Chapter 2: Home Away From Home
I'm Sexy and I Know It pounded against Lacey's eardrums, startling her out of her deep slumber. She groaned, rolling over to grope around for her phone until her hand found it at the bedside table. She didn't need to look at the screen to know it was Josh. At the beginning of the year, he thought it would be a hilarious idea to change the ringtones for each of their friends, and at the time it hadn't been so bad. Normally this was fine, given that she always had her phone on silent except for her emergency contacts.
Josh just happened to be one of her emergency contacts. And sometimes, he liked to call her in the middle of a class or at a party across the room just to make her uncomfortable. Right now, she was more irritated than uncomfortable.
She opened her eyes just enough to be able to press the "accept call" button and pressed the phone to her ear. Josh spoke before she even got a chance to.
"Rise and shine, Lace. I know you don't want to depart from your husband, but I'm just about to leave with twins to pick you up. And if you're not ready by the time we get there, I might just have to send Beth up to get ya."
Beth's slightly muffled and shouting voice came from the line after he finished. "If you're not ready, I might just have to tell Josh about-"
The springs in her muscles propelled her up out of bed in an instant and she was shouting before Beth could even finish.
"Beth Mackenzie Washington!" she warned, anxiety flooding her gut. "You better shut up right now!"
The girl laughed and Josh whined, "what won't you tell me? Aren't we supposed to be friends?"
"Yeah, well sometimes girls keep girl things to themselves," she sighed, bending down to pick up some dirty clothes to throw in the hamper.
"I'm going to get this secret out of you, Lacey Cooper. We have a whole car ride ahead of us."
Lacey couldn't help but shiver at the thought. "Yeah, good luck. But I gotta get ready if you want me to be ready when you pick me up so let me get off the phone?"
"Fine, fine. I'll see you in twenty minutes. But don't think you're off the hook with that secret of yours."
The smirk in his tone had her internally groaning. If there was one thing Josh was, it was persistent.
After finally getting off the phone, she corralled the rest of her dirty clothes to one corner and was able to get at the pile of fresh clothes to pick out something to wear. She was able to scrounge up a pair of thick, olive leggings and woolen socks as well as a cream colored sweater. All of her clothes and other belongings had already been packed the night before, so all she needed was to freshen up and grab something to eat for the car ride.
She only had time to wash her face and get her hair twisted into a messy bun when she heard the pounding on the door coming from downstairs. Looked like her time was up.
Sweeping away a few stray hairs, she swung back into her room to grab all her bags before hurrying down the stairs to answer the door. Instead of Josh like she expected, it was actually Hannah. From where they stood, she could see Josh in the driver's seat speaking animatedly with Beth in the back seat. Lacey's stomach twisted and she brought her eyes back to the other twin.
"I just need to grab the bottle of vodka and I'm ready," she huffed, pushing off the door to dart into the kitchen, not giving the girl a chance to answer.
She plowed through the alcohol cabinet, grabbing the goods, and then skidded back to the front door to find that Hannah had already started loading her bags.
"Thanks, Han!" she exclaimed gratefully, scooping the last bag and shutting the front door behind her.
Hannah offered a kind smile. "No problem. You want shotgun, or do you want to sit with-"
"Han, sit with me!" Beth interrupted.
Lacey almost screamed.
Hannah gave her a shrug and slid in the back, completely oblivious to Beth's plan that was now set in motion. She shot a glare at her best friend, which she returned with an innocent smile, and got in the front seat next to Josh.
"Hey sunshine, you ready for the best weekend of your year?" Josh asked, checking the rearview mirror before backing out.
"I don't know if it'll be the best weekend of my year…," Lacey joked, clicking her seatbelt.
"Name one thing that could possibly be better."
She leaned back, thinking for a moment.
"Maybe the weekend that Chris Hemsworth asks for my hand in marriage on the beach at sunset with thousands of candles arranged in a circle around us?"
Beth and Hannah laughed, which caused Lacey to smirk proudly. Josh, however, didn't find it as funny, and rolled his eyes.
"Okay this will be the only mention of Chris Hemsworth for the rest of the ride. Any violators will be forcibly evicted from the vehicle."
Even with his serious tone, she could see the small smile tugging at his lips. He did have a point. The three girls had an unhealthy obsession with Chris Hemsworth, and could easily gush over him the entire drive.
"Way to ruin the fun, Josh," Beth huffed.
"If we're not going to be talking about Chris Hemsworth the rest of the ride, turn on some music," Hannah suggested, reaching up to flick Josh's ear.
