Chapter 50

It's been a long time, I know. Might as well figure that I'll only be updating every other week or so. Things are not slowing down for me, and now the holidays are coming up. Please don't hate me!










I pulled up behind Sidney’s car in the driveway. I’d had a permanent smile on my face ever since we’d gotten to the outskirts of Halifax. I took a moment to take in the sight of the house that was about to be my home for the next few months. Somehow my smile grew as I got out of the car and opened the door to let Bauer out of the back.

“It’s so good to be home,” Sidney said, walking over and putting his arm around me.

“Yes, it is,” I responded. He looked over at me, that crooked smile of his on his face.

“Still think it feels like home?” he asked.

“Even more so now.” He gave me a quick kiss and we turned to begin to unpack the cars.

When Sidney and I had met up for dinner on the night of the last party, I’d been trying to figure out how to word that I’d gotten a job in Cole Harbour so that he’d ask me to move there with him. I didn’t want to just invite myself in case he didn’t want me there. We sat around a table with the rest of the team, and it was nearly impossible to find a way to bring it up. That was until he did.

“Please don’t lecture me for asking what I’m going to ask. I realize that you’re going to say no, but I just have to ask,” he’d started.

“Ask what?” I questioned, confused.

“Move in with me this summer.” It took me a moment to respond because I was so surprised. Was it really going to be that easy?

“Yes.” Sidney sighed and shrugged at my answer.

“Misty, I know I said I don’t want a lecture, but can you at least explain to me why?” he wondered. Then his eyebrows shot up as he realized what I'd said. “Wait, what?” I bit back a laugh.

“I said yes,” I repeated.

“I don’t understand.” He looked genuinely confused, like he’d been ready to fight about it. This time I did laugh.

“I talked to Zara today. She said Walker’s family will give me a job,” I explained. A grin spread over his face.

“So you’re coming home with me this summer?” he checked.

“I’m coming home with you this summer,” I confirmed.

Sidney’s family showed up not long after our arrival and helped us bring our stuff inside while Sam and Bauer reunited and ran around outside. Trina and Taylor were overjoyed that I was going to be there all summer again, while Troy seemed to be avoiding me. I didn’t understand that since I thought we’d cleared everything up last summer and come to some sort of understanding. Apparently that understanding only lasted until I actually started dating his son.

Once everything was in the house and we’d sat out by the water talking for a bit, his family headed back home to start preparing for dinner while we continued to unpack. Sidney made room for me in the master bedroom and bathroom and I combined my stuff with his. We had to work out a compromise as far as how much space I got in the closet compared to his.

“Geez, I give an inch, you take a mile!” he complained after a 10 minute argument about how much of the closet was filled with my stuff.

“You won’t even use all the space I left for you!” I argued. He laughed and pulled me into him.

“This is the best argument we’ve ever had,” he joked. I knew exactly what he meant.

“If you’re not careful, I’ll move all my stuff into one of the guest rooms and we can just be roommates,” I teased.

“Roommates that sleep together though, right?” I punched him lightly on the arm with a laugh before getting back to putting my stuff away.

We spent the rest of the night with his family, which mostly consisted of Troy talking only to people with the last name of Crosby, and me trying to find a way to join in the conversation every chance I got. By the time we’d left I’d come to the conclusion that Troy, once again, hated me.

“He doesn’t hate you,” Sidney told me as we walked into the house. I just gave him a look that said ‘are you kidding me’? “He’s just worried that we’re moving too fast.”

“I’m not going to fight about your father. He’ll feel how he feels no matter what I do or say, so I’m just going to suck it up and deal with it. It still would have been nice to know ahead of time…..” I said, letting my voice trail off at the end.

“I’m sorry I didn’t warn you. I was afraid you wouldn’t come if you knew,” Sid explained.

“From now on, we’re going to have a full disclosure agreement. No secrets because we’re scared of consequences. There’s been enough of that with us since last summer, don’t you think?” I asked. Sidney agreed and we went to bed, exhausted from the trip.

The next morning we were awoken to an incessantly ringing doorbell. I smiled over at Sidney as he groaned while he got out of bed. I laughed as he cursed whoever was brave enough to be the one to ring it. We both knew who was going to be standing there when the door was opened. We walked downstairs and opened the door together.

We were met with Walker, Zara, Valerie, Caden, and Wes standing on the porch all trying to talk to us over each other. We let them in and I started some coffee with the girls following me into the kitchen as the boys made themselves comfortable in the living room. Both Zara and Valerie gave me hugs as they gushed about how happy they were to see me again.

“This is the first time we’ve seen you since you and Sidney finally figured it out!” Zara exclaimed.

“I know, I’m so happy to see you guys!” Just as I said that, Valerie began to cough.

“What the hell is this shit?” she asked, pointing at the coffee mug she was holding. I laughed and started another pot.

We ate the breakfast that they’d brought with them and hung out talking before deciding to head out on the boat for the day. We lugged a bunch of beer on board, headed out to the middle of the lake, put down anchor, and spent the day catching up. I’d missed this. This place really did feel like home to me.

