by Autumn Reed
Chase broke the silence. “Haley, that was fantastic.”
I finally lifted my head and tried to fight the pink darkening my cheeks. “Thanks.”
“Where did you learn to play?”
I laid the guitar across my lap and self-consciously tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear. “Oh, um, you know me. I checked out a few DVDs and books from the library and taught myself.” When I saw a look of astonishment cross his face, I shrugged. “It’s not a big deal. I had a lot of free time.”
“I disagree, Haley. It’s one thing to teach yourself the chords, but it takes natural talent to play like that. I could feel your emotion seeping into every note.”
I avoided making eye contact. “Thanks. Now it’s your turn,” I said, handing him the guitar.
He chuckled softly. “Okay, okay, I can take a hint.”
Chase strummed a couple of random chords like he couldn’t decide on a song before a small grin crossed his face. Unlike my decision to dodge eye contact, he stared right at me while he played, only occasionally glancing down at his hands. Not that he needed to watch what he was doing; he played with the ease of someone who’d been doing so for many years.
Entranced by the music and the captivating expression on his face, I wished I recognized the song. Is he singing the lyrics to me in his head?
When he finished, I clapped. “I loved that song. What is it?”
“‘Collide’ by Howie Day. You don’t know it?”
I shook my head and pulled my phone out of my pocket. “I’m going to download it right now, though.” I searched for the song in the iTunes Store and purchased it before laying my phone down on Chase’s desk.
He reached behind his neck to ruffle his hair before saying, “Okay, I’m sure you know this one.”
A couple of notes into Taylor Swift’s “You Belong with Me,” I smiled and started mouthing the words while he played. After just a few lines, he stopped abruptly and gave me a mischievous grin.
“I’m cashing in my second question now.”
I looked at him suspiciously. “Okay . . .”
“Will you sing for me?”
My heart jumped into my throat. “What? No!”
“Please? You obviously know the words, and I heard you humming along with ‘Landslide.’ You have a pretty voice.”
I hummed along? Dang it. I should have been paying more attention to what I was doing.
“I don’t really feel comfortable singing in front of other people.”
Chase’s voice took on a pleading tone. “Not even me? I promise not to throw rotten fruit at you.”
I couldn’t help but laugh and reminded myself how sad Chase was earlier. Surely I could do this one little thing to cheer him up?
“Okay, fine. I can’t believe you talked me into two things in one night. And what did I tell you about that dimple?”
Chase’s smile grew, but he remained silent, re-starting the song. I began to sing quietly, hesitant to let him hear my voice. It’s not that I thought I had a bad voice; I’d recorded myself singing along with the guitar a few times, and even I could admit that I sounded decent. But, I still felt incredibly awkward singing in front of Chase. What if he thought I was terrible?
Of course, Chase knew what he was doing when he selected my favorite Taylor Swift song. I couldn’t help but get into it and have fun.
His grin was smug. “Now was that so painful?”
Not willing to admit how much I’d enjoyed singing along with him, I glared and said, “Torture.”
He just shook his head. “Seriously though, you shouldn’t be shy about singing in front of an audience. Your voice is incredible. Is there anything you don’t do well?”
Hoping to distract him from his effusive compliments, I tapped my finger against my lips and scrunched my forehead like I was thinking hard. “Oh, I have one. Video games.”
“Okay, I’ll agree with that one. I can’t believe you’ve never even played Super Mario World.”
“I know. I’ve been so deprived.”
“You have.” He yawned loudly before giving me a sheepish look. “I know it’s not that late, but I’m exhausted. I think I’m going to take a quick shower and then hit the couch. You can stay in here and read or watch a movie on my laptop if you want.”
He pulled a few items of clothing from his dresser before leaving the bedroom, shutting the door behind him. At the thought of Chase sleeping on the couch, I couldn’t tell if I was more relieved or disappointed. Does he not want to sleep with me? Maybe I should volunteer to sleep on the couch.