"I'm DJ!" Lacey shouted, grabbing the aux cord to plug into her phone.
She had already made a playlist in anticipation of getting to control the tunes. They all had a similar taste in music, so it wouldn't be a problem with everyone else.
As soon as she shuffled the playlist, Bohemian Rhapsody was the first to play and everyone became hyped and silly. For two hours, they all sang at the top of their voices to Queen, Maroon 5, and everything in between. Lacey had really started to relax and not be so on guard with Josh, and it started to really feel like vacation had begun. She had just taken her shoes off so she could put her feet on the dash when the music stopped and her phone began to ring.
The caller ID read Chris.
Lacey unplugged her phone from the aux and put it to her ear. "Hey Chris, what's up?"
"Hey Lace. Would you happen to be near exit 35?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Uh… My car got a flat and I don't have the tools to fix it?"
"Didn't Mike get you a bunch of car tools for Christmas?" she asked.
Beth and Hannah groaned in the backseat.
"Yeah…. They're still in my closet," he admitted.
She couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Alright, are you off exit 35 or nearby?"
"Nearby."
"We should be coming up in about ten minutes or so. We'll see you soon."
"Thank you!" Chris sang.
"You're welcome, choir boy," she joked before hanging up.
"What's wrong with his car now?" Josh asked, sighing gently.
Chris was notorious for having car problems, likely because he continued to drive the same old Honda for years. Any time it had a problem, he would just patch it up until it broke again.
"Flat. Shouldn't take us long. Keep an eye out by 35 when we get closer," she said.
Lacey didn't put the music back on yet, figuring they would be stopping soon anyway. About a half mile before they reached exit 35, she spotted Chris leaning against his car and a clearly annoyed Ashley sitting on the trunk.
Josh pulled over and rolled down the window. "Need a little help, partner?"
"Why that would be just peachy. Thank you, my cowboy in shinin' armor,'' Chris shot back in his best imitation of a country farmgirl.
"Cowboy in shining armor? I think you got your genres crossed," Beth snorted.
"Don't listen to her, Christina. She could never understand," Josh whispered loudly.
Lacey unbuckled and got out of the car, a bit impatient to get back on the road. She got to the trunk and opened it up, grabbing the car jack from its hiding place. Josh exited the car, circling round to meet her.
"Woah, what are you doing there, Eager McBeaver?" he asked, grabbing onto the jack.
She didn't let go. "Changing Chris's tire. What else does it look like?"
"Do you even know how to use that thing?"
Lacey's eyebrows shot up. "Oh, so you think I don't know what I'm doing?"
"I didn't say that," he said quickly.
"But you implied it?"
"No, I didn't-"
"Yes you did. You saw that I was headed over to Chris's car with the tools, and you stopped me. You're still holding onto the jack like you're trying to take it," she pointed out.
He quickly retracted his hand. "That's not what I meant."
"Do you think all girls are incapable of having mechanical skills? Or just me?"
His eyes widened so large he looked like an owl. "Lacey, no! I promise, I didn't mean it like that-"
She burst out laughing, interrupting the rest of his panicked ramble. Beth and Hannah joined in, and she shot him a cheeky grin. His cheeks flushed and he dropped his head, looking in the dirt for a moment before meeting her eyes again. Grinning in embarrassment, he gave her a nod.
"Well played, Ms. Cooper. You've got a quick tongue," he chuckled, brushing his fingers through his hair.
Her laughing died down and she swallowed thickly, suddenly feeling a bit flustered. "Well uh...are you going to change this tire or what?"
Josh seemed to have noticed that he flustered her, and smiled. Damn that smile. He knew he was back in control.
"You got it." He moved toward her, accepting the tools.
Before he moved away, he whispered something so quiet that she was sure only she could hear.
"You better watch yourself, don't think I won't get my payback."
His tone was teasing, but there was a husky edge to his voice that made her body tingle. She could feel the heat starting to engulf her, and she turned away from everyone so they wouldn't see her blushing.
A hand on her shoulder startled her out of her thoughts and she nearly jumped out of her skin. Beth turned her around slightly, shooting a look at the rest of the group that had moved further away to watch the tire get changed.
"You two are killing me with this sexual tension. If you guys don't get to the bone zone this weekend, I will be genuinely surprised," she murmured, a small smirk creeping on her face.
If Lacey could get any redder, she would have.
"Stop it! We're just friends," she hissed.
"Friends who really like each other."
