Longing For The Beach Billionaire Daddy
Chapter 57

*Shelby*

“Oh, my God! Look at you,” Lin shouted as I walked through the front door. “You are so tan!”

She squealed as she pulled me into a huge hug. I wrapped my arms around her and squeezed her back.

“I missed you, Lin,” I said.

“I missed you too. The apartment has felt so empty without you here,” she said, finally letting me out of the hug.

“I bet; how long do you have until you have to leave to go see your family? I was worried that I wouldn’t catch you before you left,” I said, pulling my suitcase, which I’d abandoned in the hallway, into the apartment and shutting the door.

“I decided to put that off for a few more days so I could spend some time with you before I go home,” Lin said, turning away from me and heading toward our living room. I knew she had done this on purpose to avoid looking me in the eye.

“Lin, what do you mean you put it off? Isn’t your family expecting you? You told me your brother was coming this year and everything,” I said as I collapsed onto our couch. I was exhausted from the train ride, but getting rest could wait; Lin clearly needed to talk.

“He is, and I am really excited to see him and his kids again, but I don’t really want to face my mom right now,” Lin admitted.

“I thought you two had smoothed things over,” I said, confused.

Lin hadn’t told her mom that she had switched her major while we were at NYU from premed to political science. Then when she told her parents that she was accepted into Harvard, they assumed it was into the medical program. Lin let them continue thinking that until about a month ago when her mom accidentally opened Lin’s tuition statement. Lin’s mom quickly realized that the classes Lin was taking were for a degree in law, not medicine.

“Yeah, after a few hours of fighting on the phone, we got things worked out. It is just that this is the first time I am going home since that all happened, so this is the first time I have to face her in person,” Lin said, playing with a tassel on the corner of one of our throw pillows.

Lin didn’t show when she was nervous very often, and it was only because we had been roommates so long that I picked up on her tells. Fidgeting was something Lin only did when she was very nervous.

“I am sure it will be fine. It is Christmas, so there will be so much going on, especially with your brother’s kids, that I am sure it will take a lot of the heat off,” I said, hoping this was actually true.

“Yeah, the grandkids sure keep my mom on her toes,” Lin nodded in agreement.

“Plus, your brother will stand up for you, won’t he? He knew all along what you were really studying. He has always been super supportive, Lin,” I added.

“He is the only reason I dare go at all, but you’re right; he will have my back,” Lin said and then set the tassel down.

“There is just one thing I still don’t understand,” I said.

“Why would my family be so upset that I am going to school to become a lawyer rather than a doctor?” Lin asked my question for me.

“Wel,l yeah…. Most parents would be thrilled to replace out that their kid was going to law school, especially at one of the Ivy League schools. I just don’t understand why you had to hide it from them in the first place.”

“Most of my family members are doctors. My grandpa was a doctor, and so was his dad. My dad went down the same path, and so did my perfect brother. My family actually owns a pretty big private practice, and they hoped that after I became a doctor, I could become a partner. I never wanted that though; b***d and touching people, in general, have always given me the icks.”

“Why not just tell them that from the start?” I asked.

“Because they were the ones paying for my tuition…” Lin admitted as she started picking at the tassel on the pillow again.

“Oh, and you were afraid if you told them the truth, they would stop paying your way through school?”

“Yeah, it was really shitty of me, I know.”

“I don’t know if I would go that far, Lin. It is not like you took off and went backpacking across Europe. You are still doing something really amazing with your time at school. You should be proud of that. I am sure your parents will come around. Plus, if they were really that upset, don’t you think they would have already cut you off?”

“That is true; they haven’t cut me off,” Lin said, then suddenly smiled. “But hey, that backpacking idea sounds pretty great; maybe we should go for spring break.”

I laughed at Lin’s obvious change of subject, but I was glad to see that she seemed happier now that we had talked about her family situation.

“That sounds like a plan to me,” I said.

“Speaking of trips, how did it go in New York?”

“It was really nice. We just spent our last day together shopping and going to an elegant dinner. It wasn’t quite like Hawaii, but I am just glad we were together.”

