Breathe

Chapter Sixteen Perfect

I was in a dither.

A fraking dither!

It was a multi-faceted dither starting with the fact that Chace would be at my place in fifteen minutes to drive me to Aspen to have dinner with his mother. It was Saturday night and I’d again left the library early, leaving it in the hands of a volunteer so I would have time to come home and get ready.

It also had to do with the fact that it had been nearly three weeks since Malachi got out of the hospital and even though in every way he was a normal kid, so far as interacting with Jarot and Robbie in a (somewhat) healthy way, he still hadn’t spoken a word (this being the unhealthy part of how he interacted with Jarot and Robie).

Now even the psychologist was concerned. Everyone was. Even Chace couldn’t hide his concern. Malachi was communicating a lot more, this being writing things down on a notepad. But he wasn’t talking.

My dither further had to do with the fact that Chace and I had been together over six weeks and even though all that was good, no, fraking great, he hadn’t shared his “dark” with me. We were cool. We were awesome. But that bomb was always below the surface and I never knew when the fuse would be lit and it would blow.

And my dither had to do with the fact that last week, Chace’s temper boiled over again. But this time, luckily, it wasn’t directed at me.

It had to do with the fact that he finally tracked down and confronted the President of the City Council, Cesar Moreno about what was going on at the library and why Moreno was avoiding him.

I knew Cesar and his family, we weren’t great friends but everyone in town knew him. He was a good guy. His wife Isabella was one of those ladies who was a lady, all class, soft spoken but still sweet and approachable. Both his boys were fantastic baseball players. He was a great City Council President. Even my Dad liked and respected him.

But when Chace found him, unfortunately, he didn’t hand Chace any bull.

What he told Chace was that he was avoiding him, and thus me since everyone in town knew I was with Chace, as he dealt with the issue “in-house”. This issue was that there was a member of the Council who wanted to close the library not because of funding issues. This was just what they were telling me to prime me just in case things got out of hand. But because there were books in the library that she deemed “inappropriate” including the Twilight series, Harry Potter (due to them having such “heathen” topics as vampires and magic) and a variety of art books what Cesar told Chace she described as having “nudie boobies”.

Cesar did not share who she was.

This did not mean Chace didn’t blow his stack to Cesar and me.

“We don’t need a fuckin’ powder keg like this one on top of all the other shit happening in this town,” he’d growled, prowling through his family room, his phone in his hand while I sat on his sectional, drinking wine, keeping my mouth shut and watching him.

He’d made this statement in between calls to who I surmised from his side of the conversation were Tate, Wood, Krys, Ty and my Dad.

In other words, lighting the match on that powder keg his own danged self.

But it was the call to my Dad that alarmed me. Dad would lose his mind if he knew the library was in danger of being closed down and why. Not only because his daughter would lose her job but because he abhorred censorship.

I was not wrong about Dad losing his mind. Chace got off the phone with him and my phone immediately rang.

It said, “Dad Calling,” and his greeting was a shouted, “I didn’t do two tours with the Marines only for my hometown to close down the library because of nudie boobies!”

I tried not to laugh anytime anyone said the words “nudie boobies” but I didn’t succeed at this and thus often got scowls from Chace whenever it came up seeing as Chace didn’t think anything was funny about this situation.

Needless to say, Dad was angry but Mom was quietly angry which was way worse. Therefore, Cesar Moreno got a visit from her the next day. Also Krys and Laurie created petitions and they were now all over town.

Cesar was not pleased. The bulk of the work cleaning up the Police Department was done but he needed a break and not another huge drama on his hands (this he told Dad). But also, he had hope that he could nip this in the bud without it blowing up into a huge deal. That said, considering the fact that whoever this woman was had not backed down in weeks, that hope was dwindling.

So now it was a huge deal and it was also on the docket for discussion at the next public town council meeting.

As for me, I was concerned, definitely. But I felt that if I let that concern show, Chace, Dad, Mom and all my friends would get even more up in arms about it than they already were and they were seriously pissed. So I decided to leave Cesar and the rest of the Council alone, attend the meeting, put out petitions in the library, urge people to sign them and hope.

This wasn’t all I was in a dither about.

Chace nor his colleagues nor Deck had found out what had gone down with Malachi and whoever murdered Darren Newcomb had not been found. Although Chace didn’t talk with me much about either of these, I could sense both were disturbing him and this escalated daily.

Not to mention the fact that Chace didn’t seem at all thrilled about going to dinner with his Mom. He did, however, communicate with me that it wasn’t about me.

It was, “She is how she is and she’s gonna be a fuckuva lot more than she is, tryin’ hard to make you like her. Head’s up, darlin’, this will not be fun in any way.”

I already knew this from the way he talked about her and I didn’t share that I thought it was sweet that he worried about her and me. It would be what it would be. Then it would be over.

