Just Let Me Love You (17 page)

“He really is,” Missy agrees. She presses her lips together, suppressing a genuine smile, but she can’t help herself. Beaming, she tells me, “Actually, Nick and I are kind of dating now.”

“Seriously?” She nods, and I add, “That’s wonderful, Missy.”

“I know it’s kind of a backward way to start things,” she says. “But I guess it is what it is.”

“Hey, there’s no right or wrong way to begin a relationship. I met Chase when we literally ran into each other in this very parking lot.” I wave my hand around to where we’re standing. “When all is said and done, what matters is where you and Nick end up.”

“Thanks, Kay,” she softly responds. “I knew you’d understand.”

Yeah, Missy Metzger and I have come a long way. And I’m glad. So glad, in fact, that I long to share with her my happy news—the fact that Chase and I got hitched in Vegas. But our nuptials are still our secret. Chase and I have yet to tell a soul.

So, I decide to wait…for now. I also decide something else as we are standing in the church parking lot— I decide when the time is right, I will ask Missy to be my maid of honor when Chase and I do have our church wedding.

Missy and I talk for a few more minutes, about school, about church things. And then, when we run out of words, we say good-bye, and I then hop in my car and head home.

Back at the house, I can’t wait to hear from Chase. We’ve talked and texted a bunch the past few days, but I haven’t heard much from him today. That thankfully changes when my cell rings and his comforting voice is the first thing I hear when I answer.

There’s a smile in my voice as I reply, “Hey, Chase.”

“Hey, babe.”

I sigh, as does he, and then I tell him. “Damn, I am missing you so much. I swear there are reminders of you everywhere.”

He chuckles then says, “I miss you too, Kay. More than you can imagine.”

“It’s just so good to hear your voice,” I say.

And then we talk for a long while. But when it’s time to disconnect, I just can’t. The ache of missing him has actually begun to hurt.

“Only three more days apart,” I whisper, pained. “Do you think we can survive seventy-two more hours?”

“Fuck, I hope so,” Chase replies, sighing. “I swear this week apart has felt like a goddamn month.”

“For sure,” I agree, and in a low voice, I add, “You know what the hardest part has been, though?”

“What’s that, sweet girl?”

“Not touching you, Chase. And you, not being here to touch me.” I choke back a sob. “It’s killing me, I swear.”

“Baby, baby,” he says, trying to soothe me. “I promise I’ll touch you so much when I return home that you’ll grow sick of me. You’ll be pushing me away.”

“Never,” I declare. “I could never push you away, Chase.”

He laughs. “Wonder if you’ll be saying those words twenty years from now.”

“Are you kidding?” I scoff. “Trust me, I will.”

And then, after a long beat, Chase says, “Kay, I love you so much, baby.”

“I love you, too.”

“I wouldn’t be able to do any of this without you,” he whispers. “Helping Will and being strong for him. I know I’ve stumbled and faltered, but I feel stronger now than I ever have before. Just knowing we’re in this together, forever. Marrying you was the best decision, ever.”

“Chase…” My heart skips a beat. “Be safe, come back to me soon.”

“Three days,” he says.

“Three days,” I echo.

“We’ll make it.”

“We sure will.”

Chase

F
riday finally arrives and it’s time to go home. I’m both relieved and excited to head back to Ohio. Mostly, I can’t wait to see Kay, but unfortunately, it is only morning, and my flight doesn’t leave until three in the afternoon.

More waiting,
fuck
.

Will looks more than a little sulky that I’m leaving Las Vegas. There’s some time before I need to head to the airport, so I suggest we grab an early lunch.

That brightens little bro considerably, and he excitedly informs me that he knows of a great little Mexican restaurant in a strip mall not far from the house.

“It’s so good, Chase. You’ll love it,” he enthusiastically states.

He’s already heading to the door as I’m grabbing the car keys, and saying, “Cool. Let’s go.”

Fifteen minutes later, we are at the restaurant in the strip mall. Will was right, too—the food is pretty damn good.

Over a mound of chips and a bowl of fiery salsa, just how Will and I like it, my brother suddenly blurts out a from-the-heart sounding, “Thank you, Chase. Thank you for everything.”

Whoa, serious-talk from Will
.

I choose my words carefully for my response as I dip a chip into the hottest salsa I’ve ever tasted. Before raising my gloppy mess to my mouth, I say, “What exactly do you mean by ‘everything’?”

I want Will to elaborate; it’s good for him.

“For staying,” he says. “And for being here for me like you’ve been all week. Before then, even. But the past few days have been especially great, like old times.”

I know it’s hard for my brother to open up like this, but he’s doing a commendable job.

Smiling, I tell him, “I’ll always be here for you, Will, no matter what.”

It’s true. I won’t ever be my father—I won’t leave Will.

His green eyes, eyes that have been nothing but clear lately as he, too, finds the peace to move on, meet mine. “I know that, Chase,” he says. “I trust you.”

Those three words, spoken by my baby bro, mean the world to me.

“We’ve come a long way, haven’t we, kid?”

Will knows what I mean. I’m referring to our rift and the bumps we encountered while reuniting and rebuilding this fractured relationship.

“Yeah,” Will says, smiling, “we sure have come a long way.”

After a minute of reflection, on both our parts, I carefully inquire, “Therapy going okay?”

“Yeah, Chase.” Will nods once. “It’s going real good.”

Since Will is being so talkative, I continue with another question. “How are you holding up with Cassie out of your life?”

