“Not that I know of.”
Chase appeared as confused as she felt. Had her aunt made up the whole car trouble thing so she could get the two of them together? “Aunt Janie texted me last night to say her car was giving her trouble and she didn’t dare drive to the airport.”
“Hmm, she asked me a few days ago if I would pick you up since I was already going to be in Atlanta.” He lifted one shoulder up. “Maybe she just doesn’t like driving in big cities.”
Addie knew her aunt was pretty fearless and wouldn’t be intimidated by a bigger city. Did Chase really not guess this whole thing had been a set up?
Before Addie could say anything, he placed his palm against her back to nudge her forward. “I’m over this way.”
He dropped his hand as soon as they started walking again, but Addie could still feel the warmth from his touch and the tingly sensation that had spread from the contact spot. Uh-oh. Don’t go there girl because that was not attraction. It was awareness of another human being. Nothing more. She reminded herself she was here for two weeks to relax and get the perfect shot for the contest. She didn’t have time for a relationship, especially a long-distance, rebound relationship. That had disaster written all over it.
They stopped next to a big black pickup truck with lifted wheels and shiny chrome running boards.
“This is it.” Chase pulled out his keys and unlocked the doors with a push of the button.
He hefted her heavy bag into the back seat of the truck while Addie made her way to the passenger side. She opened her door, preparing to climb in. Even with her four inch heels, she might need a step ladder to get into the thing. “Whoa, this is a little high.”
“Oh, hey,” Chase said. “A friend of mine broke the handle so it makes it hard to climb in. Just give me a sec and I’ll come help you up.”
“No, that’s okay.” Addie hadn’t meant her comment as a hint she needed help. “I got it.” She placed her purse on the floor and stepped up on the running board.
Colorful balloons hovered in the middle of the truck. Addie cringed with embarrassment as Chase leaned over and parted the balloons just in time to see her first failed attempt as she stumbled back, nearly twisting her ankle.
“Please let me help you,” he said. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Oh brother. She could climb up into a truck. She was from Idaho where most kids could drive a stick shift by the time they were twelve. “Don’t worry about it. I’m fine.”
Determined to climb in without any help, Addie anchored her palm on the seat, and grabbed onto the dash. She probably should take her shoes off but didn’t want to waste time. She almost had it but the bottom of her heel slipped and she started to fall back. Then she felt warm hands on her waist and was so startled she gasped and lost her balance.
The next thing she knew, Chase held her against his firm chest. “Are you always this stubborn?” he asked, a hint of that smirk back on his face.
It wasn’t every day Addie found herself in the arms of handsome, well-built man, and for a few seconds she was speechless. Heat from his body spread through her like an Idaho wildfire. Oh, wow, he smells really good. That thought only seemed to fuel the flames. She had to do something to douse these feelings.
“I’m not stubborn.” She twisted and wiggled her feet for him to put her down. “I’m just independent.”
Chase lowered her to the ground and smiled. “I wasn’t tryin’ to rob you of your independence, Miss Heywood. My mama just raised me to open doors for women and to help ladies into cars or trucks.” He held out his hand, palm up. “May I?”
If any other guy had used that line on her, she would have laughed right in his face. But Chase’s southern drawl and serious eyes made it sound completely sincere.
“Thank you.” She placed her palm in his and ignored the sensation of the skin to skin contact.
She snatched her hand back the second she was securely in the vehicle. She didn’t know if Chase felt the same crazy, electric attraction she experienced, and she wasn’t about to try and find out. He stood there watching her, but she resisted the urge to look at him again and busied herself with putting on her seatbelt. Finally, he closed the door and came around to the driver’s side.
Tired from the day’s travel, Addie blew out a big breath and leaned back into the seat. The feelings would pass, and even if they didn’t, she had no intention of spending time with Chase Nichols. Hopefully, the two hour drive to Mitchel Creek would go by quickly, especially if she kept everything light and fun. Then she wouldn’t have to see him for the rest of her trip.
