I don’t like it. What’s up, buttercup?” she asked, never moving from the spot on my shoulder as her wet hair soaked through my shirt. Instead of being concerned about it, we let the warm heat of the sun radiate down on us from high in the sky.
I had to give it to Hannah. She really knew me too well. “I was just thinking about how you being here has made me realize how much I’ve changed since I left Tennessee. You’re like, the only little piece of home I can stand to be around. It’s going to be weird if I go back.” Apprehension began to swell in the pit of my stomach. This was a topic I tried so hard to push to the back of my mind, but I needed to think about it sooner or later.
Hannah jolted straight up, looking like an alert bloodhound. She was obviously intrigued by where the conversation was headed. “You’re coming back? I definitely didn’t think you were ever coming home, especially after seeing everything here with my own eyes. You’re a completely different person, and I feel like I barely know you anymore – but in a good way. How are you going to just up and leave? You know your mom is still pretty miffed at you about the way things went down….” Her voice lowered; she knew what a tender spot my parents were for me.
“I just….I don’t want to leave, not really. I know this is going to sound crazy, but I feel like I owe Cameron so much. I don’t think I ever would’ve found the strength to do anything unexpected like this without him. I realize he’s gone, but maybe he didn’t die in vain. Maybe this was all part of some weird universal plan. Jhett told me how bad Cam wanted me to move out here, but I never would’ve before. I never had the drive to do anything outside of what I knew was expected of me, but the pain of losing him changed that. Now, even I don’t know what to expect from me. It’s like I’m finally free to do whatever I want, and I don’t have to be scared anymore.” I paused, letting the words that spilled from my lips sink in. I never got the chance to speak them out loud, not even to Jhett. I looked out into the water. “You know - I applied for a transfer to San Diego State University?”
Hannah gasped. “You WHAT?” She reached out and grabbed my face with both hands, turning it to make me look at her. “You’re serious? Did you get in? What does Jhett think?” She dropped her hands and tucked them quickly under her chin, still fixated on me as she fired off her questions.
“Yes, I’m serious. No, I don’t know if I got in. And I haven’t told him yet. We have conveniently avoided the topic of me going back home when school starts again, since we first met. I just wanted to see if I would get accepted. It could change everything for me.”
Hannah flung her arms around me without warning. “Charlotte Caroline Jennings – I’ve never been so proud of you. It’s like watching my little baby bird grow up and fly away. I want nothing more than for you to be happy, and I think that means staying here. Look at everything you’ve got going for you. You’re going to get into college here. You have somehow stumbled into the arms of a guy who is so madly in love with you, it’s kind of sick, and he’s opening this amazing restaurant that without a doubt will be successful, and he chose you to be by his side through all of this. Do I even have to explain what it is that you have waiting for you back in Tennessee?” She paused. “One set of pissed off parents and a miserable existence at some snotty-ass prestigious college. That’s not you, Charlie, and it’s never been you. You were made for so much more than that. Cameron saw it – we all saw it. The only person who didn’t see it was you.” Her hands remained on my shoulders as she stared into my eyes; her own reflected back with the truth of her words.
Hot tears threaten to spill down my face. I knew in my heart that everything she said was true, but hearing them come from her made it a reality. It was my turn to bring her in for an embrace. “Thank you, Hannah. I don’t know where I would be without you by my side. You couldn’t have come to visit at a more perfect time. Thank you so much.” I bit my lip, making sure not to turn myself into a blubbering mess of emotions.
“Good riddance, girl. I didn’t expect so much of this mushy crap today. I love you. You love Jhett. Let’s all eat, drink, and be merry.” She winked at me as she chucked her towel off her body and onto the sand behind her.
Hearing the words ‘Jhett’ and ‘love’ in the same sentence again made my pulse race. I’ve never been in love with anyone before. Lust, maybe, but definitely not love. This was new and different and somewhat scary.
Before I could let my mind wander anymore, Hannah pulled me up and towed me behind me down the sandy path and into the water, leaving me no room to argue. I honestly didn’t mind swimming through the salty waves. I was thankful for the chance to act like a kid again; we splashed each other and screamed as the waves knocked us down. It had been forever since I got to have this much fun with Hannah, and I wasn’t quite ready for it to be over just yet.
“SHHHH!” Jhett lifted his finger up to my lips to try and suppress my laughter. I still wasn’t used to the idea that there was another set of ears in the house. Jhett and I were soaking wet after our shower, neither one of us taking a chance to dry off from our escapades before he chased me into the bedroom and left me in a fit of post-ecstasy giggles.
I nipped at his finger playfully. “Maybe if you didn’t do things like that in the shower I wouldn’t have to be shushed!” I threatened him as I climbed under the soft sheets of the bed. He followed behind me and we soon found the familiar grooves that were made just for each other, as I wedged myself up next to his side. There was no greater feeling than being in Jhett’s arms at the end of the day.
“You’ve been asking for that since you left this morning. Don’t act like you didn’t like it.” He leaned down and planted a sweet kiss on my forehead. “I know you’re having fun with Hannah, but I’m going to have to steal you away for a night. Even though you said no making a fuss for your birthday, with all the craziness that will happen once we open, I want to make sure we get one night to ourselves before it all starts. I guess what I’m asking is, can I have the pleasure of taking you out on a date this Thursday?” he asked.
I was lost in the love that shinned in his eyes. Maybe Hannah knew what she was talking about. “You’re asking me out on a date? Like a real, get-dressed-up-and-go-someplace-fancy date? And on my actual birthday, at tha
t?” I realized how ridiculous I sounded, but I didn’t care. I could think back to the plenty of times we went out together, but I guess none of them could be considered an official `date’, since we ended up doing things a little out of order.
Jhett’s now-famous smirk spread across his lips. “Yes, like a real date. I’ll even wear a suit for you, but you have to find something equally as smashing to wear.” His eyes began to burn with desire at the mention of me getting dressed up.
“I think I can manage to clean myself up for you. But, you do realize that it’s the day before opening night, right? You won’t have stuff you need to finish up?” I finally settled my head back down against his chest; the soft beat of his heart echoing in my ear and soothing my soul.
“We were cleared to open during the inspection today. The only thing left to do is wait.” I could hear the pride in his voice, making my heart swell in my chest.
“So does this mean I’ll finally get to find out the name? It’s been torture not knowing. I don’t get why it’s such a big deal to keep it a secret,” I pouted, and let my hand explore the soft skin of his bare chest.
“It just is. You’ll find out before everyone else, anyway. You have to be patient.” His voice shuddered when I started to blaze a trail of kisses from his waist, up his chest, and to his lips.
“I hate being patient. Distract me,” I demanded. My craving for him was already far too intense to control myself. Jhett didn’t need any further prodding. I already knew he was fighting himself about going in for round two, and he loved to use my need for him to push me over the edge.
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