Take Heart (2 page)

“Missed you, beautiful,” he whispers in my ear, lifting me off the ground.

“Missed you more,” I respond.

He sets me down, removes my sunglasses, and slides them on top of his head. He totally did that on purpose; he knows about my little quirk. He then pulls Raven into a warm embrace.

“Eric, what are you doing grilling out on the balcony? It’s against the fire code to do that out here,” I remind him.

He raises an eyebrow. “Strawberry, the art of grilling on a balcony is like the art of whoring around, if nobody knows about it, or says anything about it, then it didn’t happen,” he says with a wink.

He has a point.

Eric Hansen is a shameless womanizer who comes from an even more dysfunctional background than me. We’re uniquely bonded to each other—not just because of our ties with Raven, but because damage understands damage. It’s like a magnet to a fridge. People like us tend to gravitate toward one another without even being consciously aware of it.

As for his personal attributes, I find that he’s cute, charming, and easygoing. The fact that he knows these things about himself makes him absolutely lethal to women. He has a heart of gold, the silver tongue of a serpent, and the face of an angel. His blonde hair and crystal blue eyes only add to the complexity and allure that is Eric. He loves women, and women love him. Yes, he goes through them like underwear, changing his tastes daily, but he’s honest about what he does. And when the next morning rolls around, the woman-in-question doesn’t find cab fare taped to her forehead, like some attraction he paid to ride at a carnival. She’s greeted with a latté, fresh from Starbucks.

“What if someone calls and complains?” Raven asks.

“Then we better pray the cops like my grilled kabobs, because otherwise we’re screwed and not in the good way,” he quips.

His response makes me laugh. Eric turns back around to pull the lid up on the grill and check the food. A display of hot dogs, brats, and kabobs meet my wide eyes, and my mouth instantly waters at the sight.

“Anything I can help with?” I ask.

“Naw, I got it covered. Y’all just grab a drink and enjoy yourselves.”

I turn to ask Raven what she would like to drink when through my periphery, I see the sliding door to the balcony open up. Just as I turn my head, I’m met with a stunning pair of sapphire-blue irises that halt any and all breathing on my part.
Wow.

His eyes are sharp, intense, hypnotic. I notice that he has a scar above his left eyebrow. His thick dark hair is long, but not too long, and it slightly curls out beneath his ears. He’s wearing jeans and a white V-neck T-shirt that showcases some dark curls on his chest. Crawling up his right forearm are some colorful, intricate tattoos, which unbeknownst to him, are my kryptonite.

I watch his eyes trail up from my hips to my face as he slowly takes in my appearance. A shy smile appears on his lips, causing two seriously sexy dimples to form on his soft cheeks. He has this amazing five o’clock shadow thing going on, making him look a little more rugged and rough. I instantly entertain the thought of how glorious his face would feel between my legs.

Jesus, Mia. Snap out of it!

Sliding past Raven and me, Mr. Tall, Dark, and Sinful hands Eric an empty plate that I didn’t even realize he’d been holding. I inconspicuously let out a breath and quickly avert my attention back to Raven, who’s trying to suppress her smile. She’s giving me
that look
—that look only two best friends could give one another and understand. She’s letting me know through the powers of best friend telepathy that I’m busted.

“Thanks, man,” Eric says, grabbing the plate from him.

“No problem.” He shifts his gaze. “Hey, Raven,” he greets casually, his tone friendly.

“Hey, yourself,” she retorts.

His eyes find mine again, and that shy smile reappears. “I don’t think we’ve met, I’m Chase. Chase Williams.” He offers his hand.

I calmly reach for it, even though inside I’m freaking out. I give him a nice, firm handshake and notice that his hands are dry and have a rough texture to them.

“Amelia Foster, but everyone calls me Mia,” I reply.

“Nice to meet you, Mia.”

“Likewise.” I step back from him and bury my hands in the front pockets of my jeans in an attempt to calm my nerves.

Chase is about a head or so taller than me. He’s cut and toned in all the right areas, but not overly muscular. He’s all man with the exception of those dimples that give him a younger look. To some, he probably seems dangerous, but I’m not getting those kinds of vibes. Maybe I just don’t want to see what’s clearly right in front of me because I’m so intrigued. That wouldn’t be an unfair assessment at this point.

“So, how do you two know each other?” He motions between Eric and me.

“She’s my lover,” Eric deadpans.

I roll my eyes and shoot Eric a stern look. “Don’t believe a word he says. I cut him off at the pass years ago. We’ve been friends for a long time, though. I initially met him through Raven, when I was visiting my dad here one summer.”

“Yeah. You want to see the only two women to ever friend zone me? Well, you’re looking at them,” Eric points to us with the tongs. “Just imagine what that did to my ego. I was completely and utterly heartbroken when I couldn’t have them. And I don’t just mean together.” He clasps a hand over his heart playfully.

