Serendipity ○ All 14

12. Addie

Addie pulled herself up on the dock, freezing her ass off from the water. She looked over at Nathan, her teeth chattering. Goose bumps covered her skin. "We're never doing this again. Not this early at least. It's way too fucking cold."

Nathan hopped up beside her, nodding in furious agreement. He rubbed at his arms. "Never again."

It was their first time making good on their promise to go on a morning swim. He had knocked on her door bright and early, holding a steaming cup of coffee for her, courtesy of Marc, he had told her. The paper cup had a cute little note written on it with black marker.

Good morning, Sunshine, it had said with an adorable little smiley face.

It was the best thing to wake up to.

Nathan had to practically drag her out of the house once she changed into her only black bikini. It was summer, but the mornings were still chilly.

Judging by the goosebumps that covered Nathan, he thought the water was too cold as well. She admired his bare torso and the way the water droplets trailed down his toned six pack.

She sighed. What a way to start the day.

"Eyes are up here, sweetness." Nathan teased her.

She elbowed him in the ribs. While she liked all of the men, she felt like she had bonded with Nathan more. They had become friends quite quickly. She wondered if it had something to do with their conversation the other day, but brushed the thought away.

She wouldn't question it.

"Are you ready for Lawson's party today?" he asked her and handed her a towel.

She wrung out her hair and wrapped herself up. "Yup. Simon's gonna help set it up for me while I start on decorations."

"Oh, you mean all the penis memorabilia that you got from the bachelorette section of the party store?"

Addie's eyes lit up in glee. She rubbed her hands together. "Of course. I've gotta mess with him sometimes. Can't have my reputation ruined."

Nathan laughed. "I'll remember not to mess with you. If this is how you treat people you like, I don't want to know what you'd do to someone you don't."

"You can always ask the people who lived in the mansion before you guys."

"Oh?" Nathan raised his brow. Addie admired how natural his bitch face was. She was sorta jealous. "Is that what all those traps were for?"

Addie pouted at him and pleaded with her eyes for him to believe her. "They told Tyler and Simon that they didn't want them around their kid. Said their sexuality would rub off on the kid."

"So you and Lawson chased them off across the lake?"

"Yeah, we did. They didn't stay in New Haven much longer, though. The townies didn't appreciate their views, so they got an ultimatum. Keep their mouths shut or move. They chose to move."

Nathan looked at her skeptically. "And they moved? Just like that?"

"No. We camped out on their yard with pitch forks and torches when they refused," she tried to keep a straight face when he gawked at her. She couldn't keep it up for long, so she laughed at him. "Yes, just like that. They didn't put up a fight."

"Geez," Nathan said, looking at her incredulously. "You have a strange sense of humor."

"Ehh. Maybe you're just boring." Addie stood up and started off towards her house. "Let's go. I gotta get ready to go set up."