Loving the Chase (Heart of the Storm #1)

by Sharla Lovelace

  Or the small apartment complex they would pass before turning off for the Chase property. Assuming it had been rebuilt. She’d never asked.

  They’d go the back way.

  Nicole hit the blinker so the van following would know the plan, and maneuvered the twisty exit. Almost instantly, a large, very pristine white building appeared out of the trees at their left. “Chase Auto Body” rested in heavy black letters across the top.

  Maddi sighed. “It begins.”

  “What?” Nicole asked.

  “Nothing,” Maddi said, running a hand over her face. “That must be Eli’s shop,” she said as they passed it.

  After a series of twists and turns and heading back toward the highway from the back-assward direction Maddi had taken them, she pointed out a road ahead marked by a huge sprawling oak with a giant red water pump in front. She was glad to see the ancient tree was still intact; she’d always thought it beautiful with its low hanging branches and split trunk. As if it were reaching out to hug you.

  “Turn here,” she said, her heart pounding in her ears. She pulled her shirt away from her skin and fanned it.

  “Jesus, we could hang meat in here, Maddi,” Nicole said, checking the temp on the air conditioning, which was always frigid in her car. “How could you possibly be hot?”

  “I’m—good,” Maddi lied, letting her eyes soak in the old town that had just gotten older in her absence. She wiped her hands again.

  “Uh-huh,” Nicole said, in a tone that Maddi refused to acknowledge. “So, you grew up in this town, too, right?” The words sounded like she’d bitten into a sour apple.

  “I did,” Maddi said. “A few streets over.”

  “Your family still here?”

  Maddi shook her head. “My brother lives in downtown Dallas and my parents moved to Colorado after I left. Sold the house.”

  “Colorado—wow, that’s quite a move,” Nicole said, slowing down for a small bridge crossing over a creek. “Why so drastic?”

  “I guess they figured getting snowed in was better than getting flattened.”

  The GPS started blinking a message of confusion, trying to recalculate. Turn around as soon as possible. Oh, how she wished that were an option.

  “Shit,” Nicole said.

  “It’s okay,” Maddi said. “See that last house up ahead on the right? With the brick fence?”

  “That’s it?” she asked.

  “No, that’s where you turn. And where we used to go to drink because my brother’s girlfriend lived there and her parents were always gone.”

  The joy of random memory.

  Nicole blew out a breath. “Well, good to know there was something to do in this town. My God, where the hell is this place?”

  Once upon a time, Maddi thought it was heaven, all secluded and tucked away and charming. She’d spent most of her childhood and teen years treating the Chase home as her own. She wasn’t feeling all heavenly about it now, though. The last time she’d been on this road was a day that was supposed to be her happiest, and turned out to be her worst.

  The day she and Zach were supposed to be in Dallas, eating and drinking and celebrating a wedding. Theirs.

  The day she was supposed to become Zach Chase’s wife.

  “Don’t go,” Maddi said, stuffing one more pair of flip-flops into a side pocket of the small suitcase. You could never have enough flip-flops, and all he told her about their destination was that it was warm and to pack light. Flops were light.

  Zach had gone clandestine planning their honeymoon. He hadn’t left a single clue for her to cling to—in fact, he’d thrown so many wrenches and detours in her questioning, leaving out travel guides to literally everywhere, that she truly had no clue.

  That was fine. Maddi liked surprises. Sort of.

  Basing her choices on what Zach had thrown in (two pairs of shorts and a pullover), she’d packed two casual outfits, two swimsuits, her favorite sundress, and all the sexy lingerie she’d been buying and tucking away. Not that Zach hadn’t already seen her in every way possible, but she wanted something new and unexpected for this trip.

  He’d never seen her as his wife before.

  It had to be hot.

  Maddi laughed to herself as she sat on the top and squeezed the zipper closed. Oh, it would be hot, all right. She had some new tricks up her sleeve.

  “Baby, I’ve got to,” Zach said, pulling on worn jeans instead of the suit laid out on the bed. “This one’s huge. And too close.”

