Chasing McCree

by J. C. Isabella

  “I’d follow you to the ends of the earth just to kiss you.”

  I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him with everything in me. “Good thing for you I’m not going anywhere.”

  Chapter 28

  Rain washed away all the bad. Rick and Tom went to jail. The McCree cemetery was back to its peaceful glory, and Millie and Jerry were happy to be home two days later. Jerry’s brother was going to live, but it would be a while before he was back to his old self.

  I was in a grassy field with the horses. Sprite pranced with Ash, playing in the sunshine. Chase was dozing next to me, his hat covering his eyes. I was content and happy with our decision. Now all that was left was to face my parents. Mostly my father. My mother wouldn’t be hard to deal with. She was nothing but saline and lipstick. I felt bad for her.

  I didn’t want to go back to Florida. I wanted to stay with Chase. It had been the best summer of my life. But my parents would be flying in, just in time for dinner.

  I sat up to watch Ash gallop down to the creek, shaking his head. Sprite chased him. his little legs moving furiously to keep up.

  There was a soft ringing, and Chase stirred to answer his phone. He didn’t say much and hung up. “Your parents will be here soon. Jerry’s gone to pick them up at the airport.”

  “I don’t want to go back.” I picked a dandelion and threaded the stem into my hair behind my ear. “I’ll miss you too much.”

  He pushed his hat off his face and smiled up at me, “I’ll go with you. Just say the word. It’s only till we graduate. Less than a year.”

  “But I’ve been attacked, taunted and humiliated. I’m done putting myself through that.” I sighed. “I’m done not being happy.”

  He reached his calloused hand out and brushed my tears away. “It’s like I was supposed to meet you and bring you here, you know?”

  “Yeah, I know. Your mother was crazy to leave this place.” I took a deep breath and pressed my hand over his.

  I didn’t think it was possible to feel so much for someone. Not outside of the movies and TV. It was all fairytale. But then I met Chase, and at least for me, it wasn’t a fairytale anymore. I knew in my heart that there wasn’t any reason why we both couldn’t have what we wanted. “Don’t let them take me.”

  “I won’t,” he said. “As long as you’re not staying because you don’t want to face what happened back home…”

  “I’m not running away.” I wouldn’t care where I was, as long as I had him. Florida, Montana, hell, even Canada. I could go to school anywhere and become a vet. The decision was simple.

  “But Montana? Middle of nowhere. No malls. No theme parks. Or designer stores.” Was he changing his mind? Did he not want me to stay?

  “Family takes care of each other. You take care of me. I take care of you.”

  He chuckled, “I take care of you because I love you.”

  “So why can’t you be my family? Why don’t you want me to stay?” I was so confused.

  “Your parents are going to be pissed.” He said. “But I don’t care. Damn them all, remember? I just want to make sure you feel sure about this.”

  “You said you’d follow me to the ends of the earth.” I squared my shoulders and looked him right in the eye as he sat up. “Well, now I’m saying the same to you. I want you to finish teaching me how to ride a horse, whip cans off a fence, sleep under the stars. If you stay here, I’ll stay. Hell, if you go to China, I’m going too! I’m chasing you McCree, just like you chased me.”

  “When have I ever chased you?” he asked.

  I frowned. “It’s kind of fuzzy, but I remember you being on a horse in the park near the school.”

  He laughed, “Yeah, I was following you.”

  I stood, pulling him to his feet. We walked through the tall grass. Sprite and Ash followed, trying to get us to play with them.

  We reached the small clearing circled by a small fence. Chase wrapped his arm around me and we moved to stand at his father’s grave. I didn’t say anything. It was so quiet and still. Even the horses stayed at a distance. The ground was warm beneath my bare feet. Faint rays of sun filtered through the trees.

  “He would have liked you,” Chase said, voice quite. “He liked everyone. But you, you’d have been one of his favorites.”

  I pulled the flower out of my hair and set it next to the other flowers on the ground. “And he would be proud of you. I’m sure of it.”

