Page 47 of Make Me Trust Again (Bluebonnet Creek #3)

My heart does a little flutter inside my chest at the idea of seeing Chase.

The kiss from the other night was still vivid in my mind.

The way his mouth devoured mine like he couldn’t get enough.

The goosebumps rising on my flesh at the feel of his calloused fingers digging into my skin or the way his stubble teased me in the most delectable way, making me wonder if it would feel as good on other parts of my body.

Just the mere idea of it has heat rising up my neck.

Focus, Rose. You’re here for your son.

I pull the truck into the first available space, killing the engine.

Unhooking my seatbelt, I turn around to find a wide-eyed Kyle just staring at me, his hands shaking slightly as he signs: That’s the shelter.

I nod. “It is.”

“Are we visiting Chase?”

“No.”

Kyle tilts his head. “Then why are we here?”

I crack a smile, unable to hold it in any longer. “Well, somebody’s been telling me how much he wants a dog ? —”

“We’re getting a dog?!” Kyle’s eyes widen, mouth falling open, his voice elevating an octave in excitement.

It’s the first glimpse of true happiness since we ran into his father, and I’ll take it.

Even if that means adding another living being I’ll need to take care of.

“They have so many, Mom. There was this cute small one, but there is also Duke, and…”

“How about we go inside and see what they have, and then we can talk about it?” I interrupt him before he can get into it.

“Yes. You have to see them.”

The moment we’re out of the car, Kyle grabs my hand and tugs me toward the shelter. “Let’s go, Mom.”

Laughing, I quickly grab my bag before he pulls me to the entrance. “Which one do you think we should get? I don’t think I’ll be able to decide because they’re all so cute and different ? —”

His mile-a-minute chatter makes my head spin in the best way possible.

It’s insane how quickly kids can bounce back.

I’m not fooling myself into thinking that Kyle had forgotten about what had happened in the mall; far from it.

There’s no erasing what John did; something like that sticks with you forever, but I’m glad that my boy’s smiling and chatting again.

He was getting too quiet. It reminded me too much of the before, when he was always keeping to himself, walking around on eggshells so he doesn’t make John angry.

However, in the last few months, he’s opened up.

More often than not, he’s a cheerful kid whom I had only gotten glimpses of in the past. Dr. Lerry had mentioned recently how much he’s improved, but I didn’t even realize it until this very moment when he got back to that shy, closed-off kid from before.

We step into the building, the blast of the cool air from the AC making goosebumps rise on my skin.

The teen behind the counter lifts his head from his phone and gives us a welcoming smile.

“Hello, welcome to United Paws, how—” His eyes narrow slightly when they land on Kyle. “I remember you. You’re the kid who came with Chase, not that long ago. You looking for him?”

Kyle’s little chest puffs out proudly. “Chase’s my friend.”

The teen nods and points his finger over his shoulder. “He’s out back working with a dog we got a few weeks ago.”

“Oh.” I tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear. “It’s fine, really… We were just hoping to get a look at the dogs because we’re thinking about adopting one.”

There’s no sense in bugging Chase if he’s busy.

Maybe he doesn’t even want to see you, the little voice at the back of my head taunts, but I push it back.

Chase isn’t like that. And I didn’t exactly come here to see him. It’s the only shelter in town that he just so happens to work in occasionally.

“Sure, let me—” Just then, the phone starts ringing, and the guy glances at Kyle. “You remember the way to the back? Just go through this door and down the hallway until you get to the end.”

He wants us to go alone?

“What about the animals?”

“They’re in closed rooms and in their kennels, so you should be fine. You’ll find Chase there, and he can show you around.” He waves me off, picking up the phone, and dismisses us before I can protest further.

“I know the way.” Kyle’s little hand tightens around mine as he pulls me toward the double doors. “It’s not far.”

While I’m a ball of nerves, my son’s completely at ease, acting like he’s been here a gazillion times before. The door closes behind us, leaving us in the dim hallway.

“They have a yard in the back and a dog park.” Kyle points to the door. “I got to play with the dogs out there the last time.”

Our footsteps echo on the tiled floor, and I can hear a loud bark coming from somewhere that makes me jump in surprise.

Kyle opens the door, the bright light blinding me temporarily as we step outside. I blink a few times, trying to clear my vision.

Kyle’s right. The yard is pretty big and surrounded by a fence. There’s a little shed on the side, and some kind of dog-training equipment placed around the space. Water bowls and different toys are scattered on the grass.

