Journey Read Online Free

them haul it home.”
                  “How convenient,” I smirk.
                  Lexie’s eyebrows lift as she turns her attention to Jack.  “Jackie boy!  Fancy meeting you here.”
                  Jack’s defined stomach moves in front of my line of sight, causing my breath to hitch, as he gives Lexie a hug.  “Crazy, isn’t it?”
                  “My god, Jack, I think you’re more ripped than last year.  How is it that you keep getting hotter each year?”
                  “I’m like a fine wine, I suppose.”  Jack winks at me and turns his attention to the other girls.  “Emily, Anna, good to see you.  Can I help you with anything?”
                  Emily’s face turns to relief, but quickly back to aggravation when Anna answers, “We’re fine.  Just point us in the right direction.”
                  “You’re looking at it,” I say, pointing to the patio directly behind us.
                  “That’s where you’re staying?” Lexie gasps.  “You sure know how to treat a lady, don’t you, Jackie?”
                  Jack shrugs, “I do what I can.  Let me walk you ladies over there and show you where you can put your things.”
                  My eyes thank Jack as he grins, moving past me.  A server from the property comes by to take our drink order.  I ask for a round of piña coladas for everyone and attempt to pay, but the young man informs me that he has strict instructions that everything will be on Jack’s tab.   He is too sweet.  It’s not as though I haven’t been wined and dined before by men, but they tend to make an overt display of their generosity and remind me of it each time they get the chance.  Jack does things that are thoughtful and thinks nothing beyond it.  At least, in the few interactions I’ve had with him, that’s how he is.  I truly don’t know him outside of “vacation Jack,” so he could be a completely different person back home, but something tells me that he is genuine.
                  “Holy ho-nuggets, that place is awesome!” Lexie exclaims, now wearing a swimsuit and laying her towel in a lounger beside me.
    “Where’s Jack?”
    Lexie rolls her eyes, clearly annoyed.  “He’s helping Anna get all of her things organized and in place in her own bedroom.  Like she needs it...  She’s not even staying here.  I hope you don’t mind, but I just threw my stuff in the master bedroom.”
    “She has her own room?  There’s more than one?”  I’m confused.
    “No, I just made that up.  Yes, Journey, there’s more than one bedroom.  Did you not see the entire place?”
    “Not exactly…  We were a little preoccupied.”
    “I bet you were.  The place has three floors.  How did you miss that?”  Lexie turns and motions behind us.  “Those balconies are all part of the same unit, and there’s a rooftop patio with a hot tub up there.”  
    Huh?  How was I so oblivious to all of that?  I turn, looking over my shoulder, to see the balconies when I spot Emily step out onto the third one with Jack.  Emily waves excitedly.  I return with a slighter one.  I hold my hands to my sides with my palms up, mouthing “What the hell?” to Jack.  Jack simply smirks and tilts his head in a smooth, it-was-nothing motion.
    “Seriously, girl, you so lucked out with him,” Lexie tells me as she puts on suntan lotion.
    “Yeah…too bad he’s just a fling.”  I return my attention to the rolling waves in front of me.  “Here, let me get your back for you, Lex.”
    Lexie hands the bottle of lotion to me and sits on the front of my chaise cushion.  “I wish I could score an annual ‘fling.’”  Lexie makes air quotes with her fingers.
    I want to ask Lexie what she’s hinting at, but I already know.  She always tells me that she suspects there’s more going on between Jack and me, but I