  Ash met us by the gate, and we rode him back to the big house, Sprite followed in a flurry of excitement. It seemed like everything was an adventure to the little horse. I stopped to say hello to Firefly and gave her a sugar cube.

  “Briar?”

  Chase and I turned at the sound of my father’s voice. He was standing on the porch, face awash in shock.

  “Dad,” I knew what I looked like. He must not recognize me. Wild, curly, sun streaked hair. A real tan and pink cheeks. Not an ounce of make up. I wasn’t wearing shoes, and I was holding hands with a cowboy.

  Yeah, this was going to go smoothly…

  “What happened to you?” he looked at me like I was a stranger, and I began to realize I was. We didn’t really know each other. He’d never taken the time, and I couldn’t force him to pay attention to me.

  “We were out riding,” I said. “Did you just get here?”

  He nodded, “I was going in with your mother when I saw you.”

  Chase and I followed him inside.

  My father stopped in the middle of the living room, not saying a word to me. He took in the space. His eyes traveled over the rustic décor. Yeah, it was impressive. I could see the wheels turning in his head.

  “You thought I was staying in a shack on mountain side.” I hated how he judged people. Chase was a cowboy. He owned a ranch. Therefore he was an uneducated hick.

  He gritted his teeth. “Something like that.”

  Yep, he was taking it all in. And all of it was the fact that Chase had money. Not that I cared about that. “Where’s mom?”

  “Millie was showing her to the bathroom with your grandmother.”

  Grandma came! I smiled. “Great.”

  He crossed his arms and eyed Chase. It seemed the strained pleasantries were over. “You had no right.”

  “Briar does what she wants,” Chase smiled too kindly for my liking. I was ready to toss my dad out in the yard. “I merely support her decisions.”

  “Oh please,” my father ran a hand through his hair. “Look, I understand you have a little money, but in our family we have a lot to live up to. Certain things are expected of Briar, and no offense, you can’t possibly understand them.”

  Chase draped his arm around me. His smile turned into a sneer. “I understand you place a high value on this society shit.”

  “Appearances must be kept up,” he said. “Now take your hands off my daughter.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Just stop and look around you. Chase isn’t after your money, trying to hurt your reputation, or chances at a big promotion.”

  The there was a commotion in the kitchen, and my grandmother hurried into the room, arms flung wide and smiling. She hugged Chase and me and settled into Jerry’s favorite chair by the fireplace.

  Chase’s aunt and uncle decided to sit the beginning of the conversation out, mostly because I asked them to. I didn’t want them to see how ugly my parents could be. Once we reached an agreement, they’d join us.

  My mom was in next, picking her way across the room to stand beside my father. Seems they made up. The bear skin rug got a little raise of her eyebrows, but not enough that anyone noticed, since they’d been frozen in place by her injections.

  I was thinking we’d start the big talk when one last person strode in the room.

  “Alex?” my jaw dropped.

  Chase stepped in front of me. “Get the hell out of my house.”

  I pushed around him and watched Alex back away, holding his hands up. “Whoa, sorry. Didn’t know I wasn’t invited.”


  I glared at my mother. “You brought him, didn’t you?”

  “Oh, Briar, he misses you.” She pouted her inflated lips. “Can’t you see?”

  “Yeah, he’s a real prince charming. Did Alex ever tell you that he let his friend spike Briar’s drink at a party, and that I found her in a park late at night?” Chase vibrated with fury beside me. “Or that his friend attacked her, and he stood by and laughed?”

  For the first time, in a long time, my father looked concerned for me. “What? Why didn’t you tell me?”

  I lifted a shoulder, “I didn’t think you’d care.”

  “You’re my child.” He shouted. “Of course I care!”

  My mother gripped the front of Alex’s shirt with her fang nails and sat him on the couch. “Just wait till we get home. Your parents will be hearing about this.

  Go mom.

  I smiled.

  “Briar, pack your things. If we leave now we can make the evening flight.” My father waited, staring Alex down before looking back at me.

