“I better get out there to see what Levi wants and get the party started now that you’re here.” She squeezed my hand before she pushed up to standing, cradling her swollen belly with one hand. “You look great, by the way. I love the hair. Take your time to gather yourself and when you’re ready, come and join us out there.”
“Yeah,” I breathed out through clenched teeth.
I listened for the tapping of her shoes, and when I was sure that she was out the door, I aimed for the liquor cabinet. Levi wouldn’t mind if I broke into it. After two shots of eighteen-year old malt, I headed out the door, determined to at least see the party through.
I stepped out of the library and slammed right into someone.
“Chase!”
My knees weakened and I stumbled back, but Alex held me tight against him. My ribs constricted. Suddenly, I found it difficult to breathe, think or speak. I just held on.
Had his eyes always been that blue? Were his shoulders always so wide and toned? Did his lips use to appear as tempting as they did at that moment?
“Chase, are you okay?” he asked, looking at me in wonderment.
I spread my hands and lifted them off his shirt, stepping back as I gathered my thoughts. My palms tingled but my fingers were numb. I kept my breathing shallow, trying not to gulp in the air that he breathed.
I flattened my shirt with my palm and pushed my hair off my shoulders and face. When I glanced his way, the smile on his face stretched even bigger.
“You’re blonde now?”
“Yup. Back to blonde.” Unlike your girlfriend.
“It’s nice,” he said.
“I better head out to the...”
My words were interrupted when a husky-toned voice called him. I might not have met her officially yet, but I knew Marielle was the one looking for him.
“Alexandre,” she said his name like it was caramel oozing off her lips.
Alex turned away from me and we both watched Marielle sashay to us. When she reached him, her hands slithered up his arms and chest—a lot more toned than last I’d seen them—and cooed words in French.
“Oui, Marie,” he replied. Not darling or sweetheart or hayati. But it didn’t lack sweetness or warmth.
They turned to me, her hand pressed against his chest where I could almost see his heart beating furiously. He was nervous.
“Hello,” Marielle greeted me.
“Marie, this is Chase.” Just Chase. Nothing else.
Marielle stretched her hand to me, but before I could shake it, she wrapped me in a hug and kissed my cheeks, saying, “Ah, oui! You are Chase, Veronica’s best friend, non? I saw you talking to Gerard earlier.” She held me at an arm’s length and smiled. “Ah! You are as beautiful as they say!”
“Who say? Ahm, said?” I cocked my head to one side, avoiding eye contact with Alex, who was standing behind Marielle and running his fingers through his hair.
Marielle flicked her hands up. “Everyone.”
Had her boyfriend said it too? I bit my tongue, and reminded myself that I was there for Nica. She wouldn’t want me to claw this woman’s eyes out. No, she was a guest. And Alex’s woman.
“Are you joining us?” she asked.
I thought at first that she had meant joining her and Alex to do god knows what, but it dawned on me that she’d meant the baby shower.
“Yeah. I just have to grab something from my bike.” Or jump on it and leave before my heart leapt out of my rib cage.
When the heat of the sun hit my face, I felt the prickle of tears in the corners of my eyes. I fanned my cheeks and forced myself to breathe as I jogged to my bike. Before I reached it, I heard someone behind me.
I surreptitiously wiped the tears from my eyes and sucked in a breath before I looked over my shoulder. The girl who had been seated with Maggie earlier leaned against a post. She waved at me with a hand holding a cellphone.
“You’re Chase, right?” she asked, making her way to me.
Her hair was cropped short and dyed a pink that matched the baby shower palette. She had on a summery dress and sandals. There was bounce in her step which told me that she was indeed as young as Maggie. I suddenly ached for the younger, care-free me.
“Do I know you?”
“No.” I faced her, waiting for her next move or word. “I’m Cara.”
“You’re Al—Levi’s sister! Hi!” I offered her a hand.
