Chapter 6
Chapter Six
CHASE
Elena’s boots clicked against the polished wood floor of the lodge as she walked away, her spine straight as a rod, shoulders tight.
She didn’t look back once.
My hand still tingled where she’d yanked hers away, like my skin was mourning the loss of her touch.
That hadn’t gone how I’d hoped.
Our morning together had been great—easy and fun. The winter air seemed to have breathed some life into her out on the slopes, and she was far less prickly than she’d been in the café.
Not that I minded her prickly side.
I’d take any side of her she’d willingly offer up.
But she shut shit down real fast after I’d asked about her husband. I’d made a lot of mistakes in my life, but pushing her too hard, too fast may turn out be the biggest one ever.
I’d told her I’d see her around, but would I? In all the years that Tessa’d been back in Sable Point since college, this was the first I’d ever seen Elena.
I was afraid it’d be the last.
If I did have another shot in the future, I wanted to be prepared.
Elena had shown her kind, compassionate side when she didn’t fault me for being a lazy piece of shit without a job. She didn’t know me, though. If she did, she wouldn’t be impressed.
I needed to fix that, and quick.
Despite the fact that every fiber of my being begged me to chase after Elena, I wanted to be worth it when I finally caught her.
Because I would catch her. She would be mine, and I would be hers. It was inevitable. I knew it down to the marrow of my bones.
When you lived an aimless existence for years, you recognized your purpose when you found it.
I trudged toward the lodge exit. The crisp mountain air hit my face as I pushed through the double doors. A few eager skiers hustled past, their equipment clanking against the pavement. The ski shop sat at the bottom of the bunny slope, its weathered sign swaying in the winter breeze.
Time to adult the fuck up.
The bell above the ski shop door chimed as I yanked it open. The familiar scent of wax and leather wrapped around me, bringing back memories of my first job here during high school. Back when I still had something to prove.
The shop manager, Jeff, looked up from behind the counter, his bushy eyebrows shooting toward his hairline. “Back so soon?”
“Yeah.” I roughed a hand over my stubbled jaw. “Listen, Jeff, I was wondering if you might be willing to give me a shot at the instructor position you’ve got open. I know last time—”
“You were a kid, Chase.” He waved me off. Jeff had given me an opportunity to run the rentals booth in the ski shop in high school, and I’d fucked it up. Much like every job I’d had since.
“I caught a glimpse of you out there with that woman. And I remember you teaching Charlie to ski. I’m willing to take a chance on you again, but don’t let me down.”
“Yes, sir.” I beamed.
This was easier than I’d expected. I’d come prepared to plead my case, to tell Jeff that I’d met the woman of my dreams and I needed a job so I could be even somewhat worthy of her.
Not that being a ski instructor was all that impressive compared to a Harvard-educated doctor.
But it was a start.
“I appreciate you giving me a chance.”
“Monday morning at ten,” he instructed. “I’ll see you then.”
“See you then. And thanks, Jeff.” I knocked my knuckles twice against the wood countertop before I made my way out of the ski shop and toward my truck.
Things were finally looking up.
Got the job. Now, I had to get the girl.
But first, this called for a little celebration.
The drive into town from the resort took about twenty minutes, but it was a beauty. Rolling hills and fields blanketed in thick white snow for miles. The whole damn area was beautiful, and I was lucky my family owned a little slice of this heaven on Earth.
But things with the family business were strained. Earlier this year, Natalie, my brother Jasper’s fiancée and the orchard’s accountant, discovered some financial troubles caused by Nat’s father before he died.
That’s how the family ended up in business with Tessa. She was investing in a new cidery venture that Elliot, my twin, was heading up.
Those two fought like cats and dogs, but only because of sexual tension so thick you could cut with a butter knife was constantly brewing between them.
It was only a matter of time before they fucked, or fell in love.
I had a feeling the forced proximity of working so closely was going to be the catalyst they both needed to get their heads outta their asses.
It was one o’clock by the time I pulled up outside Callaghan’s—just in time for Kai to unlock the door.
I parked in my usual spot and killed the engine. The familiar red neon OPEN sign buzzed to life in the window as Kai flipped the switch.
Perfect timing.
“You’re here early.” Kai’s gravelly voice carried across the empty bar as I stepped inside. The air held that musty, stale beer smell that permeated every dive bar I’d ever been in.
“Got some celebrating to do.” I slid onto my favorite barstool, the worn leather creaking under my weight. “Just landed a job at the ski resort.”
Kai’s eyebrows shot up as he grabbed a glass. “You? Working?”
“Don’t sound so shocked.” I drummed my fingers on the scratched wooden bar top. “People can change.”
“Sure they can.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “Can stop drinking, too.”
I snorted. “Says the bartender. Beer me, man.”
He shook his head before turning to grab a bottle from the cooler behind him. “Question is,” he said, placing it on the bar in front of me, “what made you want to?”
Elena. Those deep-brown eyes. Her prickly but compassionate personality. The sound of her laughter when she fell on her drunk ass.
But I couldn’t tell Kai that. Couldn’t admit out loud how one woman had me completely turned inside out after just a few hours.
“Maybe I just got tired of being the family fuckup,” I muttered, lifting the bottle to my lips.
I spent the next three hours sitting at the bar, drinking beer after beer while other regulars popped in. We’d chat, and then they’d be on their way. But I had nowhere better to be.
Kai was shit company, but he was better than nothing.
I’d rather be with Elena.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I perked up. She didn’t have my number, but maybe she got it from Tessa?
JARED
Over in Ashford. Meet you at Cody’s.
CHASE
Be there in 30
“Hey, Kai, close me out.”
The drive to Cody’s took longer than usual with the snow coming down.
