Page 8 of Fate

“Seriously though, what’s hername?”

“Misty.”

“Sounds…uh, young.” His words are an accusation.

“Not too young.”

“Tell me abouther.”

I groan. I knew coming here today was a bad idea, but I’d been blowing him off for three weeks. If I hadn’t hooked up with him he would’ve sent out a search party.

Chase comes around the couch and sits across from me. He pulls one ankle up to the opposite knee and stretches out his arm in an open-for-discussion gesture.

“Carson. You’ve never been so tight-lipped about a woman before. This is me. Your best friend, your blood. You know you can tell me anything. Hell, how many times have I confided inyou?”

I smile. “Really? Because I don’t remember getting an invite to a spur-of-the-moment wedding in Ireland three yearsago.”

“How long are you going to hold that over my head? It’s been years. Give itup.”

Chase’s blue eyes look like they could pierce through mine, like daggers of truth sticking me straight through the heart.

“Fine. Christ, I’m sorry. Okay, here’s the deal. She’s a woman I had a one-night stand with two yearsago.”

Chase frowns. “Two years?”

I can almost see him doing the math in his head. “When you were trying to get Kathleenback?”

The second tumbler of whiskey goes down far easier than the first while I mull over his words. “Yeah, I met Misty immediately after the last time I tried for a HailMary.”

“You mean after I had to pick your drunk ass up at a random shithole motel?”

I nod. “That would be the night.”

“Fuck.”

“Exactly.”

“You never mentioned a woman.”

“I vaguely remembered her, man. Apparently, after I fought with Kat and she kicked me out the last time, I got shitfaced, took Misty to a nearby hotel, fucked her, and passedout.”

Chase shakes hishead.

“Yeah. Not my best moment. Worst of it is, I didn’t even remember her name. She was gone before I wokeup.”

“Well, I can only say we all have times in our lives we’re not proudof.”

I run my hand through my hair and pull at the roots, wishing I could be honest but knowing I’m not ready for the backlash. The sting of pain in my scalp brings me back to the present moment. “It’s just random that I’d catch back up with her.” What’s more ridiculous is that the one night of sin might turn into a lifetime of service, but I keep that tidbit to myself.

“So, there’s a spark?” heasks.

I want to say no, there’s no spark, not a single flicker of excitement when I think about her, because the only firecracker I’ve ever felt was a tall blonde with a chip on her shoulder who continues to deny us a happy ending.

“You could say that,” Ilie.

Chase twitches his lips and squints. He knows I’m lying. Luckily, he doesn’t call me onit.

“I did say that. Does this mean you’re seeingher?”

“Uh, yeah. I’m seeing her.” For now, I want to add, but choose not to. If it turns out this woman is the mother of my child, I’m going to be seeing a lot more ofher.

God, this is a clusterfuck of epic proportions.

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