Chapter Seven_Connor

It really did feel like Trent, and I were long time members of this huge friend group, though we’d only been sitting in for a short time. Which felt weird to say because it’d just been the three of us, Trent, Saylor and I for as long as I could remember. We never really brought new members into the fold. We’d bring girls around but that was rare and the only one who was ever really long term was and is, Ariela. Saylor’s fiancee/wife and they met in college. Obviously we’d have our family around, like Trent’s sister when I was with her for a bit, and Braden. But otherwise, it’s always just been a closed group. So, this was extremely new to me especially, Trent and Saylor were the social butterflies. They were with my family more than I was these days.

Even in her drunken state, Huntleigh was one who seemed like she was worth every family gathering, every game night. She was the kind of woman that made you want the most hallmark of romances. I could get used to it…

“Two family get togethers, in the same week?” Kinnley asks Drew with a laugh as Huntleigh comes back from turning on “Someone to Someone” by Eddie and the Getaway, Jake escorting her back, shaking his head as she talks to him about something.
“Isn’t it shocking?” She laughs and honestly, I’d lost track of what we were talking about, partially because my drinks are catching up to me, and partly because I was focused on watching how she was truly just lost in her own world.
“Not really.” Kinnley laughs. “Maybe it’s because I’ve known you since you were walking through rain puddles screaming Blank Space and Wildest Dreams and looking your crush dead in the eye and putting a sheathed knife to your throat because, can’t break character! God forbid you break character.”
“You did what now?” I ask feeling my eyes bug out, as I’m so confused but also, she did WHAT?
“It was Halloween and she was an Assassin. Pretty sure the kid shit himself though. He was probably scared to death of her.” That makes more sense, I think?
“I was flirting?” She says with a smile as she turns her drink up finishing the last of it before taking Drew’s.
“You can flirt with me like that? Hell, I’ll give you the knife, hold it to my throat.” Trent says, taking his knife out of his pocket and handing it to her. A grin plastered on his face as he does.
“Put the knife away you freak. Geze Louise what the fuck is wrong with you?”
“What? If you aren’t going to play your cards, I sure as hell will.”
“I hate to break it to you, Trent. But you aren’t really my type.” She says pushing the knife back to his chest with a grin as she wipes her face of the liquor dripping from her lips. Damn was this woman screaming trouble, but she did it so well.
“What?”
“This is a first for him, Le.” Kinnley chuckles. “You have to elaborate for him.”
“Yeah, please do elaborate, you’re gorgeous, and I’m gorgeous? Come on? You wouldn’t even kiss me?”
“No. Not even a kiss, there Playboy. You are very handsome, I agree. You just aren’t for me.”
“Why not? Not even on the cheek?” He asks as the group watches in amazement, waiting for the fireworks. Drew and her brothers getting the most humor out of it, next to me. Honestly, I wanted to know what her elaboration would be, but I also just wanted to see how this would play out.
“Trust me, you don’t want the answer. I might hurt your feelings.” Huntleigh says leaning back in her seat, about the only thing keeping her upright was Kinnley being right next to her. This was going to be interesting.
“I do. I’m everyone’s type. I tall, and built and I gotta great jawline, I’ve got a six pack!” He lifts his shirt up and shows her, though the look on her face was still solid, she hadn’t even blinked. Just a drunken smile with a bit of a laugh lingering. “I am fun! I’ve got pretty blue eyes. Look at these!” He bats his eyelashes at her. “And my teeth are sparkly, and I smell good! And I have beautiful hair, it’s brown like yours and its soft and fluffy. I dress cool! I am cool! What could you not want from me? AND I almost forgot I got a southern accent.”
“Are we watching Le reject someone real time?” Drew asks with a grin that says he’s seen this before and loves it.
“We are.” Kinnley laughs.
“For starters, I can hear the accent it is nice, but he has one too” She points to me with a smile. “And I don’t really like six packs.” The gasp that came from my friend. God was that worth it. “I like a well-built man but not to muscular, like that “sculped” look. Just a personal opinion, because like I wake up with my own handprints on my face ‘cause of my skin, and I don’t want to be looking like I fell asleep on a grill or anything… weird, I don’t know if that would actually happen but I don’t want to find out either… I do think your eyes are pretty, but they remind me of someone else’s. And everything else you listed, well, like I said you’re attractive and indeed you are rather funny. But you’re also drunk and so am I. So, I don’t really have a solid basis to go from. Oh, and the facial hair is a no go. Sorry. But it’s just not for me… I only really like clean shaven or five o’clock shadow or certain close-cut beards but I’m really picky. It looks nice but it’s just not my thing.” She says with a shrug.
“So, what am I on your scale?”
“You’re like a four.”
“A four? Did I hear her right? She just said I was a four? How am I a four?” His voice cracked in a way it hadn’t since we were kids. I was probably getting to much joy from this to be honest. This was amazing.
“You asked about her scale.” I laugh.
“What’s Drew?”
“I’m an eight. Milo is a five.” Drew answers, proudly.
“What makes you an eight? And let me see a photo of this so called five?” Trent furrows his brow as Huntleigh shakes her head.
“Can I see your phone, Le?” Drew asked as she handed him the phone.
The game of cards continues as Drew silently finds a photo and hands the phone over to me and Trent.
“That’s Milo.” Drew laughs.

