Cherry Weekends

Chapter 1

Sitting up before a large vanity mirror, Nicole had finished her makeup and spritzed the slightest mist of perfume behind her right ear, though she still had to hold back a choking cough. She drew away, standing from the settee with a sigh and turning toward the bed where she double checked the contents of her suitcase for the upcoming weekend.

Just making out the sound of an approaching car, Nicole grabbed her luggage and scurried down the stairs, out the front door. Dropping her suitcase with a clunk upon the front porch before she skipped lithely around the parked vehicle and threw herself into the widespread arms of a smiling Niall.

They shared a short, sweet kiss as Niall opened the passenger side door for Nicole and then retrieved her luggage, tossing it in the trunk on his way back around the car. They shared one more, chaste kiss before Niall shifted into drive and took off toward the coast.

"Are you excited?" Niall finally asked with a gentle squeeze to Nicole's thigh.

Her smile was beaming; "Of course, aren't you?"

"Very," he stated simply before turning his attention back to the road, his face reflecting the same reservation as Nicole's, though across both of their features there was just a hint of apprehension as well.

This would be their first weekend away together and, assuming all went according to plan, their first time together intimately as well. The two were adamant on taking things slow, but as they had been dating for three months at this point, both felt it was time for them to take the next step, and what better place to consummate their blossoming love than a beautiful beach house.

Niall shared the place with some old college roommates of his. It had been a spontaneous investment at the end of their last semester of school, only possible because it had belonged to the father of one of the boys involved in the purchase. It was the man's third divorce and he had wanted to get rid of the property for as little as possible but while keeping it in the family. The boys would make a point to meet up all together at least once a year at the beach house, the rest of the time it was basically up for grabs for any of them to use as a getaway from whatever stresses ailed them.

The sky was almost clear, only a perfectly fluffy white cloud floating lazily, drifting alone through the great expanse. There was the lightest breeze flitting about, which grew saltier as they approached the ocean, and it was warm out without being too overbearing. Altogether, it was the perfect beginning to a nice long weekend at the beach.

Niall released a contented sigh as he was pulling up to the familiar beach house while Nicole gasped in astonishment. "It's magnificent Niall!"

He smiled over at her as he placed the car in park and turned off the ignition. "Yeah, it is, isn't it?" He lowered his head beneath the visor of the car to look up properly at the house and nodded before patting Nicole's thigh, "Come on then. If you think this is nice, just wait until we get inside."

He opened the door and went to get the bags out of the car. Nicole took another moment to stare over the house and finally pulled herself from the car as Niall was already making his way up the steps to the porch. She smiled up at him and then quickly followed suit as he placed his suitcase down to unlock and open the doors. "Huh, that's weird," he mumbled offhandedly.

"What's weird?"

"Well," he dropped the other suitcase and made his way across the porch to lean over the railing. "Apparently one of the other boys is here," he turned back with an apologetic and slightly irritated expression.

"Oh..." was all she could muster as she tried to hide her disappointment as well.

Niall ran his hands through his hair in frustration, "I'm so sorry Nicky, I told them all about this weekend, I swear, he probably just forgot, or maybe he left something and had to pick it up or..."