As Whitney Houston's voice blared, "And I ... " from the digital jukebox, Tristan awkwardly ran into Everett's open arms behind the bar counter as about a dozen customers laughed and applauded at the ridiculous spectacle.

"I love you, Joshypoo," Tristan cried out in a high-pitched voice that sounded nothing like Lauren and planted fake kisses over his co-worker's scruffy face.

"I love you too, sweet baby girl," Everett replied gruffly in an octave lower than his normal voice and made loudly kissy noises. "You're so fucking hot."

Jackasses, Lauren thought irritably as she vigorously washed the drinking glasses and ignored her phone vibrating in the back pocket of her jeans.

Even after almost three months since the "magical" moment Lauren shared with Josh on the field, Tristan and Everett loved recreating it anytime a customer recognized her as "the pretty girl with the red beanie" kissing one of the stars of the football team.

Normally, Lauren would smile and shake her head with amusement at the hilarious show, but new stress factors started to test her patience, with her breaking point threatening to crack wide open.

The loud and chaotic nature of the bar that normally soothed her nerves did nothing to alleviate the overwhelming stress.

"I think that was our best performance yet," Everett announced, nudging her in the side with his elbow. "I think your butt is vibrating."

Lauren remained silent, ignoring another text from Josh.

"Hey," he said, nudging her again. "What's going on with you? You've been kinda quiet tonight."

"I'm fine."

"Bullshit."

She sighed out loud and shook her head. "I really don't want to talk about it."

"It might help, Ren." Everett nudged her one more time, forcing her to look at the concern creasing his handsome face.

She sighed again and wiped her hands on a dish cloth, glancing around the subdued Tuesday night crowd in February. Tristan chatted with some regulars toward the end of the bar, and a few groups of college students lazily drank at various high top tables.

"I'm having second thoughts about moving in with Josh in June. He's excited to live together, but he kinda wants to live with Mikey and maybe Aaron."

Everett leaned against the back counter and crossed his muscled arms over his chest. "Your apartment is too small for four people."

"Which is why Josh has been looking at some apartments or even houses to rent."

"Do you want to live with Mikey and Aaron?"

Lauren shrugged. "I honestly don't know. I don't hate the idea, but I also don't want to move even though I know my apartment is shit. But the rent is cheap, and the location is perfect for me."

"I assume you told Josh all this."

"Yeah," she said, nodding. "I've seen some of the apartments he's been looking at, and holy shit, they're fucking expensive. But Josh also told me not to worry about rent because he'd help me with my share."

"Generous of him."

"Very, but I'm gonna need a car now because the places he's been looking at are near the stadium not the university. I don't think I can afford a car right now."

"They're not cheap."

Before she moved in with April, Lauren relied on the city bus system as her main source of transportation. Even as she made friends that had cars, she still preferred to take the bus, reading a book or listening to her playlist.

Though she probably had enough money in her savings account to buy a decent used car, she didn't really need one nor want the added expenses of car insurance and university parking permits. If Lauren needed to be anywhere besides school and the bar, April had no problem sharing her simple four-door sedan.

"Josh said not to worry about that either because I can always use his or Mikey's car."

Everett shrugged his broad shoulders effortlessly. "So what's the problem? Sounds like Josh is really excited about living with you and the guys."

"Which is why I feel like a complete bitch for complaining," Lauren explained tiredly. "But I've also never been that person that wanted to rely on someone else. I kinda like doing my own shit."

"That makes complete sense since you've been on your own since – when – you were sixteen? Seventeen?"

"But I still hate the idea of relying on someone else or being that needy."

"So tell him you're not comfortable relying that much on him."

"But doesn't this make me sound like an ungrateful and whiny bitch?" She wondered if Josh would understand her concerns or become hurt or offended for declining his help.

"Not even a little."

Lauren wanted to believe him, but somehow, she felt like a petulant child demanding equal rights as the parents. Why didn't she feel ecstatic – or even a little relieved – that Josh wanted to take care of her?

"Ren, you really need to talk to the guy," he said, giving a quick nod to a customer approaching the counter with an empty glass pitcher. "Because, honestly, you're not gonna have any fun living with him and the guys when you're stressing out about pulling your weight around the place."

"Yeah, I know."

"You're gonna overcompensate by basically doing everything around the house, washing dishes, doing the laundry, keeping the place spotless. The guys won't have any responsibilities."

Lauren pursed her lips in shame because she could completely imagine herself doing all that to feel like she contributed something besides money.

"Ugh, you're totally right," she said, leaning against the back counter, disgusted with herself. "When did you become so smart?"

Everett chuckled accepting cash from the customer and throwing it into the cash register. "While you're off gallivanting with Josh, someone has to take one for the team and work with Tristan. His stupid psychobabble somehow managed to infiltrate my impenetrable fortress of a mind."

Lauren laughed out loud, knowing not a single word was true. Most of the female bartenders didn't mind working with the enigmatic and brooding Tristan, especially if the night led to his bed. Even when lust wasn't involved, no one on the staff had problem working with their laid back friend.

