Page 10 of Chasing After You
Still, he never apologized. Just pointed out there was more where that came from if I ever did to Nessa what that asshole did to Roni.
“Nessa’s not worth taking another hit for?” he teases.
“Of course, she is.” Even at sixteen, I knew I’d be willing to go round after round with Vale the rest of my life if I had to. “Fuck. This whole plan has just gone completely off the rails. But I can’t scrap it, full force ahead is all I got. Especially if there’s a new guy. A new guy could mean I’m on the verge of losing her for good. And I can’t just let that happen without first giving it all I’ve got.”
“Good. So, now what?”
Right. I’m glad he asked.
“So, now I need everyone to get on a plane and come to Hawaii so that the bullshit that came out of my mouth when Istood face to face with my ex-wife’s date and she asked me why I was there, is no longer bullshit but actually true.” Ness will still know it’s bullshit, but the others won’t. And more importantly, she won’t be able to prove it one way or the other. At least until I admit it as part of my big ‘I’m here to get you back’ move.
Knox lets out a laugh. “You’re joking.”
“I’m definitely not.” I lock eyes with the first person I see working the front desk and start making a beeline toward her. “I’m booking us a cabin as we speak. Start packing. And do me a favor, call Cass and Jason while I get things set up on this end.” Then I hang up and greet the woman who’s been staring at me ever since I walked in the doors. “Good afternoon. I’d like to book a cabin for the week.”
“I’m afraid all of our Frontier Family Lodges are booked,” she apologizes, gaze moving to the computer screen in front of her as she types away. Meanwhile, my eyes catch on her name tag and I make a mental note of it.Renee. If she’s going to be the only person I know here outside of my ex-wife, her date, and my ex-in-laws, I can’t keep calling this girl the woman behind the counter.
“The Cowboy Camp Cabin is available,” Renee says after a moment of searching her database, “but it’s usually better suited for company retreats and family reunions. It’s quite large.”
“I’ll take it.” Hell, a lot of space might make up for the fact I’m forcing everyone back under one roof during the brief reprieve we get from each other’s otherwise non-stop company. “Could you also direct me to the nearest western wear store?” I ask, handing her my credit card and driver’s license. “I seem to have forgotten to pack some essentials.” It really doesn’t pay to assume. If it did, my bag of board shorts and t-shirts wouldn’t be entirely useless right now.
“Oh my God,” Renee gasps staring at my ID. “I was right. I thought I was crazy, but I wasn’t,” she rattles on for a secondbefore she gets around to spitting it out. “You really are Matti Benning from The Wilds.” She shakes her head, staring at me in a mix of delight and disbelief. “You play bass for Knox Marley.”
“I like to think I play with him, not for him, but sure,” I nod, smiling, “that’s me.”
“Would it be totally inappropriate to ask you for a selfie?” She bites her lip nervously. Of course it’s inappropriate. It’s also a totally normal request and one I’m always happy to oblige.
“If you wait a day, you’ll get the whole band,” I tell her, grinning in anticipation of what her reaction will be. I’m not disappointed.
“Seriously?” Her eyes look like they may bug out of her head and she starts jumping up and down with excitement, clapping her hands as she does. Two seconds into her happy dance, her supervisor steps out from the office, casting a curious but stern glare in her direction. Renee quickly settles herself.
“I mean,” she clears her throat, finding her casual, business-as-usual voice again, “the whole band would obviously be even better. Thank you.” She hands me back my credit card and driver’s license. “As for your interest in shopping, we have a gift shop on the property I think will provide what you’re looking for.”
“Perfect, thank you.” I smile back at her and slowly manage to settle my breathing and relax. From here on out the conversation is just formalities. Renee informs me of all I’ll need to know while I’m a guest and that already makes it the best chat I’ve had with anyone since arriving in Hawaii.
NESSA
“Did you know he was going to be here?” Judging by the way she jabs her finger in my direction, then retracts it andfrowns, Tori can’t seem to decide between feeling accusatory or concerned. And wait, something else. Is that...joy?
“Of course not.” I turn away from her and start for the kitchen. All of these surprises are exhausting. I can’t even begin to try and decipher her motives right now. I need fuel. Preferably in the form of chocolate. “If you recall, I wasn’t expectinganymen to join us here.” And so far, the only one I’m not pissed to see here on my vacation, is Vale.
“Well,” Roni cuts in, apparently following me into the kitchen. I turn around to find Tori isn’t far behind either. Can’t say I’m surprised to find I have an entourage, let alone one I’m actually trying to get away from. “If you knew Matti was going to be here, it would explain why you were sort of apprehensive about Oliver.”
“I was apprehensive about Oliver because I never met him prior to being told I was going on a couples vacation with him. While already on said couples vacation with him,” I hiss, doing my best to keep this conversation private in a house full of people. Not that I’ll have much reason to bother at the rate we’re going. Anna just walked into the kitchen as well.
“Am I crazy, or is it the wildest coincidence ever that Matti is here too?”
“You’re not crazy,” I inform her. Though I might be. It’s starting to seem like the only reasonable explanation for being here and putting up with all of this. “It is wild. And weird. And fucking bizarre, but it is just a coincidence. Obviously. Why else would the whole band be coming here?”
Despite having been related to the man through marriage and having mixed and mingled with every member of The Wilds, including Knox, countless times over the years, Anna hasn’t ever managed to shake her inner fangirl where my rock star ex and his fellow rock stars are concerned. “The whole band?” Her eyes light up. “I missed that part. You think we’ll end up crossingpaths with them?” She takes a step closer. “Oh, maybe they’ll play for us around the campfire while they’re here. Can you imagine?”
“Can I imagine Matti and the guys playing and singing around a campfire?” I repeat back the scenario to her. “Kind of like they used to every time we had a bonfire in our backyard when Matti and I were still married? Yeah.” I nod, bugging my eyes out at her. “I can imagine it.”
“I still think it’s a little too odd to be a coincidence, them being here the same time we are,” Roni insists.
Of course, it is. But until I know why and what Matti’s up to, I’m not saying so.
“Isn’t Matti scared of horses?” Tori’s clearly intent on poking holes in his story as well.