* * *
Chase started the engine but didn’t attempt to back out. With Addie sitting in the passenger seat, he had nowhere to put the balloons. He couldn’t safely drive with them in the middle.
Using both of his hands, he parted the balloons down the middle to find Addie watching him. “These are gonna be a problem. Any suggestions?”
Her lips curved up into the first genuine smile, making a dimple appear in her right cheek. “My nephews like to suck on the helium and then sing like The Chipmunks.”
Chase laughed. “Yeah, but we’ve got a half a dozen balloons here and between the two of us we’d have a whopper of a headache by the time we finished up.”
“You sound like you’re speaking from experience.”
“I am. Jackson and I thought it’d be real funny to make prank phone calls with helium-induced voices. It was funny—until the headache hit, and my mama made us spend our own money to replace my little sister’s balloons.”
“Is Jackson your brother?” Addie asked.
“Close enough. He and I have been best friends since grade school.”
“I guess we can just deflate them. Or—” She pointed to a family with a bunch of kids getting into a Suburban. “—Maybe they’ll want them. Kids love these things.”
She unlatched her seatbelt, opened the door and slid out before Chase could offer to help her down. By the time he reached her, the little family had the balloons and was thanking Addie.
As soon as the family climbed into their SUV, Addie turned to Chase. “I can’t believe how adorable those little kids sounded with that accent.” She grinned, nudging him in the shoulder with her own. “They probably don’t sound any different to you.”
When Chase had spent a few months one summer in California selling solar panels, people were constantly commenting on how much they loved his accent. To him, they were the ones who spoke differently.
“I like your accent too,” he said, stopping at the truck. He did love the way she pronounced everything.
“I have an accent?”
He attempted to lose the twang. “Of course. And all of you guys out West sound alike.”
She arched a chestnut-colored eyebrow. “That was pretty good.”
He shrugged. “It’s a hidden talent.”
The smile she gave him made the dimple reappear. “Even though my dad is from the South, I’ve never been able to talk with a drawl, so I won’t even attempt to try.”
“Maybe you’ll pick it up while you’re here.”
“Maybe.” Their eyes held for a few seconds before she turned toward her door. “I guess we better get going.”
Chase moved next to her and held out his hand to help her up. Addie hesitated, and her eyes flickered down to his open palm. She moistened her lips and slowly placed her hand in his.
Heat pooled in his gut at the touch of her warm skin. The rush of awareness he felt was similar to the feel of performing in front of a live audience. Both were something he liked. A lot.
Once she was seated, Chase closed her door and rounded the front of his truck. He hadn’t counted on feeling like this, and wasn’t quite sure what to do about it. One thing was for sure, Addie was no longer the annoying brat he’d met thirteen years earlier. Still just as stubborn, but now it was kind of cute.
After climbing into the driver’s seat, Chase started the truck and followed the exit signs
. He pulled in behind a line of cars waiting to pay for parking and glanced over at his passenger. A lock of her auburn hair covered her face as she tipped her head down to study her phone. He hoped the underlying tension between the two of them didn’t make the long drive home uncomfortable.
“If you see a text from an unknown number that would be from me.”
Addie glanced up at him. “You texted me?”
“I tried, but my phone died.”
She glanced back down and scrolled through her messages. “I don’t see it.”
“Good thing Miss Janie made the sign, right?”
Her lips curved up as she met his eyes again. “Yes, it is.”
The car behind them tapped on its horn, and Chase released the brake to move forward a few spaces. “Cell phones don’t do a whole lot of good if they’re dead.”
“What kind of phone do you have?”
He slid her a glance. “The same as yours, just without all the bling.”
She laughed and held up her sparkling turquoise colored case. “Admit it, you’re jealous.”
“Nope.” He moved forward and pulled out his wallet. “I’d want it to be purple.”
“You’re in luck. I’m pretty sure they had it available in two different shades of purple.”
