Just for the Summer (Chasing Carolina #0.5) Read online

  By Danielle Jamie

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Epilogue-Chase

  Epilogue-Ashlynn

  Acknowledgement

  Wasted Love-Sneak Peek

  Savaged-Nacole Stayton

  License Note:

  This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and you did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for supporting and respecting the hard work of this author.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales, is entirely coincidental.

  Note:

  The characters, places, situations and events of this story are developed materializations of my imagination and, therefore, belong entirely to me. Distribution of this story is only permitted with my written consent, and any use of the aforementioned factors must be approved of also. Please do not steal; I shouldn’t be punished for your lack of originality and dedication.

  Disclaimer:

  I don’t own any of the name brands i.e. Nike, Victoria Secret, etc. that might appear in the story.

  Copyright

  Just For The Summer

  A Chasing Carolina Novella 0.5

  Just For The Summer is a work of fiction. Names, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  2014 Danielle Jamie eBook edition

  Copyright © 2014 Danielle Jamie Wright

  All Rights Reserved

  Published in the United States by Danielle Jamie, Mineville NY

  Cover Design by: Perfect Pear Creative Design

  Edited By: Kayla Robichaux AKA Kayla the Bibliophile

  Interior Formatting By: Kassi Cooper of Kassi’s Kandids Formatting

  ISBN: 9781310565724

  In every girls life; there’s a boy she’ll never forget

  and a summer where it all began.

  -Unknown

  “HURRY YOUR BUTTS UP! I want to get down to the beach,” Tamara, one of my sorority sisters, yells before slamming the passenger side door. She stomps up the wooden stairs to the deck of the beach house we’re renting for the entire month of July, with her suitcase in one hand and her makeup bag in the other.

  We just drove over seven hours from Athens, where we all attend the University of Georgia together and are proud members of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority. What should’ve been a five hour drive turned into seven thanks to a car full of girls who all had to stop a million times to pee and get iced coffees—hence all the peeing!

  Tamara, Nikki, and Becca are my sorority sisters, and have been my best friends since freshman year. We’re four of the most different girls you’ll ever meet, and somehow, our quirkiness drew us to one another, and now we’re inseparable.

  “Thank God that storm coming in changed course; now we can spend the rest of the day on the beach. My ass is numb from sitting in that damn car. I need to frolic around on the beach and look for some hotties to party with tonight,” Becca says as she sets her suitcases on the ground beside the SUV.

  She packed her entire room, I think. I just grabbed bikinis, shorts, tanks, sundresses, and a few pairs of jeans and hoodies for windy nights. She has an entire suitcase just for stilettos! Who wears heels at the beach? The only heels I packed are some wedged sandals. I plan on living in flip-flops or being barefooted the entire month.

  We’ve saved up for this trip since we got back from Daytona in April. We’re renting this beach house for just the four of us. I have a feeling the summer of 2010 is going to be the best summer of our lives. Becca and I are the only single ones here. Tamara and Nikki are both very much in love with their meathead boyfriends, and have been complaining about being away from them. The guys are in a fraternity together, and they all took a trip to Cancun.

  I told them before they graduate, settle down, and start popping out mini football players they need to have a real girls-only getaway. We’re only nineteen, for crying out loud. We’re too young to be tied down to boys. I dumped my loser boyfriend four months ago. While we were all in Daytona together for spring break, the asshole slept with some chick he met at a wet t-shirt contest one of the local dive bars held.

  I learned quickly college boys only care about one thing, and that is sex. They may claim to love you and have eyes for only one girl, but let’s be honest—is it really logical to believe a twenty-year-old college guy is going to be monogamous?

  All my friends rallied around me and helped calm me down. When I walked into my hotel room Evan and I were sharing with Tamara and her boyfriend Reggie and found Evan having sex with the bottle blonde from the bar, I flipped. I felt as if I was a football player running full-force at the scumbag and the skank he was with.

  The look of shock on his face was priceless. He jumped up, wrapping the comforter around himself as he tried to come up with an excuse or reason he was cheating on me with a chick he only knew for about an hour. I didn’t want to hear it. I stomped up to him and smacked him straight across his lying, cheating face. Then, I turned to the girl who was just banging my boyfriend and told her I hoped she enjoyed his pencil dick, because he was all hers now.

  I was fuming as Tamara, Becca, and Nikki dragged me out of the room. Every inch of me was screaming to claw his eyes out. Looking back, I’m glad they pulled me out of that hotel room, because more than likely, I would’ve ended up sitting in jail for assault.

  We changed rooms, of course, because who wants to sleep in the bed their boyfriend had just fucked some slut in? Then we spent the remainder of spring break partying it up and having the best week of our lives. Being two years away from legally buying my own drinks means nothing when you’re a girl. Guys are more than willing to buy you drinks, whether they are twenty-one and up, or just have a really convincing fake ID.

