“What is the plan, exactly?” With Marc no longer blocking the door with his linebacker frame, Chase was able to scan the chaos inside. Beth held her granddaughter on one hip as she carried a breadbasket to the table, shouting at Cody to grab the plates and silverware. Jerry sat in his favorite recliner, head ducked behind the paper as long as he could get away with it.Some things never change.
“You’ll just have to trust me.”
Another scan, and he still didn’t find Laurel.
“She’s downstairs,” Haylee said, tugging Chase inside. “C’mon.”
“Chase,” Beth said, finally seeing him. “What a surprise.”
“Mom, I invited him, okay? Everyone needs to be nice.”
Beth’s concerned expression at that tidbit forced Chase to clear the air. The last thing he needed was any of the Evans who already considered him the bad guy to think he was preying on the youngest sister. “I’m still in love with Laurel, just to be clear.” He held out the bag to Haylee. “I brought some wine.”
“And my cookies! You’re the best, Chase.” She carried the bag into the kitchen, leaving him with Beth and Melly.
“I haven’t met you before,” he said to the precious little girl staring at him with fascinated wide blue eyes. “She’s absolutely breathtaking.”
“You say that because she’s quiet right now, but don’t let her fool you into thinking she’s a demure little thing,” Beth said with a laugh before turning on her baby voice. “But yes, you are a little angel even when you’re screaming bloody murder, aren’t you?”
“A month old today, I hear.”
“Growing up so fast.” When the oven timer sounded, Beth held Melly out to him. “Can you take her? I need to get the scalloped potatoes before they burn.” She didn’t leave him much choice, but Chase didn’t mind. He loved kids, and most of them loved him. Maybe if Laurel saw him holding her niece, it would remind her of what they could try again to have. Was that Haylee’s plan?
As everyone bustled around him, some oblivious to his presence, others noticeably irritated, Chase carried Melly to the window and quietly pointed out the world to her. She didn’t follow his finger, but instead stared up at him in wonder with those big blue eyes. “You’re going to break a lot of hearts, aren’t you, Melly?”
“What are you doing here?” Laurel’s voice caused his pulse to double, then triple. He wasn’t certain ambushing her like this was wise, but he was putting his trust in her youngest sister. Haylee had assured him that this was the last ace up his sleeve. He sincerely hoped she was right.
* * *
Laurel
“I invited him,” Haylee said from behind Laurel’s shoulder.
Finding Chase in their house holding her niece at the window, looking happy and so natural, made her heart ache. Painfully reminding her once again why she had to sign those papers tomorrow.One more day. Why couldn’t she stay away from him for one more flipping day?
“I didn’t know you two were friends,” Laurel said between gritted teeth, more confused than ever. Hadn’t Haylee been the one over-the-top upset about the idea of Laurel getting back together with him and moving out?
“We follow each other on Instagram.”
“Since when?” Laurel demanded.
“Since forever.” Haylee rolled her eyes. “You should tryreadingthe texts I sent you.” Haylee patted her on the shoulder before she wove between them to take Melly. “Let’s get you fed, baby girl, before you decide to have a meltdown at the dinner table and scare away our poor guest.”
As much as she was annoyed with her sister for putting her in this super awkward position, she didn’t want Haylee to leave her alone with Chase. Not when she didn’t have a good reason for running off and ignoring him since yesterday morning. All over a crib.Add in that secret you can’t seem to share. “Chase, I’m—”
“I had a break in the case.”
A mixture of excitement and relief wove through her. He wasn’t going to put her on the spot. She peered into the kitchen. They might have five minutes before dinner, maybe less. “Let’s go outside.”
“I’m ninety-five percent certain our culprit is Crissy.”
“Really? What happened?”
“You happened.” Chase dipped his gaze to her lips, then away at the tree line. It wasn’t fair how badly she craved his kiss. “You recognized that lipstick case.”
“You proved it was hers?”
“Well, not exactly. But she has another one just like it. Tell me how many women in this town special order three-hundred-dollar lipstick from France? It can’t be many.” He relayed the story of him literally bumping into her at the grocery store, her purse spilling on the sidewalk. “I can’t use that as evidence, though.”