The photo a green-eyed man with jet black hair and a neon green streak in it. Think of the millennial scene kids’ era and you have the right image, an oval face. Freckles and pale, eyeliner and a goofy smile, wearing baggy jeans and a band tee. His arm was wrapped around Huntleigh. Shit ton of tattoos.

“Please explain?” Trent asks, handing Drew the phone. “I don’t understand this ranking? I have tattoos? I can fix the facial hair, I’m sure Connor has a straight edge in the truck? I can win you over?”
“Doubtful. But to answer the question, Milo is sweet, handsome, cool and kind. He’s funny and goofy. If we were only going off looks, he would be a seven. But I go by compatibility and vibes and looks. Which the running joke is that if I can’t get a husband and Drew keels over then Milo is who I’ll marry unless I find a woman. He’s also the second-choice sperm donor if I marry a woman. Because he has prime genetic makeup and he’s hilarious and while we aren’t super compatible in a relationship setting but we vibe pretty well.”
“Someone explain that in english please?”
“Milo is a five because they’re friends who would totally kiss if drunk enough at least he would, well let me rephrase that, Le would have to be wasted to get past the tongue ring, Milo is just a certified lover boy and while she’s a certified lover girl they’re too different.” Drew elaborates with a shrug. “And I’m an eight because… I actually forgot? Why am I an eight?”
“Because you’re funny and a bit unorthodox. We’re a lot alike. We just hit it off.” She shrugs.
“Surely there’s more to it than that?” Trent asks. “Tell me how you two met, maybe that’ll help me figure it out?”
“Trent why is this bothering you so much?” Seriously this boy needs some help, it’s not like he’s never been rejected.
“Because I’m Trenton Smith. I’m sexy! And she’s rejecting me? What the hell? I should be letting her down easy because you’re into her?”
“You’re just pissed cause Brooky got the win.” Kinnley laughs.
“This is great, hey, Le? Are ya going home with Connor tonight?” Drew asks stirring the pot even further.
“Jesus Christ.” She sighs, a smile tugging on her lips.
“Would you just tell the man how you met Drew, so he won’t cry. I mean I’m all for you making anyone cry. I think it’s hilarious but not right now.” Jake says grabbing Drew’s drink and taking a sip. “To be fair, we haven’t heard you two crack jokes about it tonight? What’s with that?”
“It didn’t come up.” Huntleigh says with a forced smile. “We met when I was eighteen. I got invited to this party with the guy I was dating at the time. He was a few years older than me. And –
“Eh-em” Drew fake clears his throat interrupting her. “Try ten plus years older, you still won’t tell me how old he actually was. I still don’t understand how you and him met? Like I get the whole opposites attract thing but that should have been like repulsion?”
“He was like thirty-three.” She says taking a sip of her drink with a bit of an awkward smile as Micky chokes on his and I damn near spat mine out.
“When you were eighteen?” I ask to clarify that I wasn’t hearing things.
“Seventeen was when we started dating. We were together for almost two years? So, he was thirty-three when we got together and I was actually still sixteen because it was right before my seventeenth birthday. He was cool. Really smart. I was just eighteen when I met Drew. It was like two days after my eighteenth birthday.”
“How did we not know his actual age?” Jake asks Micky quietly who just shrugs.
“So… how did you? How did you meet a thirty-three-year-old man?” I ask watching her as she downs another drink and her brothers go to get her a tea.
“I was out with two girls we shall not name and uh they left me? Like walked off and left and I was a bit lost and confused, and ah wouldn’t luck have it that I’d have a really bad asthma attack while trying to figure it all out? And a kind stranger helped me. Similar to how I met Drew… except meeting Drew didn’t lead to years of being fucked in the head. At least not in a bad way.”
“Hey, what the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“I’m just scared you’re going to leave the minute I fall in love with someone. And if you did it’d kill me. Because you were my first real person in a long time.” She says watching him with a smile.
“Hell nah. I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to be the uncle that gives the kids all the sugar then sends them home to dad. Takes mom out for ice cream and lets dad have the day with wired kids. Spa day! Or watch the kids while y’all go on a romantic trip or some shit. Can’t promise the house will still be standing but I can promise y’all won’t have to worry about them.”
“SO how did y’all meet? Did Drew knock that guys lights out or something?” Trent asks after a minute of silence.