We headed back to Sidney’s for dinner and then, to no one’s surprise, people began to show up for an impromptu party. Texts had been sent, and then forwarded until we had a lot of people welcoming Sidney back home next to the lake and a fire. Everything was going great until I looked up and saw a familiar blonde walking towards me.

“So much for not trying to land Sidney,” Callie said to me. I rolled my eyes at her.

“I don’t have to explain myself or my relationship with Sid to you,” I told her.

“Don’t worry, it’s self-explanatory.”

“I can’t believe you are ballsy enough to walk back into Sidney’s house after he kicked you out last summer just to talk shit to his girlfriend.”

“I don’t know why you insist on arguing with me. You’re just like me.”

“No, Callie, there’s a big difference between the two of us. I will never be a flavor of the month and that’s all you’ll ever be,” I shot at her.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I heard Sidney ask, not allowing Callie to respond.

“I heard you were home and wanted to stop by and say hi,” she told him, putting on that fake sweet smile of hers.

“And talk shit to my girlfriend?” he asked.

“I didn’t…..” she started. He put a hand up to stop her.

“I told you that you weren’t welcome back here if you couldn’t accept Misty. I heard what you said. Get out. Don’t come back. Ever.” I noticed that a great majority of the people at the party were watching us. So did Callie.

“Don’t come crying to me when she fucks the next great superstar,” Callie called out before turning her back on us and leaving.

“Sid…..” I began, turning to look at him. He shut me up with a kiss.

“It’s over. She’s gone. I love you.” I smiled up at him and walked back over to the fire with him.

The night ended much like the rest did. Sidney and I headed to bed with a few stragglers crashing wherever they could find a spot. With the exception of the incident with Callie, it had been a great night back with friends. If this was any indication of what the summer was going to be like, I was never going to want it to end.

Chapter 49

It was difficult to enjoy the end of the year party when Sidney knew that in just a couple days he and Misty were going their separate ways for the summer. They were each going to make a trip to visit the other, but that didn’t make the next 4 months seem any easier. He lined up and took a swing at the ball on the tee before cursing. Today was just not his day on the course.

“That cut slightly to the left,” Max said.

“Slightly? It’s in the weeds!” Flower cracked. The two of them, along with Tanger laughed at him. How did he get stuck in this foursome again?

“Mulligan,” Sidney grumbled. The three of them laughed again.

He hit another ball that was only mildly better before the other three lined up to take their turns on the first hole. While the guys were off golfing, the girls were having a spa day. Well, all the girls except for Misty. She was meeting with a potential roommate. Nothing else was lined up for her for next year, so she was banking on getting along with this girl. He was secretly hoping they hated each other so Misty wouldn’t have a choice but to live with him next year.

“Are you really going to send Misty back to her parents while you go home for the summer?” Tanger asked. Great, because this was exactly what he wanted to be discussing right now.

“I don’t know what else to do. She won’t come,” Sidney replied.

“Have you asked her?” Max questioned. He turned and looked at his three teammates and shrugged.

“Are you fucking serious, Crosby? You’re sending her packing and you haven’t even asked her if she’ll go with you?” Flower chastised.

“You guys don’t understand. I know Misty better than all of you. She turned me down when I asked her to live with me here for school next year claiming she needs to be independent. She also continues to stress to me how much she needs to work this summer so she can pay for school herself. There’s no way she’d agree to moving to Cole Harbour with me,” he argued.

“The Captain’s got a point,” Tanger said. Sidney chose not to reply and instead focused on the shot he needed to make to get his ball on the green. He swung and watched as it missed by a good 20 feet.

“Fuck!” he yelled. If this first hole was any indication of how the day was going to go, he was screwed.

“So how does Troy feel about you and Misty being together now?” Max wondered. Sidney groaned as Max then went on to put the ball about a foot from the hole. He gave an exaggerated fist pump.

“I haven’t talked to him about it much,” he replied.

That was mostly true. Of course he’d told his parents that he and Misty were dating now. He thought they’d be happy. His mother had loved her and for whatever reason, by the end of the summer his father had seemed to come to some sort of understanding with Misty. The acceptance that she was going to be in his life was the best he figured he was going to get from his dad at that point.

Unfortunately those feelings hadn’t held over to now. His mom still loved Misty, and was thrilled that the relationship she had seen coming had finally happened. Taylor was happy that he was dating someone that wasn’t ‘some bimbo whore’ in her words. His father, however, was not happy in the least bit and he hadn’t tried to hide it.

“I’m not sure you need to talk to Papa Crosby to know how he feels,” Flower interjected. He was right. Sidney’s father’s emotions were always written all over his face.

“He doesn’t like it. He hates it actually,” Sidney confided in them.

“Does Misty know?” Tanger asked. Sid shook his head.

“How am I supposed to tell her that my father hates that she’s in a relationship with me? If I told her that, she’d come up with some crazy reason about why that’s going to ruin my career or my life and run the other way. I can’t do that,” he explained.