Taking advantage of his absence, I locked the bedroom door and quickly changed into my pajamas—striped cotton shorts with a coordinating T-shirt. I paced the short length of the bedroom a few times, trying to decide what to do about the sleeping arrangements. It didn’t seem fair to kick Chase out of his bed when he so clearly needed a good night’s sleep.
A light knock on the door startled me out of my preoccupied thoughts, and I unlocked and opened the door to a freshly-showered Chase. His wet hair looked darker than usual and was sticking up like he’d forgotten to comb it. His scent hit me full-force, and I had to bite my lip to keep from groaning. Could he be any more appealing?
“Um, Haley, are you going to let me in?” His dimple winked at me, and I thought, Yes, he could be.
“Sorry,” I stammered, before stepping away from the door.
He threw his clothes in the hamper and grabbed his phone off the nightstand. When he reached for his pillow, I forced myself to speak.
“You don’t have to sleep on the couch.”
When he turned to look at me, I continued, speaking quickly. “I mean, we’ve already shared a bed, and you’re exhausted. There’s no reason we can’t both sleep in here.” I hesitated, “Or I can take the couch.”
“No way; you’re not sleeping on the couch, Haley.” He looked uncertain. “Are you sure? I don’t mind sleeping out there.”
“Yep. I’ll just go brush my teeth,” I replied, leaving the room before things had a chance to get any more uncomfortable.
When I finally worked up the nerve to return to the bedroom, Chase was sitting on top of the covers against the headboard with his eyes closed. His arms were folded against his chest and one leg was crossed over the other at the ankle. The overhead light was off, the room softly illuminated by the bedside lamp. I made my way to the other side of the bed and slipped under the covers. I glanced toward Chase and was surprised to find him watching me.
“Are you sure you’re ready for bed? I know it’s not that late.”
I gave him a small smile. “I’m sure. I’ve been trying to go to bed earlier so I’m not dragging too much when I go running with Knox at the unholy crack of dawn.”
Chase snickered as he got up and pulled back the covers before climbing in bed. When he settled in facing me, I suddenly realized how much of a difference a full versus a queen bed made. In Chase’s smaller bed, our faces were only inches apart. Even in the dim light, I could make out the contours of his strong jaw and the short golden hairs of his five o’clock shadow.
“I know you’re a runner, but I’m still impressed that you can keep up with him, especially at that hour. Knox is a beast. I’m not sure he even needs sleep.”
I laughed at Chase’s apt description of my gruff roommate. It did seem like Knox was on alert at all hours of night and day. He would have been an ideal candidate for the military, but I couldn’t imagine him spending his life taking orders.
Since Chase seemed in the mood to chat, I racked my brain for a topic. When nothing came to mind, I decided to go with an open-ended question.
“Tell me something about you that I don’t know.”
Chase flipped onto his back and groaned playfully. “Haley, you should know by now that I’m not that interesting.”
I scoffed. “Not true. You’re a swimmer, you play guitar, and you love board games.”
He chuckled. “Right. Nothing says ‘cool’ like Parche
esi and Battleship.”
When he didn’t say anything else, I tapped at the invisible watch on my wrist and said, “I’m waiting.”
He stayed silent for what felt like minutes before finally turning back on his side. “Okay, I’ll tell you a secret.” His expression looked undecided, but then he quietly continued, “You’re the only girl who has ever been in my bed.” What?
I tried to keep the shock off my face while I processed his statement, my pulse racing. I wasn’t sure if I was more surprised by his admission or by the fact that he decided to tell me. Why did he tell me?
I didn’t know if it was our close proximity, the almost-dark, or a momentary lapse of judgment, but I found myself asking a question that had crossed my mind so many times.
“Why don’t you have a girlfriend?”
When he just blinked at me, I started rambling, “I mean, it definitely seems like you could if you wanted. I know Melissa likes you. And you’re such a great guy. It’s just surprising, that’s all.” When he still didn’t respond, I continued, “And you owe me a question.”
