Page 24 of Her Rock Star's Dark Secret

“You need to call them and cancel the order.”

“No way. That’s my bed for the rest of the week.”

Alexis crossed her arms and gave him a dirty look.

“So technically, it’s my couch, you see?”

She gave an exasperated sigh.

“I’d just appreciate it if you took good care of it for me for the next time I want to come crash at your place.”

“You are ridiculous. I hope you realize that.” Alexis stood up and began pacing the room. “What time is Owen supposed to get here?”

“In about an hour.”

Alexis checked her watch. “I have to go get ready.” Without another word, she went into her bedroom and shut the door. Chase laughed to himself. She really was ridiculous.

A knock sounded on the front door of the apartment. Chase glanced out the window to see a big truck in the back parking lot. Awesome. The couch had finally arrived. “The couch is here, Alexis,” he called over his shoulder. He went to get the door, and within a few minutes Alexis’s old couch had been replaced with a new one. But Alexis still hadn’t come out of her bedroom.

Chase made himself comfortable on the couch and pulled out his phone. Finally, Alexis came out with her hair and makeup done and a dressy tank top on with her skinny jeans. When her eyes hit the couch, they widened.

“Chase! This couch is gorgeous. I can’t believe you got this for me.”

“I didn’t. I got it for me. We’ve already established this.”

She smacked him on the shoulder and ran her hand over the soft velour fabric. “Ooh! It’s fancy. I can’t tell you how much I love this. And this shade of blue. I didn’t even know they made couches like this.”

“I’ve been in a lot of celebrity homes.” Chase shrugged. “I’ve seen a lot of similar couches. Are you going to sit on it or just look at it?”

Alexis sat on the couch, still running her hands over the fabric. “This couch must have cost a fortune.”

“Not really. It was a small-town furniture store. This is a knockoff of a designer couch, so this one was inexpensive. But it’s comfortable, and that’s what matters.”

“How did you know I’d love a couch like this?”

“I’ve decorated my entire house on my own. I’ve developed an eye for what looks good in a room. And I took notice of how you decorated your shop and the shade of blue you’ve used to decorate in here already. It wasn’t too hard to figure out what you’d like.”

“You’re a genius!” Alexis said.

“But remember. It’s my couch. You have to take good care of it for me,” Chase teased. “I can’t pretend to be noble about this. I bought this for selfish reasons. I was tired of springs digging into my back and waking up with a terrible backache.”

“Oh. I didn’t think about that. I forgot how uncomfortable that other couch was.”

“Well, it’s gone now. Unless you want them to bring it back so you can still return this one as you suggested earlier. I can call them and get them to hold it for after I’ve left.”

“Very funny. The blue couch is staying. But don’t get any big ideas about buying me anything else.”

“I told you. This couch is not for you. I bought it strictly for selfish reasons.”

Another knock sounded on the front door, and Chase said, “Great. That must be Owen.”

Panic flew across Alexis’s face. “I still can’t believe you invited him to my shabby little apartment.”

“Owen grew up in an apartment much shabbier than this one, believe me. He won’t mind. And your place isn’t shabby,” Chase said, going to the door since Alexis seemed to be glued to the spot. “It’s cozy and has a brand-new couch fit for a celebrity to sleep on.”

He opened the door and saw Lauren standing there with Penny. “Hey, Chase. Penny was bored, and she wanted to come say hi.”

He crouched down to her level. “Hi, Penny. Do you want to see the new couch?”

---