Under The Stars

9

Chase

Eighteen Years Old

I stare at the letter in shock, paper crinkling as it sticks to my sweaty palms.

Dear Chase,

Congratulations! It is with great pleasure that I offer you admission to Eastern Tennessee University.

Accepted? I can’t believe it. When Sam and Anna asked what my plans were for the future, I was adamant about staying local and working at Sugarlake Construction. There’s no better way to learn a business than to be hands-on, and college was never even a whisper of a thought. They convinced me to apply, saying the company would always be waiting, and a degree in something like business management would strengthen my skills.

I listened. Partly because I can’t stand the thought of disappointing them, and partly because at the time there wasn’t much—other than Lily—holding me here. But I never thought I would actually get in. How the f**k am I supposed to leave now that I finally have Goldi?

“What’s that?” Jax peers over my shoulder, being a nosy fucker like usual.

I ball it up quickly and push him back. “Jesus, get off my dick.”

His eyes twinkle with mirth. “You’re right. I think that’s Alina’s job now, anyway.” He puts his hand over his heart. “Let me be the first to tell you how happy I am to finally give up the title.”

My mouth tilts up. “Isn’t there some car that needs lubed or whatever the hell it is you do down at that shop?”

He smirks. “Know a lot about lube jobs, do you?”

“Why the f**k do I hang out with you?”

He shrugs in response, reclining on the couch and spreading his arms over the back.

I glance at the balled-up paper in my fist. It’s not a big deal.

There’s a knock on the wooden frame of the house. I look up to see Goldi opening the screen door, and damn, she looks good. I haven’t slept with her. f**k if I know why—because I’m a moron who clearly loves to torture himself? I get the sense she’s afraid of taking that final step. So, I’ll wait. I’ll prove to her I’m not going anywhere. It’s not about her body anyway—it’s her soul that holds my interest.

“Hey, I thought you would be with Lil today.” I give her a kiss, shoving the acceptance letter under the stack of mail before pulling her to sit on my lap.

She gives Jax a small wave and turns her upper body to face me. Her hair brushes my neck, sending that vanilla s**t she wears straight up my nose, making me grow hard underneath her. Clearly, even though my mind is on board with waiting, my body disagrees.

“What?” Her eyebrows raise at me in surprise. “Why would I be with Lily?”

“Because she’s your best friend? She told me she was going to Chattanooga with Becca, I just assumed you would be with them.”

“Uhh… nope.”

Moving the strands of her hair to the side, I kiss the base of her neck lightly. “What’s wrong?” My lips brush her skin with the question.

She sighs. “Chase, Lily hasn’t had anything to do with me since she found out about us, and if I’m honest, she was rarely around before that.”

I laugh because she has to be f*****g with me. “What are you talking about? She’s always with you.”

She shakes her head slowly. “No, Chase. She’s not. You knew she was lyin’ that day we showed up on your front door. You really thought that was a one-time thing?”

I was so twisted up in Goldi’s date, I guess I glossed over that fact. My

eyebrows draw in. “If she isn’t with you, then who the hell is she with?”

Goldi’s hands wring together, her teeth chewing on that puffy bottom lip of hers. She mumbles something, but I don’t hear it.

“What’s that?” My tone is sharp. I’m not trying to be a d**k, but I need her to get over whatever her issue is. Spit it the f**k out.

“I said, I’m not sure, alright? A couple years back, she started seein’ this guy. He was no good.” She’s still shaking her head at me, her eyes glassy with unshed tears.

What? How could I not know this?

“I never met him, but he was older—too old for her. She swore she stopped seein’ him, but all those weekends she said she was with us…” Her voice trails off, and my grip around her hips becomes tight. She squeaks, smacking my hands off her.

“f**k, I’m sorry, baby.” I brush my thumbs over the pink marks.

She hums and leans back, running her fingers through my hair. Her touch is normally calming, but right now I feel like a live wire ready to explode. “Why didn’t you ever tell me about this?”

She huffs. “You weren’t exactly by my side much these past few years. What was I gonna do, yell it across the neighborhood? I figured you already knew.”

Jax clears his throat and my eyes snap over. I forgot he was even here. “Not to intrude on what is obviously a personal moment between you two, but I did see Lily with some loser the other day down by the shop.”

“What the f**k, man?” My eyebrows rise. Does nobody tell me anything around here?

He nods, leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees. “Yeah, bro. I was busy dealing with a customer, so I didn’t pay much attention, but now that I think about it, s**t looked kind of sketchy.” He grimaces and rubs his hand on the back of his neck.

“I think she may be on drugs,” Goldi blurts. Her eyes are wide, hands covering her mouth like she didn’t mean to say it.

I chuckle, although this situation is the furthest thing from funny. “And how long have you been thinking this?”

“I was fixin’ to tell you, I swear. It just never seemed like the right time.”

I squeeze her thigh, tempering my agitation. “Lil would never do drugs, Goldi.”

She nods. “I’m sure you’d like to believe that. But, Chase, I’m tellin’ you. Somethin’ is not right.”

“I’ll talk to her, but I really think you guys are overreacting.” No way Lily’s doing drugs. She knows what they do to people, what they did to us.

I could, however, see her dating some dickbag and not wanting to tell me, afraid of how I’d react. I’m not exactly known for my understanding and patience.

I push down the dread creeping up my throat and reassure myself. There’s no f*****g way she would get into s**t like that. If she was having a hard time, she would come to me. It’s always been us against the world.

I brush off their concern. They just don’t know Lily like I do.

Jax hangs for a while longer before his mom calls him home. I figure now is as good a time as any to bring up ETU with Goldi. It’s not like I’m planning on going, but I don’t want to keep this from her.

“No way, Chase. Not on my watch.” Goldi stares me down, hands on her hips, a serious expression on her face.

“Baby, it’s not a big deal. I was never planning to go anyway. You’re out of your mind if you think I’m going to leave town now that I finally have you.”

She rolls her eyes. “Good Lord, get over yourself. It’s not across the country. It’s ETU—a little over two hours away.”

“Two hours isn’t three houses down, Goldi. I don’t want to be that far from you. What if you decide you can’t handle the long-distance? What if something happens? I need to be here.”

Her eyes soften as she puts her arms around my waist, kissing my chest through the fabric of my shirt. “That won’t happen. You can come down on weekends, I can come up. I won’t let you throw away college ‘cause of me.”

I blow out a breath, resting my chin on the top of her head. Anxiety is twitching in my stomach, but I ignore it. I want to be a better man for her, someone she can be proud to have by her side. Maybe college is the right choice.

I run my tongue over my teeth, leaning back to meet her eyes. “I’ll think about it.”

A smile lights up her face as she raises up to kiss me chastely. “I’m really proud of you.”

My heart pounds, a strange sensation filling me up. Nobody has ever told me that before. I like the way it feels.

Alina

Seventeen Years Old

It’s been six months since Chase left for ETU. I’m crazy proud of him, but it would be a lie to say it isn’t hard. When he was leaving, he swore he would be back every single weekend, but I don’t think either of us realized how unrealistic that is. Between him working to pay for his apartment, and me teaching dance to toddlers at the local rec on the weekends, time—and gas money—has been difficult to come by.

I was planning to hop in my little Kia and drive up there at least once a month, but my folks said no way, no how, could I go without a chaperone. That’s where Jax comes in, I guess. I don’t know what he said to Mama, but she melted like butter and convinced Daddy that if Jax came along, it was okay to go. I about keeled over and died right there when they told me. Jax? A chaperone? I can’t believe it, but I’m not about to look a gift horse in the mouth.