"Wow. Gallivanting is a big word for you, Ev," she teased, nudging his rock solid side, as he stood next to her against the back counter.

"I'm not just another pretty face, ya know?" Everett pretended to pout. "I have a mind too."

"It just seems like everything is moving so fast." As soon as she said the words, she knew her statement sounded lame and pathetic.

"It's February, for fuck's sake."

"Ugh, I know. Josh wants me and April to go with him and the guys to Florida or some other beachy area for Spring Break. I wanna go, but I can't afford it."

Everett raised a pierced eyebrow questioningly.

"Fine," Lauren huffed out. "Josh offered to pay for everything, but he's been spending so much money on us lately. And I kinda feel guilty about that."

Somehow Josh had persuaded her to spend winter break with him and his family in Iowa. April had planned to visit home, moving some of her stuff in preparation for her road trip. Part of Lauren looked forward to having an empty apartment to herself while she worked, but another part of her knew she'd desperately miss Josh during the two-week break. She could either use her vibrator and other toys during his absence or actually spend quality time with her boyfriend.

When his sisters, Cara and Michelle, badgered her with endless texts, promising movies, skiing, and shopping, Lauren caved and started worrying about spending so much time with his family. A family. A united front of love and respect for one another. During the fucking holidays. A time of peace and being blessed.

She was the outsider. The stranger. Sort of. Even though Lauren believed his family had enjoyed spending time with her in Colorado – even when Josh wasn't around to be a buffer – she was going to be a guest in their house. Their home. She wasn't part of the family. She was merely the hot girlfriend with no family of her own.

The moment Lauren stepped into Josh's normal two-story house with a two-car garage and beautiful snow-covered front yard, his mom warmly hugged her as if she truly missed her son's girlfriend and the twins excitedly whisked her away to show off their rooms and chatted a mile a minute about what she had missed and what they had planned during the visit. Lauren's anxiety and defenses quickly melted away with Cara and Michelle's high energy and genuine appreciation for her presence.

Money was never an issue the moment the long road trip to Iowa started as Josh paid for everything – meals, snacks, gas. He easily convinced her the gifts for his family would be from both of them because he had no idea what to get his sisters while Lauren had a few brilliant ideas.

"I want to completely and thoroughly spoil you," he had said during one of their many conversation on the open road. "That's all I want for Christmas because you deserve to be given everything you've ever wanted."

What kind of girlfriend would she be to deny her impossibly gorgeous, kind, and attentive boyfriend his Christmas wish? So Lauren pushed aside her pride and allowed herself to be pampered by his family and indulge when Josh handed her one of his credit cards. Though the card was meant to help with Christmas shopping, he cheekily encouraged her to buy "something naughty."

Which Lauren reluctantly did when Cara dragged her into a high-end lingerie store. Content to buy a red lacy bra with matching panties, she splurged on a pair of black satin strappy sandals with a stiletto heel when Cara begged her to try them on because the nighttime footwear made her feel sexy, naughty, and adventurous.

In the days before classes resumed, Josh showed his approval when Lauren wore the heels – and nothing else – with too many mind-blowing orgasms to count. Even though they managed to sneak away for a few sexual romps in Iowa, they spent the remaining days in her bedroom trying out new sex toys.

Despite the fun and relaxing getaway, Lauren was also thrilled to return home and fall into a normal routine with new classes, work, and Josh's open schedule now that football season ended. Even though she wanted to spend more time with him, she still couldn't afford to give up her precious time during the week. She still needed to study. She still needed to work.

And Josh understood her need. Sort of. When Lauren hesitantly informed him about April's cross country plans, his eyes instantly danced with excitement at the idea of living together and started making plans as if the month of May already arrived.

Finding a nice apartment to house possibly three guys and girl was the first step in Josh's master plan. Though he gave her physical space during the week, his texts about the apartment search continually kept Lauren's phone vibrating. And when one of the guys mentioned Spring Break, Josh's immediate focus changed to finding the perfect tropical destination.

"He's been texting me all night about these amazing resorts," Lauren said, with a soft sigh. "After checking out the third or fourth resort, they're all starting to look the same. I honestly don't care where we go as long as I'm drinking something and wearing my cute bikinis."

"You're OK with him paying for the trip?"

"If I want to go, I really don't have a choice."

"Your other choice is paying for yourself, dummy," Everett corrected.

"Seriously, why can't I be one of those ditzes that would be thrilled to have her boyfriend pay for everything? The kind of ditzes you fuck around with."

"Hey," he protested but then hung his head in defeat. "You're right."

"So what are you doing for Spring Break?"

"I'm gonna visit my cousin in Minnesota."

"Don't forget to bring sunscreen," Lauren said jokingly as he stuck out his tongue in response. "I mean how will you ever keep your shirt on in the party capital of the Midwest?"

"Well, considering I'm visiting the cousin that owns his tattoo place, I plan to be shirtless for a few hours when he works on a new tat for me."

Her mouth fell open in astonishment and an insane amount of jealousy. "What the fuck?"

Everett smirked at her. "Remember the cool night forest sketch you did for me about a year ago? The one with the kinda hidden skull with the strategically placed trees and moon?"