Will winces, and I’m concerned I’ve pushed too far. “Sorry,” I mumble.

Will shakes his head, and insists, “No, it’s okay to ask.”

I shrug, as he sighs and rakes a hand through his hair.

“I still miss her, Chase,” he says. “But breaking up was the right thing to do…for both of us.”

I can’t disagree, but I don’t want to make a production, so I stick with an affirming nod.

I’m glad there’s such an easy camaraderie nowadays when Will and I talk like this. It really does feel like old times. Truthfully, I haven’t felt this close to my brother in years. And that makes me want to share something with him, something that is as important to me as all the things he’s been sharing are to him.

I clear my throat, and Will looks up. “Everything okay?” he asks.

“Everything is great,” I assure him. “It’s just…” I search for the right words. “I want to tell you something, Will, but you can’t tell Mom. Not yet, anyway.”

“Oh, a secret, that’s cool.” Will laughs, and then he says, “Don’t worry, I won’t tell Mom a thing.”

My eyes meet his, and I just lay it out there. “Kay and I are married.”

There’s a salsa-laden chip halfway to Will’s mouth, and it drops to the table, making a mess.

“Shit…” Will starts to wipe away the spilled salsa with a napkin. “No way, dude. When did this happen? And
where
did this happen? Damn, bro, how do I not know this?”

“One question at a time,” I say, laughing. “We got married here in Vegas, like, a couple of weeks ago. We just went to one of the chapels and that was that.”

“Wow.” Will levels me with a grim expression. “You do realize Mom is going to flip when she finds out.”

“Ha,” I laugh. “I know she’ll be pissed as hell. She’s bound to give me shit for years over this stunt.”

“No doubt,” Will agrees, and then he adds, “I don’t envy you, Chase.”

“She’ll get over it,” I say. “And having done things the way Kay and I did is still worth her wrath.”

It’s true. No amount of grief my mother can give me will ever make me regret the decision to run off and marry the love of my life. You never know what might happen day to day. You can’t wait around for everything to be just right.

Will leans back in the booth and blows out a breath. “So, how did all this happen, like, specifically?”

I grab a chip and dip it in the hot salsa. “We just decided to do it one night. We snuck off, drove down to one of those fancy casinos with the nice chapels, and got it done.”

“Hey,” Will says. “I think this is pretty damn cool. If any two people in this world should be married, it’s you and Kay.”

I can see he’s genuinely happy for me, and I reply with a heartfelt, “Thanks, Will.”

He digs back into the chips I’ve been devouring, and after a minute of crunching, says, “Hell, you gotta get back to Ohio now. You’re a newlywed, dude. That’s some awesome shit.”

“Yeah,” I agree, laughing. “It sure is.”

Will continues, “Hell, Chase, I’m sure there are things you could be doing in Harmony Creek with Kay right now that are far more fun than hanging out with me.” Will waggles his eyebrows, like I don’t know what he means, and I shake my head and laugh.

Our entrees arrive, and we dig in like we haven’t eaten in days, putting an end to our convo for the time being.

When we’re almost finished with our meals, Will says slowly, “So, I was thinking…”

He trails off, and I prompt, “Yeah? What were you thinking?”

“Well…” He takes a deep breath. “I was wondering if it’d be okay if I fly out to Ohio to visit over Christmas break.”

“Shit.” I look over at my brother and smile. “I think that sounds like a great idea.”

In the past, we’ve talked about Will visiting this coming winter. But for him to bring it up on his own means he really wants to do it.

We’ve finally reached a good place, a very good place.

The waitress arrives to clear the table then takes off after a minute, leaving the check. I pull out some money to pay.

“That was a good lunch,” I say as I toss some bills on the table.

“It was really good,” Will replies. “And the talk we had was even better.”

I look over at him and nod sincerely. “For sure.”

Out in the parking lot, after Will and I are buckled up in the rental car, I nod to the clock in the dash. “It’s almost one. I better drop you off and get my ass to the airport.”

“Guess so, Mr. Newlywed,” Will says, his voice full of mirth.

I call him a dick, but it’s all in good fun. In fact, both of us are laughing as I head to the shopping plaza exit.

The light at the intersection is green, so I hit the gas.

Something feels off, though. And a second later, I detect movement to my left.

Fuck
. It’s too late to change what is about to happen.

In what feels like slow-motion, Will looks over and yells, “Chase, watch out!”

And at that exact second a car smashes into my side of the car.

The airbag deploys, and I’m jerked to the left, where my head slams into the side window.

And that is the exact point where everything fades to black.

Will

C
hase cannot be hurt like this. No way. My brother is too strong, too tough, for things to end in this way.

But end, it may.

With the weight of that possibility laying heavy on my shoulders, I cry out, “No, no, no.” Staring over from the passenger seat, I can’t take my eyes off my brother.

I’ve never seen Chase so still, so un-full of life. He’s slumped over the steering wheel, with the deployed air bag lying crumpled and lifeless beneath his barely moving chest.

“At least he’s alive,” I mutter.

But how much longer does he have? How seriously is he hurt?

I know I need to check, but I can’t move. Not at first. I guess I’m in a state of shock or something. So, for another full minute, I continue to stare at my injured and unconscious brother.

Chase is facing in my direction and he looks kind of peaceful. His eyes are closed, no pale blues staring back at me like they should be.

And that is fucked up.

Finally, I get it together and spring into action. Pushing my own deployed air bag out of the way, I reach for Chase, just as a trickle of bright red blood trails down from his forehead.