8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Chase

I knew I shouldn’t be messing with her like that. That I was giving her a hot and cold vibe and there didn’t need to be that.

I did not have feelings for that woman. But that didn’t mean we couldn’t be friends. If that was the road I was going to take, I couldn’t go on being an ass to her.

That was the speech I gave myself as I climbed out of bed this morning, the image of her in the rain clear as day in my mind.

And let me tell you, that image only made me recall another time we were in the rain. Let me say that love making while it’s wet outside, brought a whole new feeling, and I loved it. Very erotic, a must try. But maybe only with someone you really loved.

Anyway, back to the point at hand, can’t be thinking of sexual encounters with this woman or us staying friends won’t work.

I grabbed my jacket and hat, and bounced down the stairs, willing to make a truce with her, until I saw the snow. Those dark clouds that started out as rain blew into a snowstorm.

Well, not ideal, but it’s something I can play with.

With that, I walked off the back porch and made my way to her house, knocking on the front door.

“Chase?” Betty questioned as she opened the front door. Given that it was Sunday, she had the day off and I’m sure it was shocking to see me on her front stoop.

“Hey,” I told her, kissing her cheek, “is B in?”

“Yes. Come on in. She should be down any second.”

“Who’s at the door, Grandma…” she trailed off as she saw me. “Chase, what are you doing here?”

“I wanted to talk. And maybe go for a walk,” I told her, hat in hand and beyond nervous. Which was funny, given how many times I’ve seen this woman naked.

“I’d love to. Be back, Grandma.” She gave the older woman a kiss, grabbed her jacket, and then walked out with me. “Oh, there’s snow.”

“Yeah. Come on,” I told her, taking her hand and then running out into the snow-covered grass, easily kicking it up and laughing.

“Here you two go!” Betty called, setting a thermos on the front porch. Belinda grabbed it, then ran back over, her arm linking around mine.

“So, cocoa, snow, seems like a great time to talk,” she told me, and I grinned.

“It is.” I reached down, easily grabbing some snow and turning it into a snowball. “What happened, Belinda?”

“With what?” I didn’t miss the quick intake of her breath.

Something happened ten years ago, and she still wasn’t ready to open up. Maybe my mom was right, and something did push her out and she wasn’t allowed to discuss it. But what could that have been? Other than those two women, she had no one else. Her dad ran off when she was a baby, and I highly doubt it was because of him.

“Your ex. What’s with the scars?”

“Just jump right in, don’t you?”

“I’m trying to offer the olive branch,” I offered with a smile.

“Accepted.” She lifted up her own snow, but rather than making it into a ball, she just let it flutter through her fingers. “Oliver charmed me. He was a good-looking guy with a nice smile and kind eyes. At first, I didn’t pick up on anything. But I will also admit that my heart was beyond broken and my mind was twisted, so focusing on anything didn’t work.

“He made me feel good. Made me want more. And he offered more. I didn’t have to work in the casinos anymore when I was with him. It was nice. No more assholes, no more smoke. On the flip side, I also had to cater to him, to his demands. And when I failed, I felt his wrath.

“I’m not proud of that time, but I was still so blind and so in pain. Oliver knew something was bothering me, but I never opened up about it. He just dealt with it. Then when he didn’t like something, I learned a lesson.”

“Is that what he called it? Teaching a lesson.”

“Yes. I left when Grandma fell, and I needed to come out to her. He told me, then he beat me when I packed up and made it to the airport. I ended up in the hospital. My mom was torn in two because she couldn’t leave my grandma to come be with me. Not that I would have wanted her too. But it’s when I knew I was done, that I couldn’t keep doing this.

“So, I divorced him. He wasn’t happy, of course. But thanks to his well-groomed circle of friends, I met some nice people who wanted to help me. And then I got my life in order away from him, but the marks were never going to disappear.”

“What had your heart so torn up that you missed everything?” I picked up some more snow, sending it her way, causing her to giggle. Boy was that a sound I missed. It always reminded me of what a fairy would sound like if they got their wings.

“I heard about someone’s marriage when he said he would never do anything like that because it wasn’t me.”

I stared at her, the snow on my fingers falling back to the ground. She heard about me getting married? I mean, sure, small town and gossip, but no one would have told her that so I’m sure it came from her mom. Who probably didn’t think it would gut her.

I know it did because the moment I heard she got married, it gutted me.

“You mean me,” I whispered, watching as she slowly nodded. “Did you also hear how short it was?”

“No, that part got left out.”

“We didn’t even make it a month. I was drunk off my ass and did it on a dare. Belinda, I swear, if I was in my right mindset, I wouldn’t have done it. Lord knows I wouldn’t want to cause you any more pain.”

“Chase, everything happens for a reason. I can’t get mad at you for what happened, we weren’t dating. But it did hurt that you went back on your word, and then to her. Why her?”

“Because I was drunk! Because, when I get that way, I wallow, and lament and the guys hated me for it. So, they said the next female that was walking through the doors was getting my hand in marriage. Even though I knew you were in Tahoe, something inside believed you would be the one walking through them, so I took the dare.”

I watched her, watched as she took in that stupid ass story, before she started laughing.

“Are you shitting me?”

“Nope. Dumbest moment of my life.”

“I’d say, Chase.”

We made it to the barn, and I opened the doors, wanting to check on the horses really quick, before it got colder on them. She walked in after me, her hands holding onto the back of my jacket. I glanced at her, lifting a brow and she shrugged.

The horses stuck their noses over the door, looking for love until they caught her scent. They all snickered and then shied away, causing me to laugh.

I took her hand, bringing her up to my side. It was evident she was scared of them and needed not be.

“They’re reflecting your emotions right now, Belinda. With me, you don’t need to be afraid.” I forgot just how right she felt next to me like this.

“I’m not.”

She didn’t reach her free hand out, so I had to grab it, letting the horse sniff it, who did, only to roll his eyes and shake his head.

“How do you plan on being a rancher’s wife if you don’t like horses, or they don’t like you?”

Her eyes opened wide as she stared at me, the question clicking in my head and causing my breath to get lodged in my chest.