by Liwen Y. Ho
“Yes!” Chase pumped his fist in the air in triumph before drawing her into his arms for another kiss. “I’m excited if you can’t tell.”
She laughed. “I can see that.”
“I’m also hungry. It’s time I finished that bacon.” He patted his flat stomach and grinned. “I’m going to need some fuel for all the kissing we’re doing tonight.”
“Is that right?”
“Kissing and talking. I want to know everything about you, Izzy. We need to make the most of the time we have.”
“Before you go?”
“Yeah,” he frowned, “but let’s not dwell on that right now. Let’s enjoy being us.”
Ignoring the pit in her stomach, Izzy rose from the bed and pulled Chase with her. It’d been so long since she’d been part of a unit, it felt good to belong. And there was no other man she wanted to be with than Chase. “Okay. Let’s be us.”
8
Chase
Chase shifted his position on the couch, careful not to disturb Izzy who was leaning on his shoulder. Her chest rose and fell as she slept deeply in his arms. He still couldn’t believe he’d spent the night with the woman of his dreams. Sure, all they’d done was talk, but it was as intimate as he hoped it would be. He’d learned so much about her—Izzy the mother, the songwriter, and most of all, the friend and lover he’d been looking for. Their conversation—and laughter—had flowed all through the evening and into the early hours of the morning. When they both were too tired to talk, they fell asleep to the soft sounds of his CD playing in the background.
Now it was Sunday morning, and a few hours before his flight home. He desperately wished he didn’t have to leave so soon. They’d just started their relationship and he wasn’t sure how long it’d be before they saw each other again. He’d never been in a long-term relationship before, let alone a long-distance one. But the way he felt about Izzy—how he got the same rush with her that he got making music—made him want to try.
Buzz! His phone vibrated with a series of incoming messages. He picked up his cell from the couch and scrolled through the texts.
Have you seen the tabloids?
Where are you?
Call me ASAP!
As soon as he read the final text, his cell rang. He answered it with a hushed, Hold on a sec, as he placed a cushion under Izzy’s head and stood up. The voice on the other line ignored his request as he continued talking.
“Chase, why was I the last person to find out? I’m your publicist! I’m supposed to field the questions, not ask them.”
“Hey, Shawn.” Chase made his way to the kitchen sink to get some water. The middle-aged publicist his manager had hired was a bit of a grump, but he sounded even more disgruntled than usual. “What are you talking about?”
“The girl. There are photos of you with her. I don’t recognize the place. Where are you, Chase?”
“I’m in Romance—”
“That’s what everyone’s saying! You’re having a romance that I know nothing about.”
“No, the town’s called Romance. In Oregon.”
“You took off to another state without telling me? Who is she? Are you dating her? We talked about this. You’re Chase Lockhart. You have an image to maintain. The fans want you to be single or to be dating another star. To stay in the news, you need to make the news. And the stories need to be newsworthy.”
He’d heard all this before when Shawn gave him a crash course on Pop Stardom 101. At the time, he hadn’t seriously considered how his celebrity status might affect his dating life. But now that he’d met Izzy, he needed to consider the ramifications. His top priority though: to protect her. The media could be cruel, especially to non-celebrities.
“Her name’s Izzy and yes, we’re dating.”
“Since when?”
“Since last night.” Chase tried to keep his voice down, but the adrenaline pumping through his veins made it difficult. “The details don’t matter, Shawn. What does is that I want her out of the spotlight. She doesn’t need this kind of attention.”
“Well, it’s a little late for that.”
“What are people saying?”
“Anything and everything you can imagine. That she’s after your fame and money. That she’s pregnant with your child. Those are the nice rumors. You don’t want to hear the other ones.”
He set down his mug on the counter with more force than intended, causing the water to slosh out. He could only guess the headlines making the news today. The tabloids would print anything to make money. He had to keep Izzy out of the social media firestorm. “Shawn, you need to do damage control. Tell the press she’s a cousin or some other relative I was visiting. Just keep her name out of it. Please do that for me.”