She switched her phone to her left hand before she shook mine. “Yup, that’s me. I didn’t recognize you at first with the new hair color.”
“How do you know about that?” I patted the top of my head. “We’ve never met before.”
“I’ve seen your pictures,” she answered.
“What pictures?”
Cara hesitated for a bit before she said, “Nica’s wedding pics. We looked at them last night. I feel like I know you already. I’ve heard so much about you.”
“You have? Well whatever they said... it’s all true.”
Cara laughed. I didn’t know what it was about her that I felt this sudden relief, an ease in my chest and a peace in my mind. For the first time in a while, I laughed as well. It almost sounded alien to my ears.
“You’re not running away, are you?” Cara asked and I immediately clammed up.
I glanced over to my Harley. “I was just going to get a change of clothes. It’s too hot to be wearing this.” As I answered her, I believed it.
Cara shrugged. “You look fine to me. Let’s go ahead in. We have some catching up to do.”
I wondered why she would say that when I hadn’t met her before, but I let her drag me inside. Nica was happy to see me with Cara, and quietly informed me that Levi and Alex were gone for the rest of the night. For the entirety of the party that afternoon, Cara never left my side as though she was guarding me from something...
Or someone.
ALEX
The heat of the night clung to my skin, even as I pushed the sheets off me. It seemed that yet again sleep evaded me. I groaned into my hands, careful not to shake the bed as my feet hit the floor. Straight off to the balcony I went, hoping to take in some of the fresh California air.
When was the last time I’d had a full night’s sleep? Weeks, possibly even months. With her. That night I had come from a run and found Chase in the shower, drowning her sorrow under the rush of hot water. It hadn’t been clear then why she had resorted to tears. The reasons came later on, and I didn’t understand right away. Things had been going great between us, despite her not accepting a more serious relationship. As long as it was just us, she and I, nothing else had mattered.
I leaned over the iron railing, looking up at the night sky.
I could use some clarity at the moment.
Out of the corner of my eye, a figure flitted into the night, toeing the edge of the pool. She was like an apparition in a white dressing gown as the moonlight hit her blonde hair and illuminated it. I’d thought I was prepared to see her.
Why wasn’t she in bed? What thoughts ran through her mind that kept her awake and wandering at night?
I pushed away from the railing, and turned back into the bedroom. I padded toward the door, not even caring that I only had on pajama bottoms. My hand wrapped around the handle of the door when I heard Marielle stir on the bed behind me.
“Alexandre? What are you doing up? Come back to bed, darling.”
I glanced over my shoulder quickly and saw Marie slowly sit up in bed, her hand outstretched to me. Then I looked down and stared at my hand. One turn and I would be out into the night with Chase. But I had come here with Marie, who had been nothing but good to me.
She had eagerly volunteered when Martina couldn’t make it.
“Alex?” Marie called again in her tired voice.
Sighing, I released my grip on the handle.
CHASE
Whose idea was it to ply me with drinks?
Oh, right, mine.
With my arms crossed over my head, I groaned as an explo
sion threatened my brain. The bright sun in Vermont had followed me to California. I wished I’d listened to Nica when she told me to stay away from the cellar.
I couldn’t help it. Not when every single time I saw Marielle, I remembered how she had felt up Alex. Felt him up! Right in front of me!
I suspected that Alex hadn’t said a thing to her about us. Why would he? There was never really an us.
Oh, give it up!
There was a clear us, and if I had been completely honest with Alex, there would still be an us now. He could be spooning me this moment, massaging my pounding head, and telling me he wished I didn’t drink so much. I wished I could tell him that it had been a while since I’d drank. That last night’s binge had been caused by heartache.
I whined as I accepted once again that it was indeed heartbreak that I was feeling at that moment. And what I’d been feeling for a while. I pulled the sheets over my head. They would have to drag me out of bed if they wanted to see me today. I had zero energy or courage to face everyone, anyone, Alex and his perfect woman with the perfect tatas and perfect red lips.