  I didn’t budge. I raised my chin and planted my feet. “Chase and I’ve been talking, and I’m staying here with him.”

  He didn’t look all that surprised, gave a smooth smile, and a regal wave of his hand. “I understand this has been an adventure, but you’ve inconvenienced this kind family long enough.”

  I shot a sideways glance at Chase. “See what I mean?”

  “Dr. Thompson, I want Briar to stay. Not just for a little while, forever.” Chase said. “She really does belong here with me.”

  “I knew it!” Grandma giggled. She jingled as she bounced in her seat. There were bells on her bracelet and on her socks. “I told Norm before I left. I said, Norm, I bet my britches Briar ain’t coming home. I was right!”

  “Mom, you’re not helping.” My dad said.

  “Everyone should marry a Scottish cowboy.” Grandma clapped her hands. “Can’t you see how happy she is? She looks good, and she may have even gained a little weight.”

  “Grandma…” I blushed.

  My dad still wasn’t having any of it. “Chase’s parents, I’m sure, don’t want their son moving a strange girl in with him.”

  My mom nodded, finally in the present. “It’s scandalous.”

  “This is my house,” Chase was really getting irritated, and so was I. “If I want Briar to live with me, it’s my choice.”

  This really made my parents take a step back. They glanced around them, as if it was some sort of a joke.

  “I want to speak to your father,” my dad said.

  “He’s dead.” Chase crossed his arms. “Died when I was six.”

  “And your mother lives in Florida?”

  He nodded. “With her new family. My aunt and uncle stay on the property with me to help me learn and run things.”

  My dad seemed to need a seat and dropped on the couch next to Alex, who was keeping his mouth shut, and eyeing the bearskin rug. What was it about that thing that creeped people out? “And what about money, finances?”

  “We have a team of lawyers and financial advisors.”

  “And you support yourself selling cattle?” my father was considering something. Maybe that this might be a good for our family. If Chase had the right connections, he might be persuaded.

  “No, the ranch makes enough to support itself and the men we employ.” Chase said. “I don’t actually live off the money.”

  Now my father looked like he’d had enough. He rubbed his hands together and sat forward. “Son, I’m not sure you understand. You have to be getting money from somewhere to live such a comfortable life. If not from the ranch, then where?”

  Now was when I wish I had a camera to capture the looks on their faces.

  “I’m independently wealthy.” Chase took the loveseat and I sat beside him, not taking my eyes off my father.

  He laughed, “That’s nice, but you can’t support,” he glanced around the room, “this lifestyle forever. Believe me, I know. Money has to come from somewhere.”

  I glanced at Chase. “Should you tell him, or should I?”

  Chase smiled with a strained politeness. “I love this ranch. It’s been in my family for over a hundred years. But I could buy ten others like it and not feel any financial strain.”

  “How?” my mother asked, sitting next to my father.

  “Oil,” I said.

  Dollar signs appeared in my parents’ eyes and Alex looked like he was going to crap himself.

  “My father’s uncle was a Texas oil man. He left the ranch because he didn’t like it.” Chase said. “And when he died the money was split between his favorite niece and nephew, my father and his little sister Millie. When my father died, his half of the money went to me.”

  Forget dollar signs. My mom was picking out my wedding dress and the venue in her head.

  Good God, was money the only thing that mattered to them?

  “Since we are considering letting Briar stay with you…” dad made a choking sound and mom hushed him. “We need to know your assets. Will you be able to support her?”

  Chase burst with laughter. “You want to know how much I’m worth?”

  “Well, more or less.” My dad smiled. “And I’d like to contact your lawyers for good measure.”

  He lifted a shoulder. “Around four.”

  My mother looked like she was going to pee her Gucci pants. “Million?”

  Chase cleared his throat and went a little pink. “Uh, no. Billion.”

  Dear God, why wasn’t I filming this? I knew Chase was kind of, well, loaded, enough to make my parents look like paupers. But a billionaire?

  “I just want to apologize for the way I treated Briar.” Alex smiled.

