Chapter Sixteen
F OUR DAYS AFTER his mother’s funeral, Chase and Buzz left the lawyer’s office, and Chase felt like he could sleep for days, he was so exhausted. The emotional drain of getting to know his mother for the first time, really, and discovering all her secrets had taken its toll.
Buzz squeezed his shoulder and said, “I know your mother wasn’t always right when it came to you, but she was proud of you.”
“I just wished she’d told me instead of everybody else,” Chase said as he walked to Buzz’s car. He opened the door and sat in the front seat of the cherry-red convertible, leaning his head back with a sigh.
Buzz shook his head as he climbed into the driver’s seat. “Women do crazy things when they love someone, just like men do stupid things. I guess you’ll learn that when you find a woman to love.”
Chase’s thoughts drifted to Katie and he said, “I already did, but I messed it up.”
Buzz gave him a look. “What’d you do?”
Chase smiled sheepishly. “I thought she was too good for me. That I didn’t deserve her. And I took off without giving her a good explanation.”
Buzz chuckled. “Guess you’re more like your mother than you thought.”
Chase looked at Buzz, taking a second to get his meaning. His mother had treated him shabbily because she thought she didn’t deserve him. And she’d been wrong.
“Think she’ll forgive me?” Chase asked.
“Can’t tell you that, son, but if you don’t try, you’re gonna miss out. ’Cause when you meet that one person that you’re meant for, it’s one hell of a ride.”
Chase hesitated before asking, “Was that my mother for you?”
Buzz smiled. “I married my best friend when we were eighteen and I had twenty-five great years with her before she died. When I met your mother, I was lonely and scared, and she made me feel alive again. Mary was my best friend, I loved her, but Lorie was ... Lorie was my match. She was my passion. Yeah, your mother was meant for me and me for her. And if that’s what this girl is for you, then you gotta make it right.”
Buzz was really a great guy and his mother had been lucky to have him. When the lawyer had announced their dual ownership of the diner, Chase had felt guilty accepting it. It was Buzz’s livelihood and he didn’t feel right taking that away.
After a long pause, weighing his options, Chase blurted out, “If you want me to sign over my half of the diner to you, I will.”
Buzz shook his head as he pulled out of the parking lot. “Your mama wanted you to have it, and when I’m gone the whole thing will go to you. Mary and I never were blessed with children.”
Chase looked over at the older man and said sincerely, “Thanks for making her happy, Buzz.”
Buzz grinned. “It was my pleasure, son. I was a lucky man for a little while.”
Those words haunted him as he packed his bags to head back to Rock Canyon the next morning. He didn’t want to be lucky for just a little while. He didn’t want just a few weeks with Katie.
He wanted a lifetime.
At five in the morning, he got up and showered, leaving his scruff in case it helped him win Katie back. He walked out the door with a hug from Buzz and a warning not to be a stranger. He hugged him back, accepting a back slap. Then he pulled away and walked down the driveway to his Blazer. After loading up his bag, Chase climbed into the driver’s seat and settled in for the long drive. If he hurried, he could be back in Idaho before Katie got home from work.
“K ATIE, YOU HAVE a phone call!” Kitty called from the front of the salon.
“I’ll get it in the back,” Katie said, trying to be heard over the blow-dryers and laughter. She headed to the office in back and picked up the phone. “This is Katie.”
“Katie, don’t hang up,” Jimmy’s voice pleaded on the line.
Katie wanted to bang her head against something. “Seriously, what could you possibly have to say to me besides ‘I’m suing you’?”
“I’m sorry. About the things I said and for coming at Chase like that. I just went a little crazy seeing you together and I realized that I was jealous,” he said.
Oh hell no ... “Honestly, this is just getting weird. You dumped me eight months ago. You are getting married. This has to stop.”
“I’m not getting married. She called off the wedding,” he said.
Of course, no wonder he’s all apologetic. Nothing like having a safety net. “That’s too bad, Jimmy, but it has nothing to do with me anymore.”
“Katie, wait ...”
She hung up. No, she’d been waiting too long for a lot of things. Waiting to start a life. Waiting to get married and have kids. Waiting to meet the right guy.
She was done waiting. She wasn’t going to mess around with jerks and commitment-phobes anymore. The next guy she dated was going to be solid and dependable. Someone who wouldn’t take off when things got heavy.
Katie’s mind was made up. Until she walked back up front and saw a familiar Blazer roar by the shop window.
Chase was back.
Part of her was happy he was back, glad he was okay, but the other part, the new, no-filter Katie who busted headlights and back talked her elders, wanted nothing more to do with him.
