Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
She shifted closer. “I’m sorry, Chase.”
I nodded. “Me too. My father stayed away and didn’t return my calls, letters, or try to get in touch. I lost them both. I had no one until Charly decided she needed to look after me. Forced Maxx into letting me be a gofer and live in the little back room at the garage.” I laughed. “I was so freaking happy there. A little place to call my own. I could shut the door and be safe. Charly checked on me all the time. Fed me. Talked to me. Listened when I had a bad day.” I met Hannah’s eyes. “I love that woman. She saved me.”
“I’m glad you have her.”
“I wasn’t a good guy back then, but I’ve changed, Hannah. What I want from life has changed. My heroes are my friends. Maxx, Stefano, and Brett. I see what a good dad should be with Mack. With how my friends are with their kids. How I feel around them. How I feel about you.”
“The girl you loved…?”
“Got married and has her own family. Ellen is happy, and I’m pleased for her. We run into each other on occasion. Her husband is a great guy.” I was quiet. “She helped me change, Hannah, but she wasn’t the love of my life. She was just a piece of it.” I looked up. “You are already more important to me. I can’t describe it, I simply know it. I want to try to build something with you.” I paused. “If you want.”
HANNAH
I looked at Chase. I saw the broken pieces he tried to hide from the world. How he covered up his feelings with a smile and a joke to disarm people. But the lingering sadness I had glimpsed in his eyes was there.
And he had just laid out his heart for me, waiting to see if I would accept it.
“I have feelings for you too,” I admitted. “Strong ones.”
His shoulders lost a little of their tension, but he still looked worried. “I sense a but.”
“No. I want to explore this with you. And as weird as that sounds after this morning, slowly.”
He smiled. “We can do that. I’ll take you however I can get you, Hannah. You set the rules. Having you here in the house with me is already more than I ever expected to get.”
“Have you had many relationships since you got out of jail?”
“None.” He paused, meeting my eyes. “Ellen was the first and only girl I have ever been with, Hannah.”
His words shocked me. I gripped his hand, terrified suddenly.
“Were you…”
He shook his head. “I was fine in jail. Scared every day I was in there, but I was okay. I avoided fights, groups, and people my age. My cellmate was older, and I hung with him and his cronies if I needed to. I avoided all the pitfalls. I just wanted out of there. I kept my eyes down and my nose clean.”
“I see.”
“Wes slept around like it was his career. My father had women come and go. I never wanted to be like that. Ellen meant something to me. You mean so much more. You mean everything. I’ll wait until you’re ready.” A smile tugged on his mouth. “Despite, as you pointed out, what happened this morning.”
“Wow.” I shifted in my seat, pulling my legs up to my chest. Chase looked upset.
“Too much?” he asked.
“No. But a few things I didn’t expect. I hate you’ve been so alone. Handling all this on your own.”
“I have the crew,” he said. “I didn’t tell them the whole truth until after that night you, ah, found me. Charly became even more motherly. The guys listened and offered their support in a more, um, subtle way. But yeah, I rarely talk about it.” He waited a moment, seemingly thinking. “And you should know. I’m rich. Well, I have a big bank account I don’t use, but the money is mine.”
“I don’t understand.”
“My dad left me everything. Millions. I refused to touch it after he died. Maxx tried to talk to me about it. Give me advice. So did Charly. I set up a trust fund, and money goes to charity every month to do some good. The foundation built the food bank in Lomand, and I make sure money goes to them monthly to keep food on the shelves.”
“I didn’t know that was you.”
“I don’t want anyone to know. I don’t want them to know I rebuilt the school, or added to the fire station, or that the nice break room you have in the police station came from me. It’s my way of making amends for what Wes did. Some of the things I was part of.”
I shook my head. “That is amazing.”
He shrugged. “The first thing I used the money for personally was to buy this house.” He met my eyes. “So you would come live with me.”