We made small talk for a few minutes, talking mostly about my day’s events, or lack thereof, and then he left the highway and pulled onto unpaved terrain. Gravel creaked under the tires as we passed a gate marking the land beyond as private property. The narrow road stretched on for a mile or two, after which Chase parked the car and we exited.
“Where are we?” I asked, turning slowly to take in the area. To either side were hills of grapevines and untouched nature. Even the air smelled clean and fresh.
“You’ll see,” he said mysteriously.
Chapter 5
The sun shimmered in the sky, its bright rays warming my skin. I took off my jacket, revealing a loose batwing top, and slung it over my arm as I followed Chase along a narrow path up a hill. Gravel and loose branches crunched under my heels. Once or twice, Chase supported my arm to prevent me from taking a tumble. As we reached the top, I saw the meadow below. Almost hidden between orange trees was a picturesque cottage with whitewashed walls and painted windowsills.
I stopped to draw a sharp breath, not because it was so amazingly beautiful, but because it reminded me of Waterfront Shore…of the oleander bushes growing all over the property, shading us from the blazing midday sun.
“Come on. We’re nearly there.” With a silent smile, Chase grabbed my hand and pulled me after him. He didn’t let go until we reached the porch. A table and two chairs had already been set up, a white tablecloth covering the old wood, giving it an old but charming flair. The cottage was run-down in some way, and yet it made me feel more at home than any other place ever had. Maybe it was because it was planted in the middle of nature, a direct contrast to the city I lived in.
A soft wind pushed a strand of hair into my face, and eventually I turned my head away from the stunning scene and back toward him. “I hope we’re not trespassing,” I said.
He shook his head, his gray-blue eyes shadowed by those impossibly dark lashes that kept me mesmerized. “No, it’s mine.”
“Really?” I asked, surprised.
“I bought it a while ago. It was supposed to be an investment. Then I realized living in the city might be good for your pocket, but nature’s good for the soul. I need to switch off whenever the chance presents itself, so I come down here on the weekends. Sometimes even during the week.”
He pulled a chair back and gestured for me to sit. I sat down and peered at Chase, unsure what to say. When he had claimed to want to show me a special place, I figured he was talking about something more public. To be honest, I didn’t expect any of it. Not the complete solitude. Nor the privacy, or the stunning views.
“I’ll get us something to drink. Chilled white wine good for you?” Chase asked.
“Yes. Thank you,” I said, and leaned back in my chair, inhaling the aroma of oranges as I closed my eyes for a few seconds, savoring the way the sun warmed my skin. I only opened them at the sound of approaching footsteps and took a glass of wine out of Chase’s hand.
“It’s beautiful here,” I began, pointing my glass to the stunning hills surrounding the cottage. “And so serene.”
“Yeah.” He smiled. “It’s the closest I could get to my home. Did I tell you where I grew up?”
“Texas,” I said.
He nodded. “I was born in Mulberry and spent the first few years of my life there.” His eyes clouded over, but only for a moment, during which he didn’t reply. “My parents used to travel a lot, meaning I’ve lived all over the world.”
“But your accent—”
He cut me off. “It’s an acquired thing. My father was born in Kerr, so that’s where I grew up. But my grandparents used to live near Lake Superior in Michigan. I used to stay with them every now and then when my parents were on tour, doing their thing. They were performers with a huge entourage.” He took a sip of his wine. In the bright sun, he looked more stunning than ever. For the first time, I noticed the golden glow of his skin and the beautiful contrast it built to his gray-blue eyes. I figured he spent a lot of time outside in the sun.
“It must have been quite exciting to travel so much,” I said.
“It was okay, I guess.” He shrugged. “Taking care of a child at home when you’d rather hang out with famous people and party until the clubs throw you out was quite the pain in the ass for my parents and not exactly what I’d call a normal childhood. When I was young, I used to envy people who had a stable home rather than live in a bus. As I got older, I got increasingly bored with the routine and looked forward to our brief periods at home. Luckily, my grandparents were happy to give me a shot at that. They took good care of me.” I ignored the sudden leap my heart took, because it was the longest Chase had ever talked about himself. I barely knew anything about him, so the insight into his past fascinated me.