  “More reason to get on the road, Zach,” Maddi argued.

  Zach shook his head. “We’d be driving right into it. Everyone needs to stay put till this storm dies down.”

  “Well, if it’s that damn close, stay here with me.”

  He stopped and took her face in his hands. “Baby, listen. It’s only nine. We aren’t expected till two. It’s so close, I’ll be back in an hour.” He kissed her softly. “I promise.” He kissed her again. “Whatever it takes,” he said against her lips.

  “Zach—”

  “There is nothing in this entire world more important than marrying you today, Madison Marie Hayes,” he said, giving her that look that always turned her to goo and won his arguments. “I can’t wait to make you Mrs. Chase,” he added against her lips.

  As Zach knelt to peer under the bed and rescue his other sneaker, however, she saw the distraction already taking root.

  “Obviously, you can,” she said, the magic not doing the trick this time. “You’re going to leave me here to go run down a tornado. Again. On our wedding day.”

  Zach pulled on his shoe and ran for the door, halting midstep to run back to her. Planting a kiss that was so deep it made her giggle, he then held her and dipped her backward.

  “Get dressed,” he whispered. “I love you. I will be back to marry your ass and make this up in all kinds of nasty ways.”

  “Be careful,” she said, always feeling the fear in the pit of her stomach.

  He gave her a wink at the doorway and then he was gone, his footsteps fading on the metal stairs.

  Maddi sighed and touched the door. It would always be that way—Zach running off to dance with some storm. She knew that. They were like magnets that pulled at him. Turning in a circle, she went back to the bedroom and looked at her simple little white dress. An hour, huh? She’d be ready.

  “Turn right and just follow the road after this,” Maddi said, lifting her hair off her neck with shaking hands. She saw Nicole catch the move and dropped it, silently pleading for no questions.

  “So, what kind of history do you and the Chases actually have?” she asked.

  I would have killed anyone who put a camera in your face.

  Maddi kept her eyes forward, focusing on not changing expression. “The ancient kind,” she said, forcing a smirk. “No big thing.”

  “No big thing, huh?” Nicole said on a chuckle. “I’d sure hate to see what something big would do to you, then.”

  Maddi smiled, trying to blow it off as silly.

  “Who was it?” Nicole asked.

  Maddi met her eyes. “What?”

  “Which one of them, Maddi?” she asked, her eyes dancing with the realization of something juicy. “One of the brothers, or Zach himself?”

  Maddi’s mouth went dry, and she faced forward. “I don’t suppose we could let this go, huh?”

  Nicole laughed. “Oh, hell, no. Spill, sister.”

  Maddi blew out a breath. “Zach.”

  “Yes,” Nicole said. “I knew it. Why didn’t you say something?”

  “Because—I don’t know,” Maddi said. “I thought it would be weird. Or unethical or something.”

  “Unethical, nah,” Nicole said. “Is it weird?”

  Play it down. “Nah, it wasn’t a big deal, just a little weird going to see the whole family again, I guess
.”

  “I understand that,” Nicole said, resuming her drumming on the steering wheel. “I wouldn’t want to walk in my high school sweetheart’s mom’s house. She’d probably throw a meat fork at me.”

  Maddi felt the words form on her tongue, the twitch in her shoulders, the need to protest that Zach’s mom was more a mother to her than her own, and how she and Zach weren’t high school kids when they split. He wasn’t a failed prom date. He had been—well, it didn’t matter what he had been.

  Nicole, however, was already babbling about which one of her exes had the nicer family, so Maddi let it be. That was better anyway. Made it less likely that she’d hear Maddi’s expelled breath as they rounded into a clearing that the Chase house and its extensions wrapped around like an embrace.

  “This is it?” Nicole asked.

  “This is it.” Maddi swallowed and pushed the door open before her nerves could get the best of her. It was ridiculous, being so nervous. She wasn’t the insecure distraught young woman that had left in tears all those years ago. She was mature and successful—sort of. She had life experience. It didn’t matter what any of these people—

  “Maddi Hayes!”