“I’ll do what I can, kid,” the older man sighed. “The two of you looked pretty cozy though in those photos.”
“Photos? What photos?”
“They were taken outdoors. It looked like a flea market. A fan posted them on her Instagram, and it went viral.”
It must’ve been the group of teens watching them at the festival. “Great. At least this confirms I have fans in Oregon.”
“Get used to it, Chase. You have fans everywhere. And after you drop your next album, you’ll be even hotter than ever. Be careful what you do and who you do it with. There are eyes watching you all the time.”
“I got it, Shawn, thanks for the heads-up.” He needed a better game plan if he was going to keep Izzy’s identity a secret. “I appreciate you watching out for me.”
“Of course. We’ll talk more when you get back. The sooner we nip this in the bud, the better.”
“Yeah, I agree. It’s a good thing I’m going home today.”
“Have a safe flight. Text me when you land.”
“Will do,” he agreed before he hung up.
Chase gripped the edge of the counter and stared out through the window above the sink. The street was void of any traffic, the only movement coming from the colorful fall leaves lining the trees on the sidewalk. The scene before him was peaceful and quiet, so unlike the busyness and noise of Hollywood. It was how a small town should be. There were no paparazzi in sight, and he wanted to keep it that way for Izzy. He realized the sooner he got out of Romance, the better it would be for her.
The clicking sound of dog nails crossing the hardwood floor drew his attention. He turned around and spotted Thor and Izzy in the doorway to the kitchen. The sight of Izzy standing there with her tousled hair and bare feet made his heart clench. He was going to miss seeing her in the mornings. “Hey, you’re awake.”
“I couldn’t sleep anymore. Have you been up long?”
“Just a little while. I had a call to take.” He stuffed his phone in his pants pocket and walked over to her. He tipped her chin up and placed his mouth on hers, taking time to enjoy the softness of her full lips. Before he had a chance to deepen the kiss, however, she stiffened and pulled away. He watched as she strode to the coffee maker and turned it on. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, just tired,” she answered over her shoulder. Arms crossed, she turned around with a tight-lipped smile. “Do you want coffee or something to eat? I don’t know how much time you have before your flight. If you need to go, I can pack you some of yesterday’s bread to take with you.”
If he didn’t know better, he’d think she was trying to get rid of him. Maybe distancing herself was her way of dealing with their inevitable separation. But this was not how he wanted to leave things. “I have an idea. How about you come with me to the airport and we’ll have breakfast there—my treat. That’ll give us an extra hour together.”
“I don’t think so. I’m exhausted. I wouldn’t be good company right now.”
“You wouldn’t have to talk. Just sit with me and listen. That way I can stare at your beautiful face while I eat. Or not,” he added, noticing with disappointment that his attempt to lighten the mood had failed.
“Thanks for the offer, but let’s say our goodbyes n
ow. I’m sure you can’t wait to get back home.”
“What’s going on, Izzy?” He approached her, but got stopped mid-way by Thor. He tried bypassing him, but the dog stood between them like a roadblock of black fur, his tail alert. “Did you put him up to this? He won’t let me get by.”
Izzy smiled for the first time that morning as she petted Thor’s head. “He’s just watching out for me. Good boy, Thor.”
Good boy?! How did a dog have more game than him? “Why are you acting like this? I thought we were finally on the same page. We both wanted this last night. Why are you pushing me away?”
A pained look crossed her face. “It’s better this way. You’re young; you can afford to play around. I don’t have time for games.”
“Games? The only one playing games here is you. Don’t tell me the time we spent together meant nothing to you. The way you kissed me—that meant something.”
She shrugged. “I got caught up in the moment. Any woman would have if you’d kissed her the way you kissed me.”