I had honestly forgotten that was the direction the conversation was meant to be going in. I was kind of still reeling on the fact she’d dated a thirty something year old man as a teenager and she was so casual about telling us about it? Also, the way that she and the guy had met? What the hell?

“Haha, you’re still stuck on trying to figure out what ranks me higher than you?” Drew laughs.
“Yeah? I mean, look at me? No offense.”
“Offense. I’m hot too. I’ll have you know I pull ladies by the dozen.”
“He does. You should see his dm’s it’s ridiculous. Also, the absolute rage that was insighted when he was with Huntleigh was hilarious. She pissed everyone off.”
“To be fair we equally pissed everyone off. There were plenty of people on her side of the block that were livid that she picked ‘that punk’ over them. Which she wasn’t even talking to them…”
“I know… it was so sad. For everyone.” Huntleigh says sarcastically with a grin. “But okay how we met. I was invited to this party by my boyfriend at the time, for his work. Which happened to be held at Drew’s parents place, and because he was still in school, he had to attend.”
“Yeah, the only reason I was okay with going was because Milo’s parents were making him go, so we made plans earlier in the day while we were at school that he’d buy some shit, and we’d sneak off.”
“Hell yeah. Ditch the party and get stoned, that’s the best type of party.” Trent laughs.
“Exactly well we at least had to be in attendance for long enough to do rounds once. Aka talk everyone up. My parents own the company and Milo’s dad is the vice president or some shit. I can’t remember and we never really cared. So, after that we left and went to go chill by the pool. But we didn’t really expect for our peaceful set to get interrupted by some jackass flipping out on his girl? Which I guess they didn’t see us, because like we were sitting up closer to the hot tub area. But they were on the other end.” He pauses looking at her with a hesitant smile?
“He was upset because I’d kinda wondered off? I was eighteen so I obviously wasn’t supposed to be drinking but I was plus I’d had some anxiety meds too, we were into a huge fight before the party because he didn’t like the dress I was originally going to wear so I changed into something different which then he was annoyed because I seemed annoy which I wasn’t I just didn’t understand what the problem was with the blue dress? I don’t know. I just couldn’t win that day, not with him and not with anyone. I was a little tipsy but I don’t think I recognized it at the time. I’d only ever really been high or had sips of drinks never enough to feel anything, honestly, I was that kid that fucked around with Benadryl. Closest I ever got to feeling drunk was my flare days but that’s not the exact same. I think I just thought I was having a really bad dizzy spell? So I was like sitting on one of the lounge chairs by the pool, I definitely didn’t see them, I could hear them kind of, but my ears were ringing and I honestly had headphones in, so I wasn’t fully aware of my environment until he – his name is Dex, I wasn’t fully aware of my environment until Dex stormed up to me and yanked my headphones out to chew me out for leaving him. Which was embarrassing.” She laughs. “Apparently, I left when he was about to introduce me to some of his friend’s slash coworkers. Which I didn’t know, again I’m not feeling this I was like so out of place there. Like more out of place than I am most places, and the dress I was wearing was uncomfortable and my shoes were killing my feet. I was just honestly, if I could have seen my phone, I was going to call Micky and get him to come and see if we could go to the lake or some shit. I didn’t want to be there. Honestly, I don’t really remember what happened next? I just know that I was soaking wet in a huge bedroom and freezing cold?”
“You seriously don’t remember?” Kinnley and Drew, both ask her at the same time with concern etched in their features.
“No… I mean I know you came to get me, and I vaguely remember projectile vomiting in your truck and begging you not to make me go home. I’m fairly certain I confessed some shit that I shouldn’t have. And then after that I just remember waking up in your floor?”