But the other part, the girl who was still in love with him, wanted to go to him and hold him. And beg him to never leave again.
K ATIE FINISHED GETTING ready that night, her stomach feeling tight and churny. A group of them were heading to Buck’s to celebrate Justin’s birthday, and Katie had put on her slinky new halter dress for the occasion. Not because she thought she would see Chase. She could care less if he showed up on her doorstep with flowers; she was done with him.
So over him you’ve been looking out the window all afternoon, hoping he’ll show up?
She grabbed her keys and purse, ignoring the taunting voice. She opened up the front door to find Chase at the end of her driveway, hands in his pockets.
“Hi,” he said.
Turning away to close and lock the door, she tried to think of something clever to say, but all she came up with when she faced him again was “Hi.”
His mouth tilted up into a small smile, making her heart skip a beat of its own volition. Drat the man and his ability to make her melt.
“Guess I caught you at a bad time,” he said.
Fiddling with her keys, she said, “I’m heading out to Buck’s. It’s Justin’s birthday and we’re meeting up for drinks.”
Chase lost his smile. “So are you two dating now?”
She realized he’d taken that to mean just the two of them, but she didn’t correct him. “After two weeks without a word, do you really think you have the right to ask?”
“I deserve that. I did leave you a note, explaining,” he said.
Melty smile or not, that was the wrong answer. “Oh yes, the note that said you had a family emergency and we’d talk when you got back. Not an ‘I’ll call you tonight’ or even an ‘I’ll text you when I get there.’ And then nothing for two weeks. Were you abducted by aliens and couldn’t get cell service? How is it okay that one minute you’re talking about wanting more and the next you are taking off with no word?”
“My mother was sick and when I got her husband’s message, I just panicked,” he said softly.
She took a step toward him, hearing the pain in his voice. “Chase, is she okay?”
Chase shook his head. “She died. I couldn’t do anything to help her and she just ...”
Katie came all the way down the step and wrapped her arms around him. He buried his face in her hair and his shoulders shook with sobs. Her own eyes teared up sympathetically as she said, “I’m so sorry, Chase.”
She rubbed his back as he clung to her, and she felt a bit of her resolve to not forgive him chip away.
After long minutes of her just talking softly, he pulled away and said, “I’m sorry for breaking down on you. I don’t deserve your sympathy or your kindness after the way I treated you.”
Being this close to him, gazing into his eyes, she’d almost forgotten. “I thought you were gone for good.”
“No, I just handled things badly.” He reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Would you give me a chance to make it up to you, Firecracker?”
No. No way! Absolutely not! “I don’t know, Chase.”
“What do I need to do to prove to you that I’m in this? I’ll do anything you want,” he said.
She pulled back from him and said. “I’ll think about it.” Walking around him to her car, feeling his gaze following her, she got an idea. Reaching her door and unlocking it, she looked up at him over the hood and said, “Chase?”
“Yeah?”
Smiling, she said, “Maybe you should make a list.”
He looked confused. “What kind of list?” he asked.
“Surprise me,” she said, opening the door and climbing inside.
C HASE DROVE HOME from Katie’s house, resisting the urge to go to Buck’s to make sure Justin kept his hands to himself, but the last thing Katie wanted was him making a jealous scene.
He pulled into his driveway and turned off the car, flopping his head back as he tried to think. Maybe he’d make Katie a list of his good and bad qualities. She had asked about those when they first met.
Sitting up again, he opened the Blazer door and hopped out. He walked toward the house, trying to think of some other ideas. As he climbed the porch, he thought about a list of reasons he fell in love with her. That was romantic.
Come on, man, get creative. You can do better.
Two hours later, the idea came to him. And it was perfect.
K ATIE GOT OUT of her car on Monday morning and walked toward the salon door. Opening it with a smile, she called, “Kitty, for the record, I usually don’t like to take clients this ... early.” She stared at the flower arrangements set up around her station, various colors and shapes exploding from vases and pots. They could have opened a florist shop, there were so many bouquets. “Kitty!”
Kitty peeked her head out from the supply closet. “Yeah, boss?”
“Where did all of these flowers come from?”
Kitty shrugged. “I’m sure there’s a card somewhere. Delivery guy brought them by twenty minutes ago.”
Flabbergasted, Katie walked over to the first vase of beautiful yellow roses mixed with sprigs of small flowers and greens, and started the search. It wasn’t until she made it to the brightly painted vase of gerbera daisies that she found a small card. She opened it impatiently and read:
One. I have never given a woman flowers. Ever.
Tears filled her eyes as she looked around at the flowery apology. As far as lists went, it was a very good start.