ERIN
"So how was Chicago?" My roommate and best friend Kim Burgess asks, lying sprawled out on her bed across the room. We actually live in a house with six other girls, but she's the one that I actually share a room with. It gets a little crazy when all eight of us are in the house, but rent is expensive out here, so we make it work. Besides, I never actually had sisters, and I would deny it if anyone ever asked, but it's kind of fun living with all these girls.
"It was good, gala was how it always is, formal and gets boring quickly," I tell her, using the same story I gave Camille and safety omitting Jay from the narrative. I love Kim and I would tell her almost anything, but I do know that if I tell her that, she'd blow it way out of proportion and freak out. It's not like anything happened, we just had a talk, but he's also the son of the President of the United States. I guess maybe a talk with him is kind of a big deal. Whatever, it's over now. "Hank and Camille asked me to stay longer,"
"As always," Kim says with a giggle, "They just have to wait a few more months and then you'll be right back in Chicago,"
"Exactly what I keep telling them!" I say throwing my hands up in the air, "But come December when the first blizzard hits, I may be hightailing it back here to Southern California,"
"You love Chicago, I can't even believe that you came out here in the first place," She says, pulling her phone out of her pocket and absentmindedly typing out a text while she speaks.
"It was time for something new," I say, thinking back to my first days on campus. I was so scared. I would have been totally happy going to community college and living at home with Hank and Camille, they had already done so much for me, I didn't want to take their money to go to an expensive college, not that I thought I'd get in anyways. My grades junior, senior, and the second semester of were near perfect, but I'd screwed up so bad the first two years that I thought there was no way in hell any college would accept me. But then a letter came in the mail, addressed to me from some teeny private school I had never heard of called Bowman College. I look at the brochure and sent a few emails back and forth, finally agreeing to take a visit to the school with Camille. It sounded pretentious and prissy, but they offered to pay my tuition, all of it. So I took it. And I am so glad that I did.
My freshman year, it just so happened that there were seven other girls on my floor who were also from Chicago, and based on the fact that none of new anyone else, we became friends. That brings us to today.
"Well I'm glad that I'm staying back here, I wouldn't trade in the sunshine for anything," She says, leaning back into the seemingly ever growing pile of pillows on her bed.
"Also you couldn't find a job back home,"
"That is irrelevant my friend,"She tells me as I hear the doorbell ring downstairs.
"Should we get that?" I ask.
"Nah, Stella and Hales are already down there," She tells me, "You should finish unpacking,"
"You're right," I say with a sigh. I hate unpacking. The packing part is fun sometimes, I think I might be alone on that one, but I've always loved preparing for trips. But afterwards, when your suitcase is a messy of dirty and unfolded laundry, it's not fun. And I hate doing laundry.
"ERIN!" Hailey screams up the stairs.
"WHAT?" I yell out my door, our standard method of communication in the house.
"There's someone here for you!" She says her tone slightly mellowing out as I groan and slide off the edge of my bed.
"Who the hell is it?" I whine as I walk down the stairs. Who shows up at someone's house without warning anyway? That's what texting is for. If not a text, a least a call.
"I think you might know," She says nervously as I round the corner, a tall and very familiarly copper haired guy in the doorway. What in the hell is he doing here? I've had persistent guys, but this is a little insane.
"Oh you've got to be freaking kidding me," I say, storming past Hailey and pulling Jay out onto the front stoop, leaving a look of shock on Hailey's face. She knows who he is. I knew she would, they're all going to know who he is. That's why I didn't tell them, I knew I was going to have to explain it. Well it looks like I'm going to have to do it anyway.
"What are you doing out here?" I demand. I'm not upset that he's here, I'm actually kind of happy to see him, but why is he here? And how is he here? How did he find me?
"Well hello to you too," He says with that charismatic and infectious smile. I have to suppress the need to smile back at him. "I told you I'd like to see you again,"
"So you flew to Santa Barbara?" I question loudly, noticing the lack of security before seeing the two blacked out SUVs on the street. "How did you find me? I didn't even tell you my name,"
"Well for starters, I had the name of everyone in that room and I knew your name before I even talked to you. As for why I'm here, I happened to have some business to attend to in Los Angeles, thought I'd drive a couple hours up north,"
"You didn't answer my question,"
"It wasn't hard, I did a quick search on your name," He tells me. I should have been able to figure that one out. His mom has the nuclear codes, it wouldn't be hard for him to find a college girl in California.