  “Yeah, nothing you say is going to help you. It’ll only make it worse.” Chase grinned and looked at my dad. “Now, how can we settle this?”

  I think my father was still processing the fact that Chase was richer than he could comprehend. He slouched back into the couch, stunned. “Uh, well…Briar obviously needs to feel like she’s doing what’s best for her…”

  “Please,” I snorted and looked away.

  “How ‘bout I just make you an offer?” Chase asked. “I understand you love Briar more than words can describe. It must be killing you to even think about leaving her with me.”

  My mother pressed her hand to her chest. Her face pulled tight as she managed a sincere expression. “Oh, we are in agony over it. She’s our baby.”

  I tried very hard not to laugh. “I bet it is torture.”

  “So, to ease the pain,” Chase smiled at me, then back at them. “I’d like to make a sizable donation to Dartmouth, in the name of Dr. and Mrs. Thompson, for medical research.”

  My father nearly hit the roof. He jumped out of his seat. “Why?”

  “Each year we always give back in some way, usually through donations. Those donations get a lot of attention.”

  “Chase…” I touched his arm, trying to stop him. Essentially, he was paying off my family. I didn’t know how to react or what to think. So I looked at my dad, who wasn’t looking at me, he was looking at Chase as if he were the savior himself. I felt sick to my stomach.

  “It’s okay,” Chase patted my leg and I met his eyes. “And, it’s not what you’re thinking.” He looked back at my parents. “I’ll make the donation no matter what you decide.”

  My dad’s eyebrows went up. “So, even if we take Briar back with us, you’ll do it?”

  “Yes,” Chase agreed and I felt my stomach lurch. He’d made a huge mistake. My parents were not good people. They would take his offer, and me, and run. “If Briar goes back to Florida, so will I. As soon as she turns eighteen we’ll be coming back to Montana. Only a few months.”

  “Briar, you can’t possibly want this.” My mother gestured around the room, but mostly to the deer heads, rugs, and the gun rack on the wall. What once made me slightly apprehensive felt like home.

  “I know this may be hard for you to understand, but I l
ove Chase. I love it here. I’m not like you…I never was.” I let out a deep breath and smiled at Grandma. “I’ll visit. I promise. But for once, can’t you just let me be happy? We’ll all get what we want.”

  Grandma stood, hitching her purse high and nodded. “Well, I’m ready to go home, kids. Don’t want to miss our flight. We’ll see you soon Briar. Take good care of your cowboy.”

  I laughed. “You don’t have to leave now. Why don’t you stay for the night?”

  “Okay, you’ve convinced me. You don’t have stuffed beavers, do you? I’ve never been a fan of beavers after that one I saw made into a lamp.”

  Chase and I looked to my parents. They were hardly agreed, openly arguing back and forth. By the next morning though, they’d decided I could stay, but I had to come home for all the major holidays. It wasn’t easy to get them to agree to home schooling either. They searched frantically for a ritzy private school for Chase and I to attend in vain. Our senior year was spent at the dining room table with Millie, Dustin, Josh, and Ellie. Our senior prom was in a barn. Our afternoons spent on horseback. And I loved every second of it.

  Once the holidays rolled around, there was more negotiating. No country clubs, and no hired chefs. It would just be family.

  Chase was my family now, so they’d have to welcome him too.

  And family was all that mattered.

  Epilogue

  Chase

  I remember Grandma’s words as she left Briar with me on the porch, early that summer morning almost five years ago. “I’m telling you, she’s going to marry that Cowboy one day. I’ll be in the front row saying, I told you so!”

  Grandma never made it to the wedding. The old girl had a good run, but it’d been her time to go, shortly after Grandpa. She just couldn’t live without him. Grandma was in our thoughts on the day. Briar had cried the night before, wishing she could have been there. But she was. She watched from afar, and I told Briar as much. She’d be with us forever.

  Of course, that made her cry even more.

  I cried a little too.

  “Do you, Chase McCree, take Briar Thompson, to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold from this day forward, for better of for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish for as long as you both shall live?”