He’d wanted an explanation.

I didn’t think he deserved one.

Since my mind was whirling and not going to let me go back to sleep, I decided to get my lazy ass out of bed. I hadn’t been to the gym in weeks, and the sun was already up anyway.

After a quick cup of coffee, I pulled my hair into a ponytail and threw on some yoga pants and a cropped workout shirt. I grabbed a zip-up sweatshirt from the hall closet before walking out my door.

My eyes darted all over the street before I exited my building. Last night had made me hyperaware of my surroundings. Otherwise I might not have spotted it.

Spotted him.

Sitting on the steps three buildings to my left and across the street was none other than Chase Parker.

He turned his head when he realized I saw him, but I’d know that face anywhere. As soon I started walking toward him, he stood. The air was cold, so I slipped on my sweatshirt as I crossed.

“Chase, what are you doing here?”

“I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I didn’t expect you to come out so early.”

Noticing his clothes were familiar, I was confused. “Have you…been here all night?”

The look on his face answered for him.

“Why?”

“I figured you’d be nervous. Wanted to make sure you didn’t need anything.”

My gut reaction was to snap I’m fine. But he wasn’t wrong, and his actions—no matter how much I disliked him for the way things had ended—were very thoughtful.

So I held back my snark and instead said, “Thank you.”

He nodded, and his eyes dropped to my exposed stomach beneath my unzipped sweatshirt. It was brief, but I caught it, and he knew I’d caught him checking me out.

“Your date left right after the cops.”

“Is that what you were doing? Spying on me? Because you have no right to—”

“That’s not what I was doing. I didn’t want you to be alone. I wanted to be close in case you needed someone.”

I narrowed my eyes at him and was met with sincerity. “Well, again, thank you.”

As much as I wanted to stay, wanted to tell him I didn’t want to be alone, I wanted him to be with me, I knew I needed to go. I looked down at my feet, trying to think of one reason I should stay. Then I made a last ditch effort.

“Why aren’t you the man for me?”

He stared at me and then did what he’d done every time I tried to get the truth. He looked away.

“Have a good day, Chase.” I smiled sadly and walked away from him. Yet again.

***

That night, I was exhausted but still had trouble sleeping. My anxiousness and constant movement had even sent Tallulah off the bed to find elsewhere to sleep. At one point, around two in the morning, I went to make some Chamomile tea and found Ugly Kitty curled up on the windowsill in the kitchen. I lifted her and started to pet her mindlessly while looking outside. I almost dropped her when I saw him. Same spot. He hadn’t been there earlier when I came in from the grocery store. What the hell was he doing?

I turned off the kitchen light and went to grab my phone. Texting in the dark, I watched to see if he would respond.

Reese: What are you doing out there?

Chase reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He looked up, right at my window, and I jumped to the side out of view, sucking in a deep breath as if that would keep him from seeing me. I leaned enough so that one eye could see what he was doing. After a minute, his head bowed, and I looked at my phone to find the little dots jumping around.

Chase: Just keeping my eyes on the place.

Why does he care? One night after a call from the alarm company and knowing my fear, I could understand. But again? It made no sense.

Reese: Why?

I watched as he stared up at the window for a long time before dropping his head down to text.

Chase: Get some sleep. I’ll be here until the sun comes up.

I went back to my room with my ugly cat and slipped under the covers. I plugged in my phone and turned off the light. After a minute, I flicked the light back on and reached for my phone.

Reese: Why aren’t you the man for me?

A minute later my phone pinged.

Chase: Good night, Buttercup.

I slept like a baby after that. It was after eight the next morning by the time my eyes opened. The first thing I did was go to my window. There was an emptiness in my chest when I found the stairs across the street empty.

But I wouldn’t have to wait long for my bodyguard to reappear. He was there the next night when the sun went down. And the night after that, and the night after that, and the night after that.

Each night we’d exchange a text or two. They were even growing friendlier as the days passed. But it always ended the same way…me asking why he wasn’t the man for me. And him not giving me an answer.

After a week, I finally decided I needed answers, and if he wasn’t going to give them to me, I’d get them somewhere else.

Chapter 35

Reese

He cooed up at me with those big chocolaty eyes that both made me melt and broke my heart. Sawyer looked just like his uncle. Well, technically, he looked like his mother. Only his mother was the spitting image of her brother. Needless to say, all three had been blessed by their gene pool.

“He’s absolutely gorgeous, Anna.”

She scooped baby Sawyer from my arms and positioned him to take a bottle. “He looks just like Chase. Let’s hope he gets his uncle’s brains and not his attitude.”

We’d met at a small Greek restaurant within walking distance from Anna and Evan’s apartment. They must have been regulars because the owner took Sawyer from Anna’s arms the minute she walked in and smothered him with kisses. The restaurant also sent over a half-dozen plates of food without our even ordering.

I’d debated whether to reach out to Sam or Anna but ultimately decided on Anna. Sam was locked up like a bank vault when it came to Chase. Between working for him and being Peyton’s best friend, her loyalty ran deep. That’s not to say Anna wasn’t extremely loyal to Chase. However, I had a feeling she’d do what she thought was best for him, no matter what—even if it meant telling a story he might not have wanted to be told.

“I hope you don’t mind my looking you up and calling.”

“Mind? Call me every day. I love this little guy, but I’m starting to talk in baby talk even to adults. I could use an excuse to get out more often, to make me get out of my sweats and wash my hair before eight at night.”