Chase’s face became pensive. “I don’t know. I’ve dated a little in the past, but I don’t have much free time between classes and Zenith.” He gazed at me, almost like he was trying to tell me something with his eyes. “I guess it would take the right girl.”
Is he suggesting I could be that girl? Ugh, snap out of it, Haley.
He adjusted his pillow, snagging a strand of my hair in the process.
“Sorry,” he said, stroking the hair he had pulled.
“It’s fine,” I smiled, hoping to reassure him that it hadn’t hurt.
“Your hair is so soft,” Chase said, as he gently ran his fingers through the strands. He paused and looked directly into my eyes. “Is this okay?”
I nodded, unable to say anything more. Before tonight, Chase had never initiated more than side hugs and that one long hug. But now, he’d pulled me onto his lap and was playing with my hair. I knew I was reading too much into a few innocent touches, but my thoughts kept returning to his comment about the “right girl.” And I suddenly found myself wishing I could be that girl.
Back & Forth
The large iron and glass door opened and Patrick smiled at Chase and me. “Welcome, Haley. Hello, Chase. Please come in.” I returned his smile and tentatively stepped over the threshold. Patrick’s mansion was as beautiful as I remembered, and I took a moment to gaze over the elegant interior.
Earlier in the week, I noticed a calendar entry for Patrick on Saturday. It seemed odd, but I brushed it off. With the gala less than a week away, I assumed we would all meet up with him to prepare for the assignment. I hadn’t expected a meeting at his house, though, and I was surprised that Jackson or some of the others hadn’t already arrived. Maybe they’re on their way, I reassured myself.
Chase cleared his throat. “I’m going to head out. You have everything you need?”
Wait, what? Attempting to appear outwardly calm, I nodded, but I was freaking out on the inside. Couldn’t one of the guys have warned me that I was going to spend the afternoon alone with Patrick? Outside our rare encounters at the office, I had barely even spoken to him. Somehow I didn’t think being dropped off at the boss’s house was typical for Zenith employees, but considering he was Jackson’s uncle, clearly the normal rules didn’t apply.
When we reached the kitchen, Patrick gestured to the counter where a tempting spread of sandwiches, salad, and fruit was laid out on simple but expensive-looking cream platters.
“Would you like some lunch?”
“Thank you. It looks delicious.”
Even though I was too nervous to be particularly hungry, I piled my plate with food and followed Patrick outside to the patio.
“You have a lovely home, Mr. Ross.”
“Thank you, Haley, but please call me Patrick. Half the guys on Jax’s team just call me ‘Uncle’ as it is,” he said with a warm chuckle, his relaxed demeanor putting me more at ease.
“I’ve noticed that. I guess you have known all of them a long time?”
“Some longer than others, but yes. I don’t have any nephews of my own, but I doubt I’d be as close to any blood relatives as I am to Liam, Knox, and the rest.”
“Isn’t Jackson your nephew?”
Patrick’s expression turned somber. “No, unfortunately Jax doesn’t have any living relatives. When I adopted him, I told him he could call me ‘Uncle Patrick’ because I wanted him to feel like family, but I wasn’t trying to replace his father.”
“Wow, I had no idea.”
“I’m sure you’ve discovered that there’s a bit of tragedy in all the guys’ pasts. Which is undoubtedly one of the reasons they’ve so quickly embraced you as one of their own. You may not have realized this yet, but those six do not let people in. Ever. Zenith encourages strong team bonds, but they’re an anomaly even within the organization.”
Have they embraced me as one of their own? And why did Patrick feel the need to point it out?
He paused, taking a sip of his iced tea. “You’re probably wondering why I’m telling you this . . .”
My cheeks pinkened, “It did cross my mind.”
His smile was kind, fatherly even. “Even though Team Jaguar is just one of many teams under my direction, they are always my first priority. Don’t tell anyone,” he said with a wink. “And it has become clear over the past weeks that you, my dear, have become very important to them. Which means you’re now important to me.”