“I told you before, Izzy, I don’t kiss just anyone.” He softened his tone at the sight of Thor’s bared teeth. “You need to trust me when I say I’m one hundred percent in this. I would never do anything to hurt you. It kills me to have to leave you today, but I promise you, I’ll come back as soon as possible. I’m only a plane ride away. A phone call and a text away. I’m going to do whatever I can to make this work. Please trust me.”
Biting her lower lip, she fiddled with the hem of her sweatshirt. When she finally met his gaze, her eyes shone with tears. “I want to trust you, Chase, but I don’t know if I can. Trust has to be earned.”
Of course. After what she’d been through with her daughter’s father, she had every right to question a man’s intention. “I understand. But you should know I’m not giving up. Give me a chance to prove my love to you.”
Her eyes widened in surprise, revealing a hopefulness in them. His words seemed to have broken through whatever wall she had set up. She walked over and tip-toed to kiss his cheek. “Take care of yourself. Please let me know when you land,” she murmured before leaving the kitchen with Thor at her heels.
Chase closed his eyes, relishing the warmth on his skin from where her lips had been. Inhaling deeply, he savored the sweet, tropical scent of her shampoo that still lingered in the air. His pounding heart told him to run after Izzy, to pull her into his arms for a proper goodbye, but he resisted. She needed time to trust him, and he would give that to her.
When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the elderly woman waving to him from next door. Good ’ol Mrs. Cooper. He waved back and offered her a smile. She continued to motion with her hands, using her index fingers and thumbs to form the outline of a rectangle. She held the shape up close to her eyes and moved one of her fingers up and down. Her last gesture was a simple point of the finger towards the sidewalk.
What was she trying to tell him? Before he could ask her to repeat her motions, he saw a flash of light out of the corner of his eye. One flash became two, then three, until there was a continuous succession of them. That’s when he got Mrs. Cooper’s message, bright and clear. A swarm of photographers had gathered at his window, each person holding a camera in one hand and calling for his attention with the other. Chase ducked his head and escaped to the next room.
Great. They’d found him—and Izzy. It was time for him to leave, and he was taking the paparazzi with him.
9
Izzy
“It’s just you and me, boy.” Izzy scratched the sweet spot behind Thor’s ear until his big brown eyes closed. “But no worries. You and I are going to be all right, aren’t we?”
Sitting back on the couch, she pulled the crocheted blanket covering her body up to her shoulders. The weather had grown chillier now that they were nearing November, and so had the atmosphere at the inn. With only one new guest in the past few weeks since Chase left, it had been strangely quiet.
Chase. The mere thought of him made her stomach drop. His last morning here was still fresh on her mind. One line she’d overheard of his phone conversation—It’s a good thing I’m going home today—had opened a deluge of emotions. Insecurity about their age difference. Doubt over his intentions. Foolishness that she’d trusted him.
Oh, but he’d been so earnest and kind, as if he understood how fragile her heart was. He’d even used the word love in his pledge to her. So she’d gone ahead and trusted him.
They had been texting or calling whenever possible and video chatting once a day. She swiped the screen to view her text messages and opened the last ones she’d received from Chase.
Izzy baby, I miss you so much. Did you receive the gifts I sent? I hope you like them. I got two pumpkins; one for you and one for me. Every time I see it, I remember our time at the festival. That was the best weekend of my life.
Izzy glanced at the coffee table where a half-eaten box of candy from Cicely’s Caramel and Chocolates Company sat next to a shiny orange pumpkin from Blown Away, the town’s blown glass store. Both had been delivered to her door by their respective business owners. She had to hand it to him; he did know how to buy the perfect gifts.
I’ve been in the studio recording our song. Everyone loves it. We plan on making it the first single for my next album. I can’t wait to play it for you.
Memories from their time writing “Wait for Me” flooded her mind. The way his eyes had lit up when she harmonized with him. How peace had filled her heart to hear their voices blend together. And the feel of his warm lips on hers when he stole kisses in between verses.
