Page 73 of Lyrical

The churning came back with a vengeance. Maybe I’d take that food to go instead.

Meet me at our rock later?

I was finishing up a work call, a courtesy follow-up for one of the FAs I’d recently placed at Barclay Schmit, when Chase’s text had come in.

What time?

Six?

I’ll be there. Can’t wait.

I stared out the window of my sunroom/home office and wondered how I’d get any work done for the rest of the day. My mind would be too occupied playing elsewhere. I’d already exerted enough willpower sitting at a desk all morning, and it was becoming tougher and tougher to feel the sun’s warmth through the glass instead of directly on my skin. It was the last Friday in April, and it was gorgeous out.

Me neither. Come hungry.

Hmm… that could mean several things.

For?

Careful, Miss Hudson. You’ve already racked up enough detentions to last you until next year.

I wasn’t planning on stopping until I reached forever.

Be sure what you wish for. You just might get it.

My heart did its little happy dance whenever I pictured our future together. It was getting easier and easier for me, and that was all because of Chase. His love, his patience, his steadfastness—after a while, it couldn’t help but rub off.

It’d been nearly three weeks since Daniel had started his new job, and according to him, he was adjusting very well. Thriving. He was still at home, still looking and saving for a place of his own, still with Cassie. I couldn’t win ’em all, but at least he hadn’t shacked up with her yet. He’d purchased a used truck, something much more reliable than Mike’s heap of junk, and I was reminded of another thing to be thankful for: It wasn’t a minivan.

I did my best not to drive myself crazy thinking of her too often. Knowing she was my son’s girlfriend made me no less nauseated, but I truly felt at a standstill. Perry kept coming up with different schemes to boot her out of our lives, but I didn’t want to jeopardize my relationship with Daniel. We were close, and I wanted to keep it that way. I was stuck, it sucked, and I had to be mature enough to deal with it. All I could do was hope that time killed them off. They’d been together roughly seven weeks, and I ignored all the things I was doing way younger than him with my boyfriend at seven weeks.

Instead, I focused on Chase. He was my rock. Where once I’d only thought of him in those terms physically, he’d now entrenched himself even more deeply as my support system. What really cinched it for me was his patience regarding Daniel, his willingness to get to know him and be a part of his life without bitterness. Son or not, Daniel was still another man who had come between us, even temporarily. Things had changed when he came home, but Chase showed me nothing but understanding, never once making the slightest indication that I had to choose. If he had, I think I would have lost my sanity. I couldn’t imagine a more hellish decision.

Thank God, it never came to that. I had both men in my life and in my heart, and I intended to keep it that way. Hence the reluctant tolerance for Cassie. I could throw up in my mouth discreetly.

I went into the kitchen and pulled an iced coffee out of the fridge. I had a bad taste to wash away. Even the juice from a sardine can would be an improvement. I cracked open the bottle and chugged half of it down, giving me a nice instant caffeine boost. I placed it back next to the carton of eggs Chase and I had dyed a couple weeks back. I didn’t plan on eating them, but we’d had so much fun, I couldn’t toss them away just yet. They also reminded me of how far we’d come. Back in summer, I was adamant that we’d never make it to Easter, and now we’d passed it, stronger than ever.

Maybe it wouldn’t be eggs, but I had to put a little something in my rumbly stomach since Perry’d been too tied up at work to take a lunch. I’d decided to just work through, and now it was nearly two.

I grabbed a handful of almonds to tide me over and returned to my desk, disregarding all the singing birds outside my screen window teasing me. I faced the computer and got back to work. I had another four hours to go until I met Chase. If he wanted me hungry, I’d be hungry. For anything.

I smiled.Can’t wait.

I parked in St. Mary’s lot and headed for the concrete path that circled the hospital. It was going to be a prime night for lying on the rock. The temperature had dropped a few degrees from the midday’s high of seventy, but the sky was clear and once the night came, we’d be treated to a starry light show.

I entered the woods, wondering if Chase was already waiting for me since I was several minutes early. It didn’t take long to get my answer. As soon as I got to the clearing, my heart skipped a beat and then went into overdrive when I saw him sitting there, dinner spread out over the flat surface. God, I was such a sapsucker, but with him, it was impossible not to be.

He smiled wide upon seeing me too, jumping off the rock and coming to meet me. His lips covered mine, all softness and sweetness. “Are we skipping dinner and going right to dessert?” I asked when he moved over to my neck.

“Don’t tempt me, Wild Horses.”

“Mmm….”

“Are you hungry?”

My stomach responded for me, and we laughed. “Come on, before it gets too cold.”

As we stepped closer, the aroma hit me harder, making my mouth water. I smelled heat and spice and… “Zydecki’s?”

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