“Yeah, I tried to get you in the bed but apparently the floor was more comfortable. And all of that is very accurate. It was one hell of a night.”
“So…What happened?” She asks Drew with a furrowed brow, and they all share a look before he fills in the blanks.
“Um, you got up and tried to walk away,” Drew was being very careful with how he answered this. “you two got in a physical fight because you didn’t want to leave with him… and you either mis stepped or he pushed you. Either way, you ended up in the water and cracked your head, which Milo and I were both on our way to you and him as soon as the bastard put his hands on you, but you were in my room, and Milo went to get our moms because we didn’t really know what to do? Then we checked your phone and realize you’re not just eighteen but your Mckinnley Frawley’s baby sister, which like I never really knew him until I was friends with her but we had mutuals at the time.”
“Who?” I ask confused. “You basically stuck to your band and hung out with Braden and Elijah? Occasionally you came out with us? But you were always with her or your girl?”
“That’s so weird…” Huntleigh whispers.
“His girlfriend was the girl that my sister is so desperately trying to set me up with.” Drew laughs. “She was dating him at the time, but weirdly obsessed with Huntleigh and the girls in my group were all kinda like drooling over Mick, which low key annoyed me.”
“It was one of those things where we knew of each other but we didn’t know each other. And the encounters we had weren’t really the best. Then when we finally did meet, we met over a shit situation.”
“I’m confused did you like each other or not?” Huntleigh asks.
“I didn’t know the guy, Hunt. I couldn’t like him?”
“I was jealous of him. He had everything I didn’t and everything I’d heard about him said he wouldn’t give me the time of day. So no I didn’t like him. But I was also a little punk. We have you to thank for our unlikely friendship.”
“Aww… but you guys are like soul brothers. It just fits. But I still need to know how I was in the room and what happened to my dress? Cause I didn’t wake up in it?”
“You were wasted, Le. I took you to my room so I could get you a towel and some clothes. Called your brother and Milo got our moms and filled them in.”
“YO! Is that why your mom hates me?”
“What? No, my mom loves you she just thinks I’m going to get you pregnant and you’ll take all our money. That’s why she wants me to either marry you or stay away from you or not ‘procreate’ with you.”
“Would it work?”
“I don’t know do you want a kid? Wait let me rephrase that, me or you plan on getting married?” He looks at me with a grin. “I can coparent, but I know you want a husband and father in one. And I can’t promise he’d stick around if I gave you that.”
“Fair point. And I don’t really need the money, I just know you’d love to get your share early. I’m okay, I just think you’re pretty. And imagine…”
“Oh I have.”
“Is that all you think about?” Trent asks. “Because imagine…” He does the Sponge Bob imagination thing with his hands.
“You’re not in this honey.” She shuts him down with a smile. “Also, it’s not all I think about. It’s just a thought I have often.”
“You want to be a mom then?” I ask her with a bit of a smile, hoping not to show all my cards, though the warmth is flooding my body again and it’s not just the alcohol.
“Yeah, one of my biggest goals in life. Whole farm house, wrap around porch and Christmas morning with the kids going crazy because Santa brought them all their wishes. The big yard and all the pets. All the love in the world right in our little nook.” She says it with a distant look in her eyes, like she’s just been there. Watching as it all plays out. “Isn’t that the American dream?”
“Yeah, I reckon it is.”
“So how did it all go down?” She asks. “Like I know Dex’s version, but like what actually happened when I was in the house with you?”
