Read Online Crazy Love - Krista & Chase by Melanie Shawn - Free Book Online Page B

remembered his teddy bear. Bear had a ratty, disfigured bear that he’d had with him when Abby had adopted him from the shelter and brought home. Bear slept with it every night. It was missing one eye, its button nose, and even a limb. Krista and Abby both had bought Bear other stuffed animals in hopes of replacing Teddy—what they’d named it because calling them both Bear was confusing—but Bear wanted no part of them. The dog was nothing if not loyal.
    So here she was, in the middle of the night, in her pajamas, headed across town to get Teddy. She had to be up at five a.m., so she was hoping against hope, crossing her fingers, legs, eyes, toes— anything she could cross—that once Bear had his beloved stuffed animal she could get a few hours of blessed sleep. Her plan had been to start getting up an hour early and head down to the track at the high school to run before work. That plan was not going to happen today. It would have to wait for a time when she got more than four hours of sleep in a forty-eight-hour period.
    In a sleepy haze, she pulled up in front of the house and got out of her car. Her slippers swooshed along the concrete as she made her way up the driveway. Her arm felt weak as she lifted it over her head to reach the spare key. Her heavy lids fell shut as she pushed the key in the lock and turned. Krista had never liked the saying ‘dead on your feet.’ It just sounded so morbid. But right now, that was precisely how she felt.
    As she stepped into the house, her eyes popped open as the pungent scent of lemon stung her nostrils. Holy cow ! Someone had gone a little crazy with the cleaning products.
    Even though the only source of illumination in the front room and dining area was the moonlight slipping in between the shades, Krista could see that the place was immaculate. Confusion swept over her as she took a few steps and peered around the wall to the kitchen. Not a single dish was in the sink. The counters were clean and the floors looked freshly mopped. Had Abby finally used the coupon Krista had given her for the Merry Maid service? Krista hadn’t seen the house look this clean since Chase had lived here.
    Wait… Oh no!
    There was no way Chase would be here, in this house. Right? He wouldn’t stay here. He hated this house. He had to be staying at a hotel or the B&B. Why on earth would he be here?!
    At the thought that Chase might actually be just down the hall, Krista’s heart rate sped up so fast she was worried it was going to pump so much blood through it that it would explode. She froze, not sure what she should do.
    Leave. She needed to go. Get out of here.
    Her eyes darted to the front door. She was sure she could take the few steps needed to get out of here and Chase would be none the wiser. As she pivoted on her heels, her slippers easily turned on the sleek tile flooring.
    A thought stopped her before she moved even one inch towards the door. More of a realization really. It dawned on her that she was being totally ridiculous. Whether or not Chase was here didn’t change the fact that she needed to get Teddy so that she could get some sleep tonight.
    Instead of trying to escape, she decided to behave like the adult she was and headed towards Abby’s room to retrieve the stuffed animal, shaking her head at her own juvenile reaction to the possibility that Chase was here. His return had definitely sent her into a tailspin. She’d been upside down and out of sorts all day—which was beyond irritating to say the least.
    Off balance was so not Krista’s style. She was proactive not reactive. It wasn’t very often that life came in and threw her for a loop, but when it did, she spun with it and did the hula. This whole oh-my-god-I-can’t-believe-he’s-back fog she’d been wandering around in all day was about to be cleared the hell up.
    He was back. So what? That changed absolutely zero about her life. Her real life at least. Her dream life and fantasy life had already become