Chase

 

My mind had been occupied all morning with the events that were going to take place today. Did I really want to talk to my dad, patch things up? No, I didn’t. He was wrong, not me, and I felt it was his responsibility to own up to that, come and talk to me, not the other way around.

When I’d communicated all this as I rambled to Naomi on the drive up, she understood where I was coming from, but she threw out the same Glinda the Good Witch shit my sister used and said I still needed to make the first step. And I was. I was going to a family function where he would be. That hadn’t happened in years.

She’d asked how the holidays worked, and I’d told her my dad and I had an unspoken agreement. He would spend the mornings with the family and I took the evenings. Naomi had frowned and muttered, “Maybe this Thanksgiving will be different.” I’d informed her it would be because she would be with me. That’s when I got hit with soft brown eyes and a smile that I’d come to love.

At the bake sale, it was funny to sit back and watch my parents with their grandchild and realize that they were participating in things they never did with Jessica or me when we were kids. As if they were trying to right their wrongs before the good Lord called on them. I probably would have laughed in someone’s face if they’d told me my dad was going to help with a bake sale at my elementary school. But here he was helping at his grandson’s.

“Chase,” Jessica called from my left. “Can you grab those empty containers and put them in the back of my van?” She pointed to the stack against the wall.

“Sure,” I mumbled, looked over to see my girl talking to a group of teachers from the school, moved to grab as many containers as I could and walked to the van in the parking lot.

I was just getting ready to close the trunk when I heard, “You can leave that.”

I’d heard his voice all afternoon and tried to ignore it, but it was as if he was speaking through a megaphone directed at me because no matter where he was, I heard him.

I nodded, turned and started to walk away.

“You look good,” my dad muttered.

I didn’t give him anything. No nod, no thanks, no Fuck you, old man, you screwed up my childhood. I just kept walking but when he spoke again, I came to a standstill in the middle of the parking lot.

“She’s a sweet girl.”

Those words had me turning to face him as he was putting the last of the empty Tupperware in the trunk. Fucking Glinda and her damn ulterior motives. I hadn’t even known he’d spoken to Naomi. I’d watched her help Jessica, talk to some of the kids, then chat with teachers and parents. She’d moved around like she was in her element and I thought I’d kept tabs on her pretty well throughout the day. I guess I was slipping.

I stared at him with hard eyes and he stared at me with a blank expression. Just as I turned on my foot to walk away, he spoke again. “Chase,” he called, and I stopped again.

I hadn’t heard my name come from my dad’s mouth in years. A few assholes and shitheads, but not my name. Turning back, staring at eyes the same blue as mine, I waited.

“I’m sorry, son,” he offered quietly.

I chuckled. “Sorry… sorry about what?” I didn’t let him answer as this was my chance and I went on with a venomous tone, “Sorry for leaving me to take care of the family you created, while all my friends were tagging pussy, racing cars, being fucking teenage boys.” My blood began to boil as I stepped toward him. “Or, are you sorry for me being your son—”

He jumped in. “Don’t say that.” My dad slowly shook his head before he looked to the ground.

“Well, which is it?” I grated out. “Dad.”

He rubbed the back of his neck and leaned against the van in a defeated pose. “Everything, Chase. Everything.”

“Fucking whatever, old man,” I bit back and turned.

The rage was beginning to take over and I knew I had to walk away because if I didn’t, things wouldn’t end nicely. But he didn’t let me.

“Front and center, Private,” my dad firmly shouted his command.

I froze. The last time I’d heard that was right before I was handed my discharge papers. Turning, I charged at him. When he stood tall with his back flat to the van and I was nose to nose with him, I roared, “You think you can fucking order me around, old man? You think I’m gonna cave to your command, like one of your bitches?” My fists clenched so tightly a few knuckles cracked.

“I see I got your attention. You gonna talk now or walk away like a pussy?” he bit out. “I said I was sorry.”

“And that’s supposed to fucking fix everything?” I rumbled.

“Chase?” Naomi called from behind me.

I took a step back with my eyes still on my dad and said, “Go back, baby. I’ll be there in a minute.”

“She’s good for you,” my dad said with his eyes on my girl. “Strong woman. A woman that will stand by your side no matter what.”

“Don’t fucking tell me anything about my girl,” I snarled.

“Chase,” Naomi said softly and laid a hand on my arm. “He was being nice. That’s all.”

I looked down to her and those fucking gentle brown eyes were gazing up at me. And she gave it to me just with one fucking look, the calm I needed.

