Under The Stars

10

Jax and I don’t know each other all that well. After our first disastrous meeting when I was a fresh-faced fourteen-year-old, we didn’t talk. He became Chase’s best friend, and since Chase was set on ignoring my existence, we ran in different circles. We’re friends now, but it’s purely superficial. It’s strange being in a car with him without a buffer.

Jax has one hand on the wood-rimmed steering wheel, and the other on the gearshift. He’s relaxed. Totally in his element, and I can see why he says cars are his calling.

“What are you thinking about so hard over there, Alina May?”

“What kind of car is this?” I look around the interior. It sure is pretty. When it comes to cars, I’m as dumb as a doornail, but I can feel the labor of love pouring out of these details.

He caresses the dash with his hand, the sun glinting off the blond hair on his knuckles. “This is a ‘67 Mustang Fastback. She was my dad’s.”

“Oh.” I get quiet, nervous to venture into this topic with him. Last time, it didn’t go so well.

He peeks over at me, smirking. “Don’t worry, Alina. I’m not the same boy you met three years ago. It’s okay to bring up my dad, I’ve had time to work through my anger.”

“Oh, good. That’s... good.” I nod my head, still unsure what to say.

The conversation subsides, falling into a comfortable silence. My head rests against the window, staring at the billboards cruising by, Tim McGraw serenading us through the speakers.

Jax turns the radio down, glancing over. “Let’s play twenty questions.”

I lift my head off the glass, angling my body toward his. “Okay, I’ll bite. Who goes first?”

“Ladies first, of course.” He tips his head.

I tap my finger on my chin, pursing my lips. “What’s that necklace you’re always messin’ with?”

He grabs the chain around his neck and pulls, two pieces of metal clanking together as they fall on top of his shirt. “Dad’s dog tags. He was a Marine.”

“Oh, wow. That’s amazin’. Do you always wear ‘em?” I lean over, getting a closer look.

“Never take them off. It makes me feel like a piece of him is still with me. Guiding me, you know?” He shakes his head, his shaggy hair falling from where it was tucked behind his ears. “s**t, that probably sounds stupid.”

I have the dog tags in my hand now, thumb brushing over the raised lettering of his daddy’s name.

RHOADES,

JAMES A.

“No, not stupid. I think it sounds real, and real is beautiful, Jax.”

Emotion s

wirls in his eyes as he peers down at me.

I drop the tags, leaning back to my side of the car. “Okay, next question. What’s your favorite food?”

His eyebrow quirks. “Isn’t it my turn? This is your third question in a row. That’s cheating.”

“You took too long, which means you forfeit your turn.”

He barks out a laugh. “You didn’t even give me a chance, woman!”

I lift my shoulders. “That sounds like a personal problem.”

He’s grinning, his eyes on the road ahead. “Whatever you say. My favorite food? Crab Rangoon. All. Day. Long.” His tongue peeks out to lick his lips, and he moans like he’s in the throes of passion.

My nose scrunches. “What’s that?”

“Don’t tell me you’ve never had Crab Rangoon, Alina.”

“Okay, I won’t tell you that.”

“That is entirely unacceptable,” he tsks. “We were just becoming friends, too. It’s really a shame.”

I laugh. “Well, I don’t know what you expect me to do about it right now.”

“Next Chinese restaurant I see, we’re stopping. No matter the time or place. I’ll give your mouth the best experience of its life.”

“Please, it can’t be that good.”

“Oh, Alina… sweetheart, you just wait and see.”

His happiness is infectious, and I face forward in my seat, trying to suppress my smile. I think I quite like being around Jackson Rhoades.

We drive for another hour. There’s a giddiness in my chest as we arrive at Chase’s place. Other than the few and far between pictures he posts on f*******:, this is the first time I’ve seen where he lives. I reach in the back seat to grab my jacket. It’s too dang cold in February.

Jax walks around to open my car door, ever the gentleman. He puts out his arm, winking when I take it. “You ready to go see your man, sweetheart?”

We don’t get further than the front sidewalk before Chase’s door opens. A blonde girl steps out, pausing to speak with someone just inside the door. I stop in my tracks, pulling on Jax’s arm, confused. Do we have the wrong place?

She’s pretty. Tall and skinny with long blonde hair. Chase follows her out, and she throws her arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug. Okay, not the wrong place. Flashes of our past play behind my eyes. Jealousy I haven’t felt in so long simmers beneath the surface.

Chase doesn’t wrap his arms around her, just lightly pats her on the back. His lack of response to her touch calms me. He looks up and spots us, a smile that’s only ever just for me lighting up his face. Stepping back from the blonde, he briskly approaches us. Excitement bounces around inside me, making it hard to stand still.

“Goldi,” he breathes, wrapping me in a hug, lifting me up and spinning me around. The jealousy recedes, replaced by the familiar warmth of being in Chase’s arms.

