Nate:You comin’ to Low-Tide or what?
Chase exhaled slowly, staring at the screen for a long moment before finally typing back.
Chase:Yeah. I’ll be there.
It was time.
The Return
Chase pulled on distressed-washed jeans, a black Henley that stretched across his broad frame just right, his worn ball cap, and his boots. Clean, freshly trimmed, and finally feeling like himself again, he grabbed his keys and stepped out the door.
By the time he pushed open the heavy doors of Low-Tide Tavern, he could already tell—
The tide was shifting.
The familiar scent of whiskey and fried food wrapped around him, the low hum of country music playing over the speakers blending with the loud, laughter-filled atmosphere.
And then?
He felt it.
The stares.
Not just from Nate, who was grinning like the bastard he was from across the bar. But from everyone else. Women. Friends. Locals who had watched him walk around like a damn ghost for the past two months.
They noticed.
They noticed the way he smiled. The way he laughed when Nate clapped him on the shoulder, already handing him a beer. The way he talked—really talked—without feeling like he was carrying the weight of the fucking world on his back.
And the women?
Damn if they didn’t notice. One by one, they came up to him. Some brave enough to flirt outright. Some testing the waters, lingering close, hoping to be the one he set his sights on.
And for the first time in months?
He flirted back.
He talked, laughed, played the part. He even danced with a few of them—briefly, casually, harmlessly.
And then?
Then trouble walked in.
Jenna.
Fucking Jenna.
She didn’t hesitate. Didn’t even pretend like she hadn’t seen him. No, she marched right up to him like she had been waiting for this moment.
Tight jeans. Red halter top. Heels that made her legs look longer than they already were.
"Well, well, well," she purred, running a manicured nail down his arm. "Looks like the real Chase Montgomery is finally back."
Chase chuckled, tipping his beer to his lips. "Didn’t know I ever left."
Jenna smirked. "Oh, sweetheart, you left. But I’d say you’ve officially made your return."
Nate snorted from beside him, enjoying the show way too much.
