Mine To Kiss (Southern Wedding Series 0.5) (Southern Weddings) Read online

  mine to kiss

  natasha madison

  copyright

  Copyright © 2022 Natasha Madison.

  E-Book and Print Edition

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used factiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons or living or dead, events or locals are entirely coincidental.

  The author acknowledges the trademark status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/ Use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owner.

  Cover Design: Jay Aheer

  Photo by Regina Wamba

  Editing done by Jenny Sims Editing4Indies

  Editing done by Karen Hrdicka Barren Access Edititng

  Proofing Julie Deaton by Deaton Author Services

  Proofing by Judy’s Proofreading

  contents

  Southern Tree

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Are you ready for The Southern Wedding Series?

  Books By Natasha Madison

  FREE BOOK!

  southern tree

  Southern Family tree

  Billy and Charlotte

  (Mother and father to Kallie and Casey)

  Southern Chance

  Kallie & Jacob McIntyre

  Ethan McIntyre (Savannah Son)

  Amelia

  Travis

  Southern Comfort

  Olivia & Casey Barnes

  Quinn (Southern Heat)

  Reed (Southern Sunshine)

  Harlow (Mine to Have)

  Southern Storm

  Savannah & Beau Huntington

  Ethan McIntyre (Jacob’s son)

  Chelsea (Southern Heart)

  Toby

  Keith

  Southern Sunrise

  Emily & Ethan McIntyre

  Gabriel

  Aubrey

  Southern Heart

  Chelsea Huntington & Mayson Carey

  Tucker

  Southern Heat

  Willow & Quinn Barnes

  Southern Secrets

  Amelia McIntyre & Asher

  Southern Sunshine

  Hazel & Reed Barnes

  Sophia

  one

  Harlow

  "This is it," I announce, looking out the window and pointing at what is my new apartment. The butterflies in my stomach are starting already, and I can’t help but smile.

  "It’s so pretty," my mother says from the front seat, and it just makes me beam. "You did good, Harlow." She looks over the passenger seat and smiles at me. Her eyes start to fill with tears. "I can’t believe you are leaving us again."

  "Darlin’," my father says softly. I roll my eyes as my mother looks at him; he leans over and kisses her lips, and I shake my head. My parents' love affair was what you see in movies and read about in love stories. It got annoying when I was growing up, but now that I’m older, I know I want a man who will love me like that. "It’s a couple of months, and she’ll be back for Thanksgiving."

  "Maybe," I mumble under my breath, getting the stink eye from my father and a glare from my mother. Laughing, I open the door and step out of the car, the heat from the sun hitting me right away.

  I put my hand over my eyes and look up at the red and white building. The minute I saw the online ad, I knew this would be amazing. I hear my parents behind me and turn to see my father taking out my three pieces of luggage from the trunk. "I’m going to go ahead and meet the girls before you guys come up and scare them off." I turn to walk up the concrete stairs, stopping at the red front door.

  A little sitting area is on each side of the door under the covered porch, so you can sit out here and either work or just relax. I push open the door, my stomach fluttering as I see the picture in my head come to life. Just inside, two white doors with the number one and two are located on each side. Walking up the staircase in the middle of the room, I head to the second floor and see the same doors with the numbers three and four.

  Another reason I chose this apartment is that there are only four units in the whole place. I hold up my hand to knock, and I see it’s shaking with nerves. I laugh at myself right before I knock. "Coming." I hear from the other side of the door as I shake out my hand, the thumping of my heart making my stomach feel like it's on a roller coaster.

  The door opens, and the girl who stands there smiles at me big. Her blonde hair is piled on top of her head, and she wears short white overalls with a peach T-shirt. "Harlow," she says, and her blue eyes light up. "Rachel." She points at herself, and then I step forward, and we go in for a hug. The two of us have been chatting over text for the past two months, preparing for me to come down. "It’s so good to finally meet you," she says, letting me go and taking a step back into the apartment. "Welcome home." She opens her arms wide.

  I can’t even contain my excitement as I walk in. "It’s perfect," I say, looking around and seeing that the living room is attached to the kitchen. It's smaller than it looked in the pictures, but that’s okay. The only thing I was really set on was having my own bedroom and bathroom. The rest wasn’t important to me.

  "The movers just left," she says. "They just put everything in there." She stops talking when we hear footsteps coming from the hallway and look over to see my parents walking in.

  "These are my parents," I state, and I wait for it.

  "Is that…?" she asks, and I glance over at her as she looks at me and then back at my mother.

  "That’s my mom, Olivia," I confirm, and she just smiles in shock. My mother was a big-time model before she even met my dad. My mother looks around the apartment, and I can already tell that she is planning to decorate it. She turns and looks back at Rachel, smiling at her. "And that’s my dad, Casey." I point at my father, who just nods to her, and he does his own sweep of the apartment. "This is Rachel."

