“You need a little oil to grease the hinges, then, eh?” Rory teased.
Blakely waved him off, heading after Kaplan, and all eyes turned to Chase.
He hesitated, just for a second. “I’ve got an early wake-up call, bud.”
Axel frowned. “How early?”
“Planning to leave around four thirty. Need to be back in Calgary by the afternoon.”
Right. He hadn’t come on the bus with us. My chest seemed to hollow out.
We hadn’t made a plan—I hadn’tsaidanything—but I’d been thinking about going up to his room tonight. I’d imagined, actually fantasized, about his hand tracing lazy lines on my skin. About his voice in the dark. But if he was leaving that early, maybe that wasn’t what he wanted. Then Chase looked over before clearing his throat, “I’m mostly packed. Should have plenty of time for a good sleep.”
My heart sped. Plenty of time.
I tucked my hands into my coat pockets and tried not to smile like an idiot.
“Next time, then,” Rory said with a grin, slapping Chase on the back.
He grinned. “Good game out there, boys.”
As he walked to the shuttle, I turned to Shar. “I think I’m going to head back.”
She tried to keep a serious expression but failed miserably. “You seemed really tired during the game.”
“Yeah. Exhausted.”
Rob scoffed. “Wait, you’re not coming out?”
Axel threw up his hands. “Maddie girl?—”
Shar threw up her hands and silenced them. “Nope! You will not pressure her. She’s been helping you all weekend and deserves to cozy up and relax.”
Axel grunted. “But we were going to do Endless Love.”
“I’ll do it with you, bud.” Rory sidled up next to him, pulling the blonde he’d just met along with him.
They were going to have a blast, no doubt. But I already knew where I was going.
And for the first time I could remember, I didn’t overthink it.
Chapter
Nineteen
I insertedthe key in the slot, but before I could reach for the handle, the door cracked open. Chase stood there, backlit by the soft lamplight, wearing grey sweats and a black T-shirt that clung to his chest.
“Do you just stand there, watching through the peephole?”
He grinned. “Hi.”
“Hi.” My nerves melted as I walked in, and Chase leaned in, dropping a kiss on my cheek.
Ugh. How did he do this to me so effortlessly? “That was nice.”
“I liked it.” He brushed his hand over my lower back as I slipped off my shoes.
The room was tidy. His bag was zipped and leaning against the dresser, his jacket folded on the desk chair. I tugged off my coat and draped it over the armchair then unhooked my purse and set it carefully beside it.