This led me to the last part about why I was in a dither.

This being that I was wearing a little black dress, my first little black dress ever. Lexie, Laurie and Wendy went shopping with me to get it (and more sexy undies and little nighties to stock me up, Chace had seen all my others, repeatedly).

It fit like a glove from below my breasts to the top of my knees with a slit up my back nearly to my behind. It had tiny little sleeves created by panels that attached to the empire waistline and went up over my shoulders. My back was totally covered but in an enticing vee created by the panels, cleavage showed. I had a pushup bra that enhanced the cleavage and was seriously sexy to boot.

Further, at lunch I’d gone to Carnal Spa and stylist to all Carnal babes, Dominic had given me a new hairstyle. He didn’t take much off the length but he cut in choppy layers that gave my hair what he called, “Personality and flow, dah-link.” It was layered along my neckline and he’d cut a thick, long, sassy bang in. He did a lot of sifting his fingers through my hair and I bought some goo he told me would “separate and define” so it would lay “perfect”.

I had to admit, I thought it looked fantastic. I didn’t look like the shy, virgin, town librarian anymore. I looked like the stylish town librarian who was regularly getting banged by the town’s hottest cop.

I was also wearing a pair of sex on heels, strappy, stiletto, gold sandals that even turned me on wearing them.

Lexie, Laurie and Wendy assured me the entire getup was elegant, classic and stylish.

Standing by my wardrobe taking in all that was me in the mirror on the back of the door, not just my shoes, my dress and my hair but also my smoky makeup, I wasn’t so sure.

Yes, it was elegant, classic and stylish. It was also sexy as all frak and I wondered not only what Chace’s Mom would think of me but also Chace.

Especially the hair.

He told me flat out he loved my hair but he didn’t have to say that. He was always finding reasons to touch it, tuck it behind my ear, move it over my shoulder, run his fingers through it. It wasn’t like it was no longer there. It was just that it was… different.

There was a knock at my door, I jumped and whirled toward it, my brows drawing together.

Chace never knocked since he had a key.

I looked at the thin, graceful, gold watch on my wrist that my parents gave me when I graduated from college and saw that Chace was early.

Then I went to the door, flipped the deadbolt and pulled it open, asking, “Did you forget your key?”

My eyes went up, up, up and I found myself staring at Chace’s best friend, Deck.

I had met Deck, once, at the hospital when Malachi was brought in.

Therefore, I was in no state to appreciate all that was him.

Now that there was no drama at hand I had the opportunity to appreciate all that was him and we’ll just say there was much to appreciate in quantity and quality.

“Babe,” his deep, rumbling voice tumbled down at me, “before you open the door, you should ask who’s there.”

I blinked.

His eyes moved from my hair to my coral painted toes back up to my hair.

Then he muttered, “Fuck.”

“Uh…” I muttered back.

His eyes did a head to toe to head again and he repeated, “Fuck.”

So I repeated, “Uh…”

He seemed to jolt himself out of his stupor and his hazel eyes came to me.

“Got a minute?”

Actually, at my calculations I had twelve but that didn’t mean I was fired up to have my boyfriend’s seriously hot guy best friend in my house for a surprise visit.

“Sure,” I told him and stepped back.

He moved in, all of him, all his height, his muscled bulk and his mess of seriously longish, thick, dark hair. He didn’t need a haircut two weeks ago. He needed it two months ago. It curled and flipped around his ears and down to the collar of his jeans shirt, a heavy hank of it resting on his forehead falling past his eye.

I’d had the not frequent, but also not rare, always happy occasion to reach out and tug at Chace’s curls and those occasions had included when he was in his truck beside me, on the couch beside me and in bed beside me. When I gave into this whim, it bought me one of three responses. Chace’s lips would tip up but he’d otherwise ignore it (driving). He’d turn to me and smile (on the couch). Or he’d turn into me and kiss me hard (bed).

Deck’s hair made your fingers itch not only to tug at those curls and flips but also to run through it.

Repeatedly.

And take your time.

I licked my lips as he closed the door and I moved toward the kitchen asking, “Would you like a beer?”

“No, my boy’s gonna be here in a few so not gonna take that time, Faye.”

I stopped and looked at him, confused, uncertain and a little worried.

“Okay,” I whispered and saw his eyes travel over me again, something that was beginning to freak me out.

When they hit my face he said quietly, “Couldn’t’ve picked better for him.”

“What?”

He held my gaze and he answered straight out. “You’re perfect for him. Every inch. Sweet and class. Pleased as fuck for him, he found you.”

I wasn’t freaked out anymore. Or I was, just in a nice way.

“Thank you,” I said quietly, liking it a whole lot it seemed I had Chace’s best friend’s approval.