She groaned, leaning over to give her friend a big shove. She wished that she had been better at hiding her interest. Then, Beth would never know and she wouldn't have to face this teasing and pushing them together. All she wanted was to just leave things the way they were, and if Josh liked her too, then maybe something could happen. But she wasn't about to ruin their friendship over a dumb crush.
"There. She's all good now," Josh said, catching their attention.
The tire had been changed and everything looked good and ready to go. They could finally get back on the road. And being in a group would give Beth less of a chance to tease.
"Let's get moving!" Hannah exclaimed, wasting no time in getting back into the car.
"Alright Chris, no more car problems. I want to actually make it to the lodge," Lacey joked, moving closer to give him a playful punch on the shoulder.
"Ow! Relax, she should be able to make it. We'll see you there!" Chris rubbed his shoulder gently.
"Godspeed!" Josh said with a salute.
And with that, they all clambered back into the car and got back on the road. Lacey took control of the music once again, and Hannah started to pass around some snacks to munch on, since it was getting close to lunch and they weren't planning on stopping again unless they needed gas.
Beth eased off the teasing, which was really nice, and she felt herself begin to relax again. Another hour in, she had kicked off her shoes and leaned her seat back slightly to fall asleep. She awoke to the loud crunching of snow beneath the tires and the familiar sight of the gate to the lodge.
"Good morning, sunshine," Josh laughed.
"I slept the rest of the drive?" she asked groggily, rubbing her eyes.
"Yup," Hannah confirmed. "You even slept through stopping for gas."
"Well, at least you'll be well-rested for tonight," Beth said, unbuckling as Josh pulled into the parking lot by the gate.
With a yawn, Lacey pulled on her boots and unbuckled too. As soon as Josh parked, everyone was out of the car. Excitement pricked in the crisp air, and it jolted her with every breath. Everything about this place felt so comforting to her. The woods were beautiful, coated in snow and still like a stagnant pond. No wind yet, though she was sure they would start to feel it the higher they got up the mountain.
"Welcome home," Josh said with a lopsided smile.
She had to agree. This place had become a second home to her over the years. Between winter vacations and summer visits, they practically lived here half the year.
As Beth was unloading the bags, two more cars rolled up. One was Chris and Ashley, and the other was Mike and Emily.
"Get ready for the complaining," Beth murmured, rolling her eyes.
And boy was she right. As soon as Mike parked and the two got out of the car, it was all bossy.
"Don't forget to grab the pink bag. Ugh, it's so fucking cold," Emily groaned, rubbing her arms.
Lacey took a deep breath and turned away, grabbing her own bags as Josh went to go and greet the others. Hannah joined him as well, but it wasn't because she was being nice. It was no secret in the group that Hannah had a massive crush on Mike. Even with Emily still in the picture, she did her best to get his attention. She felt kind of bad.
In her opinion, she could do better than Mike, but she didn't have the heart to tell her that. It was such a schoolgirl crush that there was no stopping it. She just hoped that the girl wouldn't get hurt along the way….
"Should we wait for the others?" Ashley asked, interrupting Lacey's thoughts.
"Dunno how far away they are. They know the way up," Chris pointed out.
"Alright then, let's get moving!" Josh exclaimed.
A rush of excitement swooped through her stomach, and she made sure her backpack was secure on her back before falling in line with the others. The three Washingtons led the way as they trudged through the snow down the path.
For just a few moments, she tuned everyone out and focused on her surroundings. The air circulated sharply in her lungs, fueling her excitement of the weekend ahead. Simultaneously, the smell of pine and her wool scarf soothed her and took away every fiber of stress in her body. Every crunch of snow beneath their boots echoed in her mind, a whisper of childhood memories prodding her thoughts.
Everything about it was perfect.
When they got to the lift, the wind started to pick up, biting at any exposed skin its mouth could reach. It would only get colder and stronger the further they went up.
All of them piled into the lift, crowding up together, and somehow she ended up squashed between Mike and the wall. Despite Beth's best efforts, it was harder to secretly control a crowd versus a couple people.
"So how's school, Lacey? When do you graduate again?" Mike asked, trying to give her a little more space.
"I have two more years left. It's been good, just very busy. My semester is packed and I don't know if I'm gonna have time to sleep," she said with a laugh.
Her and Mike didn't have a very close relationship, and he could be a lot sometimes, but they usually got along alright.
"Did you bring your camera?"
"Of course. Always bring it. Why?" She raised an eyebrow.
"I was thinking if you were up for it, you could take some pictures of me and Em? She's been needing some new material for her Insta," he said.
