Chapter 3
1805 Words
three
Twyla
Chase fills the doorway of his condo with his mouth hanging open. My brother, Miles, once told me Chase is one of the biggest tight ends in the league and at six foot four, two hundred sixty-five pounds of muscle, I believe him. But that’s not what’s most intimidating about the man—it’s the constant scowl glued on his face whenever he looks at someone and his short, flippant answers on the rare occasion he talks to you.
Still, I’d be lying if I claimed I didn’t have a small crush on the man. It wasn’t anything I worried about before because I was with Mathew and I was only looking. I may have been taken, but I wasn’t dead. Chase truly is the perfect package with his short beard and his trimmed brown hair that’s always lighter on the ends. Add on his stacked frame and deep-brown eyes, and he looks drop-dead sexy in his Kingsmen uniform, but he’s even sexier dressed in regular clothes, like right now.
And I cannot believe he’s my across-the-hall neighbor.
“Hey, Chase.” I smile widely at him since my arms are immobile from holding a box.
He recovers from whatever stupor he’s in, blinking a few times and nodding briskly. “Hey… so you live here now?” He motions toward the door directly across the hall from his.
“For the next few months. I’m condo s***h pet-sitting for a tech guy who’s in Asia for a while.”
The four of us stand awkwardly for a beat, then Brady widens his eyes at Chase.
Chase glances at me as if I’m the last kid waiting to be picked in gym class. “You gonna join us?”
I cringe. “Thing is… my brother doesn’t know yet that I’ve moved here. And I doubt a party is the best place to tell him.”
“Nonsense. Your brother will be excited to see you. Right, Chase?” Violet says.
He clears his throat. “Yeah, sure.”
That isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement. But it would be nice to see everyone after my long trip.
“Okay, I just have to put this in the condo, and then I’ll come over.” I motion with the box toward condo number 3311 behind me.
“Chase can take that box for you so you can open the door. Right, buddy?” Brady claps him on the shoulder, walking past him.
“Last I checked, you had two hands,” Chase mumbles.
“Guest of honor, my friend.” Brady walks into Chase’s condo.
Violet follows her fiancé but glances over her shoulder at us.
“Do you mind?” I ask Chase, lifting the box.
“Here.” He holds out his hands for the box, and I pass it over.
“Thanks.” I fish the key for the condo out of my purse, open the door, and hold it for Chase.
“Nice place.” He walks in and sets the box on an expensive-looking table in the entryway. “It’s really… modern.”
“You’ve never been in here before? I figured you would have since you’re neighbors.”
“I’m not really the neighborly kind of guy. I saw this guy twice, maybe.”
I glance around the stark, gray-on-gray condo filled with modern furniture that looks as comfortable as plastic blow-up furniture. “Yeah, it’s not really my taste, but there are worse places to live for a few months, that’s for sure.”
Chase stiffens and stares at the corner.
“Meow.” The owner’s Persian cat pops around the corner.
I get down on my haunches. “Hey, Kiwi. Come here, sweetie.” I hold my hand out for her to nuzzle, but she goes right over to Chase and weaves through his legs.
Kiwi’s got great taste. Can’t blame her. Given the two of us, I’d choose him too.
Chase looks pale and unsure of what he should do.
“Are you allergic?”
“No,” he bites out.
“Do you just not like animals?” I tilt my head.
“I like animals just fine. Dogs, I get. I grew up with them, see their purpose. What’s the point of these hairballs?”
I gasp and pick up Kiwi, who meows in protest as though she is really enjoying rubbing herself against the big football player. I get it, girl. I wouldn’t mind rubbing myself on him too. “The point is companionship. And cuddles. And every cat is different. They all have their own personalities, just like dogs.” I turn my attention to the white puff ball in my arms. “Don’t you listen to him, Kiwi. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”
“If you say so,” Chase grumbles and glances toward the door as if he’s afraid someone might have locked him in here.
“Thanks for your help. I guess it’s time for me to face the music with Miles.” I bend and set down Kiwi.
She trots away with her chin in the air as though we’ve personally offended her.