“Tonight, babe, it’s not gonna go good.”

I blinked.

Then I asked, “Pardon?”

“Chace told me you were goin’ to Aspen. So I know about tonight. What you need to know is, his Mom’s a mess. Whatever Chace told you, it’s worse. She’s a good woman but she’s not a well one.”

I didn’t know what to do with this. Not the knowledge, which I’d already figured out. The fact that it seemed he’d come there to impart it.

“I, um… from what Chace has told me, I’ve already figured that out,” I informed him.

“Do not let whatever happens there freak you so you take off.”

Oh my God! What the frak?

“Um…”

“They know what it is. It’s not hereditary. Chace is solid. His Dad’s a total dick but, mentally, the man is solid. He’s fucked in the head but only ‘cause he’s an asshole. It’s just her. It doesn’t run in her family. Some chemical imbalance. But it’s only her.”

“Oh, uh, okay,” I whispered.

He took a step toward me. “Whatever you hear, whatever you see, whatever he says, do not let it freak you. Tonight or any night.”

He was beginning to freak me and not the little bit of freak I was feeling, a whole lot of it.

“Deck,” I said softly.

“He needs you,” he said softly back.

Oh God.

“The dark?” I whispered.

“What?” he asked.

“The dark,” I said louder. “He says that there’s –” I stopped abruptly and took him in at the same time it hit me all that was happening and the fact that it wasn’t right even if it was Deck. So I squared my shoulders and went on, “You know, I… it’s very cool that you’re here, taking his back. I’m guessing from why you’re here, what you know, what Chace has said, he’s tight with you. But I don’t know you and even if I did, I wouldn’t be comfortable talking about Chace behind his back. So, although your intentions are admirable, I’d like to request that this conversation stops here.”

He held my eyes and this lasted what seemed like years.

Then he whispered, “Perfect.”

I bit my lip.

“You gonna tell him I was here?” he asked.

I let my lip go and answered softly, “Yes.”

“Perfect,” he replied then he moved to the door but stopped at it and turned to me. “Know this, babe, something goes to shit and it ends between you two, you’ll never find a better man. Not ever. You may think you will, he may convince you that you will, but you will not.” He paused then finished softly, “Ever.”

With that parting shot, he jerked his chin up at me, opened the door and disappeared.

I realized I was holding my breath.

Then I realized I had yet another reason to be in a dither.

“Fraking great,” I muttered.

“You okay?” I asked softly into the cab.

We’d hit the Aspen city limits ten minutes ago and were winding our way up a mountain road filled with seriously exclusive properties.

My dithers had not totally died except one.

Chace fraking loved my hair and he loved, loved, loved my dress and shoes. He made this perfectly clear using his mouth but not to form words. He also used his fingers and I’d had a very quick, very hard orgasm while pressed into the wall beside my front door caused by Chace’s hand down my panties coupled with Chace’s tongue in my mouth.

So that was one down.

I hadn’t shared about Deck because Chace seemed tense and I didn’t want to make him more tense and pissed or worried so I decided to tell him about Deck later.

So I was focused on one dither and that was Chace being tense about dinner.

“I’ll be happy when this shit is over,” he answered.

I would too, for him.

“She’s gonna have the spread, honey, someone cookin’ for her, someone servin’ us. She’ll go all out,” he warned me.

I’d never been served in a home before by anyone other than the owner of the home. It would be weird but not torture.

So I replied quietly, “All right, Chace. That actually sounds kind of cool.”

He turned into a handsome, curving drive that was lit on both sides with those lights that rose out of the turf. “Food’ll be rich, complicated and there’ll be a lot of it. You don’t like somethin’, don’t be polite and eat it. Just eat what you like.”

“Okay, honey.”

He kept winding up the drive to a large, rambling house set into a mountain backdrop lit full on by lights at the front. The brick was a lovely mixture of whites and pinks. The landscaping, even under the melting April snow, was supremely attractive.

“She’s in your space, you’re uncomfortable, give me a sign and I’ll take care of it.”

“I’ll be fine, Chace.”

“Don’t worry about what I’ll think, just give me a sign,” he reiterated while he parked.

He turned off the ignition, I reached a hand out and curled it around his thigh and his eyes came to me.

“I love you.”

Every centimeter of air in the cab of his truck went still as he stared at me by the dashboard lights and I stared back at him.

I said it.

I meant it.

I meant for him to get me and it.

But I wasn’t planning on it.

Still, I had to roll with it.

“You love her. I’ll love her because I love you and not a crush love like I was feeling for thirteen years. A real love for a good man who teases me and makes me laugh and makes me feel safe and holds me close at night and watches way too much sports and not enough geek TV and gives me amazing orgasms, one of which I had before walking out of my house this very night.” I paused, he said not a word, I struggled against having a heart attack and then finished lamely, “And you can take that to the bank.”