"Better yet, if you could just get some of me," Emily interrupted, puckering her lips as she applied more lip gloss.
"Don't you want pictures of the two of us?" Mike asked, slightly defensive.
Here we go…. Lacey let out a soft sigh as the two began to argue. She really didn't know how they could be dating and fight this much.
Her eyes caught Josh's across the lift. As subtle as he could, he imitated shooting himself and she had to contain her laughter. He definitely wasn't wrong. Having to listen to the two of them argue and be stuck in close quarters would make anyone want to shoot themself. She definitely didn't want to put up with this the entire trip, so she made a mental note to stay as far away from them as possible the rest of the weekend.
The lift was slow, but there was enough chatter to keep them occupied for the length of the ride. They had a little bit more to go to walk up the mountain, but soon they'd be unpacking and cracking open a bottle of tequila that they would most likely finish tonight.
When it stopped, she was the first one to escape, breathing in the crisp, chilly air. Everything was so pretty here. Honestly, she would love to spend time here alone, taking photos and enjoying herself. She rarely ever got time to herself and when she did, she was working on something.
Chris and Ashley ran ahead to throw snowballs at each other while Mike and Emily hung a little ways back to chat without being overheard.
"Let's ditch them," Beth snorted, grabbing her and Hannah's arms and pulling them down the path.
Hannah offered a little resistance, shooting a glance at Mike over her shoulder, but they all kept moving. Josh walked leisurely behind, watching Chris and Ashley with a small smirk on his face. She swore it was his life goal to get them together.
"What're the plans for tonight?" Hannah suddenly asked, losing her grip from her twin and adjusting her bag on her shoulder.
"The usual? Drink and be merry?" Beth shrugged, laughing.
"I was thinking maybe getting in the hot tub?" Hannah suggested.
Lacey couldn't help but think she only wanted to get in the hot tub to show off her new bathing suit to Mike, but she kept her thoughts to herself.
Beth raised an eyebrow. "Oooh that sounds fun. Cute bikinis and liquor? Perfect recipe."
Lacey felt the heat of her gaze on her face and she rolled her eyes. "Just like always."
At that moment, Chris whipped past them with a frustrated Ashley on his tail. Josh seemed to have joined in as well and the three of them bounded ahead and up the path, disappearing from sight after a few seconds.
"Let's pick up the pace. It's getting cold and I don't want them to lock us out and think it's funny," Beth said, lengthening her stride.
The three of them started to move a little more quickly, which heated up her chilled limbs. She had to admit, Hannah's hot tub idea and Beth's comments frayed her nerves, and she got anxious as they moved further and further up the mountain.
Emily and Mike finally started to trail behind everyone and they all stayed in a loose group, laughing and talking about the plans for the weekend. She stayed quiet, her mind shifting from one thing to another. Would she even look good in the bikini she brought?
Lacey scolded herself. She couldn't afford to think like that and let those thoughts get out of control. It had happened too many times and ended up badly for her. She would look fine in a bikini. And even if she didn't, who cared? They were all there to have fun and relax. She wouldn't let this trip get ruined by old struggles.
Soon enough, they all made it to the top. A couple of them were complaining about sweating, and she stopped to take in the lodge in all its rustic glory. This place was a second home.
Josh moved to the door, pulling out his keys and fiddling with the lock. After a moment, he turned the knob and opened the door, letting it swing open as he turned.
"Welcome to the party!"
A/N: Hi everyone. I know I have no excuse for not updating, but I do wanna explain. The past few years have been really rough for me mentally. A lot happened and I kinda lost my passion for writing. Currently I am back in school after having taken a year long break, and I am also working. However, I finally feel that I am in a better place emotionally and have started to rediscover my passion for writing and have the desire to pick it up again. I'm also majoring in English with intentions of becoming an author one day so I wanted to start writing again to continue to strengthen my skills. Right now, I am planning on updating my stories in a cycle. I started with this one since I had a chapter 3/4 of the way finished so I wanted to crank it out. I'm going to update all the other stories that I have half-finished chapters for. After that, I'm going to update each story in the order they are listed on my profile. I want to make sure I give attention to all my stories equally.
Finally, I want to give you all one more treat. I have made playlists for a lot of my stories and made them public on Spotify. My username is iluvrocknroll7. If you go to my profile and find the story, you can listen to the playlists that I have created for my stories and characters. I hope you enjoy them!
Thank you guys so much for everything and for continuing to stick with me through all of this. I hope you enjoy my writing and know that I appreciate and love all of you so much :)