The Promise (29 page)

I pull
up by her apartment and message Drake to let him know I’m here. A few minutes later, he climbs into the truck, grinning like an idiot.

“Hey man,” he greet
s me, fastening his seat belt as I begin to pull away.

“Hey” I answer
, with all of my thoughts still being consumed by Sophie.

“Good weekend?” he ask
s.

“Huh?” I glance over at him before I
realize what he’s just asked. “Oh yeah ... It was great. You?”

“Dude,
I had an awesome weekend,” he answers me with a smile. I return his smile with one of my own before staring back out at the windshield. A few minutes pass before he breaks the silence again. “So, what’s up?”

“What
are you talking about?”

“You’re being weird,
Chase. What’s up? Is your head still fucking with you?” He asks and I nod.

“Yeah a little,” I admit
, glancing over to him briefly to see him nodding in what appears to be understanding.

“Are you still
freaking out about her ex?” he asks. I’d told him once before that I hate the fact that she’s still hung up on him, so it makes sense that he already knows what’s bugging me.

“Yeah,” I start. “I mean, I knew going into this t
hat she was still kinda getting over this other guy. I knew she needed me to be patient, but man, it really sucks sometimes, ya know? And like the other night, I was in the middle of trying to be all sweet and shit but then I just kept wondering how many times he did that kind of shit for her. It’s fucking me up, man.”

Drake nods for me to continue.

“
I know it’s just some stupid jealousy bullshit I have going on but I can’t help it. She’s about to go back to fucking Camden tomorrow and who the hell knows what’s going to happen when she gets there? What if she sees this Jack guy and decides that she wants to go back to him? He’s obviously put her through some shit before and I really don’t want to see her get hurt. Not to mention that it would suck for me, too.”

“Yeah,” Drake agrees
as I continue my rant.

“I don’t know what the fuck to do, man. I can’t tell her I’m freaking out becaus
e I promised her I wouldn’t. She keeps saying it’s all gonna make sense soon but this shit fucking sucks. Every time I look at her, I wonder if she even wants to be with me or if I’m just her consolation prize until she goes back to him.”

“Oh shut the hell up!
You know that girl loves you, Chase,” Drake says with all seriousness as he interrupts my line of thought.

“I
really don’t think she does. I think if she did, she would’ve asked me to go with her or at least told me something by now,” I say, shaking my head.

“Well, she kno
ws you have to work and shit, not to mention that your boss is a dick…” he laughs. “That’s probably why she didn’t ask you to go with her. That or she thought it would be weird for you to go there. You’re dumb as shit if you think she doesn’t love you though, man. She gets that same dumbass look on her face that you do when y’all see each other,” although I can hear the words he’s speaking, I shake my head. “Just chill out and everything will be fine. Just let her go and do whatever it is she needs to do. If you’re still feeling shitty when she gets back, talk to her then.”

“Yeah alright
… Thanks man,” I say before he gives me a brotherly pat on the shoulder. It’s gonna be rough but I know Drake’s right.

I’
ll just try and enjoy both tonight and what I have with her tomorrow and when she gets back, I’ll see if things between us are still the same.

W
e ended up knocking off work early because of the weather. I always welcome the money but I’d be lying if I was to say that I’m not happy to be leaving a little early today. It’s only two thirty right now which means I can be back in Rockport just in time for when Sophie will be meeting with Ana at the bar.

The thought of seeing her
is enough to have me jogging back over to my truck in no time.

***

Sophie

Once
my shift ended, I headed back to the apartment and got showered and changed so that I was ready to go and meet with Ana up at the bar.

I always
appreciate the hour or two we get to ourselves so we can catch up before the guys come in but after this weekend, it seems as though it’s been months since I last saw her.

I kno
w she’s going to be just as happy to see me because I’ve already gotten three text messages from her, each one asking me when I’ll be on my way to the bar. I guess this proves just how dependent we’ve become on each other over this past year.

I really want to talk with her a about JT coming back
with us too. I know she’ll be happy about it, he is her cousin after all, but I want to make sure she knows exactly what’s going on.

He’
ll be staying with us for at least a week or two while Lucy works, and although I’m excited to see him, I’m totally unprepared for his visit.

Tonight I’
ll see about picking up a few things for him since all of his stuff will be back at the house in Camden at the house. I want him to feel at home here and I know the new apartment will be completely different for him.

As
I pull up into the bars parking lot, I glance down at my phone and see that I’ve a missed call from Matt. I briefly consider calling him back but think better of it when I realize it’s beginning to rain a little. I grab my phone and my purse before walking into the bar so I can find Ana.

“Hey!” I yell
over the bar to her and she raises her head, her face practically beaming at me.

“Hey girl!” s
he yells back before running around the bar to greet me with a hug. “Oh my gosh! I can’t believe how much I miss you every time!”

“I know! You’d never guess we just saw each other two days ago!” I laugh a
s I hug her tighter to me. As I sit down, she passes me a beer before walking over to help one of her other customers.

As
I’m in the middle of opening up a text from Chase, I feel two huge arms wrapping around me and squeezing me tightly, nearly lifting me up from the bar stool.

“Go
d, your ass looks amazing in those jeans, girl!” I hear the pervert behind me say. I immediately turn around and smack him.

“Matty?” I yell
, watching as he laughs at my reaction. I throw my arms and legs around him, hugging him tightly with all that I have as he spins me around in his arms. “Oh my God! When did you get here?”