Then I wasn’t in my seat.

My seatbelt flew back and I was hauled across the cab, my booty wedged between Chace and the steering wheel, his hand was in my hair, his other arm was tight around me, his lips were crushing mine and his tongue was invading my mouth.

Okay, so, he liked it that I loved him.

Good to know.

I melted into him, rounding his neck with my arms, pressing into him and let him have everything he wanted to take. Apparently, he wanted to take a lot because the kiss lasted a long time. It went from heated to scorching and it was one of those times I felt Chace’s effort to tear his lips from mine when he eventually did.

But he didn’t let me go and put me back in my seat.

He buried his face in my neck and breathed.

“To sum up,” I wheezed, my breath still coming fast, my heart turning over with happiness, “Stop worrying, honey. Everything will be just fine.”

“You’re a fucking miracle,” he whispered against my skin and I closed my eyes.

I loved that he thought that about me.

“I’m a woman,” I whispered back.

“You’re an angel.”

God.

God, I loved him.

Totally.

“Okay, but I’m yours and I think God frowns on some of our more miraculous activities, activities I enjoy so perhaps we can keep that title on the hush-hush and I’ll just be your woman.”

He lifted his head and looked down at me through the subdued light. I felt his eyes gentle on me, saw his face was soft and relaxed before he whispered, “Works for me.”

My ploy which included me sharing life-altering emotion worked.

I grinned.

He grinned back, bent his neck, touched his mouth to mine then shifted me, depositing me back in my seat.

He turned the SUV lights off and he was at my door by the time I hopped down which meant he had a steadying hand on my elbow when I did. That hand slid down so his fingers could lace in mine as he pulled me out of the door and slammed it. Then he walked me across the dry, very black blacktop asphalt to his front door.

Weirdly, it seemed the snow had been trimmed at the side of the drive, it was so perfectly removed. So I guessed when you had gobs of money you had money to spend on people manicuring your snow.

Interesting.

The door was thrown open before we got to the semi-circular set of eight steps (I counted) that got narrower and narrower until we hit the top. Another dither died when I saw the elegantly attired, extremely attractive blonde woman with a soft updo wearing a light pink cocktail dress and high heels smiling gleefully at us.

I wasn’t overdressed. Fraking brilliant.

“Chace, my darling and Faye,” she gushed, stepping out into the chill night air and throwing her arms wide. “I’ve been on pins and needles all day. No!” she cried, “All week.”

I smiled up at her then grew a little concerned because she wasn’t big, I wasn’t big but Chace was, she wasn’t moving and her step would not hold all three of us unless we huddled together like a miniature football team.

This problem was sorted when we made it to her and she threw herself in Chace’s arms, forcing him to let my hand go and round her with them thus not taking up much room.

“Ma,” he muttered.

“Chace, my beautiful boy.”

That was sweet.

He pulled back but she didn’t. Her arms went from around his shoulders so her hands could frame his face and she beamed up at him a second before letting him go and turning to me.

“Faye,” she said, throwing her arms wide which meant one of them slammed into Chace but although he shifted (as best he could which meant one of his cowboy booted feet had to step down a step) she didn’t seem to notice.

I moved quickly into her arms in order to conserve space and gave her a tight hug.

“Mrs. Keaton,” I whispered in her ear then pulled back but not out of her arms. “Chace talks about you all the time. I’m so pleased to finally meet you.”

She dipped her chin bashfully and fluttered her eyes and really, even though she was older, she worked it.

Then her eyes moved over me and something changed in them that wasn’t bad but it wasn’t altogether good either.

“You’re a beauty. A true beauty. Natural.” Her arm left me and her hand lifted as if she was going to touch my hair before it fell away and she moved minutely back. “Red. I thought a blonde would suit Chace better but I was very wrong.”

“Thank you,” I murmured.

“And please, call me Valerie. Mrs. Keaton sounds so… so…” her eyes slid to the side before coming back to me so she could finish, “stuffy.”

“Valerie it is then,” I replied on a smile.

“Ma, you think we could move inside?” Chace prompted.

She jumped away from me, clasping her hands in front of her and I fought the urge to reach out to her in case she tumbled over the step to the inside.

“Of course, of course, let’s get you inside and those coats off. I’m dying to see Faye’s dress. From what I can see, it looks beautiful.”

I heard Chace sigh as I felt his fingers curl around my elbow, we moved in behind her and all stopped in a huge foyer with a massive chandelier hanging down over it, the gazillions of crystals dancing prisms everywhere.

“Enrique,” she said to a man wearing a white shirt and dark slacks standing close by, “please take Faye and Chace’s coats. We’ll take drinks in the sitting room. Faye, what would you like to drink?”