She nodded, remembering being pleased with the design that took her about a week to finish.

"Damien, my cousin, is gonna wrap the design around my left forearm," he explained, holding out his bare arm and tracing the area with his finger. "It's gonna be all black and white, and it'll take maybe a few days to finish. I'm so stoked."

Innate jealousy coursed through her veins that it almost bordered on incomprehensible resentment. Why did spending three to four days in a dinky town that would probably still covered with snow sound more exciting than a sex- and booze-fueled getaway somewhere with sand and sun?

Still riding high from her rose tattoo in Colorado, Lauren was more than ready for more ink and more convinced than ever this was her dream. Sure, she could get another tattoo anywhere, but she wanted more. Lauren wanted to know everything Everett's cousin knew. She wanted to learn.

"I am so fucking jealous right now," she glared at him. "I hate you so much."

Everett chuckled at her sudden mood swing. "Ha! Minnesota's looking pretty good to you now, huh?"

"Shut up."

"Well, come with me. You're a tiny girl, I'm sure Damien can make room for you in his house."

"Shut up."

"I'm serious, Ren. Come with me. It'll be nice to have a road trip buddy."

Lauren tilted to her head to study the serious expression on his face. With his deep brown eyes staring intently at her, she knew his offer was not a joke.

"Seriously?" she asked, shaking her head.

Everett shrugged and glanced around the bar. "Why not? It'll be a pretty cheap trip since we'll stay at my cousin's place. Even if you want another tat, I'm sure Damien will cut you a deal or something."

A trio of flying dragons. Or some small birds in flight. A four-leaf clover. The possibilities were endless, and Lauren desperately wanted to say yes on the spot.

"I have to talk to Josh," she said lamely, knowing her boyfriend wouldn't be thrilled to have his girlfriend spend Spring Break with another guy.

"Sounds like you guys have a lot to talk about."

"Yeah."

"And this is why I don't do relationships," Everett admitted grimly. "Too much responsibility that I don't want."

"But there are so many good moments."

"Not enough for me to even want to deal with the hard stuff. I like my life the way it is."

"But aren't you lonely?"

He shrugged. "Sometimes, but I also don't want to be with someone for all the wrong reasons. I'll stay for the right person."

"You really should study psychology."

"I'm not just another pretty face," Everett said dryly, making a circular motion around his face with his finger. "Me smart too."

Lauren smiled and leaned against him for a brief moment, feeling grateful for his friendship and occasional wise word or two.

"I told him that too," Tristan said, snapping a towel at Everett's leg. "But he won't listen to me."

"Why should he listen to a complete nincompoop?" she asked sarcastically and added a small huff, indicating she was half joking and half serious.

He rolled his eyes in return. "How long are you going to be mad at me for stealing April?"

"Not sure."

"I'll send you personalized trinkets," Tristan teased. "Would you like a refrigerator magnet that it also a bottle opener and coaster?"

"Oh! Oh! I want one of those!" Everett said excitedly, waving one hand in the air.

"Refrigerator magnets," Lauren answered, shaking her head at Everett's fake enthusiasm. "I don't want the boring ones with a landscape. I want ones shaped like a car or cat or cactus."

"Done," Tristan said. "Anything else?"

"Just take care of her."

His handsome face softened. "I will, Ren. She's my friend too."

"Don't break her heart," she threatened, waving a finger in front of his face. "Or I will break every bone in your body. And I'll make Everett help me too."

"Especially if you don't come through with my magnet-bottle opener-coaster combo," Everett added, with a wink.

Tristan sighed and ran a hand through his black hair. "I'm kinda beginning to think this might be a bad idea. Everyone is telling me that we're gonna fall in love, and I really don't want to mess up our friendship."

"Then keep it your pants, Killian," Lauren advised.

"Good luck with that," Everett said. "He has a better shot at becoming president than not having sex with April."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Tristan scoffed, scowling. "Ever think she might break my heart?"

"Just take care of each other, and you guys will be fine," Lauren repeated, nodding at a few new customers approaching the counter.

Tristan and Everett wandered off to take new drink orders as Lauren returned to washing the drinking glasses.

She closed her eyes for a second, feeling a sense of dread fill her. The idea of spending Spring Break with Everett in a tiny Minnesota town made her pulse race with excitement even though part of her honestly wanted to run around a tropical paradise in a skimpy bikini with Josh.

We're young and stupid, April's somewhat wise words echoed in Lauren's mind. She was young and had made stupid mistakes, but Lauren knew she was too sensible and responsible to ignore an opportunity that could help her achieve her dream.

Fuck, she thought irritably, not looking forward to a conversation with Josh.

DEDICATION: A huge thank you to ItsV-me for reading, voting, and adding the book to your reading list.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hello, my sweets, thank you for reading Sweet Surrender and adding it to your reading list! We are headed toward the end of Lauren and Josh's love story with six chapters left! After that I'm working on Wonderlust featuring Tristan and April's road trip and Stolen Stars (title might change because I'm not completely crazy about it) featuring Everett. Oh, don't forget to vote!