Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 58952 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58952 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
He’d held on to so much bitterness over his mother’s abandonment, and then his father’s choice to drown his sorrow in self-pity and alcohol, to the point that those two major blows in Chase’s life had driven him to make sure he became a stronger, more accomplished man than his dad ever was.
Chase had always believed that the anger and resentment pushing him forward made him stronger because it meant no one could hurt him or make him feel so isolated and less than ever again. And maybe, at one point in his life, those emotions had served their purpose to shape him into the successful man he was. But now… that lingering anger and resentment made him feel weak, because he was too fucking afraid to open up to a woman who gave him so much hope for a future he’d never allowed himself to even consider.
He’d always been of the mind that he couldn’t change the past, so there was no sense in wallowing in regrets and wishing that things had turned out differently. Mostly because the situation he’d been dealt when it came to his parents hadn’t been within his control.
But losing Lauren had been based on his decision. His actions. He was responsible for being exactly where he was, alone again, having lost a woman who’d not only pierced his emotional armor, but had given him the sweetest glimpse of what it felt like to have it all.
Instead, he’d been a martyr, so fucking convinced letting her go had been noble, because really, how could a vivacious woman like her fall in love with a broken man like him, one who knew nothing about deep, unconditional love? And now, he just felt hollow inside because he missed Lauren. Her sassy and mischievous personality and her optimistic outlook on life, despite what had happened with her ex. The way she made him smile and laugh and not take life too seriously when he was with her. How she’d been able to forgive her sister for what had happened between them.
And now, when he closed his eyes, he couldn’t stop seeing her standing at the curb when he’d dropped her off four days ago, her heart so open and vulnerable as she told him how happy he’d made her that weekend. How was that even possible?
Chase’s chest tightened as he replayed Lauren’s last words to him in his mind, each one a piercing reminder of how he’d failed her. He’d spent years building walls to protect himself, but now he saw them for what they truly were… barriers to love, to happiness, and everything that mattered.
And Lauren, he realized, mattered most of all. But was he ready to try with her? And if he was, how in the hell did he repair the damage he’d done?
The vibration of his cellphone indicated he had a text notification. The sound startled him out of his thoughts, and he picked up the cell. The message was from Billie, who he hadn’t seen or spoken to since his weekend with Lauren. He paused before opening the text, wondering if his sister somehow knew what occurred between him and Lauren and intended to interrogate him via text.
Dread settled into a hard knot in his stomach, and he swiped open the message to read what she’d written.
How about meeting me for dinner tonight at Luigi’s? There’s someone I want you to meet.
He frowned at the cryptic message, though he was relieved that her text wasn’t about Lauren. He hated to think how disappointed Billie would be with him if she knew how badly he’d fucked things up with her friend.
Exhaling a deep breath, he welcomed the distraction of eating dinner out so he didn’t have to spend another evening alone in his too quiet apartment, immersed in depressing thoughts.
He replied with, That sounds good. Make reservations for 6pm, and I’ll see you there.
The rest of the afternoon passed painfully slow, but at least Chase managed to finish the prospectus he’d been reviewing and gave Victoria his notes to type up into a professional-sounding letter with all his recommendations for his client.
At twenty to six, Chase left the office and drove a few blocks to the Italian place that was one of his sister’s favorite restaurants, more than a little curious to find out who this mystery person was that Billie wanted him to meet, and why.
Chase arrived first, and the hostess brought him to their table. He took a seat so he was facing the entrance, and a few minutes later the same woman escorted Billie and a man he’d never seen before to where he was waiting.
He stood up and gave his sister a hug. As she stepped back out of his embrace, he couldn’t miss her radiant smile and the sparkle of happiness in her eyes behind her black framed glasses. Billie was always cheerful and bubbly, but he had a feeling her guest was the one responsible for her added exuberance, if the other man’s look of adoration toward Billie was any indication.