She nods slowly. “I’m often serious, but you just… I don’t know, believe it or not, you make me nervous sometimes, Chase.”
“I make you nervous? I can’t picture you being nervous about anything, Kincaid.”
She tilts her head with a smile. “Oh, so you picture me?”
“It’s a new development.” My tongue swipes my bottom lip and her eyes dart nervously back and forth between my mouth and my eyes.
I wasn’t expecting to give into the small urge to let my guard down tonight, but this side of me has been slowly trying to seep out all evening.
After trying to hide it, her lips finally give out and curve into a smirk. “I’ve been casually flirting with you for a decade, are you telling me… Is Chase actually flirting back? Someone must alert the press.”
“Kincaid,” I warn, sitting myself up with my elbows planted on my knees to lean forward.
She matches my body language, moving her legs off of the couch and in front of her. The curve of her thighs peeking out as the side of the shorts ride up just a little.
“Yeah, boss?” Her head tilts to the side as her fingers interlock in front of her.
She’s testing me. She knows it, too.
I never expected to welcome flirtatious conversation with Summer, but I just feel tired of keeping my walls so high all the time. Tired in general.
And Summer is making me feel a little carefree tonight.
THANKSGIVING - THREE YEARS AGO
The empty bottle makes a loud thumping noise as it falls from my grip. Did I really hear what I think I just heard? Kristen left?
“She what?” I ask, eyes wide with confusion as I stand in the kitchen.
Chase takes CeCe from Abby and walks her down the hall toward the spare bedroom where he has her diaper bag and I’m practically running after him.
“Chase, what the hell did you just say?”
“I think you heard me loud and clear.” His brows crease together as he lays CeCe on the bed to change her diaper. Her cries start to calm down when he looks at her and her tiny hand wraps itself around his index finger as he smiles at her.
“Well where did she go?” My question seems to only add to his frustration as he gets CeCe changed. Her cries turn into coos as he softly talks to her and smiles. His hands look gigantic next to her little body and he scoops her up so effortlessly, holding her like a football and she relaxes into his arms.
“Do we have to talk about this now?” He sighs as he rubs her back, and I take a seat on the bed, feeling confused and upset, as if I’m the one Kristen left. But Chase and CeCe are family to me, and Kristen—hell, anyone—doing anything to hurt them makes some kind of protective lioness instinct come out of me.
“No, of course not. You don’t have to talk to me about it.” My head shakes back and forth, realizing this isn’t really my business. Plus, I’m aware I wouldn’t be his first choice as someone to confide in.
He moves restlessly around the room. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just feel so tired of talking. I couldn’t change her mind. It’s all just so fucked up.” I’ve never seen Chase look so… lost. The dark circles under his eyes and the extra scruff lining his jaw give it away so clearly. He looks exhausted and defeated.
“I understand.” I get up and walk a few steps closer to him. “I’m around if you need anything.”
He nods at me and instincts tell me he’s about to walk out the door, so I move first, giving him space. But he doesn’t move. He stands there, still as can be. It looks like maybe this is the first time he’s had some silence in a while and he wants to just relish in it for a moment.
CeCe twitches a little against his arm, I can see she’s fighting a nap she desperately needs based on her tired eyes too.
“Here, let me,” I say, grabbing CeCe’s pacifier from the bed and pulling her into my chest. Chase doesn’t resist and lets me take her, bringing her to the other side of the room. Abby showed me a while ago how to swaddle her for naps, so I jog my memory to get CeCe nice and snug before placing her in thesmall bassinet Abby has set up in here. The shades are closed and this room is far enough away from the kitchen so any noise from the group shouldn’t carry over here to wake her up.
When I give her the pacifier she squirms a little bit, making a few small noises before she soothes herself and settles into a comfortable position, closing her eyes again and seemingly drifting off.
A deep sigh from Chase on the other side of the room makes me turn my head and he slowly takes a seat on the bed.
“Do you want a nap too? I could try to swaddle you,” I say, giving his shoulder a playful shove.
“I’ll pass on the swaddle, but I will probably just rest my eyes a little in here.” His legs swing onto the bed and he lets his head fall back against the headboard, eyes closing before he’s even fully settled.