Chase withdrew a ten dollar bill and lowered his window. “I think I’ll pass.” He slipped the ticket in the machine and waited for the total.
“Oh, hey, let me pay for the parking,” Addie said.
“I got it.” He ignored her protest and fed the cash into the slot. His change popped out and the red crossbar lifted before Chase exited the parking garage.
“Please let me pay for it.” Addie held out a twenty dollar bill. “This will cover the parking and a little gas.”
Chase shook his head. “Don’t worry about it.”
“I insist.” She placed the money down on the center console.
When he could tell she was going to be persistent, he came up with an idea. “Do you have your charger?”
“Yes.”
He withdrew his phone and handed it to her, along with the money. “I’ll trade the price of the parking if you’ll charge my phone.” He glanced her way and shot her a grin. “Please?”
She hesitated and then accepted the phone and money. “Okay, but what about gas?”
Chase made a left turn and headed for I-75. “I was already in Atlanta, Addie. I’m a friend of your aunt’s, so let me just be a nice guy and call it good.”
A few seconds ticked by. He wondered if her stubborn-independent side would argue with him.
Finally, she nodded her head. “All right. Thank you.” She pulled out her charger, plugged it into the USB adapter, and connected his phone. “There you go.”
“Thanks.” They passed a chain of fast-food restaurants. “Hey, are you hungry?”
She sat with her back angled against her door and clasped her hands tightly in front of her. “Not really. I’m saving up for one of my aunt’s cinnamon buns.”
“Yeah, those are pretty good.”
“But if you want to get something, you should stop. Just know that I’m buying.”
He shook his head. “Are you always this difficult?”
“Yes, at least that’s what my family is always telling me.”
He laughed and merged onto the freeway. “Tell me about your family. I believe you mentioned a couple of nephews. The helium-sucking ones.”
“I have an older sister and she has three children. Josh is sixteen. My sister is about to pull her hair out whenever he wants to take the car. Josh is a little on the impulsive side.”
“Bryan is fourteen and the family clown,” she continued. “I love being around him. He makes me laugh every time I see him. And then there is Stephanie.” Chase could hear the smile in her voice. “She’s eleven going on twenty. She is all girl and so cute. My brother-in-law, Derek, doesn’t look forward to the day when she can date.”
Chase knew all about worrying about the girls in his family. “I’ll bet. My daddy gets the shotgun out every time one of my little sisters goes out on a date.”
“He does not.”
“Okay, but he always threatens to if anyone dares to disrespect his girls.”
“I’ll have to mention that tactic to Derek.” She angled her body so her back was in the corner of the cab again. “How many sisters do you have?”
“Four, and they’re all younger than me. I’m the only boy.”
“Poor baby.”
He snorted. “You got that right! Do you have any idea what it’s like to live in a house full of hormonal women?”
“Hey, I’m one of those hormonal women.”
He chuckled. “Is that so?”
“Well, I’m a woman.”
“Yeah,” he said, taking a quick look at her. “I kind of noticed that.”
After a few seconds of silence, she gave him a nervous giggle. “Your poor sisters. Are you always such a tease?”
“Isn’t that what brothers are supposed to do?”
“I wouldn’t know.” She yawned through the last word. “I only have the one sister.” She yawned again. “Sorry, I didn’t sleep well last night.”
Chase wasn’t sure if she was telling him the truth. Maybe she was just done talking to him. But when he glanced over and caught her stifling another yawn, he noticed the fatigue written on her face. “Hey, your seat can recline. Why don’t you try to sleep some?”
“No. I’m fine.”
“I really don’t mind. Why don’t you at least close your eyes and try to relax.”
She hesitated. “Maybe for just a few minutes.”
He reached out to turn on the stereo. “Do you want a little music?” She nodded and Chase tuned into Tim McGraw singing a soft ballad.
“Mmm,” she said in a quiet voice, “I love Tim McGraw.”