Chace was helping me out of my long, cream wool coat as I shifted my little black clutch from hand to hand and answered, “A glass of white wine.”

“Excellent,” she smiled at me then her eyes went to Chace, “Beer, darling?”

“Yeah, Ma,” Chace muttered, handing our coats to Enrique.

Taking in Chace without his long, wool black overcoat, the skirt around my hips, hand down my panties orgasm, I had to admit, was helped by the fact he was in a very well-tailored, dark blue suit with an open-necked blue shirt the color of his eyes. His belt buckle with the suit was subdued western but still western and the cowboy boots were all Chace. Still, like his mother and I, he made an effort and, as was his way, succeeded wildly.

Enrique moving off with our coats, Valerie led the way to the “sitting room” which was the most formal room I’d ever been in in my life. It was done in soft pinks that were nearly cream and just plain creams. Even in a room that formal I took my cue from Valerie and Chace who settled in like it was your everyday family room, Valerie in an armchair, Chace and I side by side on a couch.

As I was tucking my purse next to me, Valerie said, “I didn’t know what you liked, Faye, and Chace told me you seemed to like everything except pineapple on pizza. But we’re not having pizza so I told Donatta to do it up but avoid pineapple. I hope you brought your appetite.”

“I always do,” I replied on a smile. “But just so you know, I like pineapple just not on pizza.”

“Excellent!” she cried with more excitement than was needed then clasped her hands in front of her again and leaned from her pinky-cream armchair toward Chace and me on the creamy-cream couch and she noted, “Chace tells me you’re a librarian.”

“I am,” I confirmed.

To which she exclaimed, “I love books!”

I laughed softly and shared, “I do too. It’s kind of important to like them when you spend all day around them. What’s your favorite book?”

This was a mistake. Huge. Though I couldn’t fathom why.

Still, I saw it. She sat back sharply, her face grew pale, the fingers of her hands in front of her started fidgeting, her eyes darted to Chace and she looked suddenly terrified.

I felt my body get stiff at her reaction but Chace prompted quietly, “Your favorite book, Ma.”

Her eyes skittered to me then back to Chace and she whispered, “I…” but stopped.

It then occurred to me that she was worried what her favorite book would say about her. She wanted me to like her and she wanted this so much, she was terrified of just being her.

“I have lots of favorite books,” I cut in and her eyes came back to me so I smiled gently and went on, “Let’s see, there’s Rosamund Pilcher’s The Shell Seekers and Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood. Then there’s Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café by Fannie Flagg and Skinny Legs and All by Tom Robbins. I could go on and bore you for hours,” I told her. “And I haven’t even started on the romance novels.”

The fear left her face and she leaned toward me again. “Oo, I like Carly Phillips.”

I leaned toward her, smiling big. “I do too. She’s awesome. The Bachelor,” I told her one of my favorites.

“The Playboy.” She gave me one of hers.

“The Heartbreaker.” I one-upped her.

She sat back again but this time grinning, “Those Chandler brothers…” she trailed off needing to say no more.

“I know,” I agreed.

“Where’s my beer?” Chace asked.

I looked to him and burst out laughing then I looked back at Valerie and said through my laughter, “I’m sure you know this but Chace watches way too much sports on TV. I’m trying to expand his horizons by introducing him to my television shows but he’s reluctant. I’ll admit, my shows are geeky, Valerie, but they’re awesome. So I guess romance novels are way out of his realm of exciting dinner conversation.”

She smiled at me and replied, “Then we’ll endeavor to find something Chace likes to discuss.”

“Do you know the Avs chances at the Stanley Cup this year?” I asked.

“No,” she answered.

“Then perhaps we can talk him into explaining ballistics,” I suggested and it was Valerie’s turn to burst out laughing.

Enrique came in with a tray of drinks and as he handed them around, Valerie wiped a non-existent tear of laughter from her eye and belatedly replied, “I fear, Faye, as interesting as my son is, if he explained ballistics, I would find it outside the realm of exciting dinner conversation to the point I’d fall asleep.”

“Luckily your furniture is comfortable because I probably would too. Though I’d be worried I’d get my makeup on it if I stretched out to take a ballistics induced nap,” I told her.

“Then we’ll retire to the less formal family room when Chace tells us about ballistics,” she told me. “I don’t mind makeup on my furniture but the furniture in there is much more comfortable.”

“Two sleeping women in cocktail dresses. Terrific. Let’s do that. You can sleep, I can put on the game,” Chace muttered and my eyes shot to Valerie.

“See!” I cried.

“I do indeed,” she replied, grinning at me.

I took a sip of my wine, swallowed and lifted the glass to her. “This is delicious, Valerie.”

“Do you know wine?” she asked.