  She head-jerked in the direction of a blonde-going-gray woman with large glasses, taking the steps of a wraparound porch one at a time before striding toward her like she was on a mission. Maddi bit her bottom lip as an oh escaped her throat. Shit.

  “Oh, my God, girl, you come here!” the woman exclaimed, holding both arms wide as she approached.

  Shit, shit, shit.

  “Hey, Miss Lou,” Maddi managed, unprepared for the emotion that hit her as Louella Chase crushed her with a momma-bear hug.

  “I’ve been so antsy waiting for you to get here,” Miss Lou said, rocking her back and forth. “I made you lemon bars.”

  A laugh laced with the emotion she was fighting bubbled up from Maddi’s chest as she let Miss Lou hug her. “I can’t believe you remember that.”

  “Remember that?” Lou echoed. “Girl, the recipe is named after you.” She pulled back and met Maddi’s gaze with wet eyes. “Maddi Marie’s Special Super—”

  “—Duper Lemon Supreme Foo Foo Bars,” Maddi completed with her, laughing and swiping under her eyes. “Holy crap, I haven’t thought of that in years.”

  Miss Lou grasped her by the shoulders and held her at arm’s length. “Look at you—all grown up and still a stunner. God, I’ve missed you, my girl.”

  Maddi smiled and dug her nails into her palms, determined to keep it together. “I missed you too, Miss Lou,” she said. “And you look fabulous.”

  Lou’s laugh filled the air. “Oh quit lying, I look old!” She looked past her to the entourage behind. “So who might you all be?”

  Maddi spun around, having completely forgotten the crew. And Nicole. Nicole was leaned up against her car with a crooked little smile and her fingers tucked into the pockets of her jeans, looking very intrigued and smug.

  “I’m Nicole Brian, Mrs. Chase,” she said, pushing off the car and holding out a hand. “I’m the associate producer on this project, and these guys are the crew you’ll be working with,” she said, gesturing behind her without looking. “It’s so nice to meet you. Thank you for having us here.”

  Miss Lou smiled and took her hand. “Well, anyone here with Maddi is good enough for me.”

  Nicole’s head tilted slightly. “So you and our Madison were close?”

  Shit. Maddi knew that was for her benefit, and she was busted for playing down her connection to the family, but our Madison? Please.

  “Close?” Miss Lou snorted. She let Nicole’s hand go and slung an arm over Maddi’s shoulders. “This one was just like a second daughter back in the day. She and Zach were almost—”

  “Mom.”

  The unexpected sound of his voice sent tingles down Maddi’s back and arms, and they all turned toward the man leaning against a porch post in faded jeans and a white T-shirt that stood out in stark contrast to his suntanned skin. His arms were folded tight over his chest, and his jaw had a grim set to it. His dark eyes seemed to pierce her, and she had to resist the urge to lick her suddenly dry lips. Shit. Why the hell did he have that effect on her? Why could she not catch her damn breath?

  He pushed off the post and sauntered their way, the stormy expression on his face lightening up. “Enough ancient history,” he said, squeezing his mom’s arm as he passed between them. Maddi had to back up a step as he brushed against her. She held her breath and raised her chin as he held her gaze, staring down into her face for a moment too long before fixing Nicole with his most killer smile and grasping her hand.

  “Zach Chase, Miss Brian,” he said. “Nice to finally meet face-to-face.”

  Nicole’s eyebrows shot up, and one corner of her mouth curved upward. “Likewise.”

  “Would you like a tour?” he said, ever the charmer. “My brothers are on their way, and we can pass the time.”

  Maddi let out her breath slowly and shoved her hands in her pockets so the nerves wouldn’t show. Eli and Simon were coming; that was good. Distraction was good. Even talking with Miss Lou—although bittersweet—was helpful. Anything that brought her away from direct contact with Zach was good. Hannah would be better, but she had the feeling Hannah wasn’t her biggest fan anymore. That thought dug at her more than she expected it to.

