Chasing My Forever (Beaumont: Next Generation 3) - Page 6

I’ve never felt the wind in my hair, not like this. As soon as we’re on the open highway, I put both my hands up in the air and yell and look to my right, wishing Sofia or even Kellie was sitting next to me. Instead, I turn up the radio and sing as loudly as I can.

It takes three days, mostly because we only drove for about five hours the first day. The hotels we stayed in would’ve given my mother a massive heart attack. I loved every minute of it.

The best part though, was when we finally drove out of the mountains and desert and into the city. Instantly, I wanted to stop and explore everything. I wanted to drive straight to the beach, put my toes in the water, and feel the warmth of the Pacific Ocean. I’ve dreamed of this, seeing the other side of the country and now I have a chance, thanks to Kellie.

It’s dusk when we pull into her complex. It’s massive and it feels like it takes a good thirty minutes until we’re pulling into the designated parking spots when in reality it’s more like three to five minutes.

“Put the top up,” Kellie says as she gets out of her car. “This isn’t Idaho. People jack your shit right and left.”

I do as she says, making sure it’s latched down before I get out. “Is that like some Wizard of Oz reference?”

She shakes her head. “You’re definitely not in Oz anymore, Eleanora.”

We grab as much as we can and head into the section of the complex we’re going to live. After two flights of stairs and down a long hallway, we stop at the door and Kellie lets us in.

“There’s an extra set of keys inside.”

“Where are your parents?”

She shrugs. “They’ll be by later toni

ght or tomorrow. This isn’t their only property.”

We enter into a small hallway. To the right is the kitchen. I peek in and notice there’s a pass-through window with a bar on the other side, which backs up to the already decorated living room. To my left, is the bathroom, which is decent size, with a stand-up shower tiled in a variety of blues.

Kellie calls my name, I continue into the living room where there’s a sliding glass door. I go to it. The view is of the courtyard, where cobblestone paths lead to a massive building. “What’s that building?” I holler to Kellie.

“The rec center. There’s a swimming pool, indoor and out, a pool table, laundry, and some other things. My dad has been renovating.” It looks like I’ll spend plenty of time in there.

There’s a small opening off the living room where the two bedrooms are located. I find Kellie in the one to the right; it’s large, with a walk-in closet. To the left is mine. There’s already a bed with a pile of blankets folded nicely on top. My closet is small but perfect for me. I don’t need much.

Kellie stands in my doorway. “My parents tend to rent to a lot of single parents, hence the smaller bedroom.”

“Kellie, this is perfect. It really is.”

She smiles. “A few rules. Always keep the doors locked, not only for the apartment but for your car as well. Never leave your laundry unattended, so make sure you bring a book or your laptop when you have to wash your clothes. And always be hyper-aware. Know your surroundings.”

“Wow.”

“Like I said, things are different here.” She looks around my room. “I know you said the summer, but it’s yours as long as you want. Feel free to decorate, and if you don’t like the stuff my mom bought, we can hit the store later.”

“It’s perfect, Kellie. All of it. I can’t thank you enough for this opportunity.”

She smiles. “I’m going to finish getting the rest of my stuff.” Kellie steps forward and holds her hand out. “Your keys.” She drops them into my hand and I squeeze. I may have lived somewhat on my own for the past four years, but this feels different. Right now, I feel free.

As soon as the door shuts, I sit on the bed and call Sofia. “Hey,” she says answering on the third ring.

“I’m already in love.”

Sofia snorts. “You just got there. What, like five minutes ago?”

“I don’t care. It’s just…”

“It’s not South Carolina. It’s not a plantation with a massive three-story home with white pillars and wide plank back porch that you can sleep on?”

I smile at her description of my house. She’s spot on. When we first met, I showed her pictures. She couldn’t believe it and said I lived in a storybook home. “Someday, I’m going to take you to my house.”

“I look forward to it.”

Tags: Heidi McLaughlin Beaumont: Next Generation Romance
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