My headlights cut through the white flurries, the motion blurring just enough to mess with my already fuzzy head.
The winding back roads between Sable Point and Ashford demanded more focus than I had any business giving in my current state.
Wonder what Elena’s doing right now. Probably getting that massage. Lucky fucking masseuse.
I cranked up the heat, trying to focus on anything else. But my mind kept drifting back to how she’d felt pressed against me on the slopes, the way her breath had hitched when I’d adjusted her stance.
The driveway at Cody’s was packed when I pulled in. The gravel crunched under my boots as I made my way to the porch. Music and laughter spilled out the front door when I opened it.
Despite the fact that it wasn’t even five o’clock, the party inside was in full swing. I don’t think the party at Cody’s ever actually stopped. Bodies packed the living room, red solo cups everywhere. The sharp smell of weed mixed with cheap perfume.
I spotted Jared in the kitchen, surrounded by a group of girls who looked barely old enough to drink. He grinned when he saw me, breaking away to clap me on the shoulder.
“Chase fucking Everton! Where you been hiding, man?”
“Hey.” A petite blonde sidled up next to me, pressing her chest against my arm. “Remember me?”
I did. Lisa... Something. We’d hooked up a few months back after too many shots.
“Sorry.” I stepped back, putting space between us. “Not interested.”
Her face fell. “Since when?”
Since brown eyes and a Harvard education and a laugh that made my chest ache. Since snowflakes caught in dark hair and the scent of burnt sugar invaded my senses.
The beer in my hand suddenly felt too light, too weak for this entire situation. I needed something stronger if I was going to have to deal with this bullshit.
“My man here just needs a little somethin’ to get him in the mood, right, buddy?” Jared clapped me on the shoulder again. “I’ve got just the thing.”
He pulled a small plastic baggie from his pocket, the white powder inside catching the dim kitchen light.
Shit. Not tonight.
“Come on, man.” He waved the baggie in front of my face. “Remember how much fun we had last time?”
I did remember. I also remembered waking up three days later with no clue what had happened or where I’d been.
Elena wouldn’t want this version of me.
“I’m good.” I set my beer on the counter and backed away. “Actually, I should head out.”
“Since when did you become such a pussy?” Jared’s eyes narrowed, his lip curling into a sneer.
And that was the last thing I remembered before the night turned into a blur.
I woke up around ten sprawled across one of Cody’s spare beds. Lisa was next to me—fully clothed, thankfully.
Elena had all but blown me off, but just the thought of touching any other woman at this point felt like a betrayal.
I was due at Mom and Dad’s for brunch in an hour, so I needed to pull my shit together. Anytime I missed brunch, I ended up getting the third degree, and it just wasn’t worth it.
Plus, Mom’s brunch was legendary.
I groaned and peeled myself off the bed, my head throbbing. The events from last night were a blur after that first line of coke.
Never again.
My phone showed three missed calls from Mom.
Great.
“You’re still here?” Lisa rolled over, her mascara smudged under her eyes.
“Just leaving.” I grabbed my jacket and keys, not meeting her gaze. The shame of almost hooking up with her while thinking about Elena churned in my gut.
I stumbled down Cody’s stairs, passing Jared passed out on the couch with a mostly empty bottle of Jack dangling precariously from his fingertips. The living room reeked of stale beer and sweat.
The December air hit me like a slap to the face as I stepped outside. My truck was freezing fucking cold, but I’d have to deal. I didn’t have time to wait for it to heat up, and I sure as shit didn’t wanna be hanging around when Jared woke up.
Twenty minutes later, my phone buzzed as I turned down the gravel drive toward the house. I’d just passed under the worn metal archway with a wooden sign dangling from two links of chain that read Ever Eden Orchard by the time I fished it out of my pocket.
With it fell a small bag of white powder.
JARED
Left you a present in your pocket. You owe me.
Fuck.
I scrambled to shove the coke into the center console of my truck. Last thing I needed was for Mom to decide to do a load of my laundry and stumble across it.
I climbed out of the truck just as Jasper and Natalie pulled up next to me. Looks like I’m on time for once—and I fuckin’ live here.
“Hey, little brother!” I slapped Jas on the back. “Little sis,” I said to Nat with a wink.
She and Jasper were engaged, and I was happy for them. I made the dumbass decision to kiss my brother’s long-lost love when she came back to town over the summer, and that bit me right in the ass. Got sucker punched by my little brother and called gross by Natalie.
Fortunately, it was all water under the bridge.
“Hey, Chaser.” Nat gave me a hug before we all climbed the porch steps. When she pulled back, her nose wrinkled. “You smell like weed.”
I shrugged and opened the front door.
“Somethin’ smells good!” I called out, but according to Nat, it wasn’t me.
The three of us headed toward the kitchen, and when the table came into view, we stopped on a dime. Tessa Belmonte was sitting in my parents’ kitchen. Right next to Elliot.
I fucking called it.
“Mornin’, Tessa,” I said with a grin as I moved to take my seat at the table. “’Bout time you two banged it out.”
“Chase Matthew!” Mom shouted.
“Tessa is not here because we ‘banged it out.’ There is nothing to bang out.”
I laughed because yeah right.
“Keep telling yourself that, bro.”
Brunch proceeded as usual, despite the addition. But it was time for me to sneak away.
I had a mission.
“Delicious, Mom. Thanks.” I stood and patted my stomach. “Now I need to go sleep off this hangover.”
“Don’t thank me,” Mom said. “Thank Tessa. She did most of the cooking.”
“Well in that case, thank you, Ms. Belmonte.” I bowed at the waist and shot her a wink before leaving the kitchen and quietly heading upstairs, hoping like hell I could find what I was looking for.