"That's weird," I tell him, my arms crossed in front of my chest.
"You were intriguing," He responds calmly.
"How do I know you're not a serial killer?" I question him.
"I think it'd be pretty obvious if I was, don't you think that'd be bit of a media frenzy," He tells me with that
"Fine," I concede. That was a little out there. "You could have just called me. That's a little less stalkery,"
"Would you have picked up?" He says with a chuckle. He does have a point. I almost never pick up unknown numbers. "Besides, I tend to think grand gestures are not used enough these days,"
"So you stalked me and showed up at my house?" I question again. I know he's the son of the President, I don't think he's going to hurt me. But it's still weird. And why is he trying so hard for me? He could have any girl he wants, literally any girl. Why the hell did he pick me? And for some reason, I can't help but give this guy a hard time, make sure he's not screwing with me.
"I didn't stalk you," He tells me, "I'm here to ask you out on a date,"
"You, the son of the President of the United State is asking me on a date," I say again, repeating the words slowly as I try to process them. Nope, it's not working. What the hell!
"Yes," He tells me. "I'm in town for a few more days and I'd like to see you, maybe get to know you for more than thirty seconds in a crowded ballroom,"
"Why?" I blurt out, almost wanting to throw my hands over my mouth but resisting the urge.
"Because other than my siblings, you are the only person I've talked to since my mom was elected that has given me crap. And you're beautiful,"
"I look like crap," I assure him. After being stuck on the tarmac for several hours at O'Hare yesterday and the two hour drive home for LAX, I got home late last night and I was in no mood to shower. I look like crap.
"No you don't," He tells me with a smile. I don't doubt that this isn't the first time he's done this.
"I do," I assure him, "But no, to the date,"
"No?" He says, his face dropping as I deliver my words.
"I'm the first girl who's ever said to you, aren't I?" I ask him. Jay Halstead isn't the kind of guy that girls say no to, he's the guy that girls chase. Even without his mom's title and the Halstead name, I can tell that he's never had to work for a girl.
"Yeah kind of," He admits sheepishly. "Well I apologize for intruding on your life, have a good day Erin," He says, saying my name for the first time as he turns to leave. For someone who put in this much effort to get here, he gave up pretty dang fast.
"Hey," I call after him,making a rash call in my mind, "I said no to the date, but maybe I can do coffee, as friends. Nothing more,"
"Seriously?" He says, turning around to face me, the shock painted all over his face.
"Yeah why not. You did freaky stalk me and chase me half way across the country," I tease him.
"Now that you say it, it does sound a little strange," He says with a bit of a laugh, that infectious grin spreading across his face once again. As I look at him, my shock and sporadic anger fading, I get an good look at him. He's hot, really hot. I always knew he was, I've seen the pictures, but a camera did not do him justice. It didn't capture the sea green of his eyes, the muscles bulging out of the deep red t-shirt he's wearing, or the jaw that look like it was cut from marble.
"It's more than a little strange dude," I assure him, snapping out of my slight daze, "It's really freaking weird."
"It worked though didn't it?" He says with a smile.
"Hey, I didn't say yes did I?" I tell her with a raise of my left eyebrow.
"True, but you're still going out with me aren't you?" He says with a smirk.
"As friends," I clarify again. I don't know why I'm doing this. I just got out of a relationship and it didn't end well, I don't want to date anyone right now, so I have no idea why I even said yes. I honestly couldn't care less about his family, but he's made it pretty damn obvious about where he wants this to end. But when am I going to get another chance to have coffee with the President's son? Even if it's horrible, it'll still be a good story.
"Of course," He says, "When and where?"
"Tomorrow, 2 o'clock, there's a little place downtown called Gracie's, I'll meet you there," I tell him.
"I look forward to seeing you Erin," He says with a smile.
"I'm sure you do," I say with a smirk before stepping back inside, promptly collapsing against the wood front door and sliding my way to the cool red tile floors. What the hell just happened?
"Was that who I thought it was?" Hailey asks, standing right in front of me with Stella by her side, Kim footsteps racing down the stairs.
"Depends on who you thought it was," I tell her, trying to keep it all casual.
