Southern Boy Charm | ✓

Chapter 6

When I walk into the ranch, Nick is nowhere to be found. My mom and Kelly lounge on the leather couches, a glass of wine in each of their hands. It's so like them, gossiping over Merlot, and I see that despite the distance between them over their years, nothing has changed. They throw their heads back and giggle like school girls, and I hope with all my might that I can find a best friend like that when I grow older.

When their eyes land on me, my clothes wet, their faces mold into one of confusion.

"What happened?" My mom asks, concern rising in her voice.

I want to tell her that some moody guy just threw me into a creek for spraying him with a hose, then ditched me. However, I know that will end in a million conversations about me and Nick, and I don't have the energy to talk about it. Besides, I'm not too sure if I would be able to answer them anyway. I don't even know where me and Nick stand.

I settle on, "I went out to swim," and despite my mom's suspicious gaze, she seems to drop it. "Come here, we were just looking at the scrapbook." It sits on their lap, settle on a page with a glittery purple background page.

I want to see the pictures, young Nick, with his many missing teeth, but I decide against it. I'm not too sure that I want to take a trip down memory lane, especially after Nick has been treating me recently. Today at the lake was nice, and for the first time he was playful. But then he left suddenly, and I have no clue whether his good mood is soured once more. Digging up memories on how close we used to be would only make me more confused.

"It's okay, I'm really wet right now, and I just want to clean up," I lie. They seem to buy it, and I make my way up the stairs. I pass Nick's room on the way, and the door is wide open, despite the fact that he's not in there. His walls are a deep navy blue, and his room is extremely clean, everything perfectly organized and placed. His wall holds a large bookcase and I can only make out a few of the books: The Beautiful and the Damned, To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Hunger Games from their spines. I'm surprised at his book taste. It seems to span multiple genres, and I would have never taken him as a classics kind of guy.

I quickly make my way past his room, not wanting to be caught staring, and lock my room door behind me. I strip off my now damp clothes and wrap myself in a towel when my phone goes off. I leap towards it, surprised that I have cell surface here. When I checked yesterday, I didn't have any bars. I answer the phone without looking at the caller, and I hope with all my heat that it's Jack.

My wishes are confirmed when his usual husky voice sounds through the phone.

"Hey Leighton," he says, and I feel myself let out a breath that I didn't even know I was holding. I had only been gone from my boyfriend for two days now, but I already miss him. I never had to go this long without hearing from him.

"Hey. I've missed you so much, you have no idea."

"I've missed you more."

A large, earsplitting smile takes over my face. "I highly doubt that."

I can practically hear him smile through the phone as he talks, and I can tell that his face looks similar to mine. "How's the vacation going."

I pout, despite the fact that I know he can't see me. "It is not a vacation."

He laughs at me. "Please Leighton, there is no way that you are actually doing something on the farm other than propping your feet up." Why does everyone think that of me?

"That's not true," I say softly trying to hide the hurt in my voice.

"Please, remember when I took you to the petting zoo, and you screamed when the goat ate out of your hand?" In my defense, it came out of nowhere.