there for me (shourtney)

xxxii.

shayne's pov -

I heard Courtney on the phone as I headed up the outside wooden stairs. Sand clung to my shirt from Kora. It didn't move when I tried to shake it off.

"Seriously, if it's too much trouble, don't worry. I know you and Sam have something planned that weekend." She said, leaning on the kitchen counter. "Olivia, I'm not kidding." She laughed. Trying to convince her friend of something.

I stepped inside and shut the door behind me, causing Courtney to look over at me. She rolled her eyes at her phone. I smiled and headed into the bedroom to search for my notebook of sketch ideas.

"Okay. Okay fine you wore me down. What about Friday? We're usually up here anyways. I don't think it would be an issue to get out early." 

What is she planning?

"No, Liv, I said that. That's fine." She groaned, and after a brief silence, she laughed. "This week?"

I walked back out of the room, notebook and colored pens in hand, and took a seat at the kitchen table. 

"Talk to him about it and get back to me? Sound good? We're not going anywhere." She turned to face me and slowly walked over. Her face still concentrating on Olivia's voice. "No, the other one." Courtney made a face. "Just text me what you decide, Liv. I'll see you soon. Love you." 

She hung up. Sighing dramatically, she pulled out a chair at the table. Her body tilting as she crossed her legs on the seat.

"So how's Olivia?" I asked, playing it up with a big smile and wide eyes.

"Christ, this girl. Would NOT hang up." She bent down and placed her head in her folded arms. "Half hour and she still wasn't done." Courtney said. 

"It sounded like you guys were planning something?" I asked her. 

"Yeah." She brought her head back up, her face painted with a smile. "First, Kari says congrats with everything. She said she'd help if we need anything."

"Thank you, Kari." I said as if she was here.

"She definitely heard that." Courtney mocked with a smile. "Anyway, Olivia is also very excited and she wants us to host a housewarming party."

"Was she the one who said they wanted to come out here?" I asked her. Am I remembering this right?

"Yep, that was her. That's when you walked in. I said maybe Friday because I know she and Sam have something they're doing Saturday. And I know it's soon, but I mean you have the meeting early next week." She started to ramble. Her hands wildly gesturing.

"Hey, I think a housewarming party is a good idea. Everyone can get out here. See the new house. Go out on the beach. Maybe meet Jax. And even if we're not moved out of our own apartments yet, most of our stuff is here anyway."

"I'm glad your onboard. She's super gung-ho about it." Courtney laughed.

"Olivia is gung-ho about anything you do." I said. "You're her side chick." I joked.

"Excuse me, Shayne, I'm her side piece. Something Keith and I have in common." She feigned disgust, opening her mouth in an O shape. "You should know that."

I laughed. "I'll get it next time." Courtney's phone buzzed and she flipped it over, looking at the screen.

"Since off-the-cuff decisions seem to be our thing, let's make some more." A joke that had more truth than it should. 

"Olivia?" I asked. Nodding at her phone.

"Yeah. She wants to send out an invite to some people at Smosh." Her phone dinged again. "Over email." 

"Shouldn't we be doing that?" I asked, my eyebrows raising.

"We should." Courtney shook her head and laughed. "Oh god. Alright, party Friday night?"

"Sounds good." I took some notes in my notebook as she spoke.

"We're here by five, so let's say party starts at seven?" She shrugged.

"That's enough time to get things together." I agreed. "Think we could get Ian and Monica to end early?"

"We probably could." She winked at me and threw her hair over her shoulder. "We're that much of a power couple." I laughed.

"Touché." I wiggled a finger at her.

"Food?" She asked. "I bet we could enlist Olivia and Sam."

"It's so weird hearing that." I laughed. Courtney cocked her head in confusion. "Jax's wife is also Sam. So we'll have two Sams here." 

"Hello Sam, this is Sam." She chuckled as she typed something on her phone.

"You're right, though, I think they'd help us out. Or we could tell everyone to bring a dish. Make it a potluck." 

"I like that better." Courtney smiled and looked up at me.

"But we could do drinks here." I said, making a note in the book. "That tavern a few streets down has a beer cave in the back and I swear that shit is crafted by gods." 

"And we're inviting our regular people?" She asked.

"We could also just do an open invite and whoever shows, shows." 

"We don't have a ton of room here, Shayne." Her nose wrinkled in uncertainty. 

"We have both decks and we could set up some lights on the beach." I said. She slowly nodded.

"Okay, sure. That could work." She typed on her phone. "Is that it? Drinks, food, people, time, location?"

"I think we got all of it." I smiled. "This is going to be awesome."

"It is. Everyones going to love it here." She said, reaching across the table for my hand. 

"They will." I took it and held it. I wouldn't change anything.

-

ramping up for the housewarming party!