Page 31 of Tempt (Peachwood Falls #1)

C hase

“Slow down, Marshall, or you’ll get a ticket.”

I ease my foot off the accelerator and watch my speedometer fall. If only my anxiousness would fall along with it.

The night is dark, and the rain is unrelenting. My windshield wipers squeak as they struggle to keep up with the onslaught pouring out of the sky. Unfortunately, the weather does nothing for my mood; I’m already irritated.

I’ve never been irritated about going home before. What’s odder is that while I’m frustrated about going home, I want to get there. I wish I were already there. I wish this drive were over.

Megan Kramer is turning out to be a double-edged sword in my life.

Each day that passes, I find myself falling harder for her. I enjoy being with her a little more. When I watch her with Kennedy—cooking together or figuring out how to sew a button on a jacket together—I find myself playing the what-if game.

What if this was a thing? What if Megan stuck around? What if Megan and I gave this a try?

In a vacuum, this would work. I have zero doubts. But I don’t reside in a vacuum.

“It’s been two weeks, Chase. You’re outta your mind,” I groan, the words barely audible over the wipers.

The cab of the truck fills with the sound of my ringing phone. I see it’s Mom and accept the call.

“Hey, Mom. It’s pouring here, so I can’t hear very well.”

“Oh. Do you need to go?”

“Nah, I have a ways to go yet. Talk to me.” Distract me from my thoughts. “How are things with Kate?”

Mom laughs. “They’re good. Her new apartment is darling. Of course, she let me pick out her curtains and some rugs.”

“I bet she did.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means you probably paid for them, didn’t you?”

“I can hear you, asshole,” Kate shouts. “How are you, brother?”

I stop at a light in Bricksville just as the rain tapers off. Thank God . “I’m good. How are ya, Kate?”

“Living and loving life. Being a badass like usual.”

“Well, I see you still have your humbleness. That’s good.”

She laughs.

“How is Kennedy?” Mom asks. “Does she miss us yet?”

“Of course, she misses you.”

“Good. I don’t want to become obsolete.”

“Don’t think that’s happening anytime soon,” I say, hitting the accelerator again. “How’s Dad?”

“He’s out golfing with Kate’s neighbor. They’ve golfed almost every day we’ve been here.”

“Hey,” Kate says. “I heard you have a … what did Luke call her? A dime?”

I roll my eyes.

“Her name is Megan,” Mom says.

“Right. Megan ,” Kate says, giggling. “How is Megan?”

I grip the steering wheel and cross the city limits.

Fields extend from the road on either side. There’s no light to be seen—no streetlamps or houses lit up. Not a damn thing. Somehow, it’s fitting.

“Megan is good,” I say. “She and Ken are like two peas in a pod.”

“What about you?” Kate asks.

“What about me?”

“Are you two peas in a pod too?”

I shake my head. “What have you done, Mother?”

“I haven’t done a damn thing,” she says. “I simply showed Kate a picture of Megan and let her draw her conclusions.”

“Right. You didn’t guide her to any particular conclusions. Sure. I believe you.”

“Give me the phone, Mom,” Kate says. The line gets muffled before Kate’s voice becomes clear once again. “Hey, it’s me. I walked into my bedroom for a little privacy.”

I sag against my seat.

“Are you doing okay?” she asks. “I know how Mom can be. And she left you there with Megan and Gavin and Luke. Good grief, Chase. How are you surviving? Do you have to fend the boys away with a stick?”

My jaw sets. “No. I just told them I’d break their necks if they do anything stupid.”

“Ah. So you do have a thing for her.”

I think about lying and saying I don’t. I consider ending the conversation and telling Kate to go play games with Mom. But then I remember it’s Kate who I’m talking to, and if anyone will hear me and understand what I’m trying to say, it’s probably her.

“Talk to me, Chase. What’s going on?” she asks.

I exhale. “I don’t know, Kate. I’m fucked, I think.”

“If you weren’t, I’d be worried about you.”

“Why is that?”

“I saw her—that’s why. She’s freaking pretty. And from what Mom said—and I realize I have to take that with a grain of salt—she’s sweet and smart. What more could you want?”

Not much. Maybe not anything.

I roll my shoulder around to keep it loose. “For starters, I could want someone who lives near me.”

“I hear she’s unemployed. That’s helpful.”

“For two, I could choose someone who wants to live in the middle of nowhere. Megan is a city girl, Kate. She didn’t even own a pair of boots until last weekend.”

Kate chuckles. “So? Get her some. Problem solved.”

“I did get her some.” Then I gave her some .

My cock hardens as I remember her slipping into my bedroom Sunday night. I bent her over the edge of the bed and sank so deeply inside her that I was afraid I’d lose myself forever.

Unfortunately, I didn’t.

“Kate, I would never admit this to anyone else, so keep your mouth shut.”

“You got it.”

I groan. “I’m fucked up over this woman, and I don’t know what to do about it.

It’s been two weeks. She’s all I think about.

I’m already dreading the day she leaves.

Tell me this is normal behavior. That I just haven’t had someone at my disposal like this in so long that I forgot what the convenience felt like. ”

“Yeah, but I don’t think the convenience is bugging you.”

