Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 61953 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61953 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
Another beat of silence.
“Harley, you don’t have to…”
“We haven’t spoken in months. Do you want to see me or not?”
“Yes,” and this time, there was no hesitation.
“I’ll be there in fifteen,” I told him and then hung up before he could argue.
The map to Chase’s house was ingrained in my mind. I hadn’t been there in over a year, and it felt like I was going on autopilot to get there. I parked in the driveway and headed to the front door, which opened before I even knocked.
Chase was in board shorts and a blue Yale T-shirt. I, however, was still in my Tacos uniform. I’d only traded out my cleats for black Adidas slides.
His eyes were wide and surprised. “You’re in red.”
I glanced down at the uniform. “Yeah.”
“I’ve never seen you in anything but black.”
“Well, don’t get used to it,” I said. “This is a special occasion. I was filling in for Nora.”
“If you say so,” he said with a small smile coming to his lips. “Red looks good on you.” He pulled the door open wide, and I crossed the threshold into his house.
I waved him off. “I wear other colors. I crocheted a long off-white vest once. Wore it all the time. It was like festival wear.”
“At least white is monochrome. This is like seeing Wednesday Addams in red.”
“Pig’s blood?” I offered.
He laughed. “Just so.”
“And you? Do you always go around announcing that you went to Yale?”
He furrowed his brows. “I don’t go around telling anyone I went to Yale.” I pointed at his shirt. “Oh. Well, I was alone.”
“Uh-huh,” I teased.
He shrugged. “So what? I went to Yale. At least I’m not lying about it.”
I tried not to shiver at the ease that came with his presence. His nonchalance as I made fun of him. The secret smiles that somehow tugged on my heart and reminded me exactly why I’d fallen so hard.
I turned away from him and went to the record shelf. I pulled out a Bowie vinyl and put it in place on the record player. The Bose speaker connected correctly this time and started playing.
“Where is Bowie?” I asked.
“Passed out in his bed.” He tilted his head toward the bedroom. “We went on a ten-mile hike and kayaked for a few hours today.”
My eyes rounded. “Whoa. I’d be dead, too. How are you standing?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “Was actually about to go swim. Still have energy to burn off.”
“By all means,” I said, gesturing to the back door.
He arched an eyebrow. “I don’t think you came over here to watch me swim.”
“No,” I agreed. “But maybe we could sit outside?” My eyes snagged on the couch, where he’d made me completely collapse. “You know…not in here.”
His eyes followed my gaze. “Yeah. All right.”
We stepped outside and into the warm spring air. Summer was fast approaching, and already, it was heating up. I was just glad dust storm season was mostly on the out.
I sank into a cushioned chair and ducked my feet underneath me while Chase dropped down across from me. For a few minutes, both of us were silent. It wasn’t even uncomfortable. I kept glancing at him. My heart and body were trying to remind me exactly how attracted I was to him, and my brain was saying, Whoa, whoa, whoa! Don’t go there again!
“So, your parents,” I finally said.
“Yeah.”
“You’re not answering Annie about it. Or Ashleigh?”
He kept his gaze on the glittering reflection of the pool. “Just didn’t want to make a big deal about it.”
“You realize not talking to anyone about it makes it a bigger deal?”
“Guess I see that now,” he said with a shrug.
“And you’re not unbothered.”
He turned to face me, and my cheeks heated at the intensity there. “My dad cheated on my mom enough times that she finally had enough. They were working on their marriage after the last girl, and he promised he wouldn’t do it again. But he obviously did it again because he’s a narcissist.”
“I’m sure he did. Speaking as someone with a narcissistic father, I can say, he’ll always do it, and it’ll always be someone else’s problem. I’m proud of your mom for finally breaking away.”
He pushed his hand into his hair. “Yeah. I’m glad she’s leaving. I don’t know how she’s going to survive him.”
“She’ll have you,” I said as if it made all the difference.
His expression changed as if he’d never thought of that.
“My mom had me. I had my brothers. There are people to lean on, Chase. You don’t have to tackle the world alone.”
“Sometimes, it feels like it,” he admitted.
“Well, you could answer your phone when your sister and best friend call.”
“I answered when you called.”
My heart rate picked up. I wet my lips and broke the stare. “You did.”
“There’s another problem.”
I glanced back at him. “What’s that?”