Lakehouse

Chapter 4

The next few days are spent in a frenzy. I pack up Chase's apartment so it can be sold while I'm gone. I have to teach a few girls how to run my bakery. I take Chase's stuff to his parents because I'm not ready to go through it. Parker, Catherine and I spend time planning out our 6 week adventure.

2 weeks after Chase's death, we leave for the lake. Their house is on a remote lake called Crooked Lake. The house is beautiful. They built it when Catherine and Chase were little and have renovated it multiple times since.

Coming up here with Chase was my favorite thing to do. We would waste away the days on the boat and spend our nights underneath the stars. It was perfect every time we came up. I fell in love with him in this house. It was hard not to, he was everything I had ever wanted and this house was glamorous.

As we drive along the roads that are canopied by trees, I remember telling him I loved him for the first time. We had only been dating about a month, but I knew.

I smiled at him as he undressed. We had been on the lake all day and he was nice and tan. His sandy blonde hair got lighter in the sun, making him look even darker. He climbs into bed with me and kisses me softly.

'Did you have fun today?"

I nod. "I always have fun."

"I could teach you how to wakeboard tomorrow. I think you would be so good at it." He runs his pointer finger down my naked belly.

"I'm not a water sport kind of girl." I say softly.

He leaves a trail of kisses in between my breasts, down my stomach and in between my thighs. "You're my favorite girl."

I snake my fingers into his hair and pull him back up to my face. "What about your mom?"

"How about we make a pact to never talk about my mom while we're in bed together."

I laugh. "Deal."

"Thank you for coming up here with me. I know it isn't very glamorous."

"I love it up here. I don't care if it's glamorous. It's beautiful."

"It's hard to appreciate the beauty when you're here." He says with a smirk.

"You're so cheesy."

"A little bit."

"I love you though." I say quickly.

He freezes. "You love me?"

I can tell my face is bright red. Maybe it's too soon. Why did I have to say anything. There's no going back now. I shrug. "Yeah. I guess I do."

He presses his lips to mine. "Thank God, I love you too."

That was one of the best nights of my life. Hearing him say those words to me was everything. He made me giddy that night. I wouldn't ever forget it.

We pull into the driveway. Catherine puts the password in and the gates open. We drive down the long, narrow, curvy driveway before the house finally comes into view.

Parker climbs out of the backseat. "Welcome to paradise, ladies."

I grab my bags out of the back while Catherine opens the house. I set my stuff down in the foyer. Parker and Catherine turn on lights, open blinds, start the air conditioning. I just stand there are look around.

Parker shuts the door behind me. "You okay, Kam?"

I grab my bags and walk up the stairs. "I'm good."