He strode towards me. “Elle, hang on. I don’t get what is going on here.”
I sunk down onto the couch. “I can’t be with you, Chase. Lord knows I want to, but I can’t. This is just way too much for me. I hope that we can go back to the way things were; I don’t want to leave or quit. Ivy is everything to me. Don’t make me leave.” Silent tears began to fall.
He crouched down – his eyebrows were pulled together. And he ran a hand through his messy hair.
“That’s it? Just like that?”
I nodded. “I’m not cut out for all of this, to have my character ripped apart just because I’m not the right ‘type’ of person people were expecting you to be with.”
“I thought we actually had something pretty good going.”
I nodded. “I know, I felt it too.”
He stayed crouched for a few minutes, his hands pulled up in front of his mouth, almost as if he were praying.
“Okay,” he breathed finally.
Leaning closer, he kissed my cheek, stood, and walked to the kitchen. Pulling a bottle of whiskey from the back of one of the cupboards, the bottle dangled from his fingers as he walked down the short hall to his room and slid the door closed.
Tears rolled steadily down my cheeks. It wasn’t fair. I should never have let myself fall for Chase Brighton.
Chapter Eighteen
Elle
It was another afternoon on the bus. Ivy was taking a nap, so I popped in my ear buds and was listening to some music as I tried to make use of the time by trying to quietly clean up the bus.
Out of nowhere, Chase came bounding up the stairs. Passing by me, I thought he was heading to his room, but instead he peeked in on Ivy. Seeing that she was fast asleep, he turned and grabbed my hand, much to my surprise, and pulled me over to the couch.
“What are you doing? Is something wrong?” I asked, pulling out my ear buds.
“What are you listening to?”
I had no intention of telling him that it was his music I had turned on. Yes, I do like torturing myself.
“Really? You rush in here, and that is what you need to know right now?” I deflected.
“I need your help,” he said, his face going form a look of mild interest to distraught, his shoulders slumping.
“With what?”
“Ivy’s birthday.” He jumped to his feet and went to retrieve something from his room. It was his tour dates’ list.
“I really dropped the ball on this. I had every intention to make this plan a while ago, but it kept slipping my mind.” He sank back down onto the couch beside me, running a hand nervously through his hair. “Elle, I am begging you, please help. I’m pretty sure I’m going to earn the title of worst dad ever.”
I held up a hand. “Okay, calm down.”
“Where are you going?” he asked as I stood. I didn’t answer him, returning with a notebook and my phone in hand.
“We have to look up what options we have in the area we will be in. How much time do we have?”
“We leave Albuquerque tonight and then we have stops in Houston and Dallas before we end up in Kansas City, which is where we need the party to be. I also need to book tickets for my parents to get down there. Fuck me.”
I handed him the notebook.
“You need to write down all of the things that we need to get. I’m going to start searching for a suitable venue.”
Holy hell, there wasn’t a lot of time. Somehow, I had to find something that would still be available and willing to accommodate a celebrity, all in a city I had never even thought about visiting. On top of that, focusing was proving to be difficult. Chase had settled in beside me, legs spread as he leaned back in the couch. He already looked more relaxed; I, on the other hand, was all wound up. I huffed out a breath and tried to collect my thoughts. There was no time to waste. Ivy deserved the best birthday ever. “Is everything okay?” Chase asked, his eyes falling upon me.
“Mmm hmm.” I pointed at the notebook. “You need to get writing.”
It took a while, but I eventually found a place that I thought might be the perfect fit for us. Whether or not they would help us out in a pinch was yet to be seen.
“What about a trampoline place? You can jump and play games. They have pizza brought in as well. Of course, I’m not sure about the availability, but it doesn’t hurt to give them a call.”
Chase grabbed my phone and quickly sent the link off to Claire so she could try and book it. My phone dinged a couple minutes later with Claire confirming our booking.
“She said that because we want it for a weekday, it was no problem. How is your list coming along?”
“Uh…”
He lifted the book to hide his list from me, but I caught a glance – it was way too short. I tried to grab the book, but he stretched his arm too far away to reach, but, stubborn me, I went after it – and ended up practically on top of him.
He chuckled, but I could hear the nervous shake in his tone. I flew back as quickly as I could, my cheeks heating to match the embarrassment I felt.
“So, uh, what do you have on the list?”
“Balloons, streamers…”
My mouth dropped. “Is that it?”
He sighed. “I’m sorry, I was a little distracted.”
I smacked him in the arm. “Please, let’s focus on Ivy. So we have the venue. We are going to need drinks and snacks.”
“Really?”
“Chase, I’ve seen how this group eats. A couple of pizzas are not going to be enough. You also need to get your parents’ flight booked.”
I watched him send another text to Claire. “We also need a cake,” he stated.
“Candles.”
“Uh…”
“Oh!” I exclaimed, an idea popping into to my head. “Do you think she would like a cute little birthday dress?”