Surprised by the turn in conversation, I sat in silence and tried not to visibly react while he continued speaking.
“I don’t want to overwhelm you, but I was hoping you would be willing to consider me a friend, a confidante even. I’ve been told that I’m a good listener, and I suspect that you may need someone to talk to now and then other than the rowdy boys constantly surrounding you.”
Touched by his unexpected offer, I said, “Thank you. That’s very kind of you.”
Perhaps realizing we needed time to build trust and develop a rapport, Patrick lightened the mood, regaling me with stories of Jackson and Liam as teenagers. It was obvious that Patrick relished in his role in raising them. When he spoke of them with such pride and love, I found myself longing for the comfort of my own dad’s presence.
After clearing the dishes, Patrick led me to his office overlooking the backyard. Built-in bookshelves covered one wall and a wooden desk that could double as a large dining table sat in the center of the room. He gestured toward a chair as he sat across the desk from me. I glanced at the shelves, which were more for display than book storage; large decorative items were spaced among several stacks of books and even a few framed photographs that I was dying to get a closer look at.
He opened a folder, scanning the top page before turning back to me. “With the gala coming up next week, I do need to go over a few things with you.”
“Okay.”
“Typically, we don’t allow employees to be involved in a mission unless they are official security personnel. But when Liam invited you as his guest, Jax and I decided to allow an exception because of your personal connection to the client. Now, I know you already received the confidentiality lecture when you started at Zenith, but I need to reiterate that your discretion is absolutely crucial.”
He paused, smiling. “Thankfully, I know that you won’t be tempted to post photos on Facebook or tweet about the evening. But, it’s more than that. To everyone at the gala and anyone who might ask you about it later, you are merely attending as Liam’s date. If prompted, you can admit to knowing the Zenith security on duty, but treat their presence as a coincidence. In short, consider it a social event and nothing more.”
I nodded slowly, letting Patrick’s words sink in. I tried not to dwell on his use of the word “date” and instead focused on his instructions. They seemed simple enough, but social events weren’t exactly my forte. Hopefully the other guests would be so distracted by Liam’s charming accent that they
wouldn’t bother paying attention to me.
Patrick flipped through the file and placed three photographs in front of me. The first I instantly recognized as Gerald Douglas, but the others didn’t look familiar.
Pointing to Douglas’s photo, he said, “Since this event is co-hosted by Mr. Douglas, you will obviously see him there. If you are introduced to him, try to act as natural as possible. He’ll be very busy, so I don’t anticipate that you will have to endure more than a handshake.”
Holding up the other two photos, he continued, “These men, Clive and Rob, are on Douglas’s security team and will likely be there as part of his personal security. As Jax explained to you, they were the men seen chasing your father. I don’t want you to worry about them, but be aware of your surroundings at all times. We still hope that they don’t know about you, but you can’t be too careful.”
He returned the pages to the folder and leaned back in his chair. “Other than that, try to have a good time. Do you have any questions?”
When nothing came to mind, I replied, “Will I know which fork to use?”
Patrick laughed, “If all else fails, just watch the people around you.” He stood and said, “Now that we have that out of the way, why don’t we return to the kitchen? I believe there are cookies and lemonade waiting, if you’d like.”
Patrick took a cookie and I filled a glass with lemonade before we sat at the kitchen table. I was amazed by how comfortable I was around him after just a couple of hours together. It wasn’t long before I heard footsteps headed our way, but I couldn’t see who approached without turning around.
“Liam,” Patrick said, before I turned to follow his gaze.
Liam sauntered into the kitchen looking sharp in navy athletic shorts and a navy, turquoise, and red collared shirt. These guys are going to be the death of me.
“Uncle.” Liam smiled; his voice had a warmth I hadn’t heard before.
“Haley and I were just wrapping up. Are you taking her back to the loft?”
Liam’s gray eyes sparkled. “Actually, if it’s alright with you, I’d like to use the tennis courts. I promised Haley a lesson.” He winked at me.