Page 6 of Enamored with the Mountain Man (Mountain Men of Apple Falls #5)

CHAPTER SIX

Lainey

Tears streamed down my cheeks, dripping off my chin and soaking my shirt.

I’m such an idiot. I’m such a fucking idiot.

I told myself I could do this, and here I was, leaving with a broken heart after I had given it to the sweetest man without even trying.

I slowed the car down, unable to see well with the flood of tears pouring from them when I heard noise from behind me. Looking in the rearview mirror, I spotted Chase running after me, his arms waving in the air.

That can’t be right. Was I so heartbroken I was seeing things?

Pulling over to the side of the road, I put the car in park and wiped my eyes. I checked the mirror once more, and nope, I wasn’t seeing things. Chase really was running up to my car.

I killed the engine and quickly exited the car. “What are you doing?”

“Lainey,” Chase said between pants of breath. “I can’t…I can’t…” He bent forward, resting his hands on his knees as he gulped down air.

I stood there helpless, more tears slipping down my cheeks, as I tried to figure out what the hell to do.

“I can’t let you go,” Chase said as he stood and closed the distance between us.

He took my hands in his as his own tears fell.

“I love you so much. Please stay, Lainey. I know what you said. But don’t you see how we’re so perfect for each other?

We can create our own family, grow a huge farm together, maybe get some cows and chickens, and live happily ever after. ”

I cried harder and shook my head. I loved him so much, but how could I give up everything I’d worked so hard for? If he loved me, he’d understand. But if I loved him, I needed to sacrifice too.

“I love you so much too, Chase. But it’s not that simple. My studio, my apartment…I need to figure a lot of things out.”

“We can figure them out together. If we really love each other, we can make it work. We can make anything work.” He kissed my hands as more tears fell between the two of us.

Words failed me as my thoughts went into overdrive, like a high-speed freight train destined to crash. Silence fell between us, an unspoken conversation of what-ifs and who knows and everything else life could throw at us.

After a few minutes, Chase spoke. “I’m sorry, Lainey.

I’m being selfish.” He let go of my hands and took a step backward.

“I can’t ask you to give up your life. What am I saying?

” He turned away but then turned back, so much pain etched across his handsome features.

In one swift movement, he moved toward me once more, grabbed my face between his hands, and devoured my lips in an intense kiss I’d remember for the rest of my life.

And then he walked away, taking my heart with him.

I climbed back inside my car and watched him walk away in the rear window as sobs overtook me, leaving me shaking and crying.

My heart was torn, pulled in two very different directions, and I was at a loss of what to do.

When Chase was no longer in view, I sobbed more and shook my head. How could I be so stupid?

I grabbed my phone and dialed the only person I thought might be able to help. Caitlin.

“Hi, babes! Are you headed back to the city?” Her cheery voice filtered through my phone’s speaker.

“Caitlin, I don’t know what to do,” I cried.

“Oh my God, Lainey, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“No, I’m not okay. My heart is broken.” I sobbed harder.

“Where are you?”

“Pulled over on the side of the road up the street from Chase’s house. Who was I kidding? Why did I think this would work? I was already falling for him before I even got here!”

“Oh, sweetie. It’s okay. You can’t help who you fall in love with, and you certainly can’t control when it happens. I kinda had a gut feeling you liked him more than you were letting on, but you said you had a handle on it. You fell head over heels for him, huh?”

“Yes,” I wailed. “But how can I leave my life in the city for him? My dance studio, you…”

“Didn’t we already have this conversation?” Caitlin chuckled.

“Caitlin! I’m serious!”

“I know, Lainey, so am I. Sell me the dance studio and go live out your happily ever after. Promise me we won’t lose touch, and we’ll talk all the time, because I can’t imagine not having you in my life. And who knows, maybe I’ll meet my own mountain man one day.”

“This is crazy! This is all so crazy.”

“Love is crazy. Now go back and get your man! We’ll figure the rest out later.”

“I love you so much, Cat. You’re the best friend a gal could have.”

“Right back at ya, babe.”

After I ended the call, I took a deep breath, wiped the tears off my face, and started the car.

Caitlin was right. Love hit unexpectedly, and when it did, you made changes and sacrificed. Because it was rare to find a true love. And I wasn’t about to let my happily ever after get away.

When I pulled into the driveway a couple of minutes later, Chase burst through the front door, down the porch steps, and over to my car.

Was he watching through the window in hopes I’d return?

His chest heaved, but no words escaped his lips. He looked beaten down and broken, and I hated that I caused him pain. I parked my car and got out, rushing right into the only place I wanted to be—Chase’s arms.

“I’m so sorry, Chase. I love you. I love you so much.” More tears came, and he kissed them away as his own fell.

“Marry me.”

“What?” I choked out.

“Marry me, Lainey. Make me the happiest guy on earth, and love me forever. I promise you’ll always be my queen.”

“Oh, Chase.” I was a blubbering mess once more as we kissed and kissed, our salty tears of happiness mixing. “Yes, yes, a thousand times yes.”