My Saving Grace

I was wrapped in hugs and received best wishes for the new year from my co-workers as we got ready to leave for the day. Earlier, we'd all taken ugly sweater pictures together, a yearly holiday tradition for my department. After saying my good-byes to Ella and Peter, I headed out the main door just as Antonio was pulling up in his car.

"Nice timing," I remarked when I got inside.

"Thanks. You got everything you need?"

"Yup."

"Sweet. Next stop, LAX."

I was giddy with excitement—in just a few hours, I'd be seeing my best friend again. The four of us were going to stay at my uncle's sprawling lakeside estate, which eliminated the need for a hotel.

My dad had left yesterday for his "guys' trip" to the Bahamas, a last minute idea proposed by Keith. The last time he'd taken a vacation was with Nick and I during my sophomore year of college. We'd gone to Spain and Portugal, both of which were absolutely breathtaking. If my mom was still alive, no doubt he'd be more inclined to travel because he'd have an actual companion. I couldn't imagine vacationing all by myself, but I totally admired those who could.

"Have you checked if our flight is delayed at all?", I asked.

"Yeah, I checked, like, two hours ago. It's supposed to be on time," Antonio replied.

"Awesome."

It wasn't until we reached the ticket counter an hour later when we discovered that our flight would be delayed for three hours due to blizzard-like conditions in the Rockies.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," he grumbled under his breath.

"It's not the end of the world," I said in the most cheerful voice I could muster, shooting the ticket agent an apologetic smile as I squeezed Antonio's hand.

He released a sharp breath.

"You're right. I forgot we're on vacation and not a business trip."

He gave the agent a tight-lipped smile then handed her his ID.

"Should we get dinner somewhere?", I proposed after we'd finished checking in.

"Might as well. We've got time to kill," he answered with a shrug.

We started walking towards our gate and encountered a bar and grill, deciding to eat there. After ordering our burgers and beer, Antonio proceeded to tell me about his rather interesting last day of fall semester.

"So, I was in my office finalizing everyone's grades, and three of my undergrad students walked in saying how much they'd miss my class. They asked if I ever wanted to get drinks with them some time—"

"Were they girls?", I interrupted.

"What do you think?" He gave me a knowing look.

"Well, we all know it's not your class they'll miss," I said with a huff.

"They performed really well in it, actually. Usually, the ones who—how do I say it—make advances on me...tend to be underperforming."

"How cliché."

"Yeah, well, it actually happens, Sophia. Not just in books and movies."

"So, what did you say to them?"

"I told them I'd consider it only after they've graduated."

"Seems more appropriate."

"Exactly. But then they started whining on about how they couldn't wait that long because they really wanted to "hang out" with me. In the end, I just told them they were always welcomed to stop by my office if they ever wanted to chat or needed a recommendation letter."

"Jesus," I uttered with an eye roll.

"Wanna know the best part?"

"What?"

"I received three follow requests at the exact same time on Instagram on my way to pick you up."

"Gee, I wonder who they could be?", I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

He chuckled.

"Is this a common thing for you every time a semester ends?", I asked.

"Yup."

"Hmm. Well, thank god you were never my professor. Because I would've done way more than just ask you out for drinks."

I observed the slightest twitch of his lower lip as his eyes gleamed with interest.

"Oh, yeah? And what would that be?"

"Two mushroom burgers with fries," our waiter announced, appearing at our table before I could respond.

I laughed under my breath at Antonio's deflated expression.

It was definitely for the better. These poor patrons didn't need to be subjected to our dirty talk.

The moment the waiter left, Antonio directed his attention back to me.

"So, where were we?", he said in a low voice, looking slightly annoyed.

"I'm actually rather hungry," I replied, reaching for a fry.

"Me, too. But not for food." His smoldering gaze shot straight to my core, and I quickly clamped my legs together.

"Well, in that case I'll have your burger."

"You wish." He brought his burger up to his mouth and took a generous bite.

"See, you are hungry."

And horny, I mentally added, smiling to myself.

We ate our dinner while discussing our plans for the next few days in Minnesota. By the time we finished, we had just a little under an hour before our flight departed. At the gate, I called my uncle to let him know we'd arrive late then texted Alexa, who was probably landing soon.

"You sleepy?", Antonio asked when we were finally situated on the plane.

"Kind of," I murmured, leaning my head on his shoulder.

"Well, you should try to get some sleep now. Because I won't be able to keep my hands off you later," he spoke huskily in my ear.

"Mmm, I like the sound of that."

We didn't land in Minneapolis until nearly three in the morning central time, and to say I was tired would be an understatement. My eyelids drooped heavily, and my limbs felt like jello. I wanted nothing more than to just lie down on a nice, comfy bed.

