“I might’ve told my family we were going on a ski-moon.” He squeezed the soccer ball as if he’d stepped in to coach the team and now had to defend his qualifications. “I did tell them that.”
“A what?” Nichole asked.
“They wanted to plan a party for us this weekend. Travis wants to plan a reception.” Chase tapped the soccer ball against his head. “It was the only thing I could come up with on the fly.”
“What is it?”
“Basically, a ski trip to Tahoe.” Chase peered at her over the soccer ball. A cringe creasing his eyes.
“We’re going to Tahoe!” Wesley cheered in the doorway to the kitchen and knocked popcorn onto the floor from the bowl he was clutching.
Something knocked inside Nichole, spinning her even more out of control. She whispered, “This wasn’t part of the arrangement.”
“I know.” Chase sighed. “I panicked.”
Now Nichole panicked. Chase wanted to take her to Tahoe. They’d stay in the same house. They’d be together. She could discover the real Chase. Or test her attraction. Her nerves tingled. Anticipation or anxiety, she didn’t know.
She did know that she could not go to Tahoe. Not with Chase. A ski-moon sounded too much like a honeymoon. She shouldn’t be tempted. First, she wore a wedding gown and saw herself as a bride. Now she saw herself pretending to be married in Tahoe. With Chase. This was what happened when she didn’t follow her plan, stick to her schedule. Chaos ensued.
“Can Ben come too?” Wesley buried his hand in the popcorn bowl. “He loves the snow more than me.”
“Works for me. Invite Ben’s parents, too.” Chase propped the soccer ball against his hip, natural and easy as if he belonged in their house. As if he’d always been in their lives. Always planned their vacations.
But Chase had only just arrived. Barely been invited into Nichole’s world. The one she controlled. That was it—she had to take control.
Chase added, “It can be a family getaway weekend.”
No. It could not. They weren’t family. Nichole muted the buzz in her heart and silenced the part of her that wished. That still hoped for a complete family and love. Love? She had no wish to love and find herself set aside. Displaced and forgotten as if her love never mattered. Nichole pressed her hand against her core, pulled herself together, opened her mouth.
“I have to go pack!” Wesley shouted first, and dropped the popcorn bowl on the coffee table. “There’s so much I have to remember to bring.”
“Wait. Time-out.” Nichole raised her hands and regained her focus. Her sharp voice cut into her son’s celebration. “You have homework to finish right now. Then school tomorrow.”
“So, no Tahoe?” Disappointment crushed Wesley’s eyebrows together. “No fun in the snow?”
“Let me call Brooke and Dan.” Let me think. Let me develop an action plan. Give me more time. Nichole rubbed the back of her neck. Tahoe was a bad idea. “It’s spring break next week. Maybe we can go up there this Friday.” She looked at Chase. Another bad idea. Her heart tapped against her chest. “Friday works, right?”
“Definitely.” Chase high-fived Wesley. “Fun in the snow is a go.”
Wesley whooped and raced away.
Nichole collapsed onto the couch and vowed she’d made her very last misstep. Tomorrow she’d get back on schedule. Back on track with the life she’d already planned.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHASE STEPPED INTO his grandmother’s apartment and scrambled into the kitchen. “Nonna, what are you doing?”
“Boiling potatoes and preparing my statement.” Nonna peered into a large pot on the stove and pointed at her notepad perched on the end of the kitchen counter.
Chase scratched his chin, wondering where to start: the potatoes or the statement. “You’re not supposed to cook without one of us here to help.”
“Nichole. My dear. Thank you for making time to visit me on such short notice.” She elbowed Chase and his declaration aside, then hugged Nichole. “Now, where’s my new great-grandson?”
“It’s Wednesday and a school day.” And a workday, but Nonna had demanded Chase bring Nichole to see her when he’d bailed from the family intervention yesterday. “Wesley had to go to school.”
“That’s unfortunate.” His grandmother scowled. “Being with family should always come first.”
“Wesley was quite upset, Nonna.” Nichole smiled. “He offered to do extra chores for three months if I let him skip school today.”
“Sounds like a good boy.” Delight lifted Nonna’s paper-thin cheeks. “Now let’s look at you. You’re lovelier than ever, dear.”
“You always were too kind, Nonna.” Nichole gripped both of Nonna’s hands as if she wanted to hang on and not let Nonna go.
Chase wanted Nichole to hold on to him the same way. As if she wanted him beside her and never intended to let him go. He picked up a fork, tested the potatoes and pierced his misdirected thoughts. One potential ski-moon had rewired everything. “Nonna wasn’t always kind to me.”
“You didn’t need kindness.” Nonna tucked Nichole’s arm around hers. “Still don’t.”
His grandmother always minced garlic and never words. Chase concentrated on the pot and hid his smile. Arthritis had stolen the strength from his grandmother’s grip but hadn’t slowed the quickness of her wit. “What do I need?”
“You need a good reason to stop seeking thrills and quit avoiding home.” Nonna guided Nichole into her apartment as if Nichole was the guest of honor at a society gala, not an old acquaintance. Nonna glanced at him. “But you just might have found a very good reason to come home.”
His grandmother had been reciting a version of her accusation for over a year now. Despite the fact Chase lived less than ten minutes from her, fifteen minutes from his mom and both of his sisters. He was surrounded in every direction on the compass by his family and home. Family dinners belonged to Sundays and weekday visits happened at least twice
