Belong (Seven Year Itch #3)(35)

There was just one difference from before.

This time I wasn’t going to give up.





Chapter 18


It was the end of everything. For a brief couple hours I let myself fall, yet it had only brought back the same rushing pain as before. Loving Chad was like a curse. The more I felt, the harder the stake drove into my heart.

I didn’t even make it a mile before pulling the car over and losing myself in a crying fit.

We’d made passionate love, reconnecting like we’d never been apart. Chad and I were in sync, so compatible it was scary. He owned my soul, because I’d gladly given it to him. Only love could hurt this way; could make me want to think of irrational ways to end the pain.

I was tortured, broken, and battered with one swift crescendo. The constant ache wouldn’t leave. I was unable to see to drive. I couldn’t continue on, and I knew going back would only destroy me more.

Then the rain came. First it began as a light drizzle, then in a matter of seconds large loud taps started smacking against the windshield. I left the wipers on, feeling like the rain were my tears, like heaven was crying for us.

I wanted a flash flood to carry me away. I needed to be free of this wretched despair.

I could see headlights in the rearview mirror. At first I assumed it was a passing vehicle. I kept my hazard lights off to keep them from stopping. I wasn’t in any condition to speak to a stranger. My body was shaking profusely, and I couldn’t begin to imagine how awful I looked. The makeup I’d put on earlier in the morning was stinging my eyes, letting me know most of it was rubbed off.

Unfortunately the car pulled over, coming to a stop behind my vehicle. I wiped my eyes and prepared to let them know I’d be fine. Since it was pouring I waited until the person was right up to the window. In the dark of the night I couldn’t see their face. His voice ricocheted off my ears like an incoming freight train. “Get out of the car, Rach.”

I saw his eyes tearing me apart as I looked up to address him. “What are you doing?”

“I can’t let you do this.” He opened my car door and leaned over to take my keys out of the ignition. Chad then unbuckled my seat belt and extended his hand to me. “Not again. There’s no running way from this, not this time, babe.”

Babe, he’d called me it so many times years ago. This time I knew he meant it as a silent plea. I placed my hand in his and let him pull me out of the car. He waited for me to fetch my purse before locking the door. Halfway between the cars I had doubts. I froze in place. “This will solve nothing.”

He turned back, the rain soaking us from top to bottom. “Shut up, Rachel. For once just shut up and listen to me.”

He kissed me, hard, and fast on the lips. I almost lost my balance, but just as quickly as his mouth smashed over mine, he was pulling away. I stood melting in a puddle of my own fears. “I’m listening now.”

He held my arms tightly, making sure I couldn’t slip away. “Marry me.”

“What? The weather is making you stupid.”

“Marry me, Rach. Be my wife.”

“You’re already married, you fool.”

“Say yes. Say it’s what you want more than anything in the world.”

I was freezing, shivering from it, but also because he was frightening the bejesus out of me. “No.”

“Wrong answer.”

“No. This is insane.”

“Marry me, Rachel.”

Marriage. Could I be married to Chad? Was it possible? Was it what I’d silently prayed for? Was he my happily ever after? Could it be? “Okay.”

A smile was forming across his lips while buckets of rain fell down over us. “Really?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

He picked me up and spun me around, celebrating like it was a victory. Then he kissed me, and in that instant I was warm and dry. Everything around us disappeared again. I got lost in our embrace, the pain subsiding.

Chad carried me to his car, getting me inside before climbing in himself. He drove fast back to the house, the whole time holding my hand. “I can’t believe you chased after me.”

“This isn’t just about you, Rach. I’m tired of being the good guy and it getting me nowhere. I know what I have to do.”

“What?” I inquired.

“Fight.”

After making it back inside the warm home, Chad led me straight up the stairs, not even giving us time to strip from our soppy wet clothing or shoes. He pulled me into a room I recognized as being his and closed the door behind us. His hands were on either side of my arms. “Go run the shower. I need to check on Harper. When I come back you better be naked.”

“Chad, wait.”

He pointed at me before he started speaking. “No. You don’t get to have an opinion anymore tonight. I’m going to prove to you we can make this work. Do you trust me?”

I smiled. “With my life. That’s not the problem.”

He kissed me on my forehead. “Trust me now. I’ll handle everything, just do what I said.” He started to walk out of the room and turned with a smirk across his face. “One day you’ll figure out it’s much easier to give me what I want.” He tapped on the doorframe before disappearing.

Settled on giving up the fight, I headed into the bathroom to do what he requested. I reached my hand in the shower to turn it on and something caught my eyes immediately. I stepped in, still wearing all my clothes and grabbed the bottle off the shelf. At first I figured he’d liked it when I’d stayed with him years ago. Then I looked at the bottom of the bottle. My salon’s name was still visible on the faded paper. Just then Chad walked in the bathroom. I held up the bottle. “This is mine.”