Chase is standing in the middle of it all, but he’s not alone.

The girl—woman, really—is standing in front of him. Her face is serious as she nibbles at her lip. Chase places his hand on her shoulder, giving her a squeeze. She nods at whatever he’s saying before moving closer and wrapping her arms around him.

A prickle of unease rises to the surface at the sight of the gorgeous stranger and how familiar she seems to be with him.

Seeing John with Lucy made me angry, not because they were clearly together, but because he simply ignored our son and walked away without even saying hello.

Walking in on Chase with another woman has bile rising up my throat.

All the insecurities I’ve been struggling with for the last few years are coming back to the surface.

She’s dressed in pink scrubs with little paws on them. Her long brown hair is braided and hanging from one of her shoulders. She’s probably a nurse or a vet, meaning she isn’t just pretty but also smart.

She’s everything you’re not.

Chase returns her embrace, holding on for a moment. I bite the inside of my cheek.

It’s weird seeing Chase with somebody like that.

He seems… different. He’s always so quiet, so reserved.

He’s always keeping on the side, not touching anybody, even when he was at his sister’s, and yet here, with her , there’s an ease in him that I haven’t seen before, and I don’t know what to make of it.

What to make of him. Why? Who is this woman to him?

A friend, ex, or a lover? Just thinking about it makes my stomach clench with unease.

“Chase!” Kyle calls out, snapping me out of my thoughts.

Both of them pull back and turn to face us, matching surprised expressions on their faces. Even from a distance, I can feel Chase’s hazel eyes zero in on me, making the tingles of awareness run down my spine.

Dammit, I’m so busted.

Kyle pulls his hand out of mine and rushes to them, clearly clueless about what’s going on.

Shadow’s ears perk up, but she doesn’t move a muscle.

The other dog that’s with them stands up, his tail wagging excitedly as he starts toward Kyle.

The dog is big, almost as big as Shadow, and a twinge of worry makes my belly clench.

“Kyle—” I go after him, but his back is to me, so he doesn’t hear me.

“Duke, hold.” Chase’s voice is steady.

The dog slows down when he hears the command; his gaze lingers on Kyle before turning to Chase. “Hold,” Chase repeats calmly, waiting a few seconds to make sure he has the dog’s attention before giving a new command. “Sit.”

Duke plops his butt on the ground, but his gaze darts to Kyle again.

Chase calls out to Shadow, who joins him, the two of them making their way to the new dog. He slips his hand into his pocket and pulls out a treat. The dog jumps to his feet immediately, so Chase repeats the command, and only when the dog’s seated, does he give him the reward.

“Good boy.” He scratches him between his ears before his gaze meets mine. “He’s not aggressive, and Kyle already met him the last time, which is why he got excited. He won’t hurt him.”

My throat bobs as I swallow, my heart still racing wildly inside my chest.

“Okay.” I let out a long breath and nod, my eye still on the new dog. It looks similar to Shadow in terms of build, but he seems more… wolfish, I guess. His short fur is a mix of whites, grays, and blacks, and his eyes are two different colors. “I just panicked for a second.”

“It’s normal. He’s big, and you don’t know him.”

No, I don’t, but I know Chase. And he won’t let Kyle get hurt.

Contrary to me, my son isn’t the least bit fazed by the two dogs as he joins Chase and proudly announces, “Mom said I could get a dog!”

His brows shoot up. “Did she now?”

Kyle nods eagerly. “I can pick out one. How cool is that?”

Chase ruffles his hair. “Very cool.”

Kyle’s grin grows even bigger as he basks in Chase’s attention. The new dog lets out a soft whine, but doesn’t move a muscle, so Chase gives him the command to release. Both dogs dash for Kyle, their excited barking and Kyle’s giggles filling the air.

Chase watches them for a moment before turning around.

His dark eyes lock on mine, swallowing me into their depths as he slowly makes his way to me.

With each step, I can feel my heart race faster.

It’s like I’m falling into a dark abyss, and I’m unable to look away from him.

I don’t have to look away because I know he’s going to be there to catch me.

Will he, though?

He lifts his hand, his fingers brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. They linger for a moment, the tips of his fingers skimming over my cheekbone. “What’s wrong?”

“I—”

It’s unnerving how good this man sees through my walls and fears and insecurities. How good he sees me.

“Sweetheart?” His thumb slides over my cheek, and tingles run down my spine. “Did something happen?”