  “Absolutely,” Nicole said. “Lead the way.” She cut her gaze in Maddi’s direction as she followed him. “Oh, yeah. No big thing, right?”

  Chapter Eight

  Nicole Brian was a force. Like a magnet that everyone else needed to revolve around. Zach recognized it immediately, since people tended to accuse him of being the very same thing.

  She was hot in every conceivable way, exuding raw energy and sex appeal from the top of her dark-red carelessly falling hair to the electric blue polish on her toes. Even her voice—a little bit smoky with a hint of snark behind her words—was sexy and seductive. He’d put together an image from the very first time they’d spoken on the phone, and she definitely delivered.

  A week ago, it would have been game on. He would have had a plan halfway in place before they even made it to the porch. Maddi laughing with his mother four feet behind him, however, vaporized any interest in Nicole. As he led the way into his mom’s house, trying to focus on Nicole’s questions and still remain charming, all he could hear was Maddi’s voice.

  “Oh, Miss Lou,” Maddi said, her voice soft and low and longing. “My God, it’s all exactly how I last remember it. Nothing’s changed.”

  Her words cracked into a whisper, and Zach couldn’t help himself. He had to turn to see the expression that went with the words.

  Maddi crossed her arms over herself almost protectively as her eyes moved around the front living area. When they landed on him, the rawness there rooted him to the floor.

  “Mr. Chase?”

  Nicole’s voice yanked him back around, spinning him back from a place he had no business going.

  “Yes,” he responded, clearing his throat of the gravel that had taken residence.

  Damn it, her being there was unnerving. Other places were different. He could deal with that. But there, back in his mother’s house—it was too personal. It put an itch under his skin that he couldn’t scratch. And a poke at an old wound. She left him here. She could look around in awe and nostalgia all she wanted, but she left him. Springing into motion, he put a hand on Nicole’s back and led her past the kitchen into the big family room. This was business.

  And now Maddi Hayes was business. He had to start acting like it.

  “Oh, wow,” Nicole breathed, turning in a circle. “What a fantastic room.”

  “Thank you,” Lou said, strolling in next. “We like it.” She held her arms wide as if all her baby ducks were within reach. “It’s home—nothing fancy, but it’s comfortable.”

&nbs
p; “No, it’s fabulous,” Nicole said, her green eyes soaking up everything. “I couldn’t dream up a better set if I wanted to.” She gestured around her, lost in her own plan. “Cozy and soft and masculine at the same time. Lived in.”

  “Well, that it is,” Lou said, laughing. “Lived in and worn out. If anything interesting ever happened, it happened in this room.”

  Zach’s gaze shot straight to Maddi, where she’d stopped in the doorway, leaning against the jamb. The rawness was gone—recovered and glossed over with a cool indifference, as if she were touring homes for sale. He felt his jaw twitch. She got choked up by the entryway, and this room evoked nothing? Everything happened there.

  Everything.

  “This will be great,” Nicole said, looking as if she might bounce. “I see this room as where all the secondary action takes place.”

  She turned in a circle, skimmed past the bookcase with its oddities and books and many photographs. She picked two of them up and held them out. One of Simon and Hannah dressed up one Halloween as rappers. The other of Levi with his daughter, Kinley.

  “It’s home,” she said. “It’s perfect.” She set the photos back down and turned back, her eyes zeroing in on the big table. “This,” she breathed as she approached it. “I see most of the home segments—the discussions, plans, fights—happening right here.” She rolled her eyes and spread her hands along the wood. “Oh, my God, this table!”

  Zach thought she might have a sexual experience with it there for a second, but noise from the front of the house brought her back to them.

  “Fights?” Lou asked. “What fights?”

  Her question was drowned out by Maddi’s squeal of delight as she turned to whoever was coming and put on a brilliant smile that stole Zach’s breath. He hadn’t seen a smile like that on her since—well, since.

  “Holy shit,” came a deep voice, tinged with affection.

  “Eli!”

  Maddi disappeared from the doorway as she evidently ran into Eli’s arms. He walked into the room hugging her with her feet a foot off the floor and her laughter filling the room.