  "Hi," she says, waving her hand awkwardly. "Nice to meet you guys. Let me show you your room." She turns and walks down the long white hallway. "Every room is the same size." She opens the first door we come to, and I see my stuff there filling up the room. "And of course your bathroom is in the corner."

  "Oh my," my mother says. "We have our work cut out for us."

  "Oh, no," I say, shaking my head. "This is where you guys look at me and say we love you and call us if you need anything."

  "What?" my mother asks, shocked, making Rachel roll her lips to stop from laughing. "But…"

  "Darlin’," my father announces. "Time to say goodbye." He looks at me, and I smile.

  "It’s just like camp," I say, walking to her and putting my hands on her shoulders. My mother is about five feet eleven, and we are almost the same height. I look exactly like her, just with green eyes instead of blue eyes and my hair is just a touch darker.

  "It’s just so many boxes," she says as she furiously blinks away tears. "Cowboy, who is going to put up her bed?"

  "She’s got this," my father declares. "And if she needs any help, she can call us, and we can come ba
ck."

  "Okay, fine," my mother huffs. "But I insist that we take you and your roommates out to dinner tonight before our flight tomorrow."

  "Deal," a different voice says, and I look over to see another girl walking in. Her black hair is in a high ponytail, and her eyes are covered with white sunglasses. She smiles, moving the glasses on top of her head to show us her brown eyes. "We can totally do dinner." She is dressed in jean shorts and a tank top with Birkenstocks on her feet. "I’m Lydia." She smiles at me and then at my parents, and I look behind her and see one more girl walk in carrying bags.

  "We got booze," she states, happily holding up the white bags in her hands as if she just won a prize. When her eyes find my parents, her big smile vanishes, and her eyes go wide as she tries to backpedal. "Oh, I don’t mean booze booze. It’s code word for…" she stutters, looking at Lydia.

  "It’s code word for creamer for coffee." Lydia turns around, clapping her hands together. "That’s Victoria." She points at Victoria, who shrugs and walks to the kitchen.

  "I like them," my mother says. "You girls are going to get along just fine." She walks to them. "If you guys want, you should ask Harlow about her grandfather’s sweet tea."

  "No," I reply, shaking my head. "My last roommate was out for two days after drinking that." I smile at the girls. "No offense but…"

  "Challenge accepted," Lydia says, winking at me. "Also, what time is dinner?"

  "Oh, we should check out that new Mexican restaurant," Victoria says. "They have the two-for-one special."

  "Sounds amazing," my mother agrees, and she looks over at my dad, trying to drag out her time with me. My father reluctantly grabs her hand and tells me to text him the address, and they’ll meet us there.

  "Sorry about that," I say nervously as I pick up a box of stuff. "They can be all in your business, but they..."

  "Oh, please," Lydia says, coming into my room. "My parents camped out in the car the first night I got here."

  "My father slept in the hallway," Victoria adds. "On a chair. He looked like a bouncer in a club."

  "My parents set up a neighborhood watch," Rachel chimes in, and my eyes widen. "And then bought a house around the corner." She puts up her hand. "I win." We all laugh as the girls help me set up my bed.

  After I put the sheets and comforter on it, I start putting my clothes away. Luckily for me, my mother is a professional packer, so each box just needs to be put away. "So are you dating anyone?" Victoria asks when she sits in the middle of the floor and starts to unpack the lighting box. She takes out the string of lights I brought from home to hang around my bed.

  "No." I shake my head. "I’m too busy to date," I admit.

  "What about you guys?" I ask the room, and everyone is single.

  "I feel good about this year," Lydia says, looking at us. "Really good."

  "Same," we all agree, even though I’m still nervous and just a touch shy.

  When dinner comes around, I’m shocked by how in sync we all are. We laugh at the same jokes, and they all get along with my parents. It takes Victoria a while before she looks over at my dad and says that he looks familiar. I groan out loud, making everyone laugh. "He’s on the cover of Forbes. Can we move on?" He shakes his head, grabbing his beer and taking a pull.

  "Shit, if I knew you guys were rich rich, I would have suggested the better restaurant," Rachel says, winking at me and making me laugh.

  "We are not rich rich," I say, looking over at my father. "He’s rich rich." I point at him. "Yet he still wears Levi's and does his own cattle work."

  "That’s why we are rich rich," he jokes with us.

  When it’s time to say goodbye, my mother hugs me just a touch longer than normal.

  "You’ll call me," she says, not even trying to hide her tears this time. "At least once a week." She holds my face in her hands. "Or whenever you feel like it."

  "She’s good," my father assures her. "She can take care of herself." He winks at me and kisses my forehead.

  "Bye, girls." He holds up his hand, and they stand with me as I watch my parents drive away. I secretly wipe away the one tear that escapes my eye and then turn to look at the girls.