"Juliette Halstead's son Jay?" She questions.
"Then yes, you would be correct," I saw sheepishly.
"What the hell is he doing in Southern California? Isn't he living in Washington?" Hailey asks.
"No clue," I tell her, "But as for what he was doing here, asking me out apparently," I say with a nervous smile.
"He asked you out?" Stella squacks as her jaw drops to the floor.
"Who asked her out?" Kim asks as she appears in the hallway.
"Juliette Halstead's son," Hailey fills in.
"The President's kid?" She responds, the same shocked look that both Stell and Hales were sporting just a few seconds ago, "Wait which one?"
"Jay," Stella answers.
"Oh the hot one," Kim responds with a smile, "Nice work E,"
"It's not like I tried!" I exclaim. I also haven't been able to get him out of my head for the past like 36 hours, but they don't have to know that.
"Where'd you meet him anyway?" Hailey asks, ignoring my outburst.
"CPD Brass Gala," I answer.
"You told me your weekend was boring!" Kim interjects, "You kind of left a big part out,"
"Sorry," I defend myself, "But then I would have had to do this whole thing. Besides; I never thought I'd see him again. I definitely did not think that he would show up, all I did was give him a hard time on Saturday night,"
"Why would you do that?" Stella asks.
"I don't know, it was fun," I answer with a shrug of my shoulders.
"You really don't get how weird this is do you?" Hailey questions.
"Trust me, I get the weirdness,"
"And it's kind of a big deal," Kim fills in. "He is the son of the most powerful woman in the world,"
"Oh I am painfully aware of that," I assure them, their words bringing my load of insecurities with this whole thing. I still don't get it. Maybe I charmed him with my insults? Who knows, it still doesn't make sense for him to appear on the other side of the country.
"Wait Stell said he asked you out, did you say yes,"
"No," I say with a tiny bit of a snort.
"Are you freaking kidding me?"Kim almost yells as she jumps up from the couch.
"What? I don't want to date the guy,"
"Jay Halstead asked you out and you said no?" She questions.
"Relax, I told him I'd meet him for coffee tomorrow, but it's not a date." I tell them. I can almost see the relief rolling off of Kim.
"You sure he knows that?" Hailey asks.
"Pretty sure, if he doesn't, I'll make sure to remind him every time he forgets," I assure them. "Besides, it's just coffee right?"
JAY
"Please tell me you did not go out to Santa Barbara just to see a girl you barely know," My sister Nora scolds over the phone as I ride in the back of one of the blacked out SUVs.
"Then I won't say anything," I tell her. Nora may be two years younger than me, but that doesn't stop her from stepping in and saying crap like this. Most of the time, it's good to have someone to call you out on your crap, but other times, you just don't want to hear it. I know it was odd, but I don't think I really care. I needed to know more about this girl.
"My God Jay seriously? I was really hoping that Blake was screwing with me," She says with a groan.
"When has he ever been one to kid?" I tease her, "Besides, I have all the meetings about the foundation out here this week,"
"Well one, those meetings aren't starting for two days and they could have been very easily moved to Washington or Chicago," She reminds me again.
"But what's the fun in that?" I say with a laugh.
"How did you turn out such a hopeless romantic? Especially in this family," She responds.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I exclaim.
"We don't do this Jay, we work. It's what we do,"
"Well maybe I'm just a little bit different," I say with a smile. I'm fully aware that I live in a family full of workaholics, I think it just comes with the territory. But I've always liked being able to slow down a little bit, enjoy the view for a while.
"Did it work at least?" She asks.
"We're going to get coffee tomorrow," I tell her triumphantly, subtling leaving out the part of Erin's hard rejection before accepting the offer as friends.
"All this for coffee? Dude you could literally date any girl in this country, why her? Why Santa Barbara?" She asks.
"There's just something about her," I tell her. She's right. I've never had to work this hard for a date. I don't remember a time that I wasn't a senator's son, then I was the Secretary of State's son, now I'm the President's son. I don't want to believe that it's been my mom's titles helping me all these years, but they definitely helped.
"There's something about her?" She questions. I can almost see her rolling her eyes on the other line as she mocks me.
"Yeah," I tell her, "There is definitely something about her,"
Thanks for reading and please review!
xoxo,
Addie
