Chapter 5
Chapter Five
ELENA
I could not figure it out.
But I was having fun, and fun was a rarity these days.
My routine was simple: wake up, go to work, come home, make dinner, go to bed, hope like hell my husband didn’t take what I was not willingly giving.
Repeat.
Peter had “pulled some strings” to ensure I always stayed on day shift so that I could be home for dinner every night. At first, I thought it was sweet. Residency could be brutal, so I’d been grateful for an easier schedule, though my peers were unimpressed.
It wasn’t until a few months into our move to Detroit and my start at Henry Ford Hospital that I realized it was just another method of control.
Peter had followed me to Boston for medical school, so it had only been fair that I followed him back to Detroit—his home—for residency. His connections in the city hadn’t hurt, either, when it came to applying for resident programs.
But now, my career, my schedule, my entire life was under his careful scrutiny.
Any fun I had was at his discretion, and we had very different ideas of what fun entailed.
Peter grew up wealthy; his family’s holding company, Stone Ventures, owned and invested in numerous businesses and real estate properties across the city. They were also well-known philanthropists and one of the biggest donors to Henry Ford Hospital.
Our evenings and weekends were often spent at corporate dinners or charity galas, exchanging pleasantries with equally accomplished and wealthy patrons as the Stones.
I found it all incredibly dull.
Peter had been charming in college, fun and a little wild.
We met at a party Tessa had dragged me to sophomore year.
He doted on me—bought me lavish gifts, took me on extravagant vacations.
And being seen on his arm made me feel special, especially when he was so eager to show me off and shut down any other man who spared me a glance.
It wasn’t until years later that I saw it all for what it truly was.
My entire existence had been reduced to being an accessory on the arm of a powerful man.
I blamed my daddy issues for not seeing the innumerable red flags from the very beginning.
But the final nail in the coffin of our marriage didn’t come until ten months ago when my mother passed away. It was like he knew I no longer had anyone in my corner to fight for me.
But he was so fucking wrong.
I would fight for me.
“Need a break?” Chase asked when we got to the bottom of the hill. He’d taken it gracefully, carving into the side of the mountain with ease. I shot straight down it like an arrow, earning shouts and glares from fellow patrons.
“No. Let’s try again.”
Chase chuckled and held out a hand to help me from where I’d fallen on my ass to stop myself. I unclipped a boot to waddle toward the lift.
“I’ve got an idea that might help this time, if you’re willing.”
“Can’t get any worse,” I muttered.
“You’re doing fine. Ignore the pretentious dicks who think they’re god’s gift to the snow.”
Chase guided me toward the ski lift, his hand hovering at the small of my back. The metal bench swung toward us with a mechanical whir. My stomach lurched as we were swept off our feet, dangling high above the pristine snow.
The winter wind nipped at my cheeks, carrying the crisp scent of pine.
“So, what kind of doctor are you?” Chase asked as we ascended the hillside.
“Emergency.”
“Good in a crisis. Excellent quality.”
“I like adrenaline.”
Chase’s eyes sparkled with interest. “Must see some wild things in there.”
“You have no idea.” And some things I wish I could unsee.
Like the night six weeks ago when a woman came in, bruises flowering across her ribs, arm broken in two places.
Her husband had been so apologetic, crying about how he’d never meant to hurt her.
I’d seen that scene play out too many times before.
And most recently, at home.
The lift crested the hill. Chase helped me dismount without face-planting, his gloved hand steady at my elbow.
“Okay, here’s what we’re going to try.” He positioned himself behind me, hands on my hips. “You’re fighting the board. You need to work with it, let it guide you down naturally.”
His chest pressed against my back, and despite the layers between us, heat bloomed across my skin. When’s the last time a man’s touch didn’t make me want to crawl out of my skin?
“Bend your knees more,” he murmured, applying gentle pressure to make me sink lower. “That’s it. Now when we start down, I want you to lean into me. Trust that I’ve got you.”
My throat went dry. Trust wasn’t something that came easily anymore. But as Chase’s hands shifted to grip my waist more securely, I found myself relaxing into his solid presence.
“Ready?” His breath tickled my neck beneath the wool of my hat.
“Ready.”
Chase guided me down the slope, his strong hands anchoring me as we carved back and forth across the hill. The wind whipped past, carrying flurries of snow that sparkled in the winter sun. My body settled into a natural rhythm, following his subtle shifts in pressure.
“See, you’re a natural,” he murmured close to my ear, sending shivers down my spine that had nothing to do with the cold.
