Instead of calling, I texted Mitch. It was the middle of the night, and I wasn’t sure he was going to be able to help us, but it was worth a shot.
“Well, that’s my only idea. It’s a guy we work with who he’s pretty close with. I shot him a text.” I put the phone on the table and flung myself on my chair, suddenly exhausted.
“Don’t you think you should call the guy? What if he doesn’t get the text?” Garrett paced around the room, sending disgusted looks in Chase’s direction.
“I don’t know, it’s not really Mitch’s responsibility to take care of him in the middle of the night,” I said. “If he sees the text and he’s around, I think he’ll come help.”
Garrett seemed frustrated as he ran his hand through his hair.
“Is this guy your responsibility, Maryellen?” he asked. “Doesn’t he have any family who can come help him? Where’s his brother?”
Sadly, he didn’t. I mean, any other time, Gage would be here in a heartbeat. But other than his brother, he had no one. For some crazy reason…I felt like I was the one he needed.
“He actually doesn’t. Gage isn’t around this weekend,” I told Garrett.
Then I felt myself getting a bit defensive. Like, Garrett didn’t need to know where Gage was, or that Chase’s mom deserted him, or that his dad lived across the country. It was none of his business.
Fuck. How did Chase manage to do this to me?
He ruined a completely perfect date with a completely perfect guy. Yet I was coming to his rescue.
I stared at the quiet phone on my table, knowing Mitch wasn’t going to respond at two thirty in the morning. Looking at Garrett, I saw the reality set in for him as well. He fell back on his heels against the wall, his arms folded across his chest. He shifted his gaze from me to Chase and back to me again.
“Well, I guess I’m gonna get going,” Garrett said. His fingers rubbed his temple before swiping across his mouth. “This was not how I thought our night would end.”
He couldn’t hide the disapproval in his voice. He spun around and started for my door. I walked with him, though it felt awkward. An unfortunate shift for our evening.
“I’m sorry about all of this, Garrett,” I said as I held the door.
He couldn’t look at me. I wasn’t sure if he was angry or if it was simply disappointment.
“I am too.” That was all he said before he walked out.
I closed the door with a quiet click and moved back into the main part of my room. Chase was sound asleep on my couch. His feet hung against the floor and his ass was barely on the cushion. I pushed him onto the sofa, rolling him onto his side. Once I slid his shoes off, I covered him with my fluffy reading blanket from my corner chair. My only hope was he didn’t get sick on it.
As I got myself ready for bed, I thought about everything that transpired tonight. From my perfect date to watching Garrett walk away from me. And how I felt when he did.
Or didn’t.
I could have called Mitch. I could have made sure Chase was removed from my apartment somehow, some way.
But I didn’t.
Because when push came to shove, the person I really wanted here with me when I woke up tomorrow is on my couch right now.
Even if that pissed me off.
CHAPTER 14
Chase
The light was killing me. Like, literally killing me. I had no idea why there was so much of it. My blinds should have been down, making it pitch black in my room. My head hurt too much for me to fix the problem. So, I continued to lie there, with my eyes closed and the light hurting me through my closed lids.
Then I realized I wasn’t in my bed, but on a couch. Rubbing my eyes helped the pain enough I could open them slightly. When I did, it all came back to me.
Motherfucker.
What did I do?
