Harassenger: Backseat Admirer ✔️

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Five

"Honey, I'm home!" The trip to Destin ended all too soon, and I was back home without the sights or sounds of the beautiful ocean.

Nothing much changed, other than I was a shade darker, which everyone in the downstairs gym told me as I carried my luggage up the stairs.

My mother, Elisa, met me midway, closing her arms around me. Then I felt someone on my leg, and I knew it was my little booger, Jamie.

"Jamie, I missed you so much. I hope you behaved for Mom while I was gone." I rubbed my hand through her hair, fixing her bangs out of her eyes.

"I was an angel." She smiled sweetly, too sugary to be authentic.

"I don't believe you, but I still missed you." I squeezed the cheeks of my young sister, giving my mother one last hug before the two of them helped bring my luggage into our living room.

There was no place like home, but I'd like to think the beach was a close second, mainly because there was no parental supervision and well, to put it simply, I shared a room with Mick.

Dand, I hadn't been here for ten minutes and my thoughts are already invaded by that man.

It felt good to lay on my own couch, the nostalgic smell of pine and cherry blossom invaded my nostrils.

I closed my eyes, taking my time to rest. It had been a long ride back. I drove the entire way while Mick took the reins by controlling the radio, and I even let him mess with the air conditioner despite how I felt about it.

"You're settling in?" Right. I don't live alone, and that very voice was the reminder.

"Yes, Mom, it was such a long drive." I said, my voice laced with exhaustion.

"Did you have fun in Destin?"

"Mhm." I said, vaguely.

"And your friends? Did you have fun with Mick?"

I opened one eye, staring at me with high expectations.

"I know what you're getting, you do know that? Mick and I are friends."

"Please tell me this is not because of Holt."

"Mom! How do you know I liked him?" Typical.

"I know everything, and I know you more than anyone. So is he the reason, honey?"

"No, I'm over him. That's not the problem."

"Then what is it?"

"I think I'm friend-zoned, or maybe I friend-zoned him. But I'd rather not talk about it. I'd like to get some rest so I can come back to work tomorrow. I've got quite the headache." I needed a cold compress, but I was too lazy to get up, and I didn't want to ask my mother.

"About work. Natalie, there's something I feel like I should tell you, but it can wait until tomorrow."

I opened my eyes, turning to my mother who sat next to me on the furniture. Her eyebrows furrowed, and I knew something hideous and horrible was on her mind."

"No, go ahead and tell me."

"I got a visit from someone out of town. I assumed it was someone who wanted to apply for a membership, but when I asked who he was, he said he was business partners with your friend, Holt. The man wants to demolish our business to build a shopping center to attract more tourists."

"He can't do that. He'd be destroying our business, not to mention, our home."

"He can do it if he wants to go through with it. When we built this house, our property was built on part of the lot next door. Your dad talked to the owner when we built it to offer him money for some of the lot, but he refused take it. He was okay with sharing the property, but now that your friend's business partner is offering money to him, he might take the money so we are at risk of being shut down."

"Did you talk to our neighbor?"

"I did, and he gave me the run- around, saying it was a tempting offer. I don't know what else to do, but I'm hoping the idea dies down. We don't need more tourists; our town is quaint and people don't want it any other way. What kind of a businessman would do this to a family who has lived here forever?"

"I don't know." I really had no clue why or how this could happen, but I wasn't going to brush this under the rug. I was going to have a little chat with my friend Holton to get more information. If my headache was bad before our conversation, you can imagine how it is now.

"I don't know either. I'm thinking about getting a lawyer, but I'm not sure what good that would do when some of the property isn't on our name. If I'm lucky enough that this blows over, I'm going to pay that man for some of the lot and get this done with once and for all. Our business and our home is too important, and I wish your father would have done this years ago, but we will deal with this the best way we can with the hand we've been dealt."

"Mom, I can promise you everything will work itself out."

"Wow, I was expecting the opposite from you. I thought you'd be so disappointed. Thank you for keeping your spirits up, even if you're doing it only for me."

She gave me a tight hug, the millionth of the day, and then along came Jamie, doing the same thing.

"We really missed you, baby." Mom said.

Baby? Hm, where did I hear that from before? Baby no longer had the same meaning, and I'd never think of it the same way.

I'd kill to hear Mick Conrad call me baby once more. I was going crazy knowing our fake relationship wouldn't last much longer.

It was offical: I wasn't in Destin no more.