  I don’t think I’ve bought myself a drink the last four months we’ve been going out. Nikki’s brother loaded up my car with beer, a few bottles of Malibu Rum—my personal favorite, because I can make a million different drinks with it—and a few bottles of Grey Goose Vodka.

  This summer is going to be nothing but fun in the sun!

  As soon as we finish unloading the car, I’m making myself a drink and going to tan on the beach. I love having the beach right at our doorstep. By the time we head back to Athens, I’m going to be rocking the best beach tan, which should last well into fall.

  “Is that everything?” Nikki asks, slamming the back passenger door.

  “The only thing left is the boxes of alcohol.” I drape my beach tote over my shoulder, grab my two suitcases, and wheel them towards the house, with Nikki not far behind me.

  The second we step into the beach house, the energy is explosive. Tamara already has the stereo on in the living room blasting Ke$ha’s Blah Blah Blah and all the windows open, letting the salty sea breeze blow into the house. We found a rental with three bedrooms—two with full size beds, and one with two twin
beds. We decided on the car ride over that Becca would get one of the rooms by herself, because she is the world’s biggest slob. That girl…I don’t think she’s used a closet in her whole life. Her entire wardrobe is always on the floor.

  Tamara and Nikki offered to take the twin beds and give me the other private room, since my parents paid the deposit on the beach house for us. No one in their right mind would rent out their gorgeous beach house to four nineteen-year-olds, so Mom and Dad set it up for us.

  “You girlies hurry up and get your swimsuits on. I’ll run down to the car and grab the alcohol so we can officially kick off our summer vacation!” Becca shouts over the music, flashing us all a devilish grin before pushing open the screen door and hurrying down to my car.

  Her father gave her a credit card for ‘emergencies’, and for Becca, that would equal bail money. She has been known to get a little too drunk at campus parties and lose her clothes. She’s been in trouble with the campus police more than a dozen times over the last two years.

  In record time, all of us are changed and back in the kitchen, playing bartender as we get to work mixing our drinks. With a red solo cup in one hand, and a beach tote and folding chair in the other, we trudge down towards the water.

  It’s gorgeous out today, with a little cloud coverage, so the sun isn’t continuously beating down on us. There’s a warm, salty breeze rolling off of the water that instantly helps me relax. There’s just something about the smell of the ocean and the sound of the waves rolling up to the shore that just sets a peaceful calm over me.

  We all open up our lawn chairs and plop down in them just at the shoreline so we can dip our toes in the water and sip on our cocktails. I’m drinking a Malibu Bay Breeze; it’s one of my absolute favorite drinks. Anything with pineapple in it, I’ll drink. I added blended ice instead of cubed, which is perfect for a hot and humid day like today.

  Luckily for us, the beach is semi-private where our place is, with only people who live here or are renting a beach house allowed to use it. It’s way unlike when we stayed in Daytona at a condo on the main beach, where a thousand bodies crammed together on the sand.

  We spend the entire afternoon down by the water soaking up the sun and enjoying doing absolutely nothing after being trapped in a car for seven very long hours. Only after our stomachs begin to rumble do we pull ourselves away. It’s almost six-thirty at night, so we decide to head up to the house, shower, and go out somewhere for dinner.

  Four girls getting ready is not a speedy process. After almost an hour and a half, we’re finally dressed and ready to explore Myrtle Beach.

  Just as we’re making our way down the tall deck stairs that lead down to the driveway, we spot a group of guys climbing out of a speedboat that is now parked at a dock in front of the house next door.

  “Damn. Why am I not single?” I hear Nikki mumble as we all gawk at the three guys, who are wearing nothing but board shorts and flip-flops. They all have sunglasses on and beers inside koozies in their hands as they make their way up the beach towards the two-story house to the right of ours.

  I glance at their driveway and notice a yellow Suzuki crotch rocket and two other vehicles, a jacked up red Silverado, and a black Mustang convertible.

  “Well, we’re single and definitely ready to mingle, right, Ashlynn?” Becca hints, elbowing me and giving me a cheeky grin. I just shake my head and let out a soft chuckle.

  They are definitely easy on the eyes. All three of them are very nicely toned and tan. If I had to guess, I’d say they’re all around our age. The idea of partying with them makes this summer getaway look even better.

  “They’re all hot. Do you think they had some type of interview process, ‘Only good-looking dudes allowed in this bromance’? I definitely wouldn’t kick any of them out of my bed,” I say, laughing as I press the button on my keys, unlocking the doors of my Explorer.

  Just as we get about halfway down the stairs, the group of guys, who are laughing at something tall, tanned, and extremely good-looking just said, spot us four dorks staring at them. I think we all need a bib to catch the drool that’s dribbling down our chins right now.

  They all flash us mega-watt smiles that sparkle in the slowly setting sunlight. This time of year, it stays daylight out until almost nine-thirty at night, so we have one more hour until the sky turns dark and the board walk of Myrtle Beach lights up.