Taking a deep breath, I looked to my dad. “Talk.”

He sighed and relaxed his stiff body. “I was scared.”

When he didn’t go on, I questioned, “Scared?”

“Yeah,” he puffed out. “The woman I married and started a family with was falling apart. I didn’t know what to do. I was scared.”

“So you knew? You knew the whole fucking time Mom wasn’t right?” I probed with anger.

“Yes,” he whispered and looked down to the ground before raising his head and speaking. “I hid; hid behind the only thing that I knew. Being a soldier. Fuck,” he grumbled. “I could shoot a damn rifle, scale a wall, lead troops into battle but I couldn’t fucking fix my own wife.”

“Do you realize how fucked-up that is?” I bit back.

Naomi squeezed my arm and it happened again. This time I didn’t even need to see the gentleness behind her eyes because I soaked up the calm just from her touch.

“I do.” My dad sighed. “Always have, but I couldn’t stop it. It was all I knew. And you…” He paused. “My own son did my job. And a better job than I could have done.”

I heard Naomi gasp at my dad’s confession, and I too was affected by the words.

“I know I used to say you didn’t, but you did and I should have told you a long time ago, Chase. I’m man enough to admit now I was wrong. I was just too damn stubborn to acknowledge it, but you did right by your mom and sister. And,” he stopped and took a deep breath, “I’m proud of you, son.”

Naomi sniffled next to me and gripped my arm as I looked down at her to see her wipe an eye. Her teary eyes came to mine and she gave me a small smile that soared through me. I brought my eyes to my dad.

“Thank you,” I returned.

Voices from afar had us all looking over that way and my mom, sister and Jack were walking in our direction. Bryce was running full steam toward us, a smile a mile long plastered on his face. My eyes caught my sister’s and she held her arm high and tapped her invisible wand my way. I shook my head at Glinda with a scowl.

I’m not going to say that my dad’s apology and confession caused me to jump in his arms. Or that I expected him to take me out for ice cream but it was a start. A start to what, only time would tell, but the rest of the day and dinner went by with laughs, smiles and bantering.

And that was definitely a good fucking start.

 

****

 

The sun was starting to set and I needed to hurry before it was too late. So I took long firm strides, hauling Naomi behind me.

“Chase,” Naomi panted as she took two quick steps to my every one. “Do you not know the definition of walk?”

I chuckled at her. “I do.”

“Then how come, like last time, we’re fucking running?” she said, breathing heavily.

“We aren’t running,” I answered as I looked down and smiled at her. “This is running.” I gripped her hand more firmly and began to sprint toward my destination.

“Oh!” she shouted as she kept up with me. “You’re on!”

Then she pulled her hand from mine and took off. But I let her. And while she jogged a few feet in front of me, I watched that luscious ass move under her jeans. Like always, I won, even if she thought she did.

“The house,” I called out making her look back to me and I pointed to the house I’d first fucked her in.

As she turned back around, she responded on a yell, “Are you serious?”

“Yep.”

She had her hands to her knees, bent over, catching her breath as I walked in. When her breathing somewhat evened out, she straightened and looked around. Jessica had done what I’d asked her to do this morning and left a small camp light on the floor so I went over to it turning it on.

“Hmm,” Naomi hummed. “I guess one of the workers left it.” She began to move around. “You know… this could be really cute.” I stood off to the side and leaned against a wall, watching her. “A little sitting area right here would be fantastic,” she breathed, then turned to me. “Maybe I should take some interior design classes. Decorate homes.” I grinned and nodded at her. “But….” Her eyes fell to stare at the floor and her shoulders slumped. “I don’t even have a home,” she whispered.

“You have my place,” I returned.

While sighing, she looked over to me and the slight pain in her eyes caused a tight feeling in my chest. “That’s your home.”

I couldn’t watch the sadness take over her gorgeous features, so I gave in. “What about this place?”

She looked around and muttered, “What about it?”

“Make this your home,” I told her.

She took a deep breath, viewed the area again, began to move around and went into the space that would hold the kitchen.

“I don’t know,” I uttered. “Maybe fill it with a few chaise lounges.”

She looked back at me and chuckled and when she turned, she caught sight of the paper on the wall. She moved to it and I braced, my heart beginning to thunder in my chest as she read, my palms becoming clammy. I’d never been this nervous, but my future now lay in the hands of the woman that stood before me.

Her head whipped toward me with wide eyes and her mouth fell open as she stared at me. “You….” she stammered in shock.