“I can only imagine,” Chase says, his tone completely serious.

Okay, now I feel uneasy.
Too personal...need sunglasses. Dammit, Eric!

“Please, Eric, putting you in the friend zone was the best decision that we could’ve made for this friendship to last,” Raven points out, ignoring the sudden shift in the air.

“Yeah, because everyone wins in that scenario,” he says dryly.

“You said that you met Eric while you were visiting your dad for the summer...do you not live here then?” Chase asks, smoothly bringing the conversation back to us.

“I’m originally from Kansas, but I’ve just recently moved down here—today, actually.”

He raises both of his eyebrows in surprise. “Really? Did you move here to be closer to your dad?”

My chest tightens at the thought of my dad, and I lick my lips as I contemplate how to explain my current circumstances. “Not exactly,” I say. “I’m looking to start over—meet new people, try new things, finish college, and find a job. Raven graciously offered to let me stay with her for a while until I get my situation figured out.”

“Thank you for that, Raven,” he looks at her approvingly, as if he were her boss and she just landed a big client.

Raven looks back and forth between us with a well-pleased grin on her face. I playfully scowl, silently reprimanding her for making that face, but equally grateful for it, as well. I turn my attention back to Chase.

Just then, my favorite blonde bimbo comes barreling through the door and into Chase—effectively ruining our staring contest. She seems to have a really bad habit of running into people.

“Hey, baby, there you are,” she purrs. “I brought you a beer. I figured you were getting thirsty.”

Gross.
Feminists everywhere are outraged. If I were wearing a bra under this shirt, it’d be burning.

Now, this is quite the tricky position. A part of me feels slightly jealous, but the rational part of me understands that I have no right to be. I’ve known this guy for two whole minutes. It’s not a knife to the heart or a swift kick to the gut, but I’m not going to lie, it’s certainly a letdown. It’s like when you buy a pair of gorgeous, sexy panties that you can’t wait to wear and show off to your man, but then you get your period and stain the shit out of them before he ever gets a glimpse. It’s a little disheartening. And annoying. So I do what almost any other girl would do in this situation, I put my guard up and immediately write him off. Chase can officially consider himself cock-blocked, right along with Eric.

Grabbing my sunglasses off Eric’s head and excusing myself, I make my way back into the apartment. I don’t miss the sympathetic “I’m sorry” look in Chase’s eyes on the way in, either. I tear my gaze away from his and focus on scooting inside. With Raven right on my heels, I head for the kitchen to grab a spare plate for food and try to enjoy the rest of my evening.

c     h     a     s     e

It’s been a long fucking day. Between work kicking my ass, and my sister, Megan, blowing up my phone, I’ve barely had any down time. It’s one of the reasons why I’ve been looking forward to Eric’s party tonight. By the time I arrive, there’s already a ton of people here. Most of them I know personally, or at least recognize from other run-ins. Striding into the kitchen, the very first thing I go for is an ice-cold beer. The second thing I go for?
Christa.

Christa and I have a very casual and convenient relationship at the moment. I’ve known her for a couple of years now, and she’s always down for a good time. She’s looking sexy as hell tonight in that dress. My mind instantly wanders to how lovely those long legs of hers will look when they’re wrapped around my torso—especially with those heels on….

Downing my beer, I dispose of the bottle and walk over. I fist a handful of her long blonde hair and lean down to press a kiss to her lips.

“Hey you,” she says, smiling up at me. “I thought you weren’t coming until later?”

“I got off work a little early,” I explain.

It was a slow night at the bar for a change. My boss let me go early, knowing that I’d worked at my other job this morning. I’m like a superhero living a double life. By day, I’m a respectable carpenter who creates, repairs, and refinishes furniture for my dad’s company. By night, I’m a part-time bartender who spends his time slinging drinks, and then philandering around and getting into all sorts of fun trouble. I work hard, and I play harder. I don’t have to work two jobs, but the truth is I actually enjoy it. I love the extra money coming in, and I like leading a very busy life.

Just as I’m about to lean in for another kiss, Eric opens the sliding door and scans the apartment until he spots me.

“Chase, can you grab me a clean plate for the food?” he yells over the music. 

I nod and turn my attention to Christa. “Be right back, babe.” I release my hold on her hair and head to the kitchen in search of a plate. Not seeing any on the counter, I start snooping through cupboards.

The door to the apartment swings open, and I turn around to see Raven strolling in with a friend who I don’t recognize. Raven is one of my good, female friends. I know what you’re probably thinking, and no—I’ve never slept with her. There are two main reasons for that. First and foremost, Eric has feelings for her. That automatically puts her off-limits. Secondly, she’s too high-maintenance for my tastes.

