Page 81 of When I'm Gone

“Chaos?” Chase asks, clearly not for the first time. I shake myself loose from the unexpected feelings and give him a genuine smile.

Visible relief washes over his face. “Seriously. Thank you. These are amazing.”

The corner of his mouth quirks up in an adorable smirk. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Brady with a weird look on his face. “What?”

“Nothing, it just kind of hit me how much I missed you. It’s kind of amazing seeing you here, like, being happy.”

Damn. Now I’m fucking blinking back tears again. “I missed you too. So much,” I murmur.

I did it. I broke away. I started over, didn’t let my insecurities win, and found happiness. He doesn’t get to win. He can’t take this from me anymore.

CHAPTER 24

CHASE

He’s so beautiful, I can’t take my eyes off him. He walks into a room and I’m useless. All I can do is bask in the warmth of my incredible good luck. Dimples, nose scrunches, and graphite stained fingertips. Sleepy morning smiles and cold feet tucked between my thighs.

It happened so naturally, I never could have believed it was even possible until one day it was. Falling in love was something that happened to other people, maybe me when I was older. More established. Once I’d closed the book on my abandonment issues, probably. But then he was, and once he was, there was no going back. Forward was the only thing that mattered anymore. Forward, because he turned my world upside down and I’m so eternally grateful for the chance to show him how incredible he is.

A torrent of ice cold water hits me in the side of the head. “Quit waxing poetic and help me measure!” Brady barks, kinking the garden hose with a scowl.

I shake like a dog, sending droplets flying. “Must you be so fucking dramatic? You could have just called my name.”

He finally shuts the damn hose off and huffs. “I did. Like,ten times. You were too busy looking at my brother with hearts in your eyes to notice.”

“Can you blame me?” I mutter to myself. He’s sketching something, soaking up the sunshine again, and he’s practically glowing. His back is against the fence, earphones blocking out our embarrassing attempt once again to finish Brady’s deck, better known as the bane of my existence.

Probably for the best he’s not paying attention because any illusions he was under that I’m a capable person would be shattered if he saw this mess unfolding.

Brady’s glare would be scathing if I didn’t know him better. “Be gross with my little brother some other time. I want this to be done already.”

Before I can think better of it, I say, “It would be done if I set it on fire.”

I’m never doing another construction project for as long as I live. This is beyond fucking awful. “Oh, c’mon, it’s gonna be fine. We know what we did wrong last time, we won’t do it again.”

“Has it ever occurred to you that every other person on the planet would know to make something that people stand on level? We are so out of our depth here, it’s laughable.”

My torturer sighs heavily. “We always are and then we figure it out and it just works. It’s our thing. We have a system.”

“Where can I unsubscribe from this lunacy?”

He laughs and laughs. Oh, where did it all go wrong?

~~~

Four hours later, and more Bob the Builder shit than I’m able to muster, this thing is level and framed. Brady is lucky he’s the best friend I’ve ever had or his way too motivational attitude would have landed me in a jail cell hours ago.

“See, what did I tell you, Ace? This looks amazing.”

He ignores my glare. “I’m so glad you’re happy. Can I go home now?”

Brady beams at me. “We did a good job. Say it.”

I hate him, I really think I do. “No.” He laughs as I stalk off to go collect my Chaos so I can get away from this madness. Easton’s smile is breathtaking when my shadow causes him to look up after spending all afternoon buried in a sketch.

“You about ready to go home, sweetheart?” I reach a hand out and pull him to his feet. Those damn dimples when he looks my way will be the death of me one day, I know it.

It’ll be well worth it, though. Easton hums as he stretches his neck. “Yes. Home sounds perfect right now. Wanna see?” He holds out the sketchbook as an offering, but is almost surprised when I take it. Sue me, I’m never turning down an opportunity to see his creations.

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