Serena felt heat creep up her cheeks. “Maybe.”
Alexis clapped her hands. “Great. Tomorrow you’re going to call Chase and you’re going to listen. Not talk… listen. Give him a chance to show you how much he loves you.”
“Yeah.” She drew in a deep breath. She wanted nothing more than a future with Chase but she couldn’t have one until she let go and allowed herself to trust again. Allowed people to make mistakes and make up for them because no one was perfect. Not even her. And if she continued on this path, she was destined to spend the rest of her life alone out here with only her animals.
Speaking of which…. The dogs barked at the back door. Alexis hopped up and a minute later, Serena was bombarded with six dogs and several cats, all clamoring for her attention. Alexis and Izzy piled onto the couch with her, and even Justin climbed over the back and wrapped his arms around the lot of them.
She didn’t know what she did to deserve such a wonderful family, despite the challenges of their childhood. Now if she could fix what she’d broken with Chase, everything would be practically perfect.
Chapter Twenty-One
Chase bounced his leg and then pressed his hand to his knee to stop the movement. He brushed his hands down his jeans, staring out the window at the New York skyline, anything to calm his mind while waiting for his publisher’s reaction to the photos he’d set in front of him from the shoot in Los Angeles.
“Well, Chase…”
Chase perched on the edge of his chair. He’d started taking pictures for himself, a way to hide from the world and at the same time, document some of its awe-inspiring landscapes. He’d never been comfortable being the subject of someone else’s scrutiny.
“I’m blown away. I had an idea of what those people were facing, and after reading Jennifer’s copy, my heart goes out to them. But to have these images in front of me, I’m just… well, these may be Pulitzer prize winning material here.”
Chase relaxed back into his chair. He’d known that the shots were good. He had been taking photos too long to produce anything less. This shoot had been transformational for him, and that had to show in the photos. But as happy as he was that Mitchell appreciated his work, Chase didn’t feel the thrill that he typically did when seeing the world come to life in pictures. Maybe because after his conversation with his sister and father, he was shifting into a new phase of his life.
One he hoped that would include Serena. After he figured out a way to fix their relationship.
Mitchell rounded the desk and propped on it in front of Chase. “I have a new assignment for you. Hostilities have been increasing in Israel and I want my best guy on the ground there.”
Chase had been moved by the awesomeness and historical significance of the ancient land the first time he’d visited. He’d typically jump at a chance to walk on the hallowed ground again, to document the lives of people who were trying to honor their religion and traditions. The smile fell from his face. “I’m sorry, sir. But I have to say no.”
Mitchell’s eyebrows shot up, but he didn’t say anything.
Chase didn’t want to be that person anymore. The one that used his career as an excuse to run away from expectations. After all these years, he needed to be still. To put down roots. As much as he enjoyed spending time with his sister, and even the fact that he had forged a tenuous future with his father, San Francisco wasn’t for him. “I think I’m finally ready to settle down.”
A smile crept onto Mitchell’s face. “In Cedar Hill, Pennsylvania, perhaps?”
Chase grinned. “I think small-town living has grown on me. I’m going to try it out for a while.”
“What will you do? Not that you need to do anything. What you’ve earned from your photos has probably left you pretty comfortable for a long time.”
“It has, thanks to you. But I have a new mission. Meeting that veteran in the Bronx, seeing the mentally ill and the single mothers who’ve had to resort to living on the streets has opened my eyes to the problems of homelessness in this country. I’m forming a charity to help the homeless.”
“Good for you. I expect it will be an enormous success. Keep me updated—that sounds like something I’d like to support. I’m happy to give you my money, but more importantly, I’d be thrilled to make a phone call or put my name behind something that helps your cause.”
Chase rose to his feet and extended his hand. “Thank you, sir. I appreciate the opportunity you gave me, a young kid with a cocky attitude and a beat-up camera. I wouldn’t be where I am today without you.”
“My door is always open. If and when you’re ready to come back, there will always be opportunities for you. Oh, speaking of which…” Mitchell reached behind him and handed Chase a calendar. “This is the final proof. The rest are being shipped to the director of the shelter by the end of the week.”
Chase flipped the glossy pages, remembering each animal as he sought to capture their personality on the page. And then he turned to the last page, Serena’s beautiful face smiling back at him.
That gave him an idea.
“Thank you, sir. I, uh, I have to go. I have something to do.”
Mitchell’s laughter followed him as he rushed out the door.
* * *
Chase placed the calendar on the top of the box labeled “Open First” and then taped the flaps shut. That was it, the entirety of what he owned in the world packed in eight shipping boxes… all headed to a small animal shelter in Cedar Hill, Pennsylvania. Hopefully, Serena wouldn’t burn the contents on her front lawn when she realized what he’d done. But as quickly as he had the thought, he shoved it away. That wasn’t Serena, no matter how angry or upset she was.
“That’s everything. Make sure that box is on the top of the pile. I want her to see it first.”
“You got it, sir. We’ll make sure these boxes are delivered tomorrow.”