“I acted like my father’s son, pays off sometimes. I got your stuff back so I could call your brother and check your id because I didn’t believe for a second that you were twenty-one. And I was going to cover for you, so you didn’t feel worse than you already did. Got you a hoodie and pants and helped you dry off and get changed because I guess I was the one who got you out of the water, and got you away from him, that I was the only person you were willing to trust at the moment. You were pretty shaken. I mean you just got plunged into twenty-degree water, swallowed a shit ton of chlorine, I mean we literally cleaned the pool that day. You didn’t really get a chance to hold your breath or anything because you just went in. So yeah, as Milo was going to get our parents to tell them everything, I took you inside and dipshit followed us. Which was dumb on his part and then I had a freezing cold Huntleigh sitting in my gaming chair, teeth chattering, legs shaking whole nine yards while I got you some dry clothes and a towel. I soon realized after changing my own clothes in the bathroom that you weren’t going to move. You were in shock or something? I was like, okay? Cool… I guess. So, I was trying to talk to you, and you were just staring at me. Finally, you said you were cold and asked me to please help you. Very well mannered, very funny because you said you were fucking cold. I was thinking hell yeah this is my type of girl she just dropped the f-bomb and she doesn’t know me love that. Then you told me ‘but you can’t look’ made me pinky promise.”
“Did you respect that promise?” Kinnley asks with a raised brow.
“Of course. I was a lot of things but a creep wasn’t one of them. I was very respectful, dried her arms and her hair the best I could then we got the hoodie up and over and I unzipped her dress so she could get out of it. Very respectful during the whole process. Even gave her a brand new pair of socks that I was so excited to wear. Well one of them but she was freezing and she wasn’t walking in those heals.”
“Oh! That’s where those Nike socks came from? I was wondering that because I only wear pro player?”
“Yeah, well you weren’t getting shoes from me okay? I liked you, thought you were pretty cute and funny and everything, but your brother was carrying you or you were walking out in socks, end of story. Lucky you, you’re spoiled as fuck because your brother carried your ass all the way to the truck.”
“I wasn’t making her walk when she tried to stand up and almost faceplanted.”
“How did we become friends if that’s how we met?”
“We all went to Micky’s to hang out and stargaze. Bonfire night and I’d already checked with Micky and he was bringing you. It was all of his friends, so, Braden, Keith, Seth and their girlfriends or sisters, and then Mel and he invited my friend group, and you were obviously there, but I guess you were going through it, it’d only been a few days since that night. You and Micky were sitting together, and you had my clothes neatly folded in your lap holding waiting to return them. Which was the cutest, weirdest shit ever because who actually returns socks?”
“I don’t know the proper etiquette for when you fall in a pool at a party that you don’t belong at and a cute guy saves you from drowning?”
“Keep all of it.” Trent says. “Don’t give it back. Those are yours now.”
“I mean she literally took it all back nearly a month later, well the socks I told her to keep. It’s probably still in her closet? Isn’t it? Along with Jake’s and Micky’s and you probably have one of Milo’s jackets in there?”
“Mmmhm, no, I gave Milo his back, I do have his Taylor Swift shirt, but he gave it to me, so I don’t know if that counts, because it didn’t fit him anymore. So, he threw it at me and said I could have it. He didn’t have to be so aggressive! But I also have some of the girl’s clothes. But they have some of mine. And I don’t want to hear anything about me having Jake’s clothes he used to wear my jeans to work.”
“Hey, they looked good.”
“Oh, speaking of outfits and stuff, do you still have my favorite eyeshadow pallet at your place, Micky?”
“I can check, would it be at my place or my parents?”
“Uh don’t remember, where did I stay when we all went to that concert?”
“Which concert?”
“The one her the girls were one shot from trouble at.” Drew says with a grin.
“My place. Okay, I’ll get it to you.”
“Thank you, you’re the best. I need it for next Friday.”
“So, with Drew it’s like a knight in shining armor kind of thing?” Trent asks, leave it to him to track all the way back to where we started.