“You and ’bout a million other women,” Chase said dryly. But it was good to know she liked country music.
It didn’t take her long to fall asleep, her breath slow and even as she snuggled against the seatback. Chase focused on the road ahead, but had a hard time concentrating on anything other than the pretty girl sleeping in his truck.
She sighed in her sleep, drawing his eyes to her face. Long, dark lashes fanned across her smooth skin. Her full lips parted slightly, creating warmth in the pit of his stomach. He had the strongest desire to test the softness of her mouth.
Swallowing, he turned away and put a stop to his wayward thoughts. He’d just met her, and he was thinking about kissing her?
The last time he’d felt such a strong instant attraction was with Hayden. But the two women were nothing alike. From what little he knew about Addie, it seemed cruel to even compare them.
Chase’s mood darkened slightly when he thought about Hayden and all the trouble she’d caused him. He almost laughed out loud when the next song on the radio was Lady Antebellum singing “Lookin’ for a Good Time.” The lyrics boldly stated to not promise anything more than one night. Jackson had teased Chase that the song was all about Hayden Barclay. Sadly, he was right.
Leaning forward, Chase pushed the CD button, playing a mix he’d burned of his favorite artists. He rolled back his shoulders to release some of the tension, remembering the first time he ever saw Hayden. His first year in college, his band Chasing Dreams had entered the Battle of the Bands contest at the Georgia State Fair. Before the competition started, the MC introduced Hayden Barclay, the newly crowned Miss Mitchel Creek.
Chase had his back turned away from the stage, sipping from a bottle of water and trying to mentally prepare for their performance. The wolf whistles and Beau’s rasping “whoa” made him turn around. His heart tripped over itself when he saw her. And, like every other male, he was instantly besotted with the dark-haired beauty.
Her midnight blue eyes and her lilting laugh had him mesmerized. His gaze swept over her curvaceous body, hugged by a silvery-blue, sequined gown with a plunging neckline and the back scoop
ed out, revealing flawless skin, kissed by the Georgian sun.
Jackson told him to get his eyes back in his head and focus. They were the first band scheduled to play and once they finished, Chase could ogle her all he wanted.
During the performance, Chase caught her watching him from the front row of the audience. He turned up the charm, giving her a smile and a wink while he sang and played his guitar. During the rest of the competition, he kept his eye on her until the last band played and they announced the winner. Chasing Dreams had taken second place and Miss Mitchel Creek had sought out Chase to congratulate him.
They had talked for over two hours where he found out she and her family had recently moved from South Carolina. Chase thought he’d met the girl of his dreams. Luckily, he’d found out how wrong he’d been before it was too late.
His cell phone vibrated against the console, cutting into the dark memory. “Hey, Mom,” he whispered, trying not to awaken Addie.
“Why are you whisperin’?”
“I picked up Miss Janie’s niece from the airport, and she fell asleep.”
He heard the background noises of the kitchen. His mother was a southern woman through and through. She loved cooking, food, her family, and the Lord. “That’s right. I forgot about that. Well, I just wanted to know if I should expect you for supper.”
Chase’s mother counted on all of her children to be home for supper—however, weekends were different. “Sorry, Mom, but I have a date.”
He was taking out a girl Jackson’s wife had set him up with. Sydney was forever trying to set up the other two band members who weren’t married. Beau Jacobsen, their drummer, gladly went out with every girl Sydney sent his way. Unlike Chase, he was ready to get married. Tonight’s date was a total favor to Sydney. Since the girl was visiting from Florida, Chase knew this one date couldn’t amount to much.
“I should just stop cooking on the weekend,” his mother said with a deep sigh. “Both Ashlee and Taylin are going out as well.”
His mother would never stop cooking. “Nice. You and Daddy can have a romantic dinner for two.”
“True,” she said with a soft laugh. “I’ll see you later, sweetie.”
“Bye, Mom.”
Under a Georgia Moon: Georgia Moon Romance Book 1 Page 4
