I shove his immovable arm. “You’re ridiculous. Answer my question.”
He grins. “Yeah, they were all true.”
I draw my head back, surprised, as I look over the top of my aviators. “So you knew you wanted to be a chef at sixteen?”
His brows rise. “You’re just gonna pass over that I saved an old woman and her kitten. Cool.”
Chase puts his heart eyes back before he starts walking again, making me rush to do the same and keep up.
“Wait ...” I rush out. “No ... How did that happen?”
A group of people laughing and talking walk by, so he touches my waist, guiding me out of their way as he speaks.
“Well, my grandmother lived in a small village in Denmark. I used to go there every summer and stay with her. That year, she made it my mission to learn how to cook. Really cook. She showed me everything. I remember being awed by edible flowers—”
The way he’s talking about his grandma keeps making me smile. It’s sweet. And unexpected. I mean, it’s Chase ... I know he has a family, but I’d also believe he was spawned and found in a cave like a troll.
He lets out a breath, looking down at the ground momentarily, and it makes me frown until he starts back up.
“It was the best summer of my life. Until I accidentally set a grease fire in her kitchen and the house went up.”
I freeze, shocked. “What?”
He stops walking, too, turning to look back at me.
“Hold on ...” I say, my eyes wide. “Are you telling me the old woman you saved was your grandma ... and the fire was arson?”
“Yeah,” he chuckles and wags his brows before rubbing his always-stubbled jaw.
“So you’re not so much a hero as you are a felon.”
“I mean, it wasn’t on purpose, Judge Judy. But since she was well respected, she made a big deal about what a hero I was, so they put my face in the paper, and I became a local legend.”
We’re standing there staring at each other before I shake my head. “This is so on brand for you.”
He shrugs, continuing our walk, but I smile, looking ahead at the crowd.
“I bet she’s really proud of how you turned out. At least it paid off, right?”
He doesn’t say anything, so I look up at him. For the first time ever, there’s no bullshit on Chase’s face. His smile is so gentle, wistful, even.
He tips his head in a single nod before he says, “I hope so. She passed the next year, but I think she’d be really happy that I’m not starting any more grease fires, for sure.”
My words catch in the back of my throat because I feel embarrassed I didn’t know. But before I can say anything, he changes the subject, pointing toward some other food carts. “Hungry?”
I follow his lead and nod, even though I’m not.
We’re quiet for a bit as we make our way to a food truck, but then all my unsaid thoughts begin gnawing at me.
“I’m sorry,” I awkwardly blurt out. “I didn’t know ... I ... I wouldn’t have brought it up if I had.”
“It’s all good.” He lifts his hand to the back of my neck, gently squeezing once before letting go. But goose bumps explode over my skin. “I like talking about her.”
I swallow, trying to ignore the feel of his hand still imprinted on my skin.
“Were you close?”
I can’t believe I’m even thinking this, but I want to know more about him. Goldie was right—I almost bristle at the thought—he is different than what I expected.