I couldn’t get a good read on her so I moved. Fitting my front to her back, I wrapped my arms around her, inhaled her sweet spicy orange scent and whispered, “All you have to do is sign.” When she didn’t say anything, I continued, “If it’s too much, I—”

“You want to buy this house… together?” she cut me off with a whisper.

“Yes.”

“You want to move out here… with me?” Her voice began to shake.

“Absolutely,” I said truthfully. “Make it our home.”

She was quiet and my nerves began to spike again. I felt a tear hit my hand as her body shook. “Naomi, will you buy this house with me and make it our home?”

“Yes,” she breathed, and a sob broke free as she confirmed in a trembling voice, “Yes.”

I reached into my back pocket and pulled out the pen that I’d shoved in there before leaving my sister’s. Naomi didn’t hesitate as she took it from my hand, and I let her go, watching her sign her name on the deed to the house under mine.

It was quick, however, still fucking phenomenal like always, when I fucked her against our new kitchen wall.

When we got back to my sister’s, I told everyone the news and there were tears of joy from my sister and mom. Jack patted me on the back and muttered, “Now I have a place to hide when your sister’s riding one of her bitch fests.” That got him a slap in the arm from Jessica. Bryce was beside himself and ran off to his friend’s house, two doors down, to tell him his uncle was moving onto the same block.

After the excitement died down and I went out back for a smoke, my dad came out. He bummed a cigarette and muttered, “Gonna be nice to have you and Naomi close.”

That was all he needed to say.

 

****

 

I stood on the balcony with a smoke in one hand and coffee in the other, gazing out over the tall buildings to the mountains. I wouldn’t miss it, the view that is. The only thing I’d miss was the accommodations my building presented—calling down to have bagels delivered from the nearest shop, the on-hand cleaning service, but I’d give everything up… everything to wake up next to the woman who’d just walked out the front door.

She’d only left thirty minutes ago and I was on cigarette number two. We’d had a quick argument about her going to talk to Braydon alone. She’d won and it was hard to let her face obstacles without being right there to pick up any pieces, but… fuck, I had to.

Furthermore, there was still something about Braydon that was rubbing me the wrong way. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure it out. Not much stumped me, being in the business that I was, but he did. The vibration on my ass brought me back and I reached into my pocket and grabbed my cell.

Naomi: I’m here.

I typed back, Okay, you keep your cell in a pocket that’s quickly accessible and always keep ten feet from him.

I stubbed out my smoke and looked to my phone as an incoming text appeared.

Naomi: We went over all this, honey. It’s just to sign the papers. An, I don’t want anything of yours so goodbye meeting. Love you and I’ll call as soon as my ass hits the driver’s seat, Sarg. ;)

I smiled at her smart-ass remark and typed back, Love you and you’ll be paying for that comment.

I held the cell in my hand waiting for her response but the screen highlighted with Tony’s name and I hit Answer.

“You got anything for me yet?” I said as my greeting.

“Fuck, man,” Tony drawled through a chuckle. “I’m good, thanks.”

“It’s been longer than you normally take,” I told him.

Tony was a business informant. We didn’t hang out and have beers or braid each other’s fucking hair. We helped each other out when need be, and he was looking into the break-in of Naomi’s old home.

“This one had me fucking puzzled for a while.” He sighed.

“Tell me about it,” I agreed. “You have a name?”

“Yep,” he said with confidence. “Ross Smith.”

“Ross Smith?” I questioned, totally fucking confused.

“Yeah, it took some asking, probing, and a few not so nice meetings to get that name—”

I cut him off. “You mean Braydon McAllister?”

“Nope,” he drawled. “I mean Ross fucking Smith.” He sounded angry that I was questioning him.

Tony never gave me false information or even the wrong information, ever.

“Okay, man,” I said as I shook my head, even more fucking baffled than ever.

“All good, Chase?” Tony asked, clearly sensing my confusion.

“Hope so,” I muttered before I said, “I owe you.” Then I hung up.

I paced the balcony and in passing, I reached for my smokes and put a cigarette in my mouth, lighter to the head of it and—

“No,” I mumbled, causing the unlit stick to fall from my lips and the lighter to fall from my hand. The clatter of it hitting the metal was all I heard when I raced to my office computer. I pounded at the keys so hard it was a wonder I didn’t break them. And there it was. There it fucking was. “Holy fuck!” I jumped up and quickly headed out the door.

My girl had no fucking idea what she was walking into and I needed to save her.