  We all squeal and scurry down the stairs to my car just as the guys raise their hands and give us a small wave. “Welcome to Myrtle Beach, ladies!” the guy with shorter dark hair shouts across to us. The other two just wave and keep smiling. Just that alone has short circuited our brains.

  Waving back at them, we quickly climb into my car, and I waste no time starting it up.

  “Holy shit, they are hot!” Tamara says, staring straight ahead at the area the guys were just standing before they disappeared into their house. It’s as if she believes if she keeps staring, they’ll magically reappear. Just as the thought pops into my head—BAM!—out comes all three sun-kissed Greek gods onto the large wraparound deck with platters in their hands as they head over to a grill.

  “Hurry up and start moving the damn car, Ashlynn, before they think we’re weirdoes sitting in a car just staring at them,” Nikki snaps at me from the back seat.

  I shift the car into reverse to back out of our driveway, but before I can move my foot off of the brake, my eyes lock with the gorgeous man with ocean blue eyes and dirty blonde hair standing at the grill. The color of his eyes pop against his tanned skin, and for a moment, I get lost in them before Tamara slaps me on the arm and brings me out of my trance.

  “Ashlynn, start driving before I end up settling for cannibalism. I’m freaking starving!”

  MY PHONE BLASTING WATER by Brad Paisley beside my head wakes me and instantly I curse at it and whoever the fuck is calling me so early in the fricking morning.

  Blinking, I try to clear my blurry vision and smack my hand around my nightstand in an attempt to find my phone without having to move too much.

  “Hello,” I croak out, my voice rough and hoarse.

  “Chase! It’s already after eleven in the morning. Get your ass out of bed, fucker. We’re ready to go out on the boat.”

  Rolling onto my back, I stretch and let out a loud groan. I can’t believe I slept until eleven. That’s what I get for staying out until four in the morning.

  “Why the hell are you calling me? Do your legs and arms not fucking work?” I ask Vance, my best friend and roommate for the summer.

  “Parker and I are chilling on the deck, watching the babes from next door. They are looking hot as ever. They’re standing down in the water right now picking up seashells or something. It’s hard to tell from way back here. Drag your sorry ass out of bed and get out here. Maybe we can convince them to go out on the boat with us.

  I hear him laugh into the phone at something Parker says in the background. I am tired as shit and pissed off he woke me up, interrupting the hot ass dream I was just having about blondie next door. That girl is smokin’. I already warned both of my boys to keep their hands off that one. There are three other chicks staying at the beach house next to ours they can go after, but the cute blonde is all mine.

  The idea of getting her in nothing but a bikini on my boat is enough motivation to get me out of bed. “I’ll be right down. I’m going to jump in the shower real quick.” Hanging up, I climb out of bed and head into the bathroom.

  As soon as I finish showering, I throw on a pair of board shorts and flip-flops before heading downstairs. I eat a microwavable breakfast sandwich, and then brush my teeth before heading outside to join my boys.

  “Finally. We already loaded the cooler up with beer. Do you want me to text the girls we partied with last night, or try and get the girls from next door to go out with us?” Vance asks as he stands up from the patio chair and glances over the railing towards our neighbors, who are now sunbathing on beach towels.

  My eyes immediat
ely lock onto the gorgeous blonde. One thing I am a sucker for is a pretty blonde with a nice rack and a beautiful smile. She is all of that and then some.

  We saw them yesterday tanning on the beach when we were tossing the football around before we went out tubing, and I noticed her watching me more than a few times. We said hello to them once again while they laid out all oiled up in barely-there bikinis. I loved how her cheeks blushed when I gave her a grin. She was lying on her stomach, propped up on her elbows and reading a book when we approached them. I didn’t hide the fact I was staring at her tits the entire time either.

  Now, sliding my fingers through my damp hair, I head towards the stairs. “Let’s see if they’re down for hanging with us before we text those other chicks.”

  I grab a cooler and quickly bound down the stairs towards the beach, while Parker and Vance follow right behind me with the second cooler and a bag of snacks for the boat. We work up quite the appetite wakeboarding.

  As we approach the girls, they stop mid-conversation and gawk up at us. I find it adorable how shy they get around us. We’re not blind, and we are slightly conceited. We know we’re hot, and find it entertaining when girls get all flustered around us.

  “Hey, ladies. My boys and I are off to spend the afternoon on my boat to do some tubing and wakeboarding. Would y’all want to join us?” I ask while holding the cooler in my arms, keeping my eyes solely focused on blondie.

  They all glance at one another, silently asking what they should do. There hasn’t been a girl yet who’s turned down the chance to spend the afternoon with Chase Kenzington, and I doubt that streak will be broken today.

  I swear they hold out on answering just to torture us.

  “Come on, ladies. You can tan just as easily on Chase’s boat as you could here on the beach. Plus, who doesn’t like tubing?” Parker asks flirtatiously.

  I don’t beg. Never have. Never will. So if these chicks say no, I’ll have the three girls from the boardwalk last night here in no time and ready to party.