“Thank you.”
Chase turned back to the empty storage locker that had contained his possessions for the past ten years, the few precious things he’d chosen to accumulate during his travels. But he was done traveling, and the things he valued the most were on their way to the woman he wanted to share them with.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Serena lifted her head at the sound of a huge truck bouncing over the ruts in the dirt road. She wasn’t expecting a delivery—she’d restocked her shelter supplies last month, and that typically would last her for close to half a year. What could this be?
She stepped out the door to watch the vehicle traverse the final few yards. The truck pulled up beside her and the driver opened his window. “I have a delivery here for Serena Harper.”
“That’s me.”
“Fantastic.” The man hopped out of the cab and proceeded to the trailer. She rounded the back of the vehicle in time to see him open the rolling door to reveal eight large boxes, each labeled with her name.
“What is all this?”
He handed her a clipboard and motioned to where she should sign. “I don’t know, ma’am. I take ‘em from point A to point B. I don’t have nothing to do with what’s inside.”
She mindlessly scribbled her name. As soon as she did, the man leapt into the truck and slid a carton labeled ‘Box One of Eight. Open First’ to the edge. “Where do you want them, ma’am.”
She couldn’t fathom what was in the boxes, but it had to be something for the shelter. “I’ll have you bring them in and stack them right inside the door, if that’s okay.”
“You got it.”
She followed the man in as he rolled several of the boxes in on a dolly, depositing them safely in the front corner of the shelter. She stared at the cartons while he went back twice more, stacking the boxes high, but leaving box one in front of the pile.
“Well, that’s all ma’am. I’ll be going now.”
She’d almost forgotten the man was standing there while she stared at the mystery in front of her. Did she have another benefactor that she didn’t know about, someone else that ha
d been moved by her work at the shelter? Wouldn’t that be wonderful. So many months, she was scraping by until she could place some animals or identify some new donors. She’d love the luxury of some time to set those worries aside.
Once the door slammed behind the man, she dropped to her knees in front of the first carton, pulling at the clear tape until she’d unsealed it and lifted the flaps. On the top of the box lay a calendar. Her calendar. And right on the front was a photo of one of her favorite shepherd mutts that had been adopted out last week. She couldn’t wait to see how the photos turned out, but as she glanced back into the box, she realized that it wasn’t more calendars. The box contained only the one calendar, laid on top of a stack of what looked like tapestries, and a small sculpture. As she dug further, she found a vase and a few smaller boxes. What could this mean? Who would send her this variety of trinkets?
She’d figure that out later. For now, she wanted to see her beautiful babies in the spotlight. She plopped on the floor, flipping through the pages of the calendar.
The photos had been perfectly selected for each month and popped off the page. But she didn’t just see the animals, she saw Chase in each photo. The way he depicted the personality of each dog. The way he’d allowed them to play and frolic and captured the perfect moment of bliss for each of them.
As she reached the final page of the calendar, a piece of paper slipped out. She blindly fumbled for it as she studied the photo that had been included at the end—that shot of her hugging Charlie on the day Chase first came to her shelter.
She flipped over the piece of paper to find Chase’s fine, angled scrawl.
Dear Serena,
When I picture you in my mind, I see you like this. Happy, loving life, and giving your all to other people. I saw that love and empathy in you the day we met, all those years ago in Atlantic City. And I saw it in you every day that we spent together, how you go out of your way to help those that need it the most. You have so much love to give and your heart is huge.
I’m sorry for any pain and heartbreak that I have caused. If you believe anything, believe this when I tell you that there is no one else I’d rather be with than you. No one I’d rather fall asleep next to at night and wake up with in the morning. Please give me a chance to explain and to make things right. I want to share my vision for the future with you, but that vision isn’t complete without you.
I love you.
The letter was signed Edward “Chase” Foster, like she needed any reminder that he had been the boy of her dreams from the day she met him.
She swiped at the tears that streaked down her cheeks. How could she ever doubt the intentions of a man that wrote such beautiful words? She was wrong to jump to those conclusions, and wrong not to give him a chance to explain before giving up on him. If only he were here so she could tell him how wrong she’d been.
And that she loved him, too.
Just then, the darkness of the shelter was breached when bright light streamed in through the door as it opened.
* * *
Chase took a chance, coming back here before he knew how Serena would respond to his gift. Well, not so much a gift as much as everything he owned. He only hoped she understood the gesture, understood what it took for him to make the decision to finally make some place his home. And not just anywhere. Cedar Hill.
He passed the delivery driver on his way into the shelter, waving at the man to which he had entrusted everything he owned yesterday. He’d timed his arrival as he’d wanted. But as he pulled into the parking space in front of the shelter and shut off his engine, he couldn’t quite bring himself to climb out of the jeep. He’d never been afraid to take a chance before, to go out on a limb to get the perfect shot, so why was he nervous about confronting a five-foot-five woman? Because he was in love.
This was more important than anything he’d done before in his life, and he had to get it right.
