Page 40 of Just A Little Chase

Tara followed, eyeing her with genuine concern. “What is it going to take to snap you out of this funk you’re in, because I gotta tell you, this is not a good look on you,” she said, indicating Lauren’s entire appearance with a wave of her hand.

“This is the look of having your heart crushed,” she informed her friend.

Tara rolled her eyes, because yes, Lauren was being dramatic and didn’t care.

Tara crossed her colorfully tattooed arms over her chest. “Want me to go beat him up for you?”

Lauren cracked the first smile all week, even though Tara looked completely serious. “I appreciate the offer, but no. I’ll be fine. I promise,” she lied, because who really knew how long it took for a shattered heart to heal?

“I knew I should have set you up with one of the biker guys from the shop,” she said, lips pursed. “Those types of bad boys are notorious heartbreakers, so at least you would have seen it coming.”

Lauren ate the last bite of pudding, set the container on the table in front of the couch, then sighed. “Honestly? I have no regrets.”

It was the truth. The memories she had with Chase were bittersweet, and she chose to focus on the sweeter aspects of their time together. Like the fun pictures of them in the photo booth, and those last few images where she and Chase were staring into each other’s eyes, their connection and affection so evident.

Their pretend relationship might have started out as a ruse, but a man like Chase couldn’t fake those kinds of emotions. She could see for herself how happy he’d been, but there was no forcing him to see the truth, or accept feelings he wasn’t ready or willing to embrace.

A knock sounded on the door to their apartment, and Tara frowned. “Do not tell me you DoorDashed more junk food to eat.”

Lauren shook her head. “No, I didn’t. I have no idea who it is.”

Tara walked to the door and opened it. “Oh,” she exclaimed, causing Lauren to attempt to peer around her to see who was standing on the other side, but her roommate was blocking her view. “Those are beautiful,” Tara said.

“They’re for Lauren Connelly,” a young man’s voice said.

Lauren’s heart skipped a beat. Who could be sending her flowers? And why?

“I’ll take them.” Tara gestured to Lauren behind her. “She’s right over there and not really looking her best. I don’t want to scare you off.”

“Oh, my God,” Lauren said in a disgruntled tone. “I don’t look that bad!”

Tara turned around, holding a huge bouquet of flowers that were so big they covered her friend’s face. “You kinda do,” she said, peeking around the arrangement, as she headed toward the kitchen area. “Have you seen your hair?”

Lauren stood and smoothed a hand over the strands, grimacing as her fingers got caught in the tangles and snarls from not brushing it after waking up. Whatever.

“Well, well, well, I wonder who these are from,” Tara drawled as she set the vase on the table, then removed the small envelope from the arrangement.

“That’s mine, thank you very much.” Reaching her friend’s side, Lauren plucked the note from Tara’s fingers, her heart racing with a thousand hopeful probabilities, because only one person she could think of would send her flowers this elaborate. Blooms that undoubtedly cost a few hundred dollars, even if she didn’t know why he’d sent them.

“Oh, she perks up,” Tara teased.

Lauren rolled her eyes as she tore open the envelope then read the message inside, written in a masculine scrawl. I’m not a pro at grand gestures, or even apologies, but you deserve them. Meet me for dinner tonight. Love, Chase.

The breath left Lauren’s lungs, and a giddy excitement permeated her entire body. The first part of that note made the heartache of the last week melt away, but it was the last two words, Love, Chase, that had the first glimmering signs of optimism blossoming inside her.

“Huh,” Tara said from beside her. “Impressive. The guy certainly knows how to grovel, which is an important trait for any man to have. Are you going to meet him for dinner?”

“Of course I am,” she said without any hesitation.

Her friend arched a pierced brow. “Even after everything he put you through?”

“I’m not going to lie. I hated everything about the way things ended between us last Sunday, but… I understand Chase enough to know that he needed this time and space to process how quick and intense things developed between us.” She was just grateful that he came to what she hoped was a promising conclusion as the note indicated, instead of deciding Lauren was better off without him. Which she wasn’t.

Another knock sounded at the door, and this time Lauren rushed over and made it there first, finding another delivery person, a woman, standing on the other side of the threshold holding a glossy black box with Oscar de la Renta stamped in gold on top, along with another envelope.

She thanked the woman, then brought the box over to the table and set it next to the vase of flowers. Tara’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head when she saw the name of the designer on the box, while Lauren pulled the next message out of the envelope.

The note read, I’m thinking positively and hope you’ve decided that your answer to meet me for dinner is a yes. Here’s something for you to wear, but you would look beautiful in anything, or nothing at all. A driver will pick you up at 5:30. See you soon, Chase.

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