“Not even a little,” I admitted. “Just what I like to drink.”

“Then you must go to Napa. You don’t have to know wine to go to Napa. You just have to like it,” she told me.

“Sounds the perfect vacation destination,” I replied, she grinned again, seeming relaxed and looked at Chace.

“Lovely, darling. Faye enjoys wine like I do.” She lifted her own wineglass. “Such a bother, Misty and all her cocktails. I never quite –”

Chace got tight at my side. Valerie got visibly tight across from us, her face paled and fear filled it again.

I instantly forged into the awkwardness and did it gently.

“I grew up in Carnal, Valerie, I knew Misty and that was very sad. But Chace and I are up front about things.” For the most part, I thought but did not say, and went on, “But that was a while ago and Misty’s not here to drink cocktails and although that’s upsetting, we’re here to enjoy wine and each other’s company so we should learn from the loss of a young vital woman and do that.”

“Of course,” she muttered, looking uncomfortably at her knees.

“Valerie,” I called and her eyes skittered to me. I leaned forward when I got them and continued, “We don’t know each other but we already have something important in common and that is we both care a lot about Chace. Please don’t think you have to handle me with care. He thinks the world of you and shares it. So I knew I would too. I hope I win you over tonight so we can find out if we have more in common than Chace and Carly Phillips. But we should start that being open with each other and letting it shine through. Don’t you agree?”

“You’re very forthright,” she said softly.

I wasn’t really. I was just being forthright then for her and Chace.

“I hope you don’t mind that,” I said softly back.

“Not at all, Faye,” she whispered.

“Good,” I whispered back then carried on. “Just so you know, I’m normally very shy and quiet. But when the town’s most handsome cop turned his eye my way, I got a little sassy.”

She gave me a small grin and kept whispering to say, “I can imagine that happens.”

I gestured to myself with my wineglass. “Living proof right here.”

“Uh… do I exist in this conversation?” Chace asked, Valerie sat back, I sat back and Chace’s arm on the back of the couch instantly moved to curve around my shoulders.

“Sorry, we were having a moment,” I muttered, suddenly kind of embarrassed.

His arm curled me toward him so my eyes were forced to lift to his and when they did he murmured, “Yeah.” But it was a “yeah” filled with approval.

He followed this with a lip touch.

I squirmed at his side and when his mouth left mine, I whispered super soft, “Your Mom.”

“Don’t mind me,” she chimed in and Chace didn’t uncurl me even though we both looked to Valerie to see her again beaming. “I think a man who’s confident in displaying affection is very attractive, even and especially my son. Therefore this is something I taught him.”

So I had her to thank.

I’d find another time to do that.

Instead, I just grinned.

Chace uncurled me and asked his mother, “Are we gonna eat in this millennium?”

“Chace, so impatient!” she snapped without any rancor whatsoever but on a doting smile.

“Not impatient. Hungry. I’ve been in an SUV for two hours and it’s eight o’clock.”

“You should have had a snack,” Valerie admonished.

“Ma, Donatta doesn’t serve anything less than three courses and her shit’s the shit. I was not gonna have a snack and ruin it. But I am gonna gnaw off my own arm in about two seconds if Enrique doesn’t show with some crackers and cheese.”

“You shouldn’t say the s-word,” she told him.

“Does you tellin’ me not to curse mean Enrique’s not on his way with crackers and cheese?”

“Foie gras,” she muttered.

“Well, clap or somethin’ and get him to get a move on,” Chace ordered, his lips tipped up, meaning he was teasing and Valerie looked to me.

“Have you noticed he can be annoying?”

“Um…” I mumbled then shut up.

“Smart, baby, don’t answer that,” Chace murmured on a shoulder squeeze.

“Her non-answer is her answer and it was affirmative,” Valerie informed him.

“But it doesn’t count because it wasn’t verbalized,” Chace informed his mother.

She rolled her eyes.

I smiled at their back and forth.

Chace got impatient.

“Seriously, Ma, pâté isn’t my top choice but it’s food. We gonna get that before Faye and I have to move in?”

She scowled at him then called loudly yet still daintily, “Enrique! You can serve the foie gras now.”

“Fuckin’ brilliant,” Chace muttered.

“Chace!” Valerie snapped.

“Chace!” I semi-snapped.

“Not fuckin’ brilliant,” Chace muttered again, grinning.

I looked to Valerie. “He swears way too often.”

“We’re in accord over that, my dear,” she replied snippily, still scowling at Chace.

Enrique walked in.

“Fuckin’ brilliant,” Chace muttered again, uncurling his arm from around my shoulders and leaning toward the tray instantly as Enrique set it on the table in front of us.

I looked to Valerie and rolled my eyes.

Valerie looked to me and did the same.

