"We all have dreams, Devon Parker!"
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Hadley Carter's life is a mess. That is, more of a mess than usual. The unexpected return of her ex creates a storm of chaos Hadley is left to battle alone. Ha...
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a/n: warning, this chapter will contain a (very minor) ✨ spicy ✨ scene towards the end, so please skip ahead if that is something you are not comfortable with! :)
"Finally!" Clover cries from the back seat the second Kai pulls into the driveway of Mason's beach condo. She takes her seatbelt off and leaps out of the vehicle before Kai even has time to shift gears into park, running toward the door as she yells, "Freedom!"
"Someone must really hate Taylor Swift," Mason mumbles under her breath as she steps out of the passenger seat, slamming the car door behind her.
Devon and I exchange glances and giggles before climbing out of the minivan and following after our friends. I stretch my limbs as my feet hit the concrete of the paved driveway, inhaling the salty scent of the beach air into my lungs. My jaw slackens as I glance up at the condo, taken in awe. It's a beautiful place, the property located just on the outskirts of the oceanside. It's two stories tall, the exterior painted a light shade of blue and speckled with large windows decorated by white shutters.
"Well," Mason says with a grin, "what do you guys think?"
"It's beautiful," I murmur. "Thank you so much for working this out."
"It's really nice." Devon nods her approval.
"Wait until you see the inside," Mason continues, gesturing for us to follow after her as she wanders toward the front door. "It gets even better."
"Yeah," Kai calls as us girls trek down the driveway. "You guys go ahead, and I'll carry all the bags. Sounds fair."
I muffle laughter with the palm of my hand as I walk with my friends to the front door, feeling the breath leave my lungs as I enter the condo.
I look around with wide eyes, taken by surprise at the simple beauty of the house. The foyer is skillfully decorated with hardwood floors and a high ceiling, complete with a modern chandelier. The staircase faces the door, a wide door frame that leads to the rest of the house to my right. Mason gives us a quick tour of the house, guiding our small group into the kitchen and living room area. The kitchen is painted white and full of sunlight streaming in through the large bay window, the interior brought together with wooden floorboards and marble countertops. The entire back wall of the living room is made of clear glass, making for a breathtaking view of the ocean. A large flat screen hangs on the far wall, with a long leather couch set across the room.
"Not too shabby," Clover admits as she stares out at the beach, nodding her pale blond head in approval.
Kai bursts through the front door suddenly, garnering the attention of us girls. I have to bite down hard on my bottom lip to keep from laughing aloud at the sight of Kai with both arms filled with bags, the rest of our luggage scattered on the floor around his feet.
"Thanks for all the help guys," Kai says with a pant, doubling over to catch his breath. "All those bags weren't heavy at all, if anyone was wondering."