“Not exactly.” Drew smiles. “She didn’t really take kindly to what I had to say about Dex. She had said that she hoped he didn’t cause much of a scene and I told her I hoped she didn’t get treated like that often. Which probably wasn’t the best move, but I always felt honesty was the best policy. But we also ended up talking about a lot of shit that night. We just clicked.”
“It was. I just wasn’t fully ready to hear it yet.” She says reluctantly. “And I did kind of take your advice. It was complicated. It took a few months before we were completely over.”
“But she was hanging out with us! My new best friends… because then Micky was around more often and it turned out we had a lot in common. She said no fucking chance in hell is this weirdo catching feelings for me.” He laughs. “Chaperoning us…”
“More like I wasn’t catching feelings for you. Because then the curse strikes. Remember?”
“Fuck off with that damn curse. I told you that ain’t real.”
“To be fair you literally did hit on her like twenty times in the first hour we were all together mister oh baby I’ll run away with you? What the fuck was that about? It’s a miracle she agreed to hang out with y’all to begin with.”
“It was the offer of food.” Huntleigh shrugs. “Mostly the smores. Also we did end up ditching out for a weekend in Kentucky, you were the first boy that I ever left the state with that I wasn’t related to.”
“Yeah… that was the best night of my life.” Drew says with a smile and Kinnley flicks him in between the eyes? Okay then. “That weekend was one of the best. Probably top three. I’d do it again. I don’t care if your parents threw books at me again. I’d risk it. Totally worth it. All to see you smile like that.”
“That’s still my sister pervert. Also, you better tell someone next time. Otherwise, it won’t be her parents you need to worry about.”
“I’m so confused…” Huntleigh whispers, fighting back a yawn as she slides her jacket back on and rests her head on the table. “But does that answer your question playboy?” She asks glancing at Trent.
“It does. But I got one more?”
“Go for it.”
“What do you like about Connor?”
“Are you sure you want to know the answer to that?”
“Yes.”
“He’s magnetic. I find him intriguing.”
“And what about his physical appearance? Come on? The man can take it.”
“You want me to critique him?”
“Yeah… you’re the one who said you don’t just go off looks. But surely they play a part? Come on? Line us up?”
“You’re asking to get your feelings hurt in this Trent.” I laugh.
“I’m curious. What is it that first attracted her to you?”
“If there’s one thing I know about my sister it’s that, the truck was the first thing she noticed.” Jake laughs. “Isn’t that, right?”
“It was the truck, then the boots…”
“Probably his ass next…” Drew says.
“I was not looking at his ass! I’m not some perv.”
“Bullshit! You know you enjoy a good look every now and again!” Drew teases. “She’s a little freak when she wants to be. Don’t let her shy nature fool you. You should read her blog… better yet her book!”
“Shut it! That is my sister!” Both boys yell at the same time.
“Then count your blessings someone never grabbed your ass while you were drinking and made you spew moonshine out of your fucking nose!”
“You’re not even telling the full story!” Huntleigh defends with a smile. “Ten minutes before that you literally threw me over your shoulder and nearly dropped me on my head.”
“No! I would never.”
“You dropped me! You’re lucky the bed was there. And then you tried to freaking tickle me? Who does that?”
“I was showing my best friend that I loved her so much and I was going to miss her when she went to West Virgina for three weeks for her birthday! And I couldn’t go with.”
“Were y’all dating? This sounds like shit couples do.” Trent asks.
“No, we didn’t start dating until she was twenty-two? Right? Was that when we made it official?”
“I actually don’t know. I don’t remember when it was, I just remember how. You got pissed off at that guy who would not stop calling me after one date, that went horribly. And one night he was blowing up my phone and when he asked for nudes you sent him a video flashing him.”
“Oh yeah! I remember that. It’s ‘cause he kept sending you dick pics and asking for pics in return. So, I was like, aye, he wants it? I’ll fix this.”
“Did you tell him you were her boyfriend?” I ask confused.
“Nah I did one better, I got her to film me stripping. We paused the movie so I could make this guy leave her alone, he was interrupting my night okay?”