The cold, biting air that greeted us, though, when we stepped outside to meet our Uber immediately alerted my senses.

"Holy shit, how did you manage to go to school here?", Antonio uttered as he opened the car door for us, his teeth chattering.

"I got used to it," I replied with a shiver.

"You're insane."

During the drive to my uncle's, Antonio engaged in casual conversation with our driver while I dozed off against his shoulder. I would've slept until morning if it weren't for the pothole we hit along the way, which instantly woke me up.

"Are we there yet?", I mumbled.

"Two more minutes according to the GPS," Antonio replied.

I rubbed my eyes, looking out the window at the familiar winter landscape. All the trees were bare, but surprisingly, there wasn't any snow on the ground. The lake was completely frozen over, resembling a large blanket of ice.

Each of the houses in this area was very secluded, with gated entrances and endless stretches of private land. My uncle even had his own dock in his backyard, where he kept his boat during the summertime. I couldn't wait for Antonio to see the splendor of it all during the day.

We pulled into my uncle's driveway around four and found him and his wife, Lauren, standing outside the front door in their pjs.

"You two didn't have to wait up for us," I spoke, hugging both of them.

"We wouldn't have been able to sleep anyway, knowing you two had yet to arrive. How was the flight?"

Uncle Justin ushered us all inside, grabbing the suitcases out of Antonio's hold and giving him an affectionate clap on the back.

"It was fine. Are Alexa and David asleep?", I asked.

"Yup. They tried to stay up to see you guys but gave up an hour ago."

I laughed.

"You have a beautiful home, Justin. I love the lakeside location, too," Antonio commented.

"Thanks. You'll get the full tour in the morning. Pick any room you want to sleep in. Lauren and I are going to bed now. Get some rest, you two."

"We will."

"Good night, Uncle," I said with a smile.

Antonio and I carried our things upstairs to the first open guest bedroom and didn't even bother to change. As soon as our backs hit the mattress, we completely knocked out, falling into a deep slumber.

It wasn't until eleven when I got out of bed, and after taking a long, hot shower and brushing my teeth, I changed into a sweater and leggings then headed downstairs. Alexa and Aunt Lauren were sipping coffee in the kitchen when I saw them.

"Sophia!", Alexa squealed, setting down her cup to give me a giant hug.

"Aww, I've missed you, Lex."

"Me, too. Your wedding felt like ages ago. Here, sit down."

She patted the seat next to her, and I sat down as she slid a mug of coffee towards me.

"Did you sleep well?", Aunt Lauren asked.

"Very. I forgot how comfy your beds are."

She smiled.

"What would you ladies like for breakfast?"

"I'm good with anything," I replied.

"Me, too," Alexa seconded.

"Well, in that case, let me try out this new recipe for Eggs Benedict I learned."

"Sounds amazing. We can help, too," I said.

"Don't worry about it. I'll let you two catch up. I'm sure you've got a lot to talk about."

"Indeed we do."

Alexa smiled mischievously, and we both headed to the living room. The floor to ceiling windows provided an unobstructed view of the lake and allowed much-needed sunlight to shine through.

"Where's Antonio?", she asked.

"He's still sleeping."

"Same with David. The guy can sleep over twelve hours if he's super tired."

I laughed.

"That's like Antonio, too."

"I bet. How's your dad doing?"

"Great. He's enjoying himself in the Bahamas."

"Nice. Is he still single?"

"Yes. Why?" I raised a brow.

"Seriously? He's just gonna live alone the rest of his life? That sounds so sad," she said with a pout.

"He's happy the way he is. And I'm sure he has women throw themselves at him, so he's fine in that department, if you know what I mean."

"Of course he does. Your dad is hot as fuck."

I choked on my coffee.

"Eww, Alexa!"

"It's the truth! Okay, so tell me all about Chase."

"Now?"

"Of course!" She beamed.

"Alright then."

I set my coffee down on the table then caught her up on my encounters and phone conversations with Chase, including that infamous night at the bar and the flashbacks it'd stirred later on.

"Looks like there's still sexual tension between you two," she commented with a sly grin.

"It's not sexual tension. That night seven years ago just meant a lot to us is all, so we tend to bring it up. But, we won't anymore."

"Keep telling yourselves that."

"Alexa!", I admonished.

"Just saying. Has he ever told you why that night meant so much to him?"

"Not explicitly, no."

"You should ask. I'm curious." She took a sip of her coffee.

"Only if it ever comes up again, which I doubt it will."

"Fair enough. How's his girlfriend?"

"Oh, Alexa, they look beautiful together. She's so kind and sweet. He definitely loves her. They're going to the Oscars together in February—"

"The Oscars?! That sounds amazing." She had a dreamy look in her eyes.

