Page 13 of Hard Candy Christmas

Which made it also suck because I couldn’t help but wonder where he got those newfound skills from.

“Better not to know, B,” I muttered to myself as I got dressed for bed. I stared out my window, seeing the edge of the Montgomery house. I wasn’t even sure if Chase still had the same bedroom. “Let it go,” I sang quietly, climbing into bed, letting sleep claim with Chase filled dreams and what could have been.

“How was your date?”

“It was okay, Mom,” I told her, helping her clean up some things before fixing some decorations.

“Just okay? Bo seemed like such a ladies’ man, so I can’t see how the date would just be okay?”

“I mean, he’s a great friend. And maybe it’s something that could happen in the future.” I looked up from the garland I was untangling, feeling a pair of eyes on me. Sure enough, Chase was coming down the stairs.

I hated how quiet he could be. A tool that was great when he was working with the horses, but it always pissed me off because he could so easily scare me.

“Well, I hope, oh! Hi Chase. We didn’t mean to bother you,” my mom said. Chase smiled at her and shook his head.

“Nope, you didn’t. I was done in my office and needed to check some things on the land.” With that, he tipped his hat to her and walked off, not even giving me a glance.

What the hell was that?

He couldn’t even offer me a hello? A hi? Nothing?

That was downright rude after that kiss. And it wasn’t like I had asked him to come find and then to come save me.

“I’ll be right back, Mom.”

“Sure thing, pumpkin.” She didn’t even look up at me as I left.

I ran off the back porch and down the hill, seeing how fast Chase was walking. I glanced up, hearing the rolling of thunder and knew that man would catch a chill for leaving the way he did. I wrapped my sweater tighter around me and ran faster.

“Chase,” I yelled. He turned around, his eyes catching sight of me and his jaw clenched.

“What the fuck are you doing out here, B? Get back inside, before it starts to rain.”

“Where’s your jacket?” I asked.

“I’ll be fine.”

“Don’t be a stubborn mule on my count! Go back inside and get your jacket. You know there’s a storm coming in.”

“The rain doesn’t bother me.”

I raked my eyes over him, then waved my hand.

“You’re in nothing more than a white tee shirt.” I was not about to admit how that looked on him either. What was it about this man that just filled out clothing like they were painted on him.

Because not only was he wearing that damn see through thing, but he also had on a pair of Wranglers that hugged his ass and made me want to groan.

Which I would not do in front of him. He did not need any more power over me, thank you very much.

“Do you need to pick out my clothing as well, Mom?” he taunted, and I wanted to smack him.

“Look, you can be a dick and ignore me, that’s fine. But I refuse to have you get sick and your mom have to add on the worry of taking care of you because you wanted to be a dipshit.”

“I wouldn’t have ignored you if you didn’t open your mouth about the future.”

“Oh my god, Chase. I was getting my mom off my back. All she wants is for me to be happy, you can’t blame her!”

I couldn’t at least. My mom knew all too well how my last few relationships had gone, and she hated it. She didn’t mean to drive the wedge between Chase and me. And in her defense, she did honestly think it was a young love that we would both bounce back from.

---