Chapter 7 #2
“Who says I don’t? Most of them think they are the perfect woman for me and I’ll obviously see it and marry them.” He held her hand so his thumb was making figure eights on the inside of her wrist.
Shivers ran up and down her back and goosebumps covered her arms. How in the world did one tiny motion make her feel so cherished and turned on at the same time?
Two days later, Meri left the facility wearing a sling on her left arm. A staff member pushed the wheelchair to the front sidewalk outside.
Chase waited beside a sparkly dark blue Dodge Charger.
She smiled up at him. “Do you always drive fast cars?”
“Only when I pick up injured special ladies.”
He helped her out of the wheelchair and into the car.
The attendant rolled the wheelchair back inside.
Chase fastened her seatbelt securely, closed the door, and hurried to the other side of the car to slide into the driver’s seat.
He buckled his own seatbelt and then started the car.
Classic radio was playing “Rhiannon” by Fleetwood Mac. One of her beloved songs. If she’d been by herself, she would have sung at the top of her lungs.
“Are we headed straight to my loft?”
“I thought we would. Is there somewhere else you need to go first?”
She looked over at him. “I was hoping we could go see my parents. Mom’s kinda worried about me. I mean, I talked to her on the phone, but they didn’t get to visit.”
“I understand, and it’s no problem. Where do they live?”
She gave him directions to her parents’ house.
He parked in front of the house and turned off the engine.
At the same moment, her mother rushed out and up to the car.
She opened the passenger door. “Hi, baby. How are you feeling?”
“Sore. I’ve got someone I want you to meet.”
Her mom pulled her into a gentle hug, then stepped back and looked her up and down. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
Meri smiled and placed her right hand on her mom’s shoulder. “I’m sure.”
Chase came around the front of the car and stood next to Meri. He put his arm around her waist.
It was just for support because she was weak. At least, that’s what she told herself.
“Mom, this is Chase Harper. He’s the man I told you about. I’m doing the mural in his office.”
“Chase, this is my mom, Carole Anderson.”
Chase shook hands with her mother. “I can see where Meri got her beautiful red hair.”
Her mother instinctively smoothed her hand over her hair. “Thank you. Why don’t you both come inside? No need for the neighbors to get a show. Bill is at work, I’m afraid. He is getting antsy about retiring in six months.” She sighed. “I don’t know what I’ll do with him underfoot all the time.”
They all walked inside, and Chase kept his hand on Meri’s waist the entire way.
They entered the house and immediately found themselves in the living room. It had an open floor plan with a beautiful rock fireplace on the outside wall and a big screen TV above.
The sofa faced the fireplace with Queen Anne chairs on either end, separated from the couch by a small end table. Bookcases were on another wall, and the wall by the door had a large picture window.
Meri had always loved this room. The sun streaming in provided her with all the light she needed to read during the day.
Her mom stood there for a minute, looking at the living room.
She wondered if her mother was seeing the times she’d spent there with Daddy.
As though waking from a dream, her mom blinked several times. “Why don’t we go into the kitchen? I’ve made fresh lemonade.”
“That would be great.” Meri turned left and started toward the kitchen, following her mother.
Chase brought up the rear.
Meri sat at the small square table.
He sat beside her. “You have a lovely home, Carole.”
Her mother got three glasses, filled them with ice, and then poured in the lemonade. Bringing them to the table, she set one in front of both Meri and Chase. Then she sat across from him. “So, tell me, Chase, how will you protect my daughter?”
He cleared his throat. “I’ll be in the apartment most of the time. I plan on stationing my security staff on each floor and in front of the door to my apartment. The assailant won’t get to Meri again.”
“It all sounds so surreal.” Carole took a sip of her lemonade. “This could be something out of a movie.”
Chase nodded. “It does, but it is all too real, as Meri can attest. Of course, I’ll leave instructions you are to be allowed to pass anytime you wish.”
Her mother reached over and laid a hand on top of Chase’s. “Thank you for taking care of her. I know it would be easy to blame you for her injury, but I also know that wouldn’t be right.”
“I will do whatever it takes to keep her safe. Believe me.” He looked over at Meri and took the hand she had around her lemonade. “I care about her very much.”
Meri looked down at the table and then back up at Chase. “You must, in order to put up with me for two weeks.”
He smiled. “Yes, I do. Do you really think I would invite you into my home and have my men watching out for you if I didn’t?”
She looked down at their clasped hands. “I haven’t really thought about it. I guess I thought you were just being kind.”
He shook his head. “Only to you.”
She turned toward him and whispered. “Thank you. I care about you, too.”
Smiling, he squeezed her hand. “I can’t ask for more than that.”
Meri turned her gaze toward her mother. She had tears in her eyes and nodded at Meri.
She fully understood what that meant. Her mother approved of Chase and not because of his money, but because of his heart.
Meri more than cared for Chase, but she couldn’t…
wouldn’t tell him that. He had enough on his mind, trying to catch the man who shot her.
He didn’t need to have to worry about not returning her feelings… her love. Yes, love.
When had she done that? When had she fallen in love? After their first date? Their second? Was it after she was shot and he was the one constant in her life?