Just Let Me Love You (Judge Me Not #3)(49)

The doctor leaves, and Chase and I get down to the business of discussing when we should head back to Ohio.

“You should stay a while longer,” Abby breaks in. “Greg will be back tomorrow. I’d like to make a special dinner so we can all celebrate.”

“Celebrate what?” Chase wants to know.

“That you and Will are okay, for one. And”—her gaze flits from Chase’s face to mine—“we should also celebrate that you two are now married.”

I know this is Abby’s way of saying she’s accepted our marriage, even though we chose an unorthodox route.

“So, it’s decided?” Abby prompts.

“I don’t know, Mom,” Chase says. “I kind of just wanted to go home, you know?”

“Yeah,” Abby replies, eyes downcast, “I know you need to get back.”

But when Will pipes in with, “Please, dude, what’s one more day?” I know we’ll be staying through the weekend. Not that I mind.

Chase sighs. “You okay with that, Kay,” he asks as he turns to me.

“Of course,” I reply.

I’m fine with whatever is decided, since truthfully, I’m just thankful Chase is all right.





Chase



Dinner with the family on my last night in Vegas goes much better than the first dinner we sat down to, shortly after Kay and I arrived in town. The positivity in the air gives me peace, peace that everything might turn out okay with all of us. We’re a little crazy, yeah, but we are still family.

Greg is his usual reserved self at the table, but there is genuine concern in his voice when he brings up the accident.

“You’re a very lucky young man,” he says to me just as my mom sets a pot roast in the center of the dining room table.

Turning to Will, he adds, “And so are you, son.”

Normally my brother would shoot off his mouth about how Greg is not his father and don’t be calling him son, that sort of thing, but today he just smiles and says, “Thanks, Greg. And don’t I know it. Chase and I were both really lucky.”

I think my near-miss with mortality has shaken Will. That, coupled with the quality time I’ve spent trying to reach him, and Cassie being out of the picture, leads me to believe that my brother won’t be turning back to drugs to solve his problems. He knows there’s nothing good to be found down that forlorn path. If anything, in our family, indulging our weaknesses leads only to disaster.

Once my mom is seated at the table, we dig into the delicious meal she’s made.

After a few minutes of everyone enjoying their food, she asks me, “So, are you flying back to Ohio, or are you still planning on driving your father’s old bike back.”

“I don’t know,” I reply, glancing over at my new wife, seated next to me, for her take on the situation. “What do you want to do, Kay?”

I’d originally hoped to drive the bike back to Harmony Creek with Kay. But my thinking it might be nice to see the country seems like a poor idea now. Too much has happened, and the delays have messed with our work commitments.

“Well,” Kay replies, frowning. “I’d love to drive back, especially on the bike, but I should probably get back to school as soon as possible. Father Maridale has had to cover for me a lot lately. I don’t want to take advantage of his generosity.”

“Yeah, I know.” I blow out a breath. “I need to get back to work, too.”

Abby nods. “Okay. Do you want me to ship the bike to Harmony Creek, then?”

“Uh…” I glance over at Will, who is pushing around peas on his plate.

Shit, I can tell the kid wants the old Indian to stay. He’s done really well with learning to drive it, and in less than a year he’ll be sixteen. Do I really need a motorcycle in Ohio? Probably not. I mean, sure, I’d love to have the bike since it was Dad’s, but Will has as much claim to it as I do.

With my eyes on my brother, I say, “Nah, why don’t we just keep the bike here and give it to Will next summer.”

Will’s head shoots up. “Really?” he says.

Kay shoots me a smile and mouths, “That’s sweet of you.”

Mom shrugs and says, “It’s your call, Chase.”

Fuck, that hit on the head Friday must’ve really scared her. She’s not turning this decision into a debate or a challenge to her authority.

But I want to be fair, so, as a group, we decide the Indian will stay. Even Greg agrees.

After dinner, Kay and I book our flights back home for the following day. I can tell my mom really wants to watch a movie—as a family—so I decide to give her this. Greg will never take the place of my father, but there’s no point in shunning all activity involving him. After all, the family dinner went well enough.

Shit, I guess I am evolving.

But in one area I remain uncivilized. And that’s when it comes to sex.

When I finally get Kay in bed—following two long movies and too much popcorn—I order her to lose the sleep shorts and tee immediately. “Get naked, sweet girl,” I command when she emerges from the bathroom. “I want to taste how sweet you are.”

Giggling, she starts to undress. But when she’s too slow for my liking, I go to her and pretty much tear her f*cking shorts right the hell off. I make quick work of the only thing I’m wearing, as well—my boxer briefs.