"I know, right. He's nominated for Best Supporting Male Actor."

"He is?" Her jaw dropped.

I nodded.

"Damn. I'm not surprised, though. I absolutely loved him in Live or Die."

"Me, too."

"There you ladies are," a male voice spoke.

We looked behind us to see Antonio and David standing there, freshly showered and dressed.

"It's about time you sleepy heads woke up," Alexa teased, standing up to give David a peck on the cheek before crushing Antonio in a bear hug.

"It's good to see you, too, Alexa," Antonio said with an amused chuckle.

"Breakfast is ready," Aunt Lauren called from the kitchen.

"Sweet. I'm starving," David remarked, patting his stomach. "How are you, Sophia?"

"I'm doing great. How's living with Alexa?"

"She drives me nuts, but I love her."

Alexa rolled her eyes, and he shot her a boyish grin.

Uncle Justin returned from running errands, and we all ate breakfast together. As promised, he gave Antonio and David a grand tour of his estate afterwards while Alexa and I helped Aunt Lauren with the dishes.

Around two, the four of us got into Uncle Justin's SUV and headed downtown to do some sightseeing. David offered to drive since he had more experience with icy roads, being an Oregon native. We visited the Sculpture Garden which housed the iconic Spoonbridge and Cherry, Walker Art Center, and did some shopping on Nicollet Avenue.

The guys were absolutely fascinated by the downtown skyway network, which allowed travel between buildings without having to go outside.

"What time is the Holidazzle Parade?", David asked when we left Saks Fifth.

Holidazzle was a yearly event held at Loring Park in Minneapolis during the month of December which consisted of a parade, fireworks display, several local vendors, outdoor ice skating, and even a Santa workshop.

"It's at seven. So, we have a little under two hours left," I replied.

"You guys wanna visit the University quick? It's like five minutes away," Alexa spoke.

We all voiced our agreement.

We parked outside the hotel on campus, which was located across from the apartment Alexa and I had lived in for three years. Immediately, I was overcome with nostalgia and blinked back tears. I turned to Alexa, who wore the same expression on her face.

"I miss being roomies," she said quietly, giving my hand a squeeze.

"Me, too."

I pointed up to the corner window of the tenth floor.

"That was our room," I told Antonio and David.

Antonio pulled me against his side, rubbing a hand up and down my arm.

"It's okay, Soph. You've got me as a roommate now. It's an upgrade, don't you think?" His grin was playful.

"More like a downgrade."

"Ouch." He clutched his heart, feigning hurt.

I snickered, grasping the lapel of his wool coat and pulling him down for a kiss.

"Okay, lovebirds, where to?", Alexa blurted.

Antonio and I pulled apart, smiling in amusement.

"We can walk through the mall area then Dinkytown?", I proposed.

"Sounds good to me," she said with a nod.

On our walk, I pointed out buildings to Antonio which had been the hub for my classes and my favorite study places, both outdoor and indoor. He commented on the architecture, praising the stone pillars and glass windows of the library.

"This campus is beautiful," David remarked as we strolled through Scholars Walk, where colorful flowers bloomed during the spring time.

"And huge, too," Antonio added.

"Exactly."

We eventually made our way to Dinkytown, passing by the fraternity houses where Alexa and I had had our wildest nights before reaching the restaurants, bars, and apartments.

"I assume this is where you girls went to get trashed?", David joked when we stood outside Blarney's, a popular bar.

"It's one of several," Alexa replied, giving me a wink.

Across the street was a modern-looking coffee shop, which was definitely new. Because I swore it used to be...

"That's where I met Chase," I said out loud.

"Wait, where?", Antonio asked, his curiosity piqued.

"There." I pointed to the coffee shop.

"Damn. They must've rebuilt the entire place."

"Yeah."

"You should send him a picture," Alexa spoke.

"Who's Chase?", David asked.

"Chase Lincoln. The actor. Sophia met him her freshman year. He was homeless at the time and lived in that building."

His jaw dropped in bewilderment.

"How come I've never heard about this?"

"Well, now you know," she said with a shrug.

As I reached for my phone to send a photo to Chase, I couldn't help but think that fate had indeed brought us together. When I first met him, I'd been a barista at Starbucks. Seven years later, we reunited at a coffee shop in Santa Monica. And now, the building he'd lived in had also been transformed into a coffee shop.

I typed up a text to Chase, attaching the photo to it.

Me: Here's a pic of the old building, just like you requested. It kinda resembles the coffee shop in Santa Monica now, doesn't it?

"I could go for a hot chocolate," I remarked after I put my phone away.

"Same here. Should we try out the place?", Antonio asked.

"I'm down."

"Us, too," Alexa said.

And so, the four of us headed inside the coffee shop, where the nostalgia hit me all over again.