Page 79 of Kiss & Collide
Finally, she made herself reply.
Okay. See you in Mexico City?
By the time she went to bed, he still hadn’t replied.
32
Since Chase hadn’t heard from Violet since she’d said she was heading to Reece’s private party, he just decided to head there.
He’d been walking toward the elevator across the dimly lit lobby, some kind of electronica pounding in his ears, when he caught sight of a familiar flash of ivory skin and jet-black hair to his left, half hidden around a corner.Violet.
He’d taken all of a single step in her direction when he realized she wasn’t alone. He went still as he registered who was with her.
Ian. Here in Las Vegas.
Violet and Ian had been standing close together, eyes on each other, so wrapped up in whatever was going on that they were oblivious to everything and everyone around them. Ian’s hands had been on her, sliding up her bare arms, and Violet … she was just standing still, just staring at him. Then he had leaned in to kiss her—
Chase hadn’t stayed to watch anymore. He’d seen enough.
He’d gone straight back out the way he’d come, not stopping until he’d caught up to his driver and slipped into the back seat.
Now his head was pounding and he felt ill, panicked. They’d seemed to have kind of a breakthrough the other night, but maybe it had only felt that way to him. They hadn’t declared themselves exclusive. Not even close. He couldn’t even get Violet to admit out loud that they were dating.
Maybe Ian had followed her here, but what if Violet had invited him?
He leaned his head against the leather seat, closing his eyes. Misery settled heavily in his gut. His chest felt tight, but he bitterly reminded himself that he had no right to be angry. She’d warned him. He just hadn’t wanted to listen. She hadn’t promised him anything. He knew her well enough to know she didn’t believe in promising herself to anyone. Not even him, apparently.
And he suddenly felt tired of trying, if she didn’t even really want him to.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, but he was past hope that it was Violet. Whatever she was doing right now, he was the last thing on her mind. When he looked, it was Madison again.
The premiere is a red carpet thing. Lots of press. I felt like I should warn you. I totally understand if that’s not your scene.
He stared at his phone for a beat, rubbing his thumb over the rounded corner. Violet had told him he needed to get better at the game if he wanted to run in the big leagues. Okay, game on. Before he could talk himself out of it, he typed out a response.
Sounds fun. Email me the details. See you there.
33Harry Reid International Airport, Las Vegas, Nevada
Violet sat down in the business-class lounge at the airport and checked her phone for what felt like the thirtieth time in as many minutes. It was blowing up, as it always was these days. Texts and emails from the media, from sponsor reps, from upcoming race venues … all wanting a piece of Chase Navarro, Pinnacle’s unexpected secret weapon.
But still nothing from Chase himself.
Telling herself she was checking in on him for purely professional reasons, she typed out a text.
When do you arrive in Mexico? I’ve got scheduling stuff to discuss with you.
It wasn’t untrue. Her inbox was overflowing with requests for face time with him.
It was ten minutes before he replied.
Not until Thursday. I’m in LA.
LA? That’s where he was heading off to early this morning? She didn’t know every facet of his schedule, but since he hadn’t yet hired his own personal PR person, she knew quite a lot of it. And she knew he didn’t have any business reasons to be in LA right now.
That same uneasy wrongness from last night was still simmering in her gut. Out of habit, she opened Instagram and tapped through to his account. The first picture on his grid made that feeling in her gut harden into a knot as heavy as a stone.
It was a selfie Chase had taken with Madison, posted just a few minutes ago. They were both turned out, Chase in that amazing perfectly tailored tux the stylist had bought for him, and Madison in a sparkling green floor-length sheath dress. She could tell they were in LA from the bright afternoon sunlight and the top of a palm tree off in the upper-left corner. Behind them was a step-and-repeat splashed with the branding for some movie Madison had shot earlier this year.