  "Okay, what kind of creamer did you buy for coffee?" I ask them, knowing I need a shot to relax.

  "Stuff for margaritas." Lydia laughs, and I just nod.

  "Okay, time to introduce you guys to some sweet tea," I say, and they all clap their hands. When we get back into the apartment, I walk to my bedroom and take out the secret bottle my grandfather gave me. My heart pings a little when I think of my time making this batch with him.

  "Here we go," Victoria says, grabbing the shot glasses.

  I pour four shots and look at them. "Only one, then I’ll make something else." They all look at me. "I tend the family bar," I tell them, and they all smile. "To a great year," I toast, holding my glass up.

  They all swallow down the shot, then look at me. "That was smooth," Lydia says, trying not to breathe. "Burns, but it’s sweet at the same time."

  "I like it," Rachel confirms, bringing her glass to her mouth and making sure nothing is left in it. "Can we have one more?"

  "Fine, but two is tops." The second shot goes down smoother. "Okay, I’m off to shower," I say, grabbing the bottle. "My first class is at eight," I announce, and they all groan. "Night."

  "Damn, she was smart enough to take the bottle," Rachel says, laughing. "She definitely is the smartest."

  I can’t help but laugh at her as I hide the bottle away where they will never find it, behind the books on my shelf.

  When the alarm goes off the following morning, I groan as I get out of bed, seeing that it’s just after seven.

  When I scheduled this veterinary anatomy class at eight o'clock, I thought it would be fine, but I was wrong. Grabbing my white yoga pants, I struggle to get them on. A morning person, I am not. I grab the first shirt I see and slide it on over my sports bra. The light pink crop top fits loosely, and when I walk out to make my coffee in my to-go cup, I groan at how bright it is. "We really need curtains," I say with one eye closed as I walk back to my bedroom. I tie my hair on top of my head in a ponytail after I brush my teeth. "It’s too early for anyone to look good," I confide to my reflection in the mirror. After grabbing my bag, I walk out of the apartment while everyone else sleeps.

  The walk to campus takes me no more than ten minutes, and I really wish I remembered to bring my earbuds so I could listen to music instead of the sound of traffic from nearby. It would definitely help me calm down about the first class. The nerves are hitting me like I ran into a brick wall. "It’s going to be fine," I think out loud as I look down for a split second. Walking up the steps, I reach out for the door when my hand falls on someone else’s. "Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry," I say, looking up, and it’s almost as if time stands still, or at least it feels that way to me. "I wasn’t watching where I was going," I admit, gazing into the nicest eyes I’ve ever seen. His green eyes are bright on top and golden yellow on the bottom.

  "Sorry, my fault," he says. His voice comes out deep, and his black hair looks like he was just running his hands through it. "Go ahead." He motions with his hand for me to walk ahead of him.

  I smile at him, taking a step into the entryway. "I guess chivalry isn’t dead after all," I say over my shoulder, and the smirk that fills his face makes the nerves in my stomach just multiply.

  two

  Travis

  I watch the girl in front of me take two steps into the building as she looks over her shoulder, and all I can do is smirk at her and then shake my head. It’s too early in the morning for her to be flirting, I think to myself. But the second she smiles at me, my feet stop moving, and everything in me holds still. There are no words for how gorgeous she is, and even if I did come up with the words, nothing would do it justice.

  I wait for her to take a couple more steps before I start walking. She must be new here. She has to be because I would never have forgotten seeing her, let alone meeting h
er. I fix the strap of my bag over my shoulder, my tongue itching to ask her what her name is. My head screams at me to just ask her. What’s the worst that can happen? My eyes are on her ass as she walks in front of me, and there is nothing that isn’t perfect on her.

  I turn right at the hall, and I’m shocked when I see her hand opening the door to the class.

  She stops in front of me, and it’s a good thing I’m paying attention. "Are you following me?"

  I’m shocked she is in my class, and then I’m stunned she is blocking the doorway, and I can't even form words to answer her question. "Um," I stutter, my tongue so dry in my mouth. "No," I finally say, and I can see the twinkle in her eyes as she laughs. "You’re trouble." That just makes her laugh more, and even her fucking laughter is perfect.

  "You have no idea." She winks at me and walks into the class, and I follow her.

  Five rows of seats face the whiteboard in front of the class. "Excuse me," a guy says, walking past me. I have no idea why, but I move just a touch faster than he does. I watch her take a seat in the third row and the fourth seat in. She places her travel cup in the middle of the desk.

  I walk behind her and sit down in the second seat. She puts her bag on the floor, takes out her laptop, and opens it. She turns toward me and catches me watching her. "That’s not creepy at all." She laughs, and it’s as if all the words have been taken out of me. I remember nothing at all, and if I wasn’t mortified, I would actually laugh. "So, Romeo," she says as people start coming into the class. Everyone is pretty much dragging their feet. "Do we have a name?"