“The park was fun. We fed the ducks.”
Alexis rolled her eyes. “That’s all you’re going to give me? Come on! I need details!”
“Details. Hmmm,” Chase said. “Well, Lauren had on black workout clothes, and her hair pulled back in a ponytail.”
“Not like that,” Alexis complained. “The juicy stuff! Like, did you kiss her? Do you think she’s into you?”
“No. I didn’t kiss her. Her daughter was with us then entire time.”
“So, you’re saying you would have kissed her if her daughter hadn’t been there?”
“No! I’m not saying that. I think Lauren hates me anyway. I’m fairly sure kissing was the last thing on her mind.” Although, she did look fantastic in her workout gear. Lauren was completely in shape, a detail he hadn’t missed.
“Lauren doesn’t hate you. How could anyone hate you? You’re Chase Remington.”
“I don’t seem to remember that giving me a free pass with Mom and Dad.”
“Dad’s just a stubborn, traditional old guy who needs to learn that not everyone follows the same path in life. Just because you skipped college and didn’t go to law school like he wanted doesn’t mean that you did anything wrong. He just has this idea ingrained in his head of the ‘correct’ path, and he has trouble seeing anything else.”
“Well, I was too stubborn for that. Or the songs in my head were too stubborn. I had to make my music, and there was nothing I could do or say to get them to understand that.”
“I know. I tried to talk to them too.”
“I tried texting them right after I got my recording contract with the big-time label, but neither of them responded.”
“I remember that. I responded to you. I was crazy proud of you. They were too. They were also just too proud to speak to you.”
“I haven’t spoken to them since. I’m still too angry.”
“They haven’t really changed at all.” Alexis looked sad as she said it.
And that was why he didn’t even want to try to reach out to them while he was on this trip.
He passed the steaming cup of coffee to Alexis and set his own mug next to hers. He scraped the eggs onto two separate plates and set them on the table.
“You made me breakfast? I think I really am in heaven.”
“Don’t get your hopes up. It’s not that fantastic.”
Alexis scooped up some of the scrambled eggs and tasted them. “These are great,” she said, brightening. “Who knew you were such a great cook? I would have thought you had a private chef or something.”
Chase laughed. “I don’t have a private chef. I cook my own food.”
“I would have at least thought you survived off of take-out,” Alexis said.
“Nah, I would put on too much weight if I ate take-out all the time. I like to know everything I’m putting in my body. My manager is strict about my diet. My image sells my music sometimes too.”
“That sounds rough,” Alexis said. “I hadn’t thought about how hard it must be to live in the spotlight so much.”
“It’s not that bad most of the time. I don’t really do too much to get negative attention from the media.”
“So you’re boring,” Alexis said.
“Yes, I’m boring. And I hope to become even more boring.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I’m looking to settle down. I’m tired of parties and fake friendships. I think I’ve outgrown it.”