a part of the FBI has somehow managed to boost his ego, even though my mother tells me he’s always been this way. His mood seems lighter, and as I gaze around the room looking for Chase I notice he’s still missing, but Taylor is sitting at the island next to my mom and Chance across from them. I wipe my hands on my shorts, feeling as if everyone in the room knows my secret as my dad goes to stand behind my mother’s chair.
“Well,” before I can finish my thought Chase comes up behind me, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. The feeling is nice, his body is rigid against my own, but the gesture is stiff, telling me he’s not yet comfortable with the display of affection he is showing me in front of my parents.
“I’m sorry that we met under such crazy circumstances, but I’m Chase Winchester.” He greets my parents the proper way they should be greeted, all while pulling me in tighter to his side. I can feel my chest filling with anxiety as I try to figure out my parent’s straight faces.
“Gia never told us she had a boyfriend.” My father narrows his eyes at Chase. I can tell he doesn’t believe either of us and that in order to pull this off, we had to give him more than that.
“Gia and I have known one another a long time. Our friendship finally grew into something more. It’s a whole new ballpark for the two of us now.” He grins down at me and then to my parents. My stomach feels like it’s on a swaying boat that’s never going to meet the shore.
Silence settles into the room and I wonder if anyone believes the pathetic story we’re telling. Suddenly, my father is moving across the room and not stopping until he’s less than a foot away from Chase’s face. I gauge everyone’s expressions of shock and dismay but see no fear in Chase’s eyes.
My father leans into Chase, and I wonder what’s being said because I can’t hear one single word. His grip on my arm goes slack, his eyes grow large, and a smile forms on his face. This time it’s a real smile, and not one of the fake ones he usually gives.
“Understood?’’ My father questions as he pulls away.
“Got it, sir,” Chase responds, not pissing his pants from the threat I’m sure my dad just gave him.
“I can’t wait to spend more time with all of you, but unfortunately I was only able to get enough time off for the evening, and I wanted to see if Gia wanted to come out to dinner with her mother and I.” He addresses everyone the same way he would his team. I pull away from Chase knowing that things between us have already gone too far. I can’t stand to be this close to him and know that he’s angry because this is nothing more than a show we are putting on.
“I’m ready whenever you are.” I perk up, grabbing my purse from the counter. I catch the look on Taylor’s face, which tells me we are going to have a girl’s night tonight and it won’t be an easy one with all the secrets I have to spill.
My parents say their goodbyes and my dad even gives Chase a hug.
Maybe, just maybe lying wasn’t the right thing to do. Before I fuck things up anymore, I head for the door saying my own goodbyes and closing it.
Just like I should’ve done before.
Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice, shame on me.
The shit storm I had decided to stir with Gia King was all my own. Did I have to agree with her, did I have to pretend to be something that I actually wanted to be? You know what was worse? The fact that she didn’t even care that I wasn’t okay with it, or at least she didn’t show it. I didn’t want anything with her to be fake. Which lead me to where I was right this second, with a bottle of whiskey in my hand as I sat in the backyard by the pool. I couldn’t handle being around her, it caused my blood to boil. I wanted to fuck her against the wall and shake her to death at the same time.
“Thank you, for everything…” I can still remember her soft voice from that day her parents caught us when
“Well,” before I can finish my thought Chase comes up behind me, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. The feeling is nice, his body is rigid against my own, but the gesture is stiff, telling me he’s not yet comfortable with the display of affection he is showing me in front of my parents.
“I’m sorry that we met under such crazy circumstances, but I’m Chase Winchester.” He greets my parents the proper way they should be greeted, all while pulling me in tighter to his side. I can feel my chest filling with anxiety as I try to figure out my parent’s straight faces.
“Gia never told us she had a boyfriend.” My father narrows his eyes at Chase. I can tell he doesn’t believe either of us and that in order to pull this off, we had to give him more than that.
“Gia and I have known one another a long time. Our friendship finally grew into something more. It’s a whole new ballpark for the two of us now.” He grins down at me and then to my parents. My stomach feels like it’s on a swaying boat that’s never going to meet the shore.
Silence settles into the room and I wonder if anyone believes the pathetic story we’re telling. Suddenly, my father is moving across the room and not stopping until he’s less than a foot away from Chase’s face. I gauge everyone’s expressions of shock and dismay but see no fear in Chase’s eyes.
My father leans into Chase, and I wonder what’s being said because I can’t hear one single word. His grip on my arm goes slack, his eyes grow large, and a smile forms on his face. This time it’s a real smile, and not one of the fake ones he usually gives.
“Understood?’’ My father questions as he pulls away.
“Got it, sir,” Chase responds, not pissing his pants from the threat I’m sure my dad just gave him.
“I can’t wait to spend more time with all of you, but unfortunately I was only able to get enough time off for the evening, and I wanted to see if Gia wanted to come out to dinner with her mother and I.” He addresses everyone the same way he would his team. I pull away from Chase knowing that things between us have already gone too far. I can’t stand to be this close to him and know that he’s angry because this is nothing more than a show we are putting on.
“I’m ready whenever you are.” I perk up, grabbing my purse from the counter. I catch the look on Taylor’s face, which tells me we are going to have a girl’s night tonight and it won’t be an easy one with all the secrets I have to spill.
My parents say their goodbyes and my dad even gives Chase a hug.
Maybe, just maybe lying wasn’t the right thing to do. Before I fuck things up anymore, I head for the door saying my own goodbyes and closing it.
Just like I should’ve done before.
Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice, shame on me.
The shit storm I had decided to stir with Gia King was all my own. Did I have to agree with her, did I have to pretend to be something that I actually wanted to be? You know what was worse? The fact that she didn’t even care that I wasn’t okay with it, or at least she didn’t show it. I didn’t want anything with her to be fake. Which lead me to where I was right this second, with a bottle of whiskey in my hand as I sat in the backyard by the pool. I couldn’t handle being around her, it caused my blood to boil. I wanted to fuck her against the wall and shake her to death at the same time.
“Thank you, for everything…” I can still remember her soft voice from that day her parents caught us when
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