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I see someone approaching from the corner of my eye, nervous about changing the subject. My folks never had a shit ton of money, but they had enough for Will and me to be able to have fun.
“Thank … y-you.” I stammer when I look up to find it isn’t our server but one of my exes, Vanessa.
“Hi, Chase.”
Oh fuck.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Angelica
Chase’s wide brown eyes go from me to just one of his numerous exes Vanessa. In her defense, she was always one of the sweeter ones. She fell for his charms and was foolish enough to give in. Just like all the others, she didn’t last. He stuck around long enough for him to get bored and for her heart to break.
Now Vanessa is a new accounts manager at one of the many banks in town, married with three kids, and still a really nice person.
“H-How are you, V?” I’ll give it to him; he at least remembered the first letter of her name.
“I’m doing well.” She makes sure to flash her wedding ring, something that’ll go unnoticed by Chase but not by me. She sees we’re on a date and doesn’t want to welcome herself to our time. “My husband and I were getting ready to leave, and I saw you over here. I couldn’tnotcome say hi. I’m glad you made it back home safely. Thank you for your service.”
“Thank you, and congratulations on your marriage.” Chase is quick to respond.
She smiles and nods before looking at me. “How are you, Angie?” We always run into each other a few mornings out of the week at Patience’s café and have talked a few times.
“I’m great. You?”
“I’m well. I won’t keep you two from your dinner.” Waving, she walks away and slips into the coat her husband holds for her.
“That was … interesting?” Chase cringes, looking back at me before his menu.
“It’s okay.” I laugh, finally picking my menu up to find something. “I’m hungry, what’s good here?”
The pressure of seeing one of his exes melts away with my lack of concern. I’m not about to let it get to me.
At least it wasn’t Cera.
We barely get a chance to review our menu when another uninvited guest stops by. This time, it’s Elena, another ex. Honestly, the list is nearly endless. I know there are more, but I have a bad feeling about this tonight. The trepidation of us going somewhere public and risking seeing someone from his sordid past.
Elena is also not one of the vapid ones, but unlike the previous one, this encounter rubs me the wrong way. Vanessa was a completely random event, and I want to believe the same with Elena until Jan passes by.
Followed by Sunny and Ry, and Tricia.
Each one is progressively worse than the last, making me wonder if they’re having some sort of Chase Thorne ex reunion. My head reels as one after another come by to say hi. Most are married now, a couple divorced, and most haven’t changed one bit.
Annoyance is flooding me. Every chance we get close to getting back to enjoying our meal, the company, and the scenery still visible, it’s taken away from us. Most of them stay for only a couple of minutes to say hello, but Sunny and Tricia decide to welcome themselves until Chase—to his credit—asks them to leave.
“I’m so sorry about this.” He groans once they’re all gone.
Glancing down at my food, I don’t feel the hunger I did when we first got here. Slowly, I push my plate away. “It’s all right.”
“No, it isn’t.” He’s apologetic, at least.
Forcing a smile up at him, I do my best to reinforce my words. “It isn’t your fault. How could you know so many of them would be here?”
“It shouldn’t matter.” He shakes his head angrily. “I wanted tonight to be just the two of us, special …”
“Let’s have it that way then.” Even though my appetite is shot, I pick up my fork and spear it into the nice cut of steak I ordered. “Besides,” I take a bite and pause. “Who else could possibly show up? Not all your exes could be here tonight, right?” I smile around my chewing, doing my best to encourage him to follow suit.
“You’re right.”
