Page 117 of Love Collided

He laughed, the deep hearty laugh I knew well. This was all a show. He was currently on his best behavior and would keep that up until he got what he wanted. “Would I complain? Of course not, but I’m not expecting it. I just want to watch you do what you were born to do.”

“Really? Now, this is what I’m born to do? I thought before I was being a slut hanging around all the guys all the time.” Chase stiffened beside me but didn’t say anything yet.

“I know you were just working on learning to drive so well.”

“How much do you want?” Chase asked, making my eyes jump to him.

“Excuse me?” my dad asked.

“You heard me. How much do you want? What is the amount that is going to make this pathetic show of pretending you care about her stop?”

My dad’s eyes flicked between us, but I didn’t miss the way they landed on Chase’s watch for a few extra seconds.

I almost laughed. This seriously couldn’t be happening a third time.

“About ten grand,” my dad finally said. I wanted to be surprised. I wanted to feel shock reverberate through me that there had been a number in his head all along, but none of that happened. Instead, I just nodded, anger burning through me. My dad had cost me more money this year than my damn car. I wasn’t even sure if I spent thirty grand on myself this year, evenif I made enough at the garage. But here he was, living a lavish life without having to work for anything.

“No,” I said as Chase pulled his arm off me. “You are not doing this again. It’s getting ridiculous.”

“Do you want him to go, or do you want to play this stupid game with him all day just to find out he wants the money later?”

“Of course I want this done, but not like this. He doesn’t deserve the money.Again.”

“It’s okay,” he said, pulling off the watch and holding it out in his hand. “I’m not sure how much this will get you at a pawn shop, but I’m sure you can shop around in this town.” My dad looked it over, smiling, when he slipped it and saw the brand name on the back. “Will that cover whatever you wanted today?”

“That should do it. What a good guy. I don’t know how you trap a guy like this into a relationship with you, Scout, but you’ve got good taste. Maybe now I can stop by and see you race.”

Chase’s face fell, his eyes narrowing on my dad. “This comes with the stipulation that you don’t set foot near that fucking track today, and you don’t ‘run into her’ again this weekend.”

He gave a dramatic eye roll, but nodded. “Fine, fine. That’s fair. Well,” he said, his fingers rubbing the watch. “I guess this is it. Good luck today, and maybe I’ll see you around back home one day.”

“Chase,” I hissed as he pulled me away. “You can’t do this. Please let me go get it back.” He didn’t stop until we were at the door, but I could feel him shaking next to me.

It wasn’t until we were out on the street that I could see the shaking was from laughter, not anger. “What’s so funny? How is anything that just happened funny?”

“Because that wasn’t a real Rolex. You learn real fast as a rich boy that you don’t travel with the real stuff. That watch is maybe worth a hundred dollars on a good day. For him at a pawn shop? He might get ten dollars if he’s lucky.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah, and we’re going to have to let the track help us make sure he doesn’t have a chance of getting in today.”

“You know, as soon as he finds out, he’s going to freak out.”

“I know. Hopefully by then we are at the track, and then heading home.”

“And what about when he finds us back at home?”

“I’m not sure,” Chase said, turning to face me. “But we will figure it out either way. I’ve given up everything because I want to be with you. I’m not going to let him get in the way now.”

I nodded, knowing that my dad would try to bother me as much as he could until we left. I should have guessed this was where a gambler would run off to, but it never occurred to me that he might actually look for me.

He never cared to look for me when I wasn’t around at home, but I guess this was different. He knew I was making more of my life and that more money would come with that. He didn’t care about me, and never did. He cared about the money.

“I think there’s something I can give up in my life to help this work.”

He cocked his head and reached out for me again, running a hand down my jaw. “I told you, there’s nothing you have to give up.”

“But I have to make sure you get to keep your watches.” I smiled, taking a deep breath. “I need to do what I can to stop this, and now I at least know how I can.”

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