I laughed to myself and let her go, shaking my head at her stubbornness.
Stevie skipped classes, and we spent the rest of the day hanging out. For the first time in weeks, Derek went to bed alone while Stevie stayed up with me. Cash sent me a text, and I replied with a quick, “I’ll see you tomorrow, hanging out with the BFF tonight.”
The next morning, I woke up early to get a head start on the drive. Six hours in a car in one day—three there and three back. It was the longest I’d ever spent away from Aria, so I knew if I didn’t leave when the sun came up, I’d change my mind. Stevie would’ve loved that, but it wouldn’t have helped at all with the stress over my living situation.
I followed the directions and managed to make it across the state faster than expected. Driving down the boulevard with the sand and surf on one side, high-rise condominiums and quaint shops on the other made me believe I was in a different world. Although, Stevie had been right about the ritzy people. I passed cars that made my Jetta look like a Pinto. Granted, mine was ten years old, the paint on the hood, roof, and trunk had faded, and someone had backed into the rear quarter panel in a parking lot and didn’t leave a note, but it was still drivable and paid for. I couldn’t afford to be embarrassed by it, yet the brand-new luxury cars on the road alongside me made me feel otherwise.
When I pulled up to his house, I just sat there in awe. A small, residential road ran along the front, just wide enough for two cars to pass safely. The Gulf stretched on one side, a row of houses on the other, each appearing to have been built at least fifty years ago. Some seemed to have been updated along the way, while others still stood in what I could only imagine was their original state.
There wasn’t much lawn between the front porches and the road. Just as I questioned where everyone parked their cars, as I didn’t see a single garage, I took notice of the skinny pathways that ran between the houses, disappearing behind each of them. It was odd, but only because I’d never seen anything like it before. This street was nothing like Stevie had described. Nothing screamed money, and everything had such a comfortable aura about it.
I sent Cash a text to make sure he was awake. The morning was still young, but that hadn’t stopped the beachgoers from staking claim on their favorite spots with towels and umbrellas. I watched the waves slowly roll in, like they were lazy, not quite awake for the day. It was so different than what I was used to on the Atlantic side. It seemed much calmer, and I could already tell it was exactly what I needed.
The knock on the passenger-side window made me jump in my seat. I turned my wide eyes from the crashing waves on the shore to the man standing outside my car, and blinked for a second before realizing it was Cash. The last time I saw him, he was wearing jeans and a polo shirt. Now, he had on athletic shorts and a T-shirt, his hair messy and unstyled. It did nothing but prove he was sexy no matter what he wore or how much time he put into his appearance. And once again, I had to shake off those thoughts. Living with a man who could embed himself into my most embarrassing fantasies wasn’t such a good idea.
I rolled down the window and a warm, salty breeze rushed in and stirred the air around my cheeks.
“Morning,” he greeted as he leaned down and propped his forearms on the open window. “Sorry, I wasn’t expecting you so soon. I was hoping to jump in the shower after my workout, before you arrived, but it appears I didn’t plan it very well.”
“That’s okay. I can sit out here while you shower. Or I can take a walk on the beach. There’s no need for you to change your plans.”
“Don’t be silly. Just take the drive around to the back of the house. Park next to my car. I’ll meet you at the back door.” He pointed to the narrow side driveway that ran between his house and the one next door.
Nodding, I put the car in gear and followed his directions. Rather than finding a garage, I pulled around the back to a slab of concrete that looked big enough for two cars. I found a shiny black Range Rover, which I assumed was his, and parked beside it. Once again, my little Jetta didn’t fit in.
Taking in my surroundings, I admired the tiny back yard that took up the rest of the space behind the house. It looked to be sectioned off by the same white picket fence lining his front porch. In fact, it seemed every house on this street had the same.
I climbed out of my car, closed the door behind me, and turned to find Cash standing in the open doorway, leaning against the frame, a smile on his face. “Did you find the place okay?” he called out to me.
“Yeah. It was an easy drive. Thanks.”
I took the three steps that led inside, and he moved aside to make room for me to enter.
Up until this moment, I had no idea what to expect. It reminded me of a cottage, small and comfortable. It was the epitome of a home. The furnishings looked new, as well as the hardwood floors. Everything neat and in its rightful place. I stood in the empty space just inside the door and tried to take it all in. The interior seemed so open and bright. Straight across from me was the living room, which had a large window that faced the street and ocean. A door was to my right, but it wasn’t fully open, so I couldn’t see inside, although I suspected it was Cash’s room.
Cash walked into the kitchen to our left, and I followed. I marveled at the clean space while he grabbed a water from the stainless-steel refrigerator. Granite covered the countertops, and the carved, whitewood cabinets were adorned with decorative, silver handles. The window over the utility-style sink faced the back yard—I would have had to crane my neck to find our cars parked on the other side of the fence. From what I could see, the small patch of hunter-green grass had been kept neatly manicured, and flowers lined the tiny lot in a multitude of color.
I turned to look at Cash, a question on the tip of my tongue, but immediately lost my train of thought as he swallowed the rest of his water and ran his fingers through his short hair.
At the restaurant two weeks ago, we hadn’t stood side by side. He was seated when I approached, and he remained there as I left. How I’d missed his height when I came inside was beyond me; the only explanation I could come up with was my nerves had blinded me, and my awe over his home demanded my full attention, preventing me from taking in the sight of him.
“Didn’t you say you were like five ten or something?”
He straightened his spine and squared his shoulders, standing tall like a Greek statue. “Yeah, but I hit the gym this morning. I think after my last workout, I’m roughly six four.” His eyes sparkled with the same mirth that played at the corners of his mouth. It brought my attention to the five o’clock shadow lining his masculine jaw and hardened cheeks.