The praise warmed me from the inside out. Peter’s words only ever cut—pointing out my flaws, my inadequacies, how lucky I was that he continued to put up with me. But Chase’s encouragement felt genuine, wrapped in playful admiration rather than manipulation.
It shouldn’t have felt so easy, so nice.
But it did.
We reached the bottom of the run smoothly this time, no ungraceful tumble required. Chase’s hands lingered at my waist as we slowed to a stop, his chest still pressed against my back. He touched me like I was made of something precious—not property.
My breath caught at the intimacy of it all.
But I couldn’t bring myself to step away. The warmth of his body, the fresh pine scent of his skin, the gentle strength in his touch—it all felt right in a way things hadn’t felt right in years.
“Want to try on your own now?” Chase asked.
“Maybe one more run together?” The words slipped out before I could stop them. This was a bad idea. But god, I just wanted one more moment of peace. “Just to make sure I’ve got the technique down.”
His low chuckle vibrated through me. “Can’t argue with being thorough, Doc. Wouldn’t want you hurting yourself.”
I won’t let anything, or anyone else, hurt me ever again.
Thirty minutes later, we were back inside the lodge, seated on a pair of cozy leather chairs opposite a roaring fireplace with mugs of hot chocolate in our hands.
“So, if you’re not in the family business, what do you do?”
Chase’s cheeks were already tinged pink from the cold, but I swore the color darkened.
“I, uh—” He cleared his throat. “I’m between jobs right now. That’s partially why I came here today. I heard they’re hiring an instructor, but I got a little distracted by my newest student.” He winked at me, deflecting.
Was he embarrassed that he didn’t have a job?
“Unemployment isn’t a reflection of character,” I said. “Sometimes it can’t be helped. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”
“That, Doc, is where you’re wrong.” He sighed and sank further in his chair. “I don’t have the best track record with keeping jobs. But I’m starting to think I need to get my shit together if I want to experience the finer things in life.”
“Money isn’t everything.” I would know.
“Not talking about money, Sweetness.” His blue gaze bore into me. My body was suddenly aflame, and it had nothing to do with the hearth in front of us.
My phone vibrated, breaking the spell.
TESSA
How ya doing this morning, bestie? Sorry I can’t hang with you today, but I hope you enjoy some spa time. You deserve it!
ELENA
I’m OK. Took a snowboarding lesson. The cold helped the hangover, actually. But now I’m def in need of a massage. Hope the gala is fun tonight!
TESSA
You know as well as I do that it will be
ELENA
Best of luck to you
When I looked up from my phone, Chase was still staring.
“What?”
“Nothing.” He turned to look back at the fire and sipped his cocoa.
“I, um, have a massage appointment in an hour, so I’d better…” I hitched a thumb over my shoulder.
Chase stood, and I followed suit. “Oh, yeah, of course. Well, uh, thanks for, ya know, hanging out with me?”
It came out as more of a question than a statement, and I didn’t miss the tiny shake of his head. I seemed to fluster this otherwise confident man.
I liked that.
“Thanks for the lesson,” I said. “You’re a good teacher. They’d be foolish not to hire you.”
Chase graced me with another dazzling smile. They were given so freely; he appeared to be such a generally happy person. Wonder what that feels like.
We both stood there, unmoving, staring into each other’s eyes. The moment felt loaded with…something. I didn’t know why, but I suddenly didn’t want our time together to end.
But it had to. He was not part of the plan, and I couldn’t afford to make any missteps.
“Bye, Chase.” I turned to leave, but his voice stopped me, along with his hand grasping for mine. An electric zing shot up my arm. That has to be some sort of medical condition.
He pulled me back to face him, closer than we’d been standing before. “Can I ask you something?”
“I, um, sure.” I tried to catalogue all the illnesses that could cause buzzing skin, but my brain was short-circuiting from a simple touch.
“What’s the deal with your husband?”
My eyes widened, and I withdrew my hand so quickly, Chase lurched forward a bit before righting himself.
“That’s none of your business.” My tone was harsh, brooking no argument.
“You’re right.” He threw up his hands. “I’m sorry. It’s just…”
He dropped one hand and ran the other through his unruly chocolate hair.
“You feel this, right?” he asked, gesturing between us. “It’s not just me?”
Of course, I feel it.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
His blue eyes hardened, and he looked utterly devastated, but it was for the best—for both of us.
“Right. Of course. Sorry. I’ll just, um—” He cleared this throat. “I’ll see you around, Elena.”