“You’ve been staring at the same damn screen for twenty minutes.” Nate smirked, nodding at the neglected coffee. “Who’s the girl?”
Chase exhaled sharply, rubbing his hand down his face. “What makes you think it’s a girl?”
Nate scoffed. “Because I’ve known you for years. You don’t get this distracted unless it involves baseball or a woman. And last I checked, you weren’t swinging a bat this morning.”
Chase rolled his eyes, but the corner of his mouth twitched. “You’re an idiot.”
“Sure am.” Nate pushed off the doorframe, stepping further inside. “But I’m right, aren’t I?”
Chase hesitated. Then, with a heavy sigh, he leaned back in his chair, his fingers drumming against the desk. “Yeah. Yeah, You are.”
Nate whistled low, dropping into the chair across from him. “Damn. It’s that serious?”
Chase didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he let his gaze drop to his phone again, to the words that had been on repeat in his mind since the moment he read them.
It always been serious.
Even when she left. Even when he convinced himself to move on.
Even when he knew deep down—there was never going to be another Savannah Monroe.
Nate studied him, rubbing his jaw. “You look wrecked, man.”
Chase smirked, shaking his head. “You have no idea.”
Nate laughed. “Oh, I think I do. That’s the look of a man who had the night of his life, but somehow didn’t get laid.”
Chase huffed out a laugh, shaking his head. “You’re not wrong.”
Nate blinked. “Wait. Seriously?” He leaned in, eyes wide. “You had her in your arms, you wanted her, she wanted you, and you didn’t—” He stopped, shaking his head like he was personally offended. “Who the fuck are you?”
Chase let out a dry laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “Trust me, I wanted to. More than I can even explain.” His jaw tightened. “But she’s not just anyone.”
Nate studied him for a beat, then let out a low whistle. “Shit.” He leaned back, crossing his arms. “Well, I’ll be damned. The Chase Montgomery I know would’ve never had that much self-control.”
Chase smirked, shaking his head. “Yeah, well… this isn’t just about me.” His voice dropped slightly, his expression softening. “She deserves more than that.”
Nate let out a slow breath, nodding in understanding. “Damn, man. You’ve got it bad.”
Chase didn’t even bother denying it.
Nate laughed, shaking his head as he pushed up from his chair. “Well, whoever she is, she’s got you all twisted up. And honestly? I like seeing you like this. It’s entertaining as hell.”
Chase shot him a dry look. “Get the fuck out of my office!”
Nate grinned, backing toward the door. “Fine, fine. But if you start writing poetry in that damn notebook of yours, I need to be the first to mock you for it.”
Chase groaned. “I don’t write poetry.”
Nate snorted. “Sure, you don’t.”
With a heckle, he disappeared down the hall, leaving Chase alone once again.
As soon as the office was quiet, Chase let out a slow breath, his gaze dropping back to his phone, his fingers hovering over the keyboard.
He wanted to text her. Needed to. Wanted to hear her voice, see her, touch her.
But he told her to wait.
