9. Chase
NINE
CHASE
EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD
I stare at the letter in shock, paper crinkling as it sticks to my sweaty palms.
Dear Chase,
Congratulations! It is with great pleasure that I offer you admission to Eastern Tennessee University.
Accepted? I can’t believe it. When Sam and Anna asked what my plans were for the future, I was adamant about staying local and working at Sugarlake Construction. There’s no better way to learn a business than to be hands-on, and college was never even a whisper in my head. They convinced me to apply, saying the company would always be waiting and a degree in something like business management could be beneficial.
I listened. Partly because I can’t stand the thought of disappointing them, and partly because at the time there wasn’t much—other than Lily—holding me here. But I never thought I would actually get in.
How the fuck am I supposed to leave now that I finally have Goldi?
“What’s that?” Jax peers over my shoulder, being a nosy fucker like usual.
I ball it up quickly and push him back. “Jesus, get off my dick.”
His eyes twinkle with mirth. “You’re right. I think that’s Lee’s job now anyway.” He puts his hand over his heart. “Let me be the first to tell you how happy I am to finally give up the title.”
My mouth tilts up. “Isn’t there some car that needs lubed or whatever the hell it is you do down at that shop?”
He smirks. “Know a lot about lube jobs, do you?”
“Why the fuck do I hang out with you?”
Jax shrugs in response, reclining on the couch and spreading his arms over the back.
I glance at the balled-up paper in my fist.
It’s not a big deal.
The screen door on our house squeaks when it opens and I see Goldi standing in the entryway before she says hi.
Damn, she looks good.
“Hey, I thought you would be with Lil today.” I shove the acceptance letter beneath a stack of magazines on the coffee table before giving her a kiss and pulling her to sit on my lap.
She gives Jax a small wave and turns her upper body to face me. Her hair brushes my neck, sending that vanilla shit she wears straight up my nose and I swear to God it makes my heart flutter.
“What?” Her eyebrows raise. “Why would I be with Lily?”
“Because she’s your best friend? She told me she was going to Chattanooga with Becca, I just assumed you would be with them.”
“Uhh…nope.”
Moving the strands of her hair to the side, I kiss the base of her neck lightly. “What’s wrong?”
Her eyes flick from left to right like she can’t decide where to look and then she sighs and meets my gaze. “Chase, Lily hasn’t had anything to do with me since she found out about us, and if I’m honest, she was rarely around before that.”
I laugh. “You fucking with me? She’s always with you.”
She shakes her head slowly. “No, Chase. She’s not. You knew she was lyin’ that day we showed up at your front door. You really thought that was a one-time thing?”
I was so lost in my head about Goldi’s date, I guess I glossed over that fact. My eyebrows draw in. “Then who the hell is she with?”
Goldi’s hands wring together, her teeth chewing on that puffy bottom lip of hers. She mumbles something, but I don’t hear it.
“What’s that?” My tone is sharp.
I’m not trying to be a dick, but I need her to get over whatever her issue is and spit it the fuck out.
“I said, I’m not sure, all right? A couple years back, she started seein’ this guy.” She’s still shaking her head at me, her eyes glassy with unshed tears.
What? How could I not know this?
“I never met him, but he was older—too old for her. She swore she stopped seein’ him, but all those weekends she said she was with us…” Her voice trails off, and my grip around her hips becomes tight.
She squeaks, smacking my hands off her.
“Fuck, I’m sorry, baby.”
She hums and leans back, running her fingers through my hair. Her touch is normally calming, but right now I feel like a live wire ready to explode. “Why didn’t you ever tell me about this?”
“You weren’t exactly by my side much these past few years. What was I gonna do, yell it across the neighborhood? I figured you already knew.”
Jax clears his throat and my eyes snap over. I forgot he was even here. “Not to intrude on what is obviously a personal moment between you two, but I did see Lily with some loser the other day down by the shop.”
“What the fuck, man?” My eyebrows rise. Does nobody tell me anything around here?
He nods, leaning forward, elbows resting on his knees. “Yeah, bro. I was busy dealing with a customer, so I didn’t pay much attention, but now that I think about it, shit looked kind of sketchy.”
“I think she may be on drugs,” Goldi blurts. Her eyes are wide, hands covering her mouth like she didn’t mean to say it.
This conversation is the last thing from amusing, but I chuckle anyway. “And how long have you been thinking this?”
“A while, I guess.”
Leaning back, I purse my lips.
“I was fixin’ to tell you, I swear,” she continues. “It just never seemed like the right time.”
“Lil would never do drugs, Goldi.”
She nods. “I’m sure you’d like to believe that. But, Chase, I’m tellin’ you. Somethin’s not right.”
“Okay,” I agree. “I’ll talk to her.”
The words roll easily off my tongue, but I’m not sure if they’re the truth, because both of them are overreacting. They don’t know Lily’s past the way I do, and I know there’s not a chance she’s doing drugs. She knows what they do to people, what they did to us. I could, however, see her dating some dick bag and not wanting to tell me, afraid of how I’d react. Even I can admit that I’m not exactly known for my understanding and patience.
I push down the dread creeping up my throat and reassure myself. There’s no fucking way she would get into shit like that. If she was having a hard time, she would come to me. It’s us against the world. Always.
Jax hangs for a while longer before his mom calls him home, and when Goldi and I are finally alone, I bring up ETU.
“No way, Chase. Not on my watch.” Goldi stares me down, hands on her hips, a serious expression on her face.
“Baby, it’s not a big deal. I was never planning to go anyway. You’re out of your mind if you think I’m leaving town now that I finally have you.”
She rolls her eyes. “Good Lord, get over yourself, it’s not across the country. It’s ETU—a few hours away.”
“A few hours isn’t three houses down, and I don’t want to be that far from you. What if you decide you can’t handle long distance? What if something happens? I need to be here .”
Her eyes soften as she puts her arms around my waist, kissing my chest through the fabric of my shirt. “That won’t happen. You can come down on weekends, I can come up. I won’t let you throw away college ’cause of me.”
I blow out a breath, resting my chin on the top of her head. Anxiety is twitching in my stomach, but I ignore it because I want to be a better man for her, someone she can be proud to have by her side.
Maybe college is the right choice.
“I’ll think about it.”
A smile lights up her face as she raises up on her toes to kiss me chastely. “I’m really proud of you.”
My heart pounds, a strange sensation filling me up.
Nobody has ever told me that before.
I like the way it feels.