Chapter 6 Almost Was
Almost Was
At the other end of the tavern, Chase nursed his beer, half-listening as Jaxon rattled off something about a new investment opportunity. He wasn’t paying attention. Not really. His thoughts had drifted, restless and unsettled.
Sara was the first to notice.
"Okay, what’s going on with you?" she asked, crossing her arms as she studied him.
Chase raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"
Sara smirked. "You’re quiet tonight. That’s never a good sign."
Jaxon chuckled. "Yeah, man. You got that faraway look."
Chase exhaled, shaking his head. "It’s nothing. Just… this place. Brings back memories."
Sara tilted her head. "What kind of memories?"
Chase hesitated. He traced the rim of his beer bottle with his thumb, debating how much to say. Finally, he sighed. "The kind that stick."
Jaxon leaned back, his curiosity piqued. "So, we talking about a girl?"
Chase let out a dry laugh. "Yeah. Savannah Monroe."
Jaxon let out a low whistle. "Damn. Now that is a name I haven’t heard in a while."
Sara’s eyes gleamed. "You liked her."
Chase shook his head. "It wasn’t like that. Not really. She was with Trevor."
Sara scoffed. "And? Jaxon was with my sister, and look how we turned out."
Jaxon smirked. "She’s got a point."
Chase sighed. "It’s different. She wasn’t just some fling."
Sara leaned in. "Then what was she?"
Chase ran a hand through his hair, exhaling slowly. "She was… the one that got away."
Sara’s teasing faded, replaced with something softer. "How so?"
Chase glanced at Jaxon and Sara—the way she leaned into him, the way he looked at her like she was the best damn thing in the world.
Chase cleared his throat, forcing the words out.
"Because I looked at her the way Jaxon looks at you. Like she was it. Like if I had her, I wouldn’t need anything else. "
Sara’s smile was knowing, but she didn’t gloat. "Then why didn’t you do something about it?"
Chase shrugged. "Timing. Choices. Life."
Jaxon took a slow sip of his drink. "And now?"
Chase chuckled, but there was no humor in it. "Now? It doesn’t matter. That was years ago."
Sara arched a brow. "Then why do you still talk about her like it does?"
Chase exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Because I still think about her from time to time. The what ifs. The fact that she’s successful, several hours away, and probably hasn’t thought about this town in years. I have no clue if she’d ever come back. But if she did…"
He trailed off, shaking his head like he was foolish for even saying it.
Sara leaned in, her voice softer now. "You’d do something about it."
Chase glanced down at his drink, rolling the bottle between his palms. He wasn’t sure what he’d do.
Hell, he wasn’t even sure if he deserved the chance to do anything.
Years had passed, and life had moved forward whether he liked it or not.
But some nights, in a place like this, surrounded by memories so thick he could almost reach out and touch them, it was impossible not to wonder.
Jaxon watched him carefully, his expression unreadable. "You ever try looking her up? Social media, mutual friends? Something?"
Chase smirked, but it was a little sad around the edges. "What would be the point? I doubt she’s sitting around wondering about me."
Sara shook her head. "Men are so damn clueless. If she was ever really yours, even for a moment, I promise you—she’s wondered."
Chase exhaled, pressing the heel of his hand against his forehead. He wanted to believe that. Wanted to believe that in some quiet moment, in some stolen thought between business meetings or late-night drives, Savannah Monroe still thought of him.
But that wasn’t how life worked. Not really.
"So what are you gonna do?" Jaxon asked after a beat.
Chase leaned back in his chair, staring out at the crowd, at the way the tavern hummed with energy, completely unaware of the war inside his head. He tapped his fingers against the table, considering his answer before he finally shrugged.
"I don’t know."
Sara wasn’t satisfied with that answer. "That’s bullshit. If she walked in here right now, you’re telling me you wouldn’t say a word? Wouldn’t even try?"
Chase’s jaw tightened. "It’s not that simple."
Sara scoffed. "It is. You either let the past stay buried, or you do something about it."
Jaxon leaned in. "What’s the worst that could happen?"
Chase let out a short laugh. "You really want the list?" He ran a hand down his face. "What if she’s married? What if she looks right through me like I don’t exist? What if I’m just some guy she used to know?"
Jaxon shrugged. "And what if she’s not?"
Silence hung between them for a beat too long. Chase didn’t answer, because deep down, that was the part that scared him the most.
Because if she wasn’t, if she did remember, if there was still something there—
Then he’d have to do something about it. And he wasn’t sure he was ready for that kind of truth.