Those lips kissed his, and probably more. Ugh! Why couldn’t I stop torturing myself?
I should get up and get out of here. Nica would understand.
“Oh, Alex.” My chest hurt. My throat was parched and the throbbing discomfort in my head wasn’t anything compared to the pain of a heartbreak. “Why him? Why now?” I asked myself.
Maybe my answers would never come.
I had to have a chat with Nica to convince her to let me go back to San Francisco today.
After a struggle with clean clothes, giving my face a wash, and brushing my teeth, I walked out of the bedroom. When I reached the steps, I noticed how quiet the house was. Something wasn’t right. This place was full of energetic morning people. Why the stillness? I tiptoed down the steps, silently thankful once again that Alex and Marielle were staying in the opposite side of the house. I would have stayed in the guesthouse with Gerard and Mateo if it didn’t bring too many memories. Maggie and Cara were there too. I wouldn’t have gotten any sort of rest at all.
Cara. What a sweet girl. She’d kept me entertained yesterday, and my surliness had made her laugh. She hadn’t asked too many questions, thankfully, and she had mostly talked about her blog and the secret boyfriend she had in New York City. Why she’d opened up to me was beyond my comprehension (it was difficult to think clearly when I was getting drunk). But I was glad she did. I doubted very much that after this we would remain friends, because Alex and Marie’s relationship seemed awfully serious. Why else would he bring her here to the States? I had overheard, too, that Martina was fond of her, although I believed this information had come from the cow, er...Marielle herself.
I should have asked Cara. I could have, but I didn’t. She didn’t seem to suspect anything, and I wasn’t ready for explanations.
By the time I reached the kitchen, my curiosity had grown. I expected everyone to be around the massive island, but again, no one. Nothing but the quiet drip of the coffee. So I continued my search, and finally heard mutterings as I neared the front rooms.
There in the living room were all of my friends, staring silently out the large window that looked out to the courtyard.
“What the hell is going—”
“Shhhh... come.” Gerard waved me over without even taking his eyes off the window.
I hesitated, but moved forward, and then I saw what had them stumped. I covered my mouth when a gasp came out. Nica threw me a sympathetic look.
Out in the pebbled yard, Alex was talking to Marielle. One of the vineyard’s trucks idled beside them. My pulse rate increased as I became witness to what seemed like a lover’s quarrel. Marielle would put one of her suitcases into the truck and a moment later, Alex would take it out.
“What are they saying?” Gerard spoke. “Is that French?”
“No. I think that’s Italian,” Maggie answered.
“Someone translate it!” Gerard ordered, but everyone ignored him.
“I can’t believe this is happening. Somebody do something.” I wasn’t sure who’d said it but I felt all eyes on me.
I faltered and stepped back. “Why are you looking at me?”
“Pshhh...not you. Levi, can’t you do something?”
I turned to Levi, who shrugged, shoved a hand through his hair, and headed out the door.
Marielle successfully moved all of her bags into the truck, and Alex stopped fighting her for them. He hung his head, gripping Marielle’s hands. His lips moved but we couldn’t hear what he said. His shoulders sagged. His eyes were focused on the ground. Marielle’s stance was the same. Then she lifted Alex’s hands and kissed the back of each one before cupping his face, and tilting his head to her.
They exchanged words, and Alex nodded. When they kissed, I gripped the nearest hand to me, grateful it was Nica’s.
“Shit. They’re coming in!” somebody said, “Everyone, spread out!”
My friends’ movements were swift, but I was stuck to the floor. I could barely breathe much less run. When the door opened, and Alex came back in, his gaze found mine.
Two loud heartbeats. That was how long our moment had lasted before he turned away and disappeared further into the house.
I could’ve easily fainted from the lack of oxygen, but I felt the squeeze on my hand and remembered Nica was there to support me.
“What just happened?” I muttered under my breath.