He nodded. “Definitely. Ah shit, I remember one really important thing for the list – a present. I’ll handle that before the show in Houston.”
“You know, if you let me borrow Big Joe once we hit Dallas, or the next day, I could probably handle the decorations and snacks.”
I realized right away that maybe I was over-stepping the line. “Uh, unless you would like to tackle the list on your own.”
Chase smiled. “I’d really appreciate the extra help.”
“Okay, well I think that will pretty much cover it. I should get back to cleaning up. Ivy will be up soon.”
With a nod, we both stood awkwardly, and I chose to inspect a small scuff on the corner of the coffee table rather than look up into his eyes, which could pull me into them without any effort. With a long sigh, he leaned over and wrapped me tightly in his arms.
“Thank you for saving my ass on this. I really could not do this without you.”
The day of the party was a busy one, and Ivy was amped up, ready for all the fun that was in store. She had no idea where we were going, but it didn’t matter. Claire showed up to take Ivy for a little while so that Chase and I could head over to the venue to decorate.
The mood between us was light and fun. I giggled as streamers rolled away on him. He laughed watching me try and reach up high enough to tape happy birthday streamers up on the wall. I squealed when he approached and suddenly hoisted me up in the air so I could reach.
“Thanks, I would have gotten it eventually.”
He laughed. “Not without a chair. I saved you some time.”
There was a knock on the door to the party room and, to my surprise, I found Chase’s parents standing there. Chase strode over to welcome them both with huge hugs. My heart twinged just a little bit. It warmed my heart to see Chase with them and that he had such a wonderful family; especially with a life in the spotlight, it was important to have someone who knew the real you.
“Elle, it’s wonderful to see you again,” Chase’s mom greeted me warmly.
“It’s nice to see you too, Rita.”
Chase’s phone dinged, a warning from Claire that they
would soon be there.
We hurried around and finished setting up, and then we all made our way to the front door. Just in time too because Claire and the guys soon arrived with Ivy leading the group. Her eyes lit up as she took in her surroundings. The main room was sectioned into activity areas – trampoline dodge ball in one spot, agility in another. The main portion of the space was filled with smaller trampolines that you could travel around, even trampolines on the walls. A young man came forward and provided us all with special socks to put on and then we took to the trampolines. I couldn’t recall the last time that I had been on one. Everyone whooped and hollered, Ivy joining in the noise screeching her delight with each jump. There was nothing better than seeing the pure joy on her face.
Chase
I took a step back to get a sip of water, but also to watch everyone for a moment. Far too often I found myself missing the moment and wishing I had taken the time to really let it sink in. It was something I was working on, especially with Ivy.
“How are things, sweetheart?” Mom asked, stepping off of the trampoline and sitting down next to me.
“Things are going pretty good.”
“Anything new going on with the tour?”
“Nah, I think we’re putting on a great show each night, no complaints.”
She laughed lightly.
“You’re really making me work for this conversation, Chase. You usually have much more to say about your travels. Is something wrong?”
I reached out and gave her hand a light squeeze. “Sorry, Mom. I’m good. I’m tired, but you know that is how things go when we are constantly on the road.”
She nodded. “You seem to have a lot on your mind. How are things with Elle?”
I stared out at her, watching as she bounced with Ivy.
“Things were over before we could even begin. I mean I can’t blame her with having her picture plastered everywhere.”
She nodded sombrely. Mom got it. When we’d first hit it big, the paparazzi were everywhere. They came knocking at my family’s home, hoping for interviews.
“You never know,” she said. “With a little time, she might come around.”
I shook my head. “I’d like to believe that, but honestly I think my chance with her is long gone.”
“For what it’s worth, I think her heart is hurting just as yours is right now, sweetheart. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have stayed on the tour with you.”
“She stayed for Ivy.”
“Oh, honey, I don’t think that is even close to the truth. She loves Ivy, that is true, but I think she stayed just as much for you.”
“Chase!” Brant shouted. “You two get your butts over here, we’re going to play dodge ball!”
Elle stayed with Ivy as the rest of us moved to a caged in spot so we could throw around the balls safely. It was war and while it started as teams, it wasn’t long before it was every person for themselves. Mayhem was probably the best way to describe it. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had that much fun.
My mom nailed me with one of the balls, so I took the opportunity to sneak away and wander around. I found Ivy and Elle on the other side of the room. Elle was lifting Ivy so she could put a ball through a basketball hoop.
“Looks like you two are having a good time,” I said.
“Daddy!”
“Are you having fun?”
“Best day evah! Ewlle, is it ok if I go play with Grampa for a while?”
With a nod, she gave Ivy a squeeze and put her down, watching Ivy as she ran off.
“So, do you want to play?” I asked.
Elle rested the ball she was holding on her hip. “What do you have in mind?” she asked, one of her eyebrows rising in challenge.
“How about a shootout? First one to twenty.”
She nodded. “Okay. Prepare to lose.”
Laughing, I motioned towards the net. “Ladies first.”
