Chase
Lady Of The Moon by Night Cap
Jeremiah looks… mesmerizing.
He’s wearing a fitted suit that looks a lot like mine, but on him…
on him, it feels like it was sculpted directly onto his body by the hands of the Greek gods themselves.
A sleek red tie hangs around his neck, making him look equal parts dangerous and unfairly delicious.
His hair is groomed back out of his face, though those sexy few strands that always seem to escape, fall dreamily toward his eyes.
He’s busy leading the crowd of executives and the investors behind him. Powerful and in charge like always.
I suck in a breath as soon as I notice him looking around the room too. When his eyes find mine, time slows. Something in my chest tightens. God, he looks good. Well…he always looks good. But tonight?
Tonight he—
“Earth to Chase.” Ryan waves his hand in front of my face.
“Are you going to be zoning out like this all night?” he asks, taking a sip of his chardonnay which I didn’t see him snag off a server's tray. My eyes are still transfixed on Jeremiah as he pats the arm of Heather and excuses himself from their group. I swallow deeply as Ryan continues, “The ladies already ditched me to go dance. You think they’ll let me join them again? I mean, it’s just a dance–”
“Hey,” Jeremiah says. I immediately feel grounded. Like all it takes is for him to be close.
I lick my lips and try not to smile. “Hi,” I answer back as calmly as I can.
There’s a pause. Something lingers in the air between us. He opens his mouth like he wants to say something more but then closes it again. I wish I knew what was going through his mind.
He smiles faintly. “Everything looks incredible. Everyone’s impressed.”
I chew on the corner of my lip, looking around the dance floor. “Thanks. That means a lot.”
His eyes slowly drag from my shoes all the way back up to my eyes. “You look good.”
I swallow deeply. “You do too–” I begin to say until a hand slaps down on his shoulder.
“Nice to see you, Chase. You feeling better after last night?” Theo asks, coming up to stand up next to Jeremiah.
I clench my teeth. “Yeah, I’m fine—” A hand slams down on my shoulder.
“Hey Chase, you doing okay? Anyone bothering you?” Ryan says stepping up beside me, mean mugging the two of them.
Oh, someone shoot me now.
Theo barks out a laugh. “That’s hilarious coming from you. What a fucking reunion. All we’re missing is my fist in your face.” Theo steps up to Ryan.
Ryan mockingly laughs before stepping closer. “Some things never change, huh?”
“You’re one to talk.” Theo closing in.
Jeremiah and I both instinctively step between them. “Okay, how about we settle down here. Huh?” Jeremiah says, patting Theo on his shoulders.
“You’ve got a lot of nerve bringing him here.” Theo points to me. I feel sick to my stomach. I didn’t even think about their history.
“What’d I say last night?” Jeremiah snips in Theo’s face, pulling him by his suit jacket.
Theo’s face softens, his shoulders drop and he nods his head.
He gives me a quick glance before muttering a small, ‘have a good night,’.
Jeremiah gives Ryan and I a sympathetic look before walking off with him.
“Why’d you have to do that?” I smack Ryan lightly on the shoulder.
“Me!? I was going to apologize but he just had to go all Rambo on me.” He shakes his head, slipping a Gourmet Crostini into his mouth.
Where’d he even get that?
I run my hand through my hair. “Ryan, you should’ve apologized anyways. You know, be the bigger person?”
He nods and rolls his eyes. “Nah. Theo and I have our own shit.”
“You’re an ass.” I huff, shaking my head.
His smug look on his face drops. “Fuck, okay. I’ll apologize. For you. But if I get my face pummeled again, you owe me big time.” He smacks the half-eaten toasted baguette in my hand before storming away.
***
The night carries on, and so does this invisible pull between Jeremiah and me. It’s like no matter who we’re talking to or where we end up, we somehow keep finding our way back to each other. Not that I’m trying to avoid him anyway.
I like being around him. Listening to him talk, watching him effortlessly charm the other investors, hearing him laugh so easily. He’s really good at this. Better than good, actually. There’s something about watching him in his element that makes it hard to look away.
And being with him feels easy. We move back and forth without thinking, slipping into each other’s rhythm like we’ve done it a hundred times before.
Just like the pickleball match.
I think I might’ve found my perfect partner.
We finish off thanking another business representative for coming. We ended the conversation all laughing, with one man saying, “get a load of this guy,” to his partner about Jeremiah.
“I’m trying,” I mutter to him quietly, prompting a shock and wide gaze from Jeremiah.
“Don’t do that to me. Not here.” Jeremiah whispers to me, shaking his head.
I shrug my shoulders, my eyes flicking down to his lips. “With a setup like that? Come on, I had to.”
He can’t help himself but bite his own bottom lip when suddenly, his eyes flicker over my shoulder.