“You two weren’t watching that movie at all were ya?” Trent laughs.
“We were. I was.” Huntleigh says.
“You were not. You were being a menace, showing me those photos you took when you were out of town?”
“Doesn’t mean I wasn’t watching the movie.” She shrugs. “I can multitask?”
“I can’t.”
“I get the feeling we’re edging very close to dangerous conversation territory here again. Get back to how you scared this person off and ended up making it official since one of you remembers some of it and the other one remembers all of it?” Jake says.
“She handed me her phone and told me to open the message. I was mortified. So, after a mild freak out. I grabbed the phone, put it on video and gave it to Le. Said something along the lines of, you want a nude? I’ll give you a nude. Gave the guy a strip show. Full nude! And I sent it to him. Made him cry.”
“My hero.”
“Told you it was a knight in shining armor thing.” Trent murmured.
“So you sent your own nudes, and it made that person leave her alone?”
“Oh, it wasn’t his body that made it stop, it was how Drew was standing and talking. Because someone decided that it would be funny to act like Smigel. In the nude. After stripping really seriously… and it was the funniest shit ever. I was like yeah. I’m down to be his girlfriend.”
“Did you seriously do that?” Kinnley asks between laughs. “In front of her? Have you no shame?”
“No? Me and Le? The privacy wall kind of dropped the first night she ever crashed at my house, and I was being a gentlemen and everything letting her sleep in my bed and I was going to sleep on the couch, then she tells me I can stay. Which I did so hesitantly, it’s a king size bed so there’s plenty of space, so I stayed in my little corner. Then she’s half asleep and takes her pants off. Then in the middle of the night I wake up with an arm around me and DROOL! Drool! On my chest! Drool. She drooled on me.”
“Oh shut up. You drool all the time.”
“It was the first time you ever shared a bed with me! You drooled on me, and you had your arm and leg over me!” He lowers his voice attempting (and failing) to whisper. “With lacy underwear? Why? What is wrong with you?”
“It was the first time we spent the night together. We’d fallen asleep together before with you lying on my stomach. And you can’t act like you never saw me in my underwear! Or bathing suits that were less than that!”
“Your stomach is comfy. Even when Bobdor is making his presence known. And I usually close my eyes! I’m a gentleman! It’s different!”
“Bobdor?” I genuinely love this group of people. “Also is this how it always is around here?”
“Oh yeah. They’re always like this.” Harry says with a smile.
“Bobdor is the dragon that lives in her stomach. He’s pretty vocal.” Drew says nodding his head.
“Why do you have to tell Connor that?” She asks with a sigh.
“Because he’s going to figure it out sooner or later? Bobdor is a part of you. He is not something to be ashamed of. We love Bobdor. Don’t be self-conscious. Right? Tell her I’m right Mick?”
“I’m not getting involved in this.”
“Fine, but you know I’m right. Bobdor be talking a lot. Y’all probably heard him tonight and didn’t say anything.” His eyes bug out like he’s telling a ghost story. “But what were we talking about?”
“Nothing. Just nothing.” She says, resting her head on her arms.

I couldn’t help but laugh. This group was so relatable, they felt like home. A very mindful yet blissful group. The wholesome and blunt nature of the conversations. They were all very close and relied heavily on each other. Trent was right, I miss that. The way their stories bounced off each other and the way they blend together yet stand on their own. Something to be held tightly.

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Thank you so much for reading if you made it this far comment below what you think attracted Huntleigh to Connor in the first place? What makes him so magnetic to her?

I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it and I hope your holiday season went smoothly! I’m excited to be back to posting ❤️

Okay with all that being said I will see you all next time. I hope you have a lovely day or night whenever you read this.

As always stay safe, love hard and protect your peace<3

XOXO Hails