She and I dove in to the challenge, our competitive natures showing – me calling her out on stepping over the shoot line by a fraction of an inch, her stepping on the trampoline just as I was about to jump “by accident” to throw me off.
In the end, Elle gave it a great effort, but I was the clear winner.
“So, I guess we’re tied now,” I stated.
“How so?”
“Even though you cheated, you won at mini golf and I won here.”
“Yeah, but I also kicked your butt in video games.”
“Touché.” I laughed.
I looked down at her, and the energy began to heat between us. I knew she could feel it too, she cleared her throat and began to fidget.
“Uh, I think I’ll go get lunch ready.” She tossed the ball she was holding at me and disappeared quickly into the party room before I could protest.
A short time later, Mom let out a shrill whistle, halting everyone in their tracks.
“It’s time to eat, come and get it!”
It was a mad dash, with Ivy on the shoulders of Stixx giggling loudly.
I stood back and watched Elle and my mom dish out the food for everyone. I noticed Elle hovering, asking if anyone wanted drinks, if anyone needed anything else. I walked toward her and stopped her before she could get away.
“You haven’t had any food. We’re family here, Elle. You aren’t our server. Come on, let’s grab some pizza.”
We each grabbed a plate and filled it with food. As we turned to sit, Ewan called to me from the far side of the table.
“Do you have a minute, Chase?” I glanced down at Elle feeling conflicted, but she put on a small reassuring smile.
I noticed Mom watching us.
“Elle, would you sit with me a while? I’d love to hear more about the little town you grew up in.”
Mom to the rescue. Ewan chewed off for nearly a half an hour about music and some new bands that we might want to check out once we got home. When Elle tapped my shoulder, relief washed over me.
“It’s time for the cake,” she told me.
I had expected her to lead the way to the cake, but instead she returned to her seat. I knew that this was her giving me some space to take control and have a special moment with my daughter.
As the group of us sang happy birthday to my sweet little angel, I placed the cake in front of her. I looked up and noticed Claire was taking a video. How luck was I to have these people around me? It hadn’t dawned on me to capture the moment. As the cake was being cut up, Ivy ran around the room to each person to give them a big hug.
I placed the biggest slice of cake in front of her and she dug in excitedly, bouncing around in her chair. This kid was going to be bouncing off of the bus’s walls later. Mom began to set presents around Ivy, and soon the cake was discarded so that she could sit up on the table and begin opening her gifts.
Elle grabbed emptied plates as everyone else watched Ivy. As she passed by, I placed a hand on her shoulder, pausing her in her steps.
“Thank you for helping make today even better than I could have imagined,” I murmured quietly in her ear. “I know everyone had the best time today because you stepped in.”
My mom’s gasp brought my attention to a small box that Ivy was holding open. I leaned to get a better look and found a beautiful guitar charm hanging from a necklace. On the charm were two little coloured stones on it.
“Elle, did you get this?” my mom asked.
She nodded shyly. “It’s Ivy’s and Chase’s birthstones.”
It was a quick glance that she gave me, but long enough for me to see the tears in her eyes. I don’t know when she had found the time to get that, but nothing else on that table would compare to the thought she had put into that necklace.
Just as before, when we’d been standing at the basketball hoop, she began to fidget under everyone’s gaze.
“Ivy, what gift are you going to open next?” she asked to change the focus back to Ivy.
“This one!” she squealed, pointing at a large pink bag with purple tissue paper and a
pink bear sticking out of the top.
I stood and grabbed my cup to refill my drink and found a spot against the wall, away from the rest of the group. I needed a moment to reflect. As I watched Elle pack away the remaining cake, my heart began to ache. We’d connected physically perfectly, and I missed having her next to me. But it wasn’t’ just that; she was fantastic in every way… and I couldn’t have her.
Chapter Nineteen
Elle
“Okay, that’s it. I can’t stand to see both of you moping around like this. You two should be together,” Claire announced.
I shook my head. “We had some fun, but that’s all it was. It wasn’t meant to be anything more.”
“I know you don’t actually believe that.”
Claire sat at the end of the couch with her arms crossed, a pout clear on her lower lip and her eyebrows pulled together.
“That isn’t a good look for you,” I said, trying to lighten the mood.
She stuck out her tongue at me. And then her eyes lit up.
“Uh oh, whatever idea just entered your brain, forget about it.”
“Do you know what we need? A girl’s night. It will get you off of this bus and away from all of your worries. Trust me, there is no better place than Memphis to do that. We’re going to go out and have a fabulous time, party it up. We can spend the night in a hotel because we don’t leave here until tomorrow night.”
“Are you kidding? Please don’t tease me like that.”
She smiled widely. “I am dead serious.”
“On one condition,” I stated. “I don’t want it to be at Chase’s expense. I feel like all of the extra things we have done on this tour have been paid for on my behalf, and while I am grateful and I’m certainly not loaded, I do like to feel like I am taking care of myself.”
Chasing Melody Page 12