His posture immediately straightens and I see that same distant, cold Jeremiah that I saw on the first day of work.
My smile fades as I turn my head to see who ruined this perfect moment. “Jere, what is it?”
“My dad’s here,” he states plainly.
My eyes lock into a shorter, still toned and sleek, well dressed, man. I know it’s Jeremiah’s dad by the same mysterious dark eyes I’ve fallen for, dark short black hair coiffed to perfection and his suit tailored to the nines.
He marches over to us with a following of two other professionals close behind him.
“Jeremiah,” he greets, extending his hand out for a shake.
Who shakes their son's hand?
Jeremiah gives a straight lined smile, extending his hand out too. “Dad. Glad you could make it.”
“Well, you talk highly of this business of yours, so…” His eyes dart around the room, taking in the scenery.
“Dad, this is my partner, Chase Rutherford.” Jeremiah places his hand on the small of my back. I know it’s just formality but damn, even the smallest touch ignites my whole body. I readjust my train of thought and extend my hand as he gives me a curt, firm shake.
“Great. I heard you also were working on this project together. Nice work.”
Jeremiah’s mouth tilts into a smile. “Thanks dad–”
“I had the pleasure of meeting David on my own. His deal… sounds promising.” His dad narrows his eyes as if to convey some sort of message with Jeremiah.
Jeremiah’s eyes flicker to mine quickly before returning to his father. “Yeah, well…as you know, I don’t believe his deal is the route we should be taking–”
“Could be the best option for this company.”
“But it’s not the only option. There can be other options. If you would just listen—”
His dad tsks, looking away with a shake of his head. “Jeremiah, don’t start with me. I told you I’d come and I did, didn’t I? I haven’t seen anything exceptional yet.”
Jeremiah’s face drops as he stands tall. “The night just started.”
His dad nods slowly, eyes flicking between Jeremiah and me. “Good. I’m looking forward to your speech. Don’t let me down.” He points before walking away.
“Have a great night dad.” Jeremiah bites.
I exhale deeply. “Jeez, he’s a blast, isn’t he?”
Jeremiah’s lips quirk at me. “Yeah…that’s…my dad,” he sighs.
I look at his distant, lost in thought face. I place my hand on his shoulder, his attention landing back on me. His shoulders relax, leaning into my touch.
“Whatever this whole ordeal is about with David and WingMate…it must be big. You must have a reason for not telling me and…I just wish I could help you in some way.”
His eyes roam my face. “You already are.”
We stay like that for a moment, not speaking words yet emotions passing between us full of all the things we can’t say.
I know he can feel it too. The buzz between us that’s so much bigger than just us.
It’s everything.
With all the chandelier lights dazzling around him, the people moving hazily in the background and some soft music playing in the distance, all I can feel is him. All I want is him. All that matters…is him.
“Attention everyone, excuse me–” Heather’s voice booms across the speaker as the music comes down into a hush.
Her voice cuts through the tension between us. Jeremiah’s eyes don’t deter off of me as all the other attention in the room turns to the stage.
I blink fast, reluctantly tearing my eyes away from him. Ignoring the roaring flutter in my stomach, I look to Heather.
“Thank you for your attention. And thank you so much for being here tonight,” Heather smiles. Glancing to my right, I see Jeremiah watching the stage too. He looks…happy. At peace? Something about him looks different and I can’t put my finger on it. It’s nice though.
Smiling back up at the stage, we all watch in compassion and camaraderie as Heather dives into how WingMate came to be. How it led her to her wife Emily, and now the start of her family.
“I hope to allow for a safe space for every person to meet not only friends but the love of their lives. WingMate isn’t for profit or fame…
it’s for love and connection. And, I want to thank my team for being here for me through this transition and the growth of WingMate and what’s to come.
Chase Rutherford for being my soundboard and best friend–” She holds up her champagne glass and signals to all of us.
I lift up my cup and so does everyone around me on the executives team, Jeremiah softly nodding his head smiling.
“And that actually brings me to thank someone who not only has kept my head on for this past month but I’ve learnt to love and trust. Jeremiah Blackwood, the newest COO to WingMate, would you please come up here and collect your flowers.” She smiles, motioning for Jeremiah up on the stage.
The crowd erupts, booming claps across the room as Jeremiah looks around. Finally his eyes meet mine and he hesitates before leaving, “I need you to know…being with you feels like being on Koh Lipe Island all of the time. I’d miss that ferry again and again just to spend one more day with you.”
My breath hitches as I watch him turn toward the stage. But it’s not his words that stop me cold.
It’s the flash of blue at his wrist. Just the edge of a band peeking out beneath his cufflink as he grooms his hair back.
My mouth drops open.
Before I can say anything, he’s already disappearing through the crowd.
My heart swells as I watch the man I’m undoubtedly in love with, take center stage.