Page 19 of Tormented Bastard
“Right now, yes. We haven’t branched out just yet.” And if Chase didn’t help me out, we never would. We wouldn’t even be hosting anything in New York. The only thing I’d be planning is my imminent move to a cardboard box on the street corner.
There was a pause in conversation as I looked at what aisle I’d ended up in. Two thoughts crossed my mind at once. One, I knew what I was going to make for dinner. And two, Aubrey may have some info that I really didn’t need but wanted.
“What…um…”Spit it out, Mitchell. You know you want to know.“Does he have a girlfriend?”
Aubrey smiled and looked around before leaning forward. “No, but if he crooked a finger, he’d have most of the women in this store at his doorstep faster than a spreading rash.” She leaned back and looked thoughtful. “There was a girl he hung out with some off and on last year. She was a bartender at The Red Parrot, but it wasn’t serious. She moved to Miami a few months ago.”
“She just up and left? Why?”
Aubrey shrugged. “Not everyone here is a lifer. There’re three kinds of people that live here. Those that were born here and stay, those that were born here but plan to flee the first chance they get, and the ones that visit and never leave. Tess was born here and was ready to explore. Chase came and never left.”
“How do you know it wasn’t serious?”
“Because Chase doesn’t do serious. According to my husband, anyway. Look,”—she leaned forward again—“Chase is a little on the grumpy side, but he’s got a heart of gold. He’s the go-to guy on the island when anyone needs something fixed. And if he can’t do it, he hires the best people who can. He helps coach the high school team and a little league team. The kids and coaches adore him, and the townreallyloves him when the team ends up going to state like they did last year. He may have only lived here for two years, but they’ve embraced him like the prodigal son.” She paused, brow raised. “But then I’m sure you already knew all that.”
Actually, I didn’t know any of that about him. I opened my mouth to ask more questions—questions I really had no business asking—but the man himself walked up. I clamped my mouth shut.
“Hey, Aubrey. How’s it going?”
Aubrey grinned at Chase. “It’s good. Just getting some last-minute supplies. And talking to your friend Eden here.”
He narrowed his eyes on me but didn’t comment. “Are you ready?” He frowned, looking down at the items in the cart. “What are you going to make?”
“Hey, you said to surprise you. So that’s what I’m going to do.”
“Great,nowyou listen to what I say.” He shook his head. But when he turned to Aubrey, he shot her that panty-dropping smile. “Tell CJ I’ll be over to play catch when the storm blows over. And tell your loser husband to stay home with his gorgeous wife. I’ll call him if I need him once everything calms down. And I’m changing the gate code.”
Aubrey chuckled. “Sure, I’ll let him know.” She waved as she pushed her cart down the aisle. “Bye, guys.”
We picked up the rest of the dinner items and made our way to the front of the store, which took longer with all the people stopping to say hello to Chase. Watching him interact with the people of the town, I thought about all the things Aubrey had told me about him. The truth was I didn’t know what had happened to him after the last time we were together. I’d shut him out, mortified by what we’d done and the feelings I still had for him. I couldn’t be abandoned again, so I had bailed first.
At the register, the cashier chatted like there wasn’t a raging storm about to hit, and when it came time to pay, I handed over my card.
“No way, Mitchell.” Chase pushed my hand away out of the cashier’s reach.
“It’s the least I can do.” I pushed back, trying to reach around him and hand the girl my card.
“Put it on my account, please.” Chase smiled at the girl, who nodded and blushed.
“Yes, Mr. Hanover.” She pushed a couple of buttons on the computerized screen, and I swear she had hearts in her eyes.
I rolled mine and stuffed my card back into my wallet. “You don’t play fair, Chase.”
“We can agree on that, at least,” he replied, putting the bags into the shopping cart.
As we loaded groceries into the back seat of Chase’s truck, Aubrey walked by and stopped with a smile. “It was nice to meet you, Eden. Maybe once the storm blows over, you can come over for dinner or drinks.”
“It was nice to meet you as well. But I’m headed back to New York as soon as they open the bridge.”
She nodded, but her smile dropped a bit. “Okay, well, maybe next time. Be safe.”
As she started to walk away, I thought of something. “Hey, Aubrey.”
She stopped and looked back. “Yeah?”
“Where were you headed on your road trip?”
“I was headed for my new life in California. Met the man of my dreams in Nebraska.” Her smile was wistful.
“Nebraska?”
Her smile grew. “Life’s funny, Eden. You just never know where you’re going to end up.”