He stepped into the dark interior of the shelter, his eyes taking a moment to adjust from the bright light outside. He shoved his sunglasses onto the top of his head and scanned the wide-open space until he found what he was looking for.
Serena was sitting, her back propped against the wall and her feet out in front of her, head lowered over the calendar. She must not have heard him right away, but she finally lifted her head, to reveal tears running down her face.
Shit. He’d messed up. He’d gone about this all wrong.
He scrambled for what he could say to fix this, to repair whatever damage he’d done to their relationship.
“Chase!” Serena leapt to her feet, ran across the room, and threw herself at him. She wrapped her arms around his body as he took her in his arms and hugged her. “I’m so sorry. I said everything wrong. And even after that, you sent me that amazing note.”
He breathed in Serena’s scent, grounding himself in the feeling of home that had come over him the minute he’d first walked into this animal shelter all those weeks ago. “There’s nothing to apologize for.”
She lowered herself to her feet and gazed up at him, swiping at the moisture on her cheeks. “I promise I’ll do better to trust you when you’re not here. As long as you’ll give me another chance. I mean, it sounded like you would from your note, but I don’t want to jump to—”
Chase pressed his fingers to her lips and she swallowed the words she was going to say.
“Sorry.”
He smiled. “You don’t need to be sorry for being who you are. My being away isn’t going to be a problem anymore.”
She stared at him for a moment as the words processed, and then her face fell. She opened her mouth and started to speak, but he held up his finger. She tried again.
“Ah ah. My turn. It’s not going to be a problem anymore… because I want to stay right here. That is, if you’ll have me.”
Her eyes widened and brightened as the enormity of what he’d said sank in.
“I’m not done traveling the world. There is still so much for me to see, but I want to share it all with you. When I first started traveling, I was looking for a purpose to my life. I spent all these years not finding what I thought I was meant to do, who I was meant to be. What I finally realized is that it wasn’t about finding a purpose for my life but mending a hole in my heart. A hole that you have filled with your love.”
“So… you want to stay here?”
He chuckled. It was a lot to take in, he could give her that. Before he’d met Serena, he thought the trips, the photos he took, were what completed him. But he’d been wrong. “I may have to travel from time to time, to meet with donors and the like, but I want to run my charity from Cedar Hill.”
Her brows furrowed and she tilted her head. “What charity?”
“The charity that I’ve already started the paperwork to establish. A charity to help feed, house, and train homeless people to give them a hand up in rejoining society as contributing members.”
As he spoke, Serena’s eyes lit up. “I help homeless animals, you’re going to help homeless people. I think it sounds just about perfect.”
“So I’m forgiven?”
“There is nothing to forgive. I know you and know that you wouldn’t cheat. My siblings reminded me that I know a lot of good men, like Justin and Tanner, and Rachel’s brothers. I let a bad situation with David and my father color my view of all men.”
“Just so you know, the picture was taken nearly a month ago, when I ran into a woman I knew on the street. I didn’t even know the photo was taken—that’s how these rags work. They try to stir up trouble where there isn’t any. And the woman’s voice you heard in the background when we were on the phone... that was my sister.”
Serena’s brows shot up. “You visited your sister while you were gone?”
He nodded. “And my father. I think things are going to be better with him in the future.”
“That sounds great. I’m really happy for you, but I have one question.”
He steeled himself, ready to explain whatever
he had to. Because now that it appeared that he had Serena, he wasn’t about to let her go.
She gestured with her thumb over her shoulder. “What’s in the boxes?”
“It’s everything I own. I emptied the storage locker and sent it all here. To show you that I was finally ready to put down roots, to call some place my home… and that home is with you.”
“Is that your entire life in those boxes?”
“No, that’s just my possessions. My entire life is standing right in front of me.” He lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers, not willing to wait another minute to feel her in his arms, to taste her and to share her breath, as they sealed their future with a kiss.
Epilogue
Serena fingered the envelope that had been delivered by courier a few minutes ago. The paperwork they had been waiting for all these months. It was about time. She couldn’t wait to share the good news with Chase.
She stepped out the door of her office and scanned the shelter. With the funds that the calendar brought in, along with an additional infusion provided by Chase, Helping Hands had received the boost that she needed. Right now, two new part-time employees she’d hired were exercising a handful of dogs in the expanded dog runs that had been built on the far side of the shelter.
The sound of hammering echoed through the wide-open space. An expansion on the back side of the shelter would enable her to install twelve new kennels and an additional greeting room. And it was just in time. Not only had the calendar raised additional funds, it had brought new attention to her project here. Rescues started showing up from as far away as Oak Grove and she was busting at the seams. There were worse problems to have.
She followed the sound of the hammering until she found Chase, hanging upside down off a strut, hammering in part of the frame. She stared up at him, the flex of his muscles as they rippled beneath his bare back, his jeans hanging low on his hips. Damn, she never got tired of seeing him here.
Chasing Trust: A Small Town Steamy Romance (Harper Family series Book 3) Page 22