The two of us met through Eric years ago. He and I went to the same high school. Even back then, he was smitten with her. It was young, unrequited love at its finest. Eighteen-year-old Eric had the hots for fourteen-year-old Raven. Go ahead and let that one sink in. Four years is no big deal now, but back then, it was nothing short of a charming, twisted, perversion—as are the best experiences in life...and the worst.

Curiously, I watch as her mystery friend breezes past me and opens the fridge. I can’t catch a solid glimpse of her face yet because she’s turned away, but she has this sexy tomboy-meets-hipster thing happening. She’s in a pair of tight jeans that really compliment her ass, but it’s not over-the-top. It’s anything but over-the-top, and it’s seriously hot on her.

When Christa comes around the corner and spills her drink on my soon-to-be new friend, I cringe. I hate it when other people I’m associated with make themselves look stupid.

“Oops, my bad,” Christa taunts. The girl tightens up like she’s spoilin’ for a fight. I move to step in between them, but Raven beats me to it. Good, I’m not in the mood for drama tonight. The girls step out onto the balcony together and Christa stops at the counter to refill her cup.

“What the hell was that about?”

“Nothing. She was in my way, that’s all.”

Wow, seriously?
I grab a plate and head for the balcony to apologize to that girl.

When I step outside, our eyes briefly lock. That one brief moment in time feels like it could go on forever. I know in chick flicks the whole eye contact thing makes girls swoon and shit, but her eyes aren’t the kind that you can get lost in, they are the kind that you fucking find yourself in. They are so stunning and intense that they jostle my core. It’s unnerving. I instantly regret following her out here because I know how utterly screwed I am now. But since I’m already here, I hand Eric the plate and properly introduce myself. 

I come to find that her name is Amelia, and she just moved to Austin. Currently, she’s crashing with Raven. This is good. This I can work with. She’s close friends with Raven and Eric, which means she’ll also be hanging around me from time to time. Do you see where I’m going with this? I like it.
A lot.

Just when the conversation starts to get good, Christa comes running into me and I mentally curse her for the timing. I have no doubt she’s done this on purpose to piss me off and send a false message to Mia. It’s the first time where her presence is not only unwelcome, it’s irritating. I look at Mia and notice the brief flash in her eyes and then her entire demeanor changes. It all happens faster than I can snap my fingers. Her stance becomes rigid, and her facial expression screams, “fuck off!” She looks uncomfortable. I don’t blame her. But before I can apologize, she’s sliding past me to get through the door. Raven follows her inside and Eric cocks an eyebrow at me.

“What just happened?” he asks, skeptical.

“I don’t know, man,” I lie. I know exactly what happened. One second everything was going smoothly, and the next it all went straight to hell. I don’t need Eric, or anyone else, trying to get involved. They’ll only end up making things worse. If I’m not careful, I’ll blow my chance with Mia. I need to find a way to get her alone so we can talk some more, if that’s even possible now.

Eric fills up the plate and goes inside, giving Christa and me some much needed privacy. I grab the beer from her hand and try to figure out how to get rid of her without sounding like an ass. By doing this, I realize that I’m forfeiting my guaranteed lay for the night, but I’d rather talk to Mia some more than sleep with Christa. Most guys would never pass up a night of guaranteed sex, and honestly, I usually wouldn’t either. But this is an exception. Mia was interested. I saw it in her eyes.

I’d also be lying if I said her whole stand-off attitude didn’t make me want her more. I already found her sexy and intriguing to begin with, and now that she’s trying to make herself unattainable, well, there’s nothing hotter than that.
Challenge accepted, Mia.

Christa boldly presses her body into mine, and cups my face in her hands. She looks into my eyes, smiling a little too eagerly. I can tell she’s feeling the effects of the alcohol. “Wanna get out of here soon, baby? I know you just got here, but I’m ready to go whenever you are.” She trails a finger suggestively down my chest.

“Did you drive here yourself, or did you come with a friend?” I ask.

“I drove. Why?” She looks puzzled.

Shit. I can’t make her drive herself home like this. “Grab your purse along with whatever else you brought, and meet me by the front door in two minutes. I’m taking you home.”

“You’re staying the night, right?”

“No, not tonight. I’m tired and you’re tipsy.”

“Those things have never stopped you before,” she says sharply.

I let out a frustrated sigh and run my hands through my hair. I’m trying to stay patient, but I don’t do well with neediness and whining. I also don’t like explaining my actions to someone else. It’s the exact reason why I’ve stayed single and never chosen to pursue anything more serious with Christa, or anyone else, in a really long time.

“Christa, babe, just grab your stuff and meet me by the door, please. We can talk about this in the car. I don’t want to argue with you out here.”

“Forget it, Chase. I’ll drive myself home.”

She tries to shove her way past me, but I reach out and grasp her arm and pull her back before she can make it any further.

“Why are you acting like this?”