Jax waves his hand in front of our faces. “Oh hey, Chase. Nice to see you. Missed you, bro. Remember me? Jax. Chopped liver. Whatever name you prefer, really.”

Chase laughs, setting me down, keeping me tucked into his side as he gives Jax a chin nod.

The blonde girl appears beside us, her light-brown eyes focused on me. “Chase, these your friends from back home?”

“Yeah. This is my girlfriend, Alina, and my best friend, Jax. Guys, this is Lindsay. She’s in my Business and Professional Communications class. We have a study group that gets together once a week. She was just dropping off some notes.”

Lindsay plasters a smile on her face—a little too wide to be genuine, and puts out her long manicured fingers to shake my hand. “Nice to meet you. I didn’t know Chase had a girlfriend.”

My spine stiffens as my grip on her hand tightens.

Jax must sense my irritation, because he chuckles, attempting to lighten the mood. “Typical Chase, keeping the best parts of his life all to himself. The greedy bastard.”

Chase pulls me closer into his side. “The best and biggest part of my life.” He drops a kiss on my forehead. “I’ve talked about Goldi. I mentioned last week she’d be coming up to stay the weekend.”

Lindsay puts a hand up to her forehead. “Oh, that’s right. It must’ve slipped my mind. We talk about so much, it’s hard to remember all the details.”

I smirk at her. I know girls like this and can see her game from a mile away. I’m not above marking my territory. I cup Chase’s face, his stubble scratching my fingers as I pull him down to meet my lips. I linger, teasing the tip of his tongue with mine before pulling back.

“You’re the best and biggest part of me, too,” I whisper against his mouth.

He buries his face in my neck, his cold nose sending shivers down my back. “Goddamn, I’ve missed you.”

“Alright, lovebirds. What’s on the agenda for today?” Jax glances over to Lindsay. “You coming with us on the Nashville tour? Not really the best weather for it, but hey, ‘When in Rome,’ am I right?”

“No, no. I have things to do today. Like Chase said, I was just stopping by to give him a copy of my notes since he’s missing tonight’s study group.”

“Your study group meets on Friday nights?” Jax is incredulous, his face a picture of disbelief. “What the hell kind of college experience are you living, Chase? To say I’m disappointed would be a gross understatement.”

Chase lifts his head from my neck. “I’m not here to party, dumbass. I’m here to get a degree. As fast as f*****g possible so I can come home to what matters.” His hands creep down low on my back, fingertips slipping under the waistband of my jeans.

The air of confidence from Lindsay’s posture deflates. That’s right hussy, you can’t touch us.

“Alright, well, I’ll see you later, Chase,” she mutters.

Chase barely glances at her, mumbling a goodbye. His hand tangles with mine as he leads us up the sidewalk and to his apartment.

By the end of the weekend, she’s already forgotten. Lost in the sights and sounds of Nashville, and the happiness that wraps my heart, making it beat out the rhythm of a love song.

“I don’t want you to go back,” Chase whispers into my hair. I’m lying on top of him, our limbs entwined on the couch, reveling in the peace that comes with his embrace. Jax is passed out in Chase’s bedroom, and this is the first time all weekend we’ve been alone. We managed to sneak in a few make-out sessions, but even though I told Chase I was ready to take that last step, he didn’t want to do it when Jax was in the other room. Said he wanted it to be special. Wanted to take his time.

“Bein’ away from you is harder than I expected,” I pout.

His arms tighten around me. “You aren’t second-guessing things, are you?”

“No way. You’re stuck with me for good, mister. I just miss you so much. We don’t get to see each other as often as I imagined.”

His fingers trail up and down my back, and he sighs. “It’s hard for me, too. Not being able to see you whenever I want is f*****g torture.”

It is torture, but nothing compared to the torture of knowing he wasn’t mine. This is child’s play, in comparison.

“Have you talked to Lily lately?” he asks.

My heart sinks. “Chase, she won’t even look at me when she passes me in the halls at school, and she dropped out of dance to avoid me.”

I’ve tried to talk to Lily a thousand different times. I thought after some space, she would have cooled off enough to hear my side of things. But there’s only so much verbal abuse a girl can take. Eventually, I stopped trying.

“She’s not answering my calls. Probably still pissed at me for leaving. Can you try to get through to her again, for me? I need to know she’s okay, and I’ll feel better knowing you’re with her.”

I love Chase with every part of me, and that’s the only reason I agree. For some reason, he’s blind when it comes to Lily—too scared to see what’s right in front of him. He’s not willing to admit she treats me like trash, let alone that she’s off the rails and needs help. I just hope he doesn’t look back one day and regret how he’s handling things.

“Yeah, I’ll see about her when I get back home. But don’t get your hopes up, Chase. She can’t stand the sight of me.”

“Thank you, baby.”

I kiss him, committing his touch to memory. Who knows how long it will be until I get to feel it again.