Then I sat forward to get my foie gras because Chace might not find it a top choice but it was one of my favorites in the whole world.

Dinner went great.

Then it happened.

We were in the less formal family room which was, indeed, less formal but it was still more formal than I was used to. I was thinking that I was glad the material of my dress had a little stretch because after that dinner, I needed it.

Not including the foie gras, it was four courses of rich, complicated food and not those elegant, minimalistic, rich, complicated food portions but vast portions even my mother would balk at serving. Nevertheless, it was delicious but it was filling.

Wine flowed freely and Valerie relaxed. Between my forthrightness and Chace’s teasing, she already seemed relatively comfortable by the time we headed to the opulent dining room, its table laid with china, silver and crystal that was so delicate and refined, I suspected the Queen of England would find it a little daunting.

We’d only had one incident during dinner. This being that the flowers I’d ordered through Holly were gracing the table and Valerie calling my attention to them and expressing her gratitude so often that, in the end, I was running out of ways to say, “You’re welcome.”

Chace noticed this, it seemed to make him tense and eventually he muttered to his mother gently, “Ma, she gets it. You like ‘em. Let it go, okay?”

At this, she got a bit fidgety and I thought she’d knock over her wineglass but I again forged into the breach, making some comment about Chace’s horseshoe champagne glasses and how much I liked them. She beamed at the compliment, relaxed and settled in.

In fact, by the time we made it to the family room, I was wondering what all the drama was about. Sure, she seemed nervous, she seemed very much to want me to like her and have a good time and Chace seemed unhealthily attuned to it but it wasn’t that bad.

Until suddenly, out of nowhere, when we were sitting and chatting in the family room, me finishing my last glass of wine knowing it was getting late and the drive was long so we’d be leaving soon, Valerie’s eyes lit up. At the same time a wave of something immensely unpleasant flowed from Chace, filling the room.

Seemingly oblivious to Chace’s emotion, Valerie set her glass aside, clasped her hands in front of her, her eyes shot back and forth between Chace and me and she instantly gave me the information I needed to understand what was going down.

“Trane is here!”

Uh-oh.

I tensed with Chace as Valerie babbled on, “He said he was tied up, most likely wouldn’t make it.” She looked at me. “I was devastated. I so wanted you to meet him and Chace’s father so wanted to meet you. I more so wanted Trane to meet you after I actually met you and you’re so very charming. And now,” she beamed between Chace and me, “He’s here!”

She then shot to her feet and rushed from the room without another word.

I turned to Chace but as I was doing this, he got to his feet, hauling me up with him, announcing on a growl, “We’re leavin’. Now.”

I nodded and didn’t say a word. I just bent and grabbed my bag as I went on alert because I could feel from his vibe that what would happen next would not go well.

I was not wrong though I would have no idea how bad it would get. And I would have no clue that bad wouldn’t happen until much later and it would be very bad.

We were coming into the foyer when we met Valerie and Trane.

I was not surprised to see, considering their money and Valerie’s barely diminished by age looks, that Trane’s father was also very dignified and attractive.

But I was surprised to see the resemblance Chace had to his father. They weren’t mirror images of each other, Trane’s hair had some gray mingled with the blond. But they were the same height, same build and Chace’s eyes were the same color as Trane’s. Although Chace was younger, the power and strength of his frame and stature not faded as Trane’s somewhat had, there were more than a few similarities.

I didn’t really get the chance to process this for, upon being in his father’s presence, that emotion flowing from Chace ratcheted up around two dozen levels making it hard to breathe. But even though he couldn’t miss it, Trane barely glanced at his son before he eyes lighted on me.

He sent a familiar but less natural and warm smile my way as he approached us.

“Faye,” he moved toward me as I felt Chace, already close, weirdly start crowding me, “what a delight. So pleased I made it home in time to meet you.”

Not knowing what to do considering everything about Chace screamed I should run for the hills but Trane was giving me a welcoming smile while Valerie stood to the side beaming with obvious pleasure, I simply locked my body but allowed Trane to take my hand.

It was when Trane touched me, the stifling emotion rolling off Chace hit the danger zone but I was caught. I could do nothing but allow Trane to lift my hand and touch his lips to my knuckles even when Chace’s arm slid around my waist, his fingers digging in and his mood blanketing the room.

I hadn’t been around rich people so I couldn’t know, maybe they kissed fingers as a matter of course, but even if Chace wasn’t being weird, I wouldn’t have liked him kissing my knuckles. It was debonair, I’d seen it happen before in movies but it also was a bit creepy. Furthermore, he couldn’t miss Chace’s possessive claiming tactics that shouted stand back! Thus he couldn’t miss he was putting me in an extremely awkward position and that wasn’t nice to me or his son.

