Chapter 8

**This is kind of a filler chapter to end spring break. The next chapter will have a little bit of being back in New Mexico before the move, then it will continue onto moving to Chicago...enjoy! :)

Thursday
Wow, this week flew by like nothing, I can’t believe we’re going back home tonight. Laura and I wake up semi early so we can be ready to leave for the airport after saying bye to the boys and their girlfriends or wives. I’m throwing things into my suitcase when I hear my phone ring, I walk over to take it off the charger and answer it, without even looking at it.

“Hello?”
“Hey gorgeous, what’s up,” Jon says
“Hi, ugh nothing just packing.” I say, a little sad
“Well take a break, me and Pat are kidnapping you and Laura to go to lunch with us”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah, be ready in 20 minutes, we’ll be there.” He says
“Ok, who’s all going?”
“The 4 of us, Sharpie & Abby, Nik & Elina, Seabs & Dayna, Jordan and Chelsea”
“Oh wow, ok cool, we will be ready!”
“Ok, see you soon” he says

“Laura, get ready!” I yell to the bathroom
“Why?”
“Because the boys are coming to get us, we’re all going to lunch before we leave.”
“Oh ok, so should we be ready to check out and take our bags?”
“I guess, yeah, we don’t have to be at the airport for like 3 hours but we’ll probably hang out and talk for that long.”
“Ok”

20 minutes later, there’s a knock on the door, I run to open it to Jon and Pat standing there, and I move over and let them in.

“So, we figured you ladies should have everything ready and check out now, so after we’re done, we’ll just take you to the airport.” Pat says
“Yeah, that’s what we were thinking” Laura says
“Where are we going to lunch?”
“We were thinking the Cheesecake Factory, since it was our first group dinner, so it could be our last…well temporarily.” Jon says with a wink
“Yeah, sounds good.”

Laura and I check out of the hotel and throw our suitcases into the back of Pat’s hummer and then get in to go to lunch. I’m taking random pictures of all of us in the car, so I have something to remember this exciting trip and a happy reminder that I’ll be moving out here in a few short months. Jon can see that I’m sad to be leaving already so he grabs my hand and laces our fingers together, and pulls my face towards to him to give me a kiss right as Laura snaps the camera…picture perfect.

“Aw, guys that was cute!” She says as she shows us
“Dang, we look good!” Jon says
“I know, it came out good” I say
“Want to make a copy and send it to me?”
“Yeah, I think I could do that”
“Good, because I need pictures of me and my gorgeous girlfriend in my house” he says with another kiss

We walk into the Cheesecake Factory to see that Jordan, Chelsea, Seabs and Dayna already got a table, we all get situated and talk until everyone else comes. About 5 minutes later, all 12 of us are sitting around the table talking and laughing. Brent clinks his glass with a spoon to get our attention.

“So I have to say first of all, good job Tazer for finding a girl like Jamie, she’s a great girl and lord knows we all need another person to keep you in line” He says, we all laugh
“But in all seriousness, Jamie, I want to congratulate you on getting a job with the Hawks, it’s a fun industry to work in, especially with all of us goofballs, who you are stuck with now, so it will definitely be worth it. Glad your going to be calling Chicago home.”
“Aww…Brent that was sweet! I think I might cry”
“Geez, Seabs don’t make my girl cry” Jon says

Conversations keep flowing; the girls and me exchange numbers so we can keep in touch. We finish eating and are standing outside saying our goodbyes and take a few pictures, knowing it wont be too much longer until I am out here for good.
The last person I hug is Sharpie, he’s probably one of the guys I’ve become the closest with, next to Kaner.

“Good luck with school, and congrats on graduating!” he says into the hug
“Thanks Patrick, keep Jon in line for me, will ya?”
“You got it kid” he says as we all part ways to leave

The drive to the airport was a little more emotional then I expected. My eyes got a teary when we pulled up to the drop off area. We all got out of the car to get our luggage and say our goodbyes.

“J, don’t cry. It will be May before you know it and it’ll be time to move out here,” Jon says as he pulls me into a hug. I just melt as the embrace of being in his strong arms, and to think this is what I'm leaving behind.
“I know but this week went by so fast, and it’s changed my life a lot,”
“You’re going to love it though, you have me and all the guys to help you. The girls love you, it might take a while to get used to, but it will be worth it”
“Ok,” I say with a smile, before Jon closes the distance between us and gives me a long kiss
“Call me when you land?” He says, rubbing his thumb on my cheek,
“I will,” I say, trying to smile
“Ok, ok, let me get in here and say bye to her” Pat says

“Oh Patrick…I might worry about you sometimes” I say with a smile
“Yeah, I think we all do,”
“Well, I don’t know what we would have done if we hadn’t met you guys, but I wouldn’t change it for the world, because I have a job now and I’m so excited to move out here”
“Good, it’s going to be so much fun, you’ll be out here for the playoffs, and then summer time when we can just go crazy!”
“Can’t wait!”
“Ok, well you girls better go so you don’t miss your flight”
“Ok, bye Patrick, see you in a few months”
“Bye!”

Jon and I say bye one more time before walking into the airport. We check in our luggage and make our way through security to our gate. I look at all the pictures that I’ve taken over the week and I think it finally hit me that this is going to be my new home, and that I have a new family out here. I’m brought out of my thoughts when my phone goes off

J, this week has been amazing. I’m so thankful for the day that we ran into each other at Starbucks. I knew right away that you were a great girl that I wanted to get to know better. Thank you for letting us spend time with you girls and thank you for letting me take you out. The nights I have spent with you have been the best times I’ve had in a long time, and you showed me that. I can’t wait until you move out here so we can have so many adventures together and create more memories and build our relationship. Call me when you land in New Mexico. Xoxo-Jon