Chase holds the door open for me. “Miles likes when you’re here. It’ll be fine.”
“I’m hoping for a better reaction than fine.” I pocket the key and leave my purse on the table beside the box. When I walk past Chase, I inhale a whiff of his cologne and fight the urge to lean in to inhale deeper. Whatever he’s wearing has a fresh outdoorsy scent that perfectly suits him.
I wait for him to let us into his place, and I’m not two steps into the condo before Miles and I spot one another. He’s standing just inside the door with a beer in his hand, talking to a guy who I think is a trainer for the team.
As soon as Miles sees me, he excuses himself from the conversation and walks over to me, arms open. “Twyla? What are you doing here?”
He envelops me in a hug as he always does when we haven’t seen each other in a while.
“Surprise,” I say, pulling away with a big smile.
“I’m so happy you’re here. Did Violet tell you about the party?”
I shake my head. “No, it’s kind of a fluke that I’m here. I have something to tell you.”
His eyes narrow slightly, probably thinking it has something to do with Mathew.
“I had to get away from Connecticut and from everyone giving me sad puppy-dog eyes every time I saw them. I just needed a change. So, I… moved here!”
He doesn’t say anything at first, and I’m unsure if he’s processing the information or if he’s mad. “What about your teaching job?”
“They granted me a leave of absence, given the circumstances. I guess that’s one good thing about your boss being your godfather?” A small chuckle leaves my lips, but not his.
“Oh, well, that’s good. I wish you’d told me though. I would’ve had the house cleaner get the guest room set up for you.”
I wave off his concern. “I won’t be staying with you. I took a job house-sitting for some tech executive.”
He blinks a few times in surprise, then stares for a long stretch. “Seems like you’ve got it all sorted out.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. It was a bit of an impulsive move on my part, and I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about it. I promise I won’t cramp your style while I’m here.”
“Cramp my style? What are you talking about? C’mon, squirt.” He tugs me into him, wrapping his arm around me. “You know I love it when you’re here.”
“Yeah, but a short visit is different than having your little sister around when you’re trying to pick up women and hang out with your friends.” I pull away and gesture around the room.
Miles glances at someone behind me and back at me. “There’s not too much of that going on these days. There’s an epidemic of people falling in love around here.” He laughs, but I wonder if it bugs him.
“I just heard the news!” I turn and Bryce and Shayna are beelining over to me. “Violet just told us you’re here for a while.” Bryce pulls me into a hug.
Then Shayna does the same. “This is so exciting!”
Having a welcome like that from friends I’ve met through my brother feels really good after everything back home.
“We’re gonna have so much fun,” Bryce says, then glances at Miles. “No matter what big bro here says.”
I laugh. One of the draws about moving here was spending more time with Shayna, Bryce, and Violet.
“Big bro says that you’d better not get her into any trouble,” Miles says, looking at Bryce as if he’s a police officer letting her go with a warning.
Bryce rolls her eyes.
“I couldn’t believe it when Violet told us where you’re living. What are the chances?” Shayna shakes her head and smiles, then takes a sip from her Solo cup, eyeing all of us over the rim of her glass.
Creases form on Miles’s forehead. “What does that mean?”
“She lives across the hall from Chase now. Like, right across the hall.” Bryce looks delighted, telling my brother this information.
I don’t know what the deal is with those two. It’s clear neither of them like the other, but they both get off on poking the other.
He looks to me for confirmation, and I nod. “I ran into Brady and Violet in the elevator. That’s how I found out about this party.”
My brother looks as though he doesn’t know how to feel about this development.
“You’re probably really happy, right, Miles? I mean… now Chase can keep a really good eye on your sister. We all know how overprotective you are of her,” Bryce says.
Miles’s jaw clenches.
“Okay, you two, retreat into your separate corners,” Shayna says, clearly seeing, as I am, that Bryce is trying to upset him.
“Are you sure you’re okay with me being here?” I ask Miles, pressing my lips together while I wait for him to answer.
He smiles at me. “Of course I am. It’s gonna be great.”
He pulls me into another side hug, and though I want to believe him, something about his tone rings different.
- Writer