Of course, it’s not.

“Let’s break this down,” she says. “What are you worrying about? What’s your holdup? Your hiccup, so to speak?”

“Well …” I run a hand over my jaw. “She’s going to leave soon.”

“And you can’t ask her to stay?”

“No, I could, I guess.”

“Solved. What else?”

I flip my turn signal and pull onto the gravel road leading to my house.

“I’m worried this isn’t the right move for Kennedy,” I say, my voice void of levity.

“She’s never had to share me with another woman.

And she’s at this stage of her life where she needs to be the only thing I focus on, but here we are, and I’m thinking about Megan just as much as I’m thinking about my daughter.

Hell, probably more. Am I fucking this up? ”

Kate laughs. “No, you’re not fucking anything up—except maybe Megan, and I’m pretty sure she’s enjoying it.”

“No. Hard limit. We aren’t discussing my sex life.”

“Fine, fine.” She sighs. “Look, maybe you need someone in your life. Kennedy needs a woman figure, Chase. A role model. And it would be healthy for her to watch you in a solid relationship with someone. Stop looking at it from a pessimistic angle. You’re allowed to have a life, too, you know.”

Relief washes over me.

“And I know what you’re thinking,” she says.

“What’s that?”

“You’re worrying that things won’t work out, and you’re going a million miles a minute and wondering what that looks like. You’re wondering if it makes you irresponsible.”

I grin. “How did you get so wise?”

“Well, that had nothing to do with you. Or Gav. Definitely not Luke or Mallet.”

“Speaking of Mallet, have you heard from him lately? I haven’t talked to him in a while.”

“Briefly. We talked briefly last week. He’s good, I think. Sounded happy for once. Well, happy in Mallet language.”

I laugh. “I feel you on that.”

“Right? But, no, he’s okay. He finally seems to be coming around again. You can talk to him about things now that don’t always wind up being about the divorce, so that helps.”

I frown.

“But back to you,” she says. “Do you like Megan? Like really like her?”

“Kate, I don’t know. I mean, yes. I do. But I’ve known her for less than a month, and it’s ridiculous that I feel this way. I don’t even know her. I sure as hell don’t know her well enough to wonder if it’s realistic or ludicrous even to consider the shit I’m considering.”

“Only you know the answer to that.”

“Nah, you know. Tell me. Am I being ignorant? I mean, she either leaves in two weeks, and I never see her again.” My stomach clenches . “Or she leaves, and we try some long-distance thing.” That will never work . “Or she leaves, and we see how it goes. Or she stays here and …” I sigh. “ Fuck .”

Kate chuckles softly. “I love seeing you like this.”

“How?”

“I don’t know. Living a life, maybe. Having something for yourself. It’s nice.”

Yeah, it’s nice. For now.

Mom’s voice echoes in the distance.

“I gotta go. I promised Mom pedicures today,” Kate says. “So we’re off to get pampered while Dad golfs. Again.”

“I didn’t even know Dad likes golf.”

“Me either.”

“Okay, well, I’ll talk to you later. Tell Mom I love her.”

“I will. And Chase?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re allowed to have a life. You should have one. Everyone will be better for it—Kennedy included.”

I pause. “But what if it doesn’t work out? What if Kennedy is attached and Megan takes off?”

“Then Kennedy becomes more resilient. You, of all people, know how strong that little girl is. She lost her mother and somehow still became this happy, spirited, tenacious young woman.”

My heart warms. That’s true. She has.

“I think you’re overthinking this a little, Chase.

You’re not giving Kennedy enough credit.

I mean, sure, if things get serious between you and Megan and they don’t work out, Ken might be upset.

But Chase …” She pauses. “What if they work out? I know you, big brother, and you would never even consider letting someone into your life who wasn’t an amazing person.

So if this is even on your radar, that means something.

And maybe it means that Megan could not only be good for you, but she might also be very good for Kennedy. ”

Fuck .

“Kennedy might get heartbroken. But what if you push away a woman who might bring things into her life that you can’t give her? And, Chase?”

“Yeah?”

“Maybe this isn’t just about Kennedy. Maybe you’re afraid of getting your heart broken too.”

What the hell? “I think you just dove into the deep end, Kate.” Or not .

She might be right. Not getting into a relationship is much easier than dealing with the complications of having another person in my life. Am I using Kennedy as an excuse? Not really. She is my main point of concern. But is that also fortuitous? Yes.

She sighs. “I gotta go. Call me anytime but wait a couple of hours first.”

Laughing, I shake my head. “Fine. Thanks, Kate. Love you.”

“Love you, Chase. Bye.”

“Goodbye.”

I end the call and watch my house come into view.

It glows softly in the darkness, light radiating from the kitchen and living room windows. Just knowing Kennedy and Megan are inside makes my entire body warm.

This is what coming home should feel like.

I put the truck in park and cut the engine.

You have time. Just enjoy the next couple of weeks and see what happens.

Trust in yourself.

Megan looks out the kitchen window and grins. I smile back.

All the worry I have when I’m not here is gone as soon as I’m with her.

That has to mean something.