“Acting like what? You’re the one who doesn’t see a good thing when you have it right in front of you. Instead of coming home with me, you’d rather stay here and try to bullshit your way into that girl’s pants. Am I right?”

I glare at her, and she rips her arm from my grasp.

“Yeah, I saw the way you two were looking at each other. Chase, you don’t even know her. All of a sudden, she shows up out of nowhere, and you’re going to treat me like shit now? How noble of you,” she snarls sarcastically.

Okay, now she’s starting to piss me off. I take a deep breath and step toward her. “Don’t you dare sit there and try to turn this around. You knew from the get go that I wasn’t looking for anything serious, and you wholeheartedly agreed. This has been working well for us, and until now, there has never been a problem with overstepping a boundary.”

“Excuse me? I’m not overstepping a boundary.”

“Yes, you are. You’re trying to hold me accountable for my actions as if you’re my girlfriend or my mother, and you’re neither. You are a friend, Christa. Don’t get me wrong, we’ve had a lot of good times together, but I don’t answer to you.”

By this point, she’s fuming. I can almost see the smoke billowing out of her ears like a chimney, but I don’t give a shit. She’s not going to make me feel guilty about this. I take another sip of beer and put some space between us. She just stands there, staring, like she doesn’t understand how I could turn her down for the night. A couple minutes go by in silence before she finally speaks again.

“Maybe it’s best if someone else drives me home. We both need to sleep on this. I’m sure we’ll feel better in the morning.”

No, what I need is to get her out of here and talk to Mia some more. That, and another beer would help. “Do you have someone who can take you home? If not, you know I will.”

She relaxes a little. “I know, but I think I’m going to call my sister and ask her to pick me up instead.”

I nod. “Okay. If you need the ride, let me know.”

“Thank you, Chase. Call me tomorrow?”

“Yeah, will do.”

She opens the door and heads inside. I decide to stay out here for a couple more minutes to cool down. I need to be calm and collected before approaching Mia.

Finishing off my second beer, I lean across the railing and listen to the familiar sounds of Austin. I pay close attention to the breeze sifting through the air, the occasional sound of cars passing by on the street below, and the voices being carried up to the balcony. What I love about Austin so much is that it’s city like enough to be busy and thriving, but you don’t have to drive very far before you’re breathing clean, country air. Out there, it’s peaceful and somewhat secluded. You really do get the best of both worlds.

A couple minutes pass by and I’m feeling significantly more relaxed. I walk back inside and look around, spotting Mia. She’s sitting next to Raven on the couch, and she’s eating a hot dog. I stroll up, sit on the other side of Raven, and place my arm on the back of the couch. Raven turns her head, and I give her a pleading look, one that tells her that I’d really like some alone time with her friend.

Quickly taking the hint, she clears her throat and starts to make her way off the couch, but not before Mia’s hand comes crashing down on her knee. “Don’t even think about it, Rave,” she warns.

Raven stays hunched over, looking back and forth between us. I take the opportunity to crane my neck and watch Mia. She’s deliberately avoiding eye contact.

“Well, this should be fun,” Raven says, sitting back. I really wanted to do this without an audience, but seeing as how Mia isn’t letting that happen, I simply modify my expectations.

“So, Mia, what day are you available to go out with me this week? I was thinking dinner and maybe something fun afterwards?” Go hard or go home, right?

She leans forward and gives me an icy glare. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

Damn. She’s obviously a little scorned, but no worries. I can take it.

“You’re cute when you’re mad, you know that?” I’ve only just met her, but I already feel comfortable enough to push her buttons. I’m sure I’m coming on a little strong, but soon, she’ll see it as part of my charm.

She scowls and slides her Aviators over her eyes, unimpressed. This is the second time I’ve caught her wearing sunglasses inside.
WTF?

When it’s apparent she’s going to continue to ignore my advances, I try a different approach. “Raven, could you do me a favor and tell your gorgeous friend here that I’d like to apologize for what happened between us earlier on the balcony? I’d also like to apologize on Christa’s behalf for her catty attitude in the kitchen. That was uncalled for.”

Mia leans forward again; the scowl is gone. “You know, Chase, I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself, and luckily, I don’t need my friends to be my messengers. I appreciate your apology, but there’s nothing you need to be apologizing for, I assure you. And as for...Christa...is it? If she wants to apologize to me, then she can do it herself instead of sending her boyfriend to clean up her mess.”

“First of all, I’m not her boyfriend. Second of all, yes, I do owe you an apology. What happened on the balcony was misleading in more ways than one—so I’m sorry for that. I’m not a total asshole, despite what you may think.”

She looks up at me, confused. “I don’t think you’re an asshole, Chase. I barely know you. You don’t owe me anything. And I wasn’t being misled. It’s pretty clear what’s going on between you and Christa. I just didn’t want to get in the middle of it, that’s all.”