Chasing Leah (Journey Series) (14 page)

I wake up the next morning to a
loud banging on the front door.
Ohmygawd
who could
that be? I crack an eye open to glance at my clock seeing that its only seven
a.m..
Maybe whoever it is will just go away. I roll over
onto my stomach and throw my pillow over my head but I can still hear the loud
thumps on the door. Caleb of course is still snoozing
away,
apparently I’m a little bit lighter of a sleeper than he is.
“Fine!”
I shout out. “I’m coming, I’m coming.” I whip open the door and snap, “What!?!”

Chase stands there in all of his
wonderful sexiness in a navy blue V-neck sweater and a pair of dark jeans. His
hair which is normally covered up by a hat has grown out a bit since I’ve last
seen him and his short dark locks look artfully messy. I self consciously tug
on the t-shirt that I had worn to bed that just covered my purple boy shorts
with cute little pink hearts dotted across them and try to smooth my hair out.
“Uh hi Chase.
Is there something I can help you with this
freaking early in the morning?”

He smirks back at me with his
green eyes twinkling, “Sorry Leah I didn’t mean to wake you up but I was
heading out early to my moms. Ally mentioned that you were staying here for the
holidays and I was wondering if you and Caleb wanted to come with me.”

I rub my eyes with the back of
my hand. Of course Ally had mentioned we would be here all alone. She was still
trying to get me to run into Chase whenever possible, she had it stuck in her
head that they were meant to be. I knew her and Chase hung out on occasion and
Sky went with Ally to a few of the Major Hoosiers performances.

“Um thanks Chase, that’s nice of
you to offer but really we’re fine.
Me
and Caleb are
going to hang out, be lazy. Ally just felt guilty for leaving
me,
sorry she dragged you into it.”

He runs a hand through his hair,
tugging on it. “You are so..,” he takes a deep breath like he’s trying to calm
himself down. “Ally didn’t put me up to anything Leah. I just don’t like the
thought of you sitting here all by yourself. My mom always has a ton of food
and you’ll love my sisters. Caleb will have some kids around his own age to
play with. Please?” He looks back at me with puppy dog eyes.

“I don’t know Chase,” I gesture
towards him with my hands, “it clearly looks like you’re ready and I’m most
definitely not.” I point back towards myself and my scantily clad body.

He scans his eyes up and down my
body, “I’m good with what you have on Leah.”

“Um thanks Chase but I’m not
sure anyone else would appreciate it,” I say as I self consciously try to cover
my body up with my hands. If my dark
complected
self
could blush, I would be red from head to toe right now the way
Chases
eyes seem to be devouring my body.

“I’m kidding Leah, I wouldn’t
mind but your right, probably not appropriate attire for the day. An hour long
enough for you? I need to go pick up a few last minute things for my mom and
then I can swing back by to pick you guys up.” He says as he twirls his keys
around his long slender fingers.

“Kay Chase if you’re sure,” I
look up at him questioningly. He nods his head to me, “Definitely. My family is
gonna
love you. See you in a bit.”

I close the door behind him and
rest my head on it. What was I doing? All I’ve been trying to do the past few
weeks is to avoid Chase and now I’m going to have dinner with his family and
not just any dinner, THANKSGIVING. That was something you would take a
boyfriend or girlfriend to, right? Not some random girl who lives across the
hall from you who has clearly been trying to avoid you at any cost. That has a
kid to top it off.

I shrug my shoulders as I head
to my room to shower. Well I guess this beats my frozen dinner and the leftover
tofu lasagna Ally had left for me. Yuck, just thinking of that makes me cringe.
Ally was always trying to get me in on her vegetarian lifestyle but I was definitely
a meat
kinda
girl.

I pulled out an off the shoulder
burgundy sweater dress and paired it with a pair of black leggings and boots.
Chase looked a little dressier than usual with his sweater that complimented
his broad chest nicely so I figured this would fit the occasion. I blow dried
my hair and worked my fingers through my loose curls and applied some light
makeup. Caleb of course was still asleep, so after packing him a small bag to
take with us, I tried to gently nudge him awake.

“Hey little man