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Story: The Riskiest Move
CHAPTER 1
CHRISTINE
G rabbing my best friend’s hand, I yank him over the threshold. “I thought you’d never get here.”
“What’s the emergency?” Nelson asks as I shut my bedroom door.
“My mom and stepdad have decided we’re spending Christmas in Virginia Beach at my new stepbrother’s house.”
He lowers into the chair behind my desk. “Yeah… so?”
I plop onto my bed. “As if it wasn’t bad enough that they’re making me move in with him for my first semester of grad school, now they’ve moved up the timeline by two weeks.”
His dark-blond eyebrows dip together in a frown. “When are you leaving?”
“The day after tomorrow,” I say, sighing.
“Come on, Chris, it won’t be that bad.” He tries to console me.
I let out a groan. “You don’t know that.”
“Maybe not, but I know how much you love learning, and your classes will take up much of your time. Even if you dislike living with your stepbrother, you’re sure to enjoy school.”
He has a point. I’m excited about attending Virginia Beach University and all the knowledge I’m sure to gain. I’ve been called a nerd for most of my life, but I consider that title a badge of honor.
“I guess that’s true. But I’m looking at spending an inordinate amount of time stuck in my bedroom. Correction: his guest room.”
“You do that here too, so what’s the difference?” he challenges with a smirk.
I shoot him a quick glare. “You suck at this best friend thing. Where’s a girl friend when I need one?”
He laughs. “I think you mean I’m the best friend you could have because I call you on your shit and don’t let you feel sorry for yourself. Boo hoo, you’re going to be spending the next five months living in some killer house with your professional athlete stepbrother. Sounds like first-world problems to me.”
My chin drops to my chest with a resigned sigh. He’s one hundred percent right. I’m being ridiculous. I could be living in a house with a handful of students I don’t know. At least I only have to deal with one person. And as a bonus, while I haven’t met him yet, I know he’s a law-abiding citizen.
I look at Nelson and nod. “You’re right. I have no reason to complain. I guess I’m nervous about living with someone I don’t know. I lived at home while getting my bachelor’s degree, so I’ve never had to do this before.”
“Think of it as a new life experience and potential material for the book you want to write.”
“Shh,” I hush him. “That’s a secret.” No one besides Nelson knows about my dream of writing a steamy romance novel.
He holds his hands up in an apologetic manner, then speaks in a softer tone. “You have to admit it’s a good idea, though. A new location and all new life experiences.”
“It could be helpful,” I agree, while my insides anxiously turn at the thought. I like my life just fine the way it is. While many consider predictability to be a negative quality, for me it’s like wearing my favorite hoodie and fuzzy slippers. My routine creates a sense of comfort and security that’s important to me. Moving to another state and starting from scratch is going to put an end to all of that. I place my hand over my stomach to settle the wave of nausea creeping up on me.
“What’s wrong? You look like you’re freaking out,” Nelson says.
“That’s because I am. How am I going to do this without you? Can you come with me?”
He rises and crosses the room, sitting beside me on the mattress. His arm slips around my back and my head goes to his shoulder. “You need to relax. Everything will be fine. I promise.”
“You do?” I whisper.
“Yep. As much as I’m going to miss you, I have a good feeling about it all.”
“Will you come visit me?”
“Of course I will.” His arm tightens around me in a gentle squeeze. “How about I help you knock out the rest of your packing and then we go grab a pizza?”
Raising my head, I nod. “Sounds like a plan.”