You try to yell out to him to get his attention, but he’s flooded with rage and doesn’t hear you. You run over to him and grab his fist as it’s in the air, and he looks back at you.
“Chase!”
He stops and looks at you, with anger flooding his eyes.
“It’s not worth it. He’s not worth it. Just take me home. Please?”
Chase gets up from Brian. Dusting himself off, he looks down at Brian and says, “Don’t you ever come near her again. If you do the next time, you’ll be in the hospital. Do you understand?”
Brian lays there on the ground, groaning and nodding his head, barely able to move. Chase turns and guides you back to his car. Once you both get in the car, Chase starts lecturing you, “I swear if I even see him look your way, he’s done! Why would you even go out with that douchebag? Come on, Alex. You can do so much better…”
While he’s yelling at you, Chase looks over at you and then falls quiet when he sees how shaken up you are. Your head is down looking at the floorboard of the car. You’re still reeling in what just happened, trying to make sense of it all.
I can’t believe that just happened. Brian. And then Chase. Thank God he showed up when he did. How could I let this happen?
He stops and lifts your chin up and looks at you with his crisp blue eyes and asks, “Are you okay?”
As you wipe the tears falling from your eyes, you pull yourself together and say, “Yeah, I’ll be fine… Thanks for…you know…back there.”
Looking at you with worry in his caring eyes, he replies, “I’ve always got your back, Alex. I’m just sorry I didn’t find you sooner.”
Suddenly confused, you ask, “Find me? What do you mean find me? You were out looking for me?”
Your heart flutters with hope at the thought of Chase showing you that he cares for you as more than just Nick’s little sister.
“Yeah, Nick told me you were on a date with that idiot, and I had a bad feeling. So I came to see if everything was okay and to make sure you got home safe.”
Shocked at what you’re hearing, you ask, “How did you even know where I was?”
“Let’s just say that your pal Brian is a creature of habit. I made it to the party just as the two of you were leaving, so I followed you to make sure.”
“Well, thank you… It seems like you’re always rescuing me.”
“I guess you can say that I’m used to it by now.”
He gives you that gorgeous smile, and you get goose bumps up your arms and butterflies in your stomach. The two of you sit there in comfortable silence as you make it back to your dorm.
“Thanks again, Chase”
As you go to get out of the car, he grabs your arm, sending chills up your spine. You look over at him as a lump forms in your throat, and he says, “Hey, the grand opening to the club is in a few weeks. You’re coming, right?”
You smile, trying not to show how excited his touch makes you.
“Well, I guess I kind of owe you now. So…yeah, I’ll be there.”
He laughs a low chuckle and says, “Good. It’s a date.”
You jokingly roll your eyes at him as you get out of the car and start making your way up to your room. As you go up the stairs, you keep replaying what he said in your head: It’s a date… He wasn’t being serious…or was he?
You finally make it to your room, still pondering over those words: “It’s a date.” You change out of your dress and into the shirt that Chase gave you, back in high school when you spilled punch all over yourself at a friend’s birthday. He has always had your back. You settle in for bed and then drift off to sleep…
Chapter Five
The next few weeks drag on. You’re counting down the days until it’s time for Chase’s grand opening. Once the day finally arrives, you’re full of nerves and excitement. Still not sure about what Chase meant, you try to put all that aside and begin to get ready for his grand opening of H2O. You’ve got your hair and makeup done, and you slip into your favorite black cocktail dress.
“Perfect. There is no way that Chase will see me as a kid in this dress.”
Just as you’re finishing up, you hear a loud thud at the door. You open it up to see what is going on, and there stands your brother holding his shoulder.
He looks at you, confused, and says, “What the hell, Alex? You’re locking the door now?”
“Yeah, I had to since someone kept barging in on me!”
“Whatever, are you ready to go? We can’t be late.”
You grab your clutch, and the two of you head to Chase’s grand opening at H2O. Once you arrive at the club, you see a line going down the block and around the corner.
Wow. It’s going to take all night to get in.
Nick takes off toward the front of the line, passing everyone. You stand there, not sure if you should follow Nick or go to the back and wait. Nick looks back at you and yells, “Alex, are you coming or what?”
“I don’t think we can just cut the line, Nick.”
“Are you kidding me? We’re his best friends. Of course, we can.”
You follow Nick to the front of the line where he gives your names to the guy standing at the door. He checks his list and ushers the two of you in. The two of you enter the club, and as you look around you’re not sure what to think. It still looks like an abandoned warehouse. Only full of people. You lean in toward your brother and say, “I’m not sure he was ready for this.”
Nick just laughs and says, “Yeah he is. He is a marketing genius!”
You’re not sure what he means, but Chase must be doing something right because the place is absolutely packed. You even notice that there are people going up the step to the second floor. Chase spots the two of you and comes over to you.
“I’m so glad that you guys made it. Follow me. I have a VIP section closed off for us upstairs.”
You make your way upstairs, and you see where Chase put his money. You’re taken aback by how perfect everything is. From the floors, to the lighting, to the décor—it’s all perfect.
You get close enough so Chase can hear you and tell him, “Chase, you outdid yourself. This place is amazing.”
He looks back at you, and a huge smile comes across his face as you give him your approval.
Chase guides you and Nick to your reserved section. As you pass by him to take your seat, he puts his hand on the small of your back, and chills wash over you. Trying to not let it show, you take your seat and look anywhere other than at Chase.
Chase
