For now, he may have sucked me into his ocean of crazy, but I’m thoroughly confident I won’t drown in the undertow.
Chapter Seventeen
Mallory
“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” I ask Chaser one last time, as we head up Audrey’s front sidewalk.
He closes his red-rimmed eyes and tips his head back to soak up the last rays of sunshine. “It’s good to be out. I could use a quiet night for once.”
“You and Andrew have been working hard.”
Chaser grunts in response.
“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather have more rehearsal time?”
“Yes.” His patience seems thin, and the evening hasn’t even started.
The hurt on my face must be evident because he stops and brushes his knuckles against my cheek. “All I’ve been doing is worrying about the Shooting Fences gigs. A night off with non-musicians is a welcome relief.”
I lean up and kiss his cheek. “Thank you.”
“Nice place.” He scans the quiet, narrow street. “I get so turned around in the Hills, but I think Andrew’s house is a few streets above here.”
“Yikes.” I pull a wide-eyed silly face. “He’s not going to pop out of the bushes in his leather thong, is he?” I duck down, pretending to search under the ornamental shrubs decorating the walkway.
He actually chuckles. “Why else do you think I pulled my bike up to the garage, where it can’t be seen from the road?”
“Good thinking.”
“Come here.” He curls his arm around my shoulders and pulls me in close. “I’m sorry I’ve been a moody prick lately.”
“I know you’re stressed. I only want to help.”
“You already do. More than you know.” He leans down to brush his lips against mine.
“I have a guest room if you’d rather not go at it on my sidewalk,” Audrey calls out, putting an end to our make-out session.
“We’re coming.” I pull the bottle of wine out of my purse. “We have gifts too.”
“Hey.” Audrey hugs me when I reach her. “Long time, girl.”
“Things have been nuts.” It’s still no excuse for not visiting Audrey.
“Hey, Chaser.” After accepting a quick hug from him, she takes a few steps back and reaches for the older distinguished gentleman at her side. “This is my…this is Doug.”
“Hi, I’ve heard such nice things about you,” I gush, shaking his hand.
“Same.” He shines a genuine, warm smile at Chaser and me.
“Nice to meet you.” Chaser shakes his hand quickly.
“Let me take that.” Audrey grabs the bottle out of my hands and scurries off to the kitchen. “Dinner’s almost ready. Will you help me set the table, Mallory?”
“Sure.”
I thought Chaser would be uncomfortable. I can’t imagine he has a lot to talk about with a forty-something real estate tycoon, but he settles into one of the dining room chairs to discuss football with Doug.
“I didn’t know Chaser knew anything about football,” I whisper to Audrey as we watch them from the kitchen.
“All men do.” She waves one hand at them. “It’s like a secret language so they always have something to talk about when they congregate somewhere.”
I chuckle and follow her into the dining room. The evening flows naturally. Audrey’s lasagna is to die for and reminds me of how infrequently I bother to cook anymore.
“Chaser’s band is opening for Shooting Fences at the Coliseum,” Audrey announces. “This weekend, right?”
Chaser nods like it’s no big deal. “Three shows.”
“I heard they sold out fast,” Doug says.
Too humble to brag about the sold-out shows, Chaser shrugs. “I can get you tickets if you want to go.”
Audrey and Doug share such a couple-y look that my heart does a happy tap dance. “That would be wonderful,” Doug says. “If it’s not too much trouble.”
“Saturday?” Chaser grins. “Let us get one show under our belts before you see us.”
“That works.”
“The band’s staying at the Golden Sands, next to the arena for the weekend. Maybe we can meet for lunch and I’ll get you set up with tickets and passes.”
“Sure.”
“This is huge, Chaser.” Audrey tips her wineglass in his direction. “I think the first time I saw Kickstart play was in front of maybe fifteen people.”
He chuckles. “That seems like a lifetime ago.”
The rest of the evening is quiet and pleasant. A far cry from the usual chaos that always seems to invade our lives these days. It makes me long for a fraction of the slice of peace Audrey seems to have carved out for herself.
It’s still early when we leave her house.
“You want to go down to the beach?” Chaser asks.
“That sounds perfect.” Anything to avoid going back to our noisy, smelly apartment for a little longer.
Since there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than the back of Chaser’s bike, the traffic doesn’t bother me as much as it usually would. Eventually, we wind our way down a secluded lane that opens up to a rocky beach.
Chaser stops the bike next to a cluster of trees. The crashing ocean replaces the rumble of the engine. I tilt my head back and inhale the salty night air.