I’d filled Lin in on the fight I had with Michael in Hawaii, and how I decided to go to New York, so we could make up.

“And the makeup s*x?” Lin asked with a wry smile.

My face was heated at the thought of the car ride from the airport.

“Oh, my God, Shelb. You did have makeup s*x, didn’t you?” she asked with a laugh.

I smiled, “In the car ride leaving the airport.”

“Good for you,” Lin said with a smirk. “Honestly, it is too bad you didn’t get to stay in Hawaii together, though. If you two would have spent another night there together, I guarantee that you would have come home engaged.”

“Lin, we have only been actually dating for a few months. I am sure Michael hasn’t even thought about things getting that serious between us,” I said, but I didn’t dare mention that there were quite a few moments that I thought about what it would have been like, had Michael proposed on our trip.

“Well, if he hasn’t thought about it yet, he isn’t as smart as I gave him credit for,” Lin said and tossed the pillow at me.

“Lin we are just happy to get any time together at all. Things are still really new. We haven’t even lived in the same city for our entire relationship.”

“So when do you get to see him again?” Lin asked.

“He actually invited me to go and stay with him for Christmas. He wants me to meet his family,” I admitted.

“Shelby! Shut up! That is huge! Why didn’t you tell me before?” Lin squealed, nearly bouncing out of her seat.

“Lin, calm down,” I laughed. “It didn’t come up until just now. He asked me last night, and I said that I would. I am honestly really nervous. This is a really big step for us.”

“It is a good step,” Lin said reassuringly.

“I hope it is a good decision,” I said softly, taking my turn to fidget with the strands on the pillow.

“Well, if it isn’t, and something goes wrong, just call me, and I will come and get you. I would love more than anything to have an excuse to get out of going home for Christmas,” Lin said with a sarcastic laugh.

“Thanks,” I said, and I couldn’t stop myself from smiling at my friend.

***

I stood shaking in the cold elevator next to Lin, whose sequined dress set sparkles scattering across the metallic walls.

“Why is it that we never seem to remember to put on jackets before we leave for a party?” I asked, rubbing my arms, trying to create a little bit of heat.

“A jacket would ruin our outfits,” Lin said as though the answer was obvious.

“I think I should have risked ruining my outfit,” I laughed, and Lin joined in.

“Don’t worry. I am sure it will be much warmer once we get into the party,” Lin reassured me as the elevator doors opened.

As soon as we stepped into the hallway, I could hear the music blaring from an apartment down the hall. The entire building must be rented out by other students; otherwise, I was sure there would have already been a noise complaint to shut the party down.

“Whose party is this again?” I asked Lin as we headed toward the music.

“His name is Dylan. He’s only got one more year left before graduating, and he has not wasted a second of it,” Lin said. “He throws the best parties.”

“Right,” I said, slightly uncomfortable.

We walked past people stumbling their way down the hallway, laughing. They were clearly having a good time. I tried my best to put on a happy face for Lin, even though I would have much rather spent my night cuddled up in bed, catching up on sleep.

“It will be fun, Shelb. We only have a few days of the break together until I have to drive home,” Lin said, jutting out a fake pouting l*p.

“You’re right,” I said, mustering a smile. “Let’s go have some fun.”

Lin smiled and opened the door, immediately running into people that she knew. As she started up a conversation, I made my way back to the kitchen, looking for a drink. I poured one for me and Lin and made my way back to her.

“You have got to be kidding me,” Lin said as she laughed at a joke someone in the group had just told.

I handed the drink to Lin, joining the group next to her.

“Hey everyone, this is my best friend Shelby,” Lin said, introducing me to the group.

I smiled and started talking with a few of the people I recognized from shared classes. I felt someone’s eyes on me and turned to replace I was right. I was being watched.

A tall boy with brown hair and an athletic build stared right at me, not shying away when our eyes met. The smirk on his face told me that he knew exactly how attractive he was, and he was used to getting attention for it. I instantly recognized him, especially after spending an evening having drinks with his father.

It was Jerrick Hastings.