After two full days of constant noise, laughter, muttering, and bickering, the house went quiet. The rest of the family and friends who had gathered for Nica’s baby shower had returned to San Francisco. The silence unnerved me. I remained as Nica suggested.
What could only be called as a lover’s quarrel—even possibly a breakup—we’d all witnessed, confused me. Ever since Alex had left with Cara, right after Marielle’s departure, I’d asked around for what had started the misunderstanding. No one could verify what had caused Cara and Marielle’s arguments. They’d insisted all they had heard were yelling from the two, which eventually drove Marielle packing and Alex running after her.
“Cara called Marielle a gold-digger,” Gerard assumed, but no one else could confirm if it had happened.
Lily argued, “No, Marielle discovered something Cara’s hiding and threatened to exploit it.” I would have looked to Nica to confirm this, but she’d been so distraught over the incident that Levi insisted she’d needed to rest. Everyone knew and understood this. With another month to go before she popped, Nica couldn’t be under any amount of unnecessary stress.
After breakfast on the fourth day, Levi had a meeting to attend which left Nica and me alone at the vineyard. He had given his staff the day off. The sun was strong by mid-morning and the two of us had decided that time by the pool was the best plan. An easy, relaxing time after all the craziness, just as the doctor had prescribed.
Nica had gone into the kitchen to scrounge up some snacks for us... or rather, for her and her baby. I stretched out on the lounger, soaking up the heat of the sun. Then my phone beeped beside me.
Hi, it’s Cara. I got your number from Nica.
My response was short:
Hi, Cara! Are you back in NYC? I typed ‘with Alex’ at first, but at the last second, I erased it.
Yeah. My mom’s already on my case. I need to talk to you about stuff.
What stuff?
Things that concern you and my brother.
The lump in my throat grew and remained stuck in my throat. Which brother? I feigned ignorance and rolled my eyes at myself.
The controlling one over there. Alex.
I thought Alex went with you.
Her response was instantaneous: He did, but he went back there. He said he needed to think things through.
Why didn’t he go to France to see Marielle?
I hoped my desperation didn’t show.
Go after that bitch? No way! Not after all the BS she said.
This
was when Nica came back from the kitchen, carrying a bag of chips and a carafe with her. “Can you grab these, Chase?” Nica handed the snacks and drink to me. Her lips pursed. “I have to go pee again.” She looked down at her belly and rubbed a hand over it. “She’s so active too. It’s okay, little munchkin. Mom will make room for you.”
“Nica, before you leave...” I cocked my head to the right, toward the direction of the guesthouse. “Is somebody in there? I think I saw someone pass the window?” I adjusted the sunglasses on my face, grateful that the dark lenses shaded my eyes from my best friend.
She bit her bottom lip and averted her eyes. “Well... okay, don’t freak out.” She offered her hands for me to hold and I took them, titling my head up to her. “Alex came back after dropping off Cara.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“He asked us not to tell anyone. He said he needs time to think some things through. Levi and I thought it would be best if you and Alex didn’t see each other for a bit until he got everything sorted out.” Nica pulled her lip between her teeth once again. Her apology and regret hung in the air. “I hated not telling you Chase, please trust me. It’s really for the best. You both have been going through a lot.”
She shut her eyes and her forehead creased. Nica moaned as her lips twisted, and she squeezed my hands harder.
“Nica, did you just pee your pants?”
Nica grimaced and groaned again, and my laughter died. I rose to my feet to get to hold her up.
Both her hands went to protect her belly. She pinned me with a worried look. “I think my water just broke.”
“Oh gah! It’s... no! It’s too soon!” I stepped back to study the liquid that gushed down her legs and pooled around her feet. “What do I do? What do I do?”
Before Nica could answer, she buckled. The strength of her grip on my hand was enough to make me wince. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she twisted from another contraction.
Chasing the Runaway Bride (Bliss Series Book 3) Page 19