“Is that the real reason you haven’t asked her to go to Cole Harbour with you?” Max chimed in.

“No. Yes. I don’t know. I guess it’s a combination. If I asked her to come with me I’d either have to tell her or let her walk right into the lion’s den without having a clue. I don’t like either option. It’s easier to just let her stay home this summer.”

“It’s easier to be away from the girl you love?” Flower questioned. Well, when it was put that way. Sidney tapped his ball into the hole and they all got into the golf carts and headed to the next hole.

“So what are you going to do?” Tanger asked him.

Sidney lined up at the tee and took a moment to line up his shot. He focused on the hole and then took a few practice swings. Then he let it rip. He watched, dejectedly, as the ball cut to the left much too far. Motherfucker.

“Mulligan,” he groaned as his teammates laughed at his expense once again.










I got out of the cab and walked up to the door in the apartment complex that I was potentially going to be living in next semester. I knocked on the door and waited for the girl named Oneida to answer so I could go through the whole interview process to see if we’d be able to live together. A short, pretty, natural looking blonde opened the door.

“Oneida?” I asked. She smiled at me and nodded.

“You must be Misty. Come on in.”

She held the door open for me and I walked over the threshold. I took in what I could see of the apartment and was surprised by how nice it was. I’d seen student housing before, and it usually didn’t look like this. I had been expecting cracks, dirt, and worn furniture, which was not the sight I’d been met with.

“Wow, this looks really nice,” I commented as I stepped in.

“I know. Not typical student housing. I got lucky knowing the girl who was moving out of here. This building always goes in a hurry. Why don’t I show you around? Then we can get to that awkward interview part of today,” she offered with a little laugh.

I followed Oneida around the apartment. She talked about the amenities, bills, and such as we went. If her descriptions of the apartment and building were any indication of her personality, we were going to get along great. I took it all in before we settled on two of the chairs in the common living space.

“So, why don’t you tell me a little about yourself?” she asked. I took a deep breath and began.

“I’m 22 years old, and from upstate New York. I’m closer to Montreal than New York City and nowhere near Buffalo if that helps. I took some time off from school but decided to come back and get my degree in exercise science. I love working out and going to the gym, but that doesn’t stop me from indulging in junk food. I’m close with both of my parents, and I have a younger brother who will be starting his second year of school in the fall.”

“Well, so far so good. What’s your lifestyle like? Morning or night person and so on?”

“I’m definitely more a night person, but I don’t sleep the day away either. I love being social, but not to the point that I can’t let people have their own time. I can usually get along with just about everyone and love to meet new kinds of people. I’m a non-smoker who likes to drink on occasion and I’m not such a big fan of silence.”

“You sound just like me,” Oneida told me with a smile.

We sat and talked for a while longer. I told her that I had a boyfriend, but didn’t mention who it was. Until she formally offered to split the lease with me, I wasn’t divulging anything like that. It turns out that we had no problem getting along, and she promised to send over the papers for me to sign the next day.

I walked out of the apartment with a smile on my face, relieved that I had a place to live when I came back in the fall for school. I called another cab and waited in the parking lot for it to arrive and bring me to join the rest of the girls at the spa where they’d been all morning so far. I’d be getting there just in time for the facial, manicure and pedicure, and the makeover to get us ready for the get together with the guys later tonight. My phone rang just as I sat down in the cab and I answered Zara’s call. It had been far too long since I’d talked to her.

“Hey, Zara!”

“Hey, girl, what’s going on?”

“I just got done meeting the girl I’m going to be rooming with next year during school. What are you up to?” I returned.

“Well, I’ve been busy speculating,” she replied. I wasn’t sure I liked the sound of that.

“Speculating about what?” I asked.

“Well, hypothetically speaking, what would someone do if they were told that there was a job in their boyfriend’s hometown waiting for them?” I felt my heart quicken a little at her question. Could this really be true?

“Hypothetically, I’d think one would be very interested in hearing about how this job is possible and what it is,” I answered.

“Hypothetically it’s a restaurant that someone’s boyfriend’s family owns and they’d be more than happy to help out this someone’s friend.”

“Okay, I’m done with this hypothetical bullshit. Are you serious right now?” I questioned. She laughed.

“I’m completely serious. Having a job and making money is the only thing keeping you from coming to Cole Harbour this summer with Sid, right?” Zara checked.

“Well, that and the fact that he hasn’t asked me to go.” I heard Zara groan on the other end of the phone.

“You know he just hasn’t asked you because he thinks you’ll turn him down and he doesn’t want to be rejected a second time when it comes to asking you to move in with him.” I knew she was right.

“I’ll see what I can do when I see him tonight. Hopefully I’ll be seeing you soon.” She let out a squeal of excitement before we said our goodbyes and hung up.

I was days away from parting from Sidney for the summer. It had looked like a long and miserable summer, but in one quick phone call things seemed like they were actually going to work out in my favor. I’d be able to be with Sidney, yet making my own money so I could stay self-sufficient at the same time. I couldn’t wait to see him to tell him.