“I want you to come with me to Nashville. There’s somewhere I want to take you.”
I look up at him. “You gonna show me where you’ve been all this time?”
He grins. “There’s this thing I go to on Sundays. I’d like you to come with me.”
“Oh yeah? What kind of ‘thing?’”
“A meeting.” His words carry a serious vibe that washes away my relaxation. “It’s helped me a lot, and I thought maybe it could help you too.”
The cozy warmth in my chest starts to chill. I push against him, sliding away. “Help me? Why do you think I need help?”
He’s quick to pull me back, his strong arms cocooning me as he drops kisses on my cheeks. The anger that was threatening under the surface melts away.
“I don’t mean it like that,” he reassures. “It’s a group for people who have been affected by addiction.”
I scoff. “I’m not an addict, Chase. That’s Daddy. I don’t need a group to tell me that.”
“I know, baby. It’s a place for support.”
I feel the scowl transform my face and Chase frowns as he stares at me. “I know it’s the last thing you want to do. I mean, it was the last fucking thing I wanted to do, too. So I get it. Believe me. But this isn’t a group that will judge you. You don’t need to say anything. No one even has to know about your dad.”
I run his words through my head. “I don’t have to say anything?”
“No.” He shakes his head. “I’d like you to come though. It’s an important part of me. And you’re also an important part. The most important part. I really want to share this with you.”
This is not what I had in mind when he asked if I was busy this weekend, but I can’t deny the curiosity that’s brimming, wondering what it was like for him in Nashville during our years apart.
“Okay. I’ll go.”
In the middle of the night, Chase slips inside me again. I don’t resist, even though I’m sore. And then again this morning, when he takes me up against the shower wall—I revel in the sting.
After breakfast, he drops me home so I can pack an overnight bag for Nashville. I text Becca and Jax, canceling brunch. I feel guilty because I haven’t told Becca about Chase yet, so I ask her to stop by. I’m nervous to tell her. Becca isn’t known for her soft-spoken words or her understanding. She was the one who was there from the beginning with Chase and me. From the first unrequited crush to the soul-crushing loss that swallowed me after he was gone. If anyone has a right to be upset about our relationship, it’s her.
I’m throwing clothes in my bag when she shows up. She walks in like she owns the place, sashaying through the doorway.
“I know you think you can just ditch me and Jax for brunch, but I’ve come to force you to go.”
I smirk as I fold my shirt and place it in my bag. “I can’t go, Becca. I’m goin’ out of town for the night.”
She plops down on my bed, frowning. “Oh. With who?”
I steal a glance at her, my nerves making eye contact impossible. Here we go. Rip it off like a Band-Aid. “Chase.”
Becca stares at me, her face blank. I continue flitting around my room, flinging clothes that I don’t need for a one-day trip into my bag. Anything to keep busy so I don’t feel the weight of her gaze.
After going through every possible wardrobe combination, I can’t take the silence anymore. “Are you gonna say somethin’? You’re makin’ me nervous.”
Becca tilts her head, blinking.
“Well.” I raise my hands. “You’ve got nothin’ to say about this?”
She sighs, breaking her stare and picking at her nails. “What would you like me to say, Lee? You’ve clearly made up your mind already. You’re a big girl, I don’t need to fight your battles for you.”
My eyes sting from how wide I open them. I press the back of my hand against her forehead. “You feelin’ okay? No snarky comeback? No witty retort?”
She bats my hand away. “Just so we’re clear, you want me to be a bitch about this?”
I sit down on the bed, my face scrunching at her question. “I don’t… I don’t know. I’m confused by your reaction. I was prepared to defend myself and here you are messin’ up my plans.”
She rolls her eyes. “I have other things to worry about, Lee. If you wanna go down a road that you already know I don’t approve of, that’s on you. I’ll be here to wipe your tears when he inevitably fucks it all up. Again.”
I chew on my lip. “You really think he’s gonna mess up again?”
She lifts her shoulders. “He’s a man. That’s what men do.” She falls back on my bed, crossing her hands over her stomach. “Hey, how come you gave out my number, Lee?”
My eyebrows draw in. “What on Earth are you talkin’ about?”
She levels me with a glare. “My number. You gave it to Eli’s… thing.” She waves her hand in the air. “Samantha or whatever her name is.”
“Sarah,” I correct.
“Whatever.”
“Uhm. Okay, I’m sorry. I didn’t think it was a big deal.”
“Well, it is,” she says, crossing her arms.
I narrow my eyes. “I gave it to her ‘cause I’m tired of tryin’ to figure out what the heck is goin’ on with you and my brother. It’s exhaustin’, Becca. And while we’re on the subject—just so you know… I’m not dumb.”
Her face pales and she pulls her hair into a ponytail, moving it to her other shoulder before releasing it. She’s always played with her hair when she’s nervous. The fact she’s doing it right now is a big tell.
“I don’t know why you keep sayin’ things like that. Your brother’s a jerk, and he always has been. I saw him around campus sometimes. He didn’t like things I had to say and I didn’t like the way