Please text or call me anytime. Xoxo, Chase
Their regular communication—even when it was just a simple kissy face emoji—gave her hope their relationship stood a chance. She found Chase had been right; their ages didn’t matter. They had much in common, not only a passion for music, but similar upbringings as well. He hadn’t always lived in a big city; his early years were spent in a small town in Canada similar to Romance. He hadn’t attended college either, but he believed in hard work and perseverance. Most importantly, they both valued family. Gracie had given her approval already—two enthusiastic thumbs-up as she called it—and his mom and brother were eager to meet her.
Of course, there was an aspect of their relationship that proved to be challenging, namely Chase’s fame. He had taken the paparazzi with him when he left, but that hadn’t stopped the celebrity websites from speculating about his stay at the inn. The reporters loved to exaggerate details, especially when it came to his love life. Chase’s publicist had told them he was here visiting a relative, a story fabricated to protect her privacy. There had been times, however, when she wished they could tell the world about them and stop the rumors circulating the internet.
She had heeded his warning and stopped Googling him. There was no reason to when she couldn’t believe everything she heard or read in the news.
Her curiosity had gotten the better of her today though. Surprisingly, she hadn’t heard from him since yesterday morning. It had been almost an entire day without a text or a call. That’s when her insecurities had started creeping back and she’d gone straight for her laptop. Had he met someone else? Someone younger and prettier? Maybe their romance was too good to be true after all.
Ring! Izzy’s heart leapt as she spotted the incoming call on her cell phone. Instead of Chase’s name, however, her daughter’s popped up. “Hi, sweetheart,” she answered. “How are you?”
“Hi Mama, I’m good. Just taking a break from studying. What are you up to?”
Izzy blushed, thankful Gracie was too far away to see the websites open on her screen. Her search results made her look like a crazed fan of a certain blue-eyed pop singer or at the very least, a tabloid junkie. She couldn’t believe she’d sunk to this level of stalking. But how else would she find out what Chase was up to? “I’m catching up on some”—she wrinkled her nose—“news.”
“Why don’t you just call him?”
; She scoffed. How was her daughter so smart? “Call who?”
“Mama,” Gracie drawled with obvious humor in her tone. “You know who. Just call Chase and see if he’s all right. What if something happened to him and that’s why he hasn’t called?”
Izzy gasped. Gracie was right. She was being so self-centered, so focused on protecting herself that she hadn’t considered Chase’s side of the story. What if he was sick, or worse, hurt? “You’re right, baby. I’m glad I taught you well. I’m going to call him.”
“You do that, Mama. Tell him how much you miss him. Because you do.”
“I’ve got it, Gracie. You take care of yourself. I’ll let you know how things go.” They said their goodbyes and Izzy hung up.
Why had she let her fears cloud her judgment? Chase was such a sweetheart, and she knew him well enough by now to know his feelings were real. Why had she thought the worst of him? Because she’d been let down before. But this time was different; Chase was different.
Dialing his number, she held her breath and waited.
The phone rang several times before a young female voice answered. “Hello?”
“Um, is Chase there?”
There was a gasp, followed by a giggle. “OMG, who is this?”
Did she have the wrong number? Izzy checked her screen. No, it was the one Chase had inputted into her phone himself. “I’m looking for Chase. Is he there?”
“Chase who?”
“Chase Lockhart.”
More giggling ensued. “Sorry, he’s not here right now. Who are you? His mom?”
“His mom? I am most definitely not his mom. I’m his girlfriend.” Izzy was done playing guessing games. “Who in the world are you?”
“His girlfriend? But I’m his girlfriend!” The voice grew pouty and indignant. “I’m the one with his phone, so obviously, it’s me, not you.”
What was going on? Was she telling the truth? Chase’s comment on his last day in Romance, how he wanted to go home, came back to mind. Was this woman the reason he’d been so eager to return to California? And why he’d stopped contacting her?