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CHASE
I pull up to Drake’s a few minutes before noon. I have to remind myself to slow my quick steps and take a few deep breaths to calm my wild heart before knocking. But when she opens the door, my whole being calms.Her long hair is pulled back in a braid that falls over one shoulder. She’s wearing a simple cotton T-shirt and a white cardigan over jeans. She’s glowing.
“You look gorgeous,” I say, awestruck. The smile she gives me hits me right in the chest.
I thought it was just a thing people said about pregnant ladies to make them feel better. Even Emily looked like crap for most of her pregnancy with Willow. In fact, it was rare for her to be seen without her head in a toilet bowl.
Picking my jaw up off the ground, I help Addison into the truck then walk around to my side. It’s not a date, but the butterflies in my stomach sure as hell make it feel like one.
“How are you feeling?” I ask, looking over at her as I pull out of the drive.
“Okay. Still fighting the morning sickness sometimes, but it does seem to be doing a little better. I’m just trying to stop myself from surviving off blueberry Pop-Tarts.”
I laugh and shrug. “Hey, a few Pop-Tarts never hurt anyone. I was thinking about The Blue Rooster for lunch,” I tell her, referring to my parents’ little coffee shop that has grown into a town staple over the past twenty-five years. It must be a good choice, because she gives a wide grin and nods her head.
We listen to music during the few blocks and one stoplight it takes to get to lunch. After ordering and paying—yes, I insist on paying even though my parents own the place—I fill my soda while Addison takes her bottle of water and settles in at a table.
When I turn from the fountain, my eyes land on Greta Ruthers. She’s watching my every move with a look that dances between anger and curiosity. I tip my head at her, acknowledging her stare before walking back to join Addison.
“How was staying at Drake’s last night?” I ask when I take the seat opposite her.
“Well, it was nice not having to sleep alone.” She unscrews the cap from her water and doesn’t take her eyes off me as she drinks.
“What?” I say loudly, pulling a few more sets of eyes our way. “I’m going to kill him.”
A grin grows on her face, and her eyes light with mischief. “Kevin kept me company, until I had to kick him out because of his gas. Man, it’s lethal.”
Her face of disgust followed by her sweet laugh loosens my frown as I blink over at her. I clear my throat, feeling my cheeks warm at my assumption.
“Did you guys have pizza?” I ask.
She laughs and nods in response.
I stare at the table, trying to build up the courage to ask my next question, but before I can manage to get it together, a sweet voice calls out to me.
“Well, if it isn’t Chase Prescott.”
I turn to see Indira, the manager and only person my mother would ever trust her restaurant with, carrying a tray of food. I rise from the table with a smile, grabbing the tray from her and setting it down.
“Indira, hey,” I greet her, wrapping her in a tight hug.
As one of Emily’s childhood best friends, she was one of mine too. Adult responsibilities have pulled us further apart over the years, but I still love her like a sister.
“I haven’t seen you in weeks. You’re always working when I come by the house. How you been? How’s Em?” she asks, pulling away and giving me and Addison a quick once-over. Her look isn’t unkind, only curious, and I wonder if she already knows exactly who the beautiful stranger is. It wouldn’t be surprising if Emily had already called and dished to her.
“Good, good. I’ve just been working and chasing after Willow. And Em is well.” I don’t need to say much more. Indira checks up on Emily often, no matter how busy her life seems to get. In fact, I’d be willing to bet that Emily is more honest with her about how she’s feeling than she is with me. “What about you? My mom says you’ve been kicking some major ass around here.”
She holds her hands up in a shrug and smiles, but she doesn’t make a move to downplay her achievements.
Indira is a brilliant businesswoman, and she knows it. She does the work of at least two around here, and it’s only a matter of time before she realizes she’s too good for this small town and leaves Gamble Springs and The Blue Rooster behind.
“Business has been good,” she agrees. “Your mom brought Willow in the other day. I seriously can’t believe how big she’s getting. I feel like she’s growing overnight at this point.”
“You’re telling me.” I shake my head. “The other day she asked me if she could start shaving.”
Her eyes go wide and I laugh, turning to look down at my lunch date.
“Hey, this is Addison. She’s new to town.” It feels good to speak that out loud—new to town. To pretend that her staying is a real possibility. “Addison, this is Indira. She keeps this lovely place running.”