“I just got here right now, Soph! I wanted to surprise you!”
he answers while hugging me tighter.

“Well, you did! I’m so happy to see you! You look great!” I sa
y looking over him as he puts me back on my stool.

Matt ha
s always been a good-looking guy, but the years have definitely been kind to him. He’s tall, at about six two, with light brown hair that’s still cut short like it had been when he was enlisted. He has a massive chest with arms to match. His green eyes pop against his tanned skin and when he smiles, he shows off his to die for dimples.

“Forget about me, Soph!
Look at you! Man, you look amazing! Sexy as ever!” he says with a wink, looking me over again. “I missed you so fucking much, Babe!” he adds, bringing me closer for another hug while placing a big kiss on my cheek, making me blush and laugh.

“I missed you, too
! I’m so glad you’re here!” I tell him just as I hear someone clearing their throat beside me. I’m confronted with a very hurt and pissed off Chase.

“Sophie?” he ask
s, appearing to be more upset with every passing second.

Oh, no. I bet this definitely d
oesn’t look as innocent as it is.

“Hey
, Baby,” I say to him and he noticeably flinches from the endearment.

“Who’s your friend
, Babe?” Matt asks, his arm still wrapped around my shoulders, seemingly oblivious to the sudden change in my expression.

“This is Chase, my
…” I begin to answer his question as I move myself gently from Matt’s grip, but Chase cuts me off.

“I’m her boyfriend,” Chase answer
s for me in a clipped tone while throwing Matt a death stare.

“You have a boyfriend?” Matt
asks, looking at me with what appears to be complete confusion. I’d previously told him that I’d been on a couple of dates with Chase, but haven’t talked to him so much about things since, so he doesn’t know just how serious we’ve become.

“Yeah, remember I told you I was seeing someone,” I tell him
as I look over to Chase. He’s noticeably becoming even more upset.

“Yeah, she has a boyfriend
, so why don’t you back off?” Chase snaps directly at Matt. I’ve never seen him get mad before but even I can tell that he’s most definitely fuming right now.

“Chase, calm down,” I s
ay, placing my hand on his arm. The glare he sends in my direction quickly gives away that he’s hurting.

“Don’t
, Sophie,” he says quickly, not allowing for me to try and explain things to him. He brings his eyes down until they’re locked on mine. “Don’t tell me to calm down when the first thing I see when I walk in here is some douche bag all over you.”

“He’s not a douche bag, Baby. He’s
” Now it’s Matt who cuts me off.

“Hey man, you don’t need to talk to
her like that,” he says, squaring his shoulders while reaching out to pull me closer towards him. As soon as Chase sees Matt pulling me away from him, something inside him seems to snap.

“Get your hands off of her
!” Chase raises his voice, making Matt stand his ground. “Didn’t I just tell you to back off?”

“I don’t give a shit what you said
! I’m not leaving her alone with you!” Things are getting out of hand fast. Shit!

“Guys
! Stop, please?” I ask, but my request is ignored by the both of them. Chase has a weird expression crossing over his face before he goes ballistic.

“I fucking knew it
!” Chase hisses quietly, almost as though to himself as he defiantly shakes his head. He looks back to me and I see the saddest look I’ve ever seen within his eyes. The anguish there is undeniable. “Sophie, you promised.” His voice cracks through his heartbreak but before I can respond to his cryptic words, his sadness is replaced with rage as he turns his glare to Matt again, “You know what motherfucker? You had your chance with her and you fucked it up, so I suggest you get the fuck out of here!” Chase grinds out through his clenched teeth.

What the hell is he talking about?

“Guys, chill out!” Ana yells at the same time as I struggle to try and explain.

“Chase, he’s just my friend
!”

“Dude, what the fuck are you talking abo
ut? I had my chance with her?” Matt asks, still confused but now also extremely pissed.

“Chase, come on man, just calm down,” Drake
heads straight over to us and tries to step in between the two of them while throwing me his own look of confusion.

“What the fuck, Sophie?”
Chase asks, with both anger and betrayal lacing his features, while his eyes still display his torment, heartbreak even. “You said that you weren’t going to go back to him. I think we both know that was complete bullshit. I just didn’t want to admit it but you should’ve been honest with me,” he accuses, and then I understand.

He thinks
that the guy standing in front of him and with me right now is Jack. “All I ever asked from you was your honesty. You couldn’t give that to me before so at least be decent enough to give it to me now, Sophie. Just … tell me don’t you want me,” his voice wavers for a moment as he looks down to the floor, composing himself briefly before his eyes meet with mine again. “Say it,” he whispers. “Just … just tell me you’ve made your choice and that you’re going back to Jack.”

I’m stunned speechless.

“What?” I hear Ana ask at the same time Matt and Drake both ask the same.

I
’m so taken aback by what he just said that I still can’t manage to find any words to be able to speak.

“Damn it
, Sophie! Just say it! Be honest and just tell me that I don’t mean shit to you!” Chase yells and his words immediately cut through me. “Tell me after everything that’s happened between us, you still want Jack!” he demands while pointing over to Matt. “Come on, Sophie! You obviously love this guy so fucking much that it should be easy for you to admit it to me! Just say it!”

I
can only shake my head as I hear Matt’s voice grabbing Chase’s attention away from me.

“Sophie, you didn’t tell him?”
he asks, and in the next instant, Chase punches him in the face, making me scream.

“Chase! What is wrong with you?” I yell a
s I jump off of the stool so I can check on Matt.