Trane straightened and dropped my hand but didn’t release it when he continued to ignore his son and looked in my eyes. For my part, I was again caught, wanting to put pressure on my hand for him to release it at the same time thinking that might be rude.

“You’re lovely. What a shame I wasn’t able to be there while you graced my table.”

“Thank you,” I whispered.

“Let her go,” Chace growled low enough his mother wouldn’t hear but his father definitely did because he let me go.

His eyes cut to his son.

“Chace,” he greeted. “You’re looking well.”

“We’re also leaving,” Chace replied, moving me around Trane toward his mother. I could hear the effort it took him to modulate his voice when he spoke to her. “Sorry, Ma, but we have to hit the road.”

Her face fell instantly showing she wasn’t disappointed, she was devastated.

Thus she leaned in beseechingly. “Couldn’t you stay for just one more drink so Trane can relax and chat with you and your charming Faye?”

“No,” Chace replied tersely, not to mention rudely, leaned in, kissed her cheek then moved back and told her, “I’ll call. Maybe in a coupla weeks you can come to Carnal, spend the weekend.”

“But –” she started but Chace’s arm gave my waist a squeeze, I took his meaning and moved forward.

“Lovely dinner,” I murmured, curling my hand reassuringly on her upper arm and leaning in to touch my cheek against hers. “I enjoyed it very much, the food,” I moved back, caught her eyes and gave her arm a squeeze before I finished, “and especially the company.”

She grabbed my hand and leaned in too and she did this in order to throw me right under the bus.

“Please, Faye, talk to Chace. Just a drink. The whole family,” she pleaded.

She wanted that, badly, and I knew Chace was not going to give it to her.

I was saved from having to reply when Chace moved me firmly away from her and stated, “We gotta go.”

He then instantly guided us toward the front of the foyer, stopping at a door and opening it.

“Just a drink. Fifteen minutes,” Valerie urged, her tone edging toward desperate.

Chace came out with my coat but his eyes sliced to his father. I fancied I knew him well, but you didn’t have to know him well to know he was telling his father to shut this down. Now.

Trane read this and moved to his wife, murmuring, “It’s late, love. They should be making their way.”

Her voice was rising to the point there was a hint of hysteria in it when she returned, “Fifteen minutes! That’s all I ask. Fifteen minutes with my family all together.”

“Fuck,” Chace clipped under his breath.

He’d helped me on with my coat so I was unfortunately free again to forge into the breach.

“It really is late and it’s also a long drive. I’ve had to work today, your food was delicious but with that, work, wonderful wine but lots of it and good company, I’m afraid I’m dead on my feet. I’ll probably fall asleep in the car.” I smiled at her. “Not to mention, it’s past Chace’s bedtime. So, to be safe, we should be getting home. It really was so lovely meeting you and,” I turned my eyes to Trane, “having the chance to meet you too.” I looked back at Valerie. “And I hope you take Chace up on coming to spend the weekend. I can show you my library and make you dinner.”

Her face moved like she was fighting tears, Trane shifted into her and slid his arm along her waist, this seeming to give her the strength to fight the tears back and nod.

“Of course, you’re right, Faye. It is late and you and Chace should be on your way,” she whispered with clear disappointment.

I approached her and took her hand. “I hope to see you again soon.”

“Yes,” she agreed, her hand limp in mine but I still gave it a squeeze.

“Faye,” Chace called shortly, I looked over my shoulder at him and nodded.

I looked back at Valerie, letting my eyes move through Trane and I said, “Thank you for a lovely evening.”

“My pleasure,” she muttered, her eyes beyond me on Chace, her melancholy obvious, extreme and alarming.

Chace ignored this, claimed me by grabbing my hand and his only farewell was, “Ma. I’ll call.”

He didn’t say one word or even look at his father.

Then we were out the door, down the steps and hoofing it to the Yukon. Chace bleeped the locks, walked me to my door, yanked it open and practically picked me up to plant me in the passenger seat.

I barely cleared my feet from the door when it was slammed and Chace was prowling around the hood.

I looked to the front door, saw Valerie and Trane there, his arm around her shoulders, her look despondent, his blank. I lifted my hand and gave them a happy wave that I hoped didn’t look stupid or, worse, forced.

Chace angled in, started up the Yukon and executed a tight turn in the large space of the front drive and we were on our way.

He, incidentally, didn’t wave. He didn’t even glance at his parents.

I gave it time and when we were close to hitting Aspen proper, I whispered, “Chace –”

“I hate him, you know that,” he cut me off to say curtly. “I love her, you know that too. You wanna sleep on the way home, sleep. But I do not wanna talk so if you’re not sleepin’, do me a favor and give me quiet.”

I bit my lip.

Then I gave him quiet.

And I endured his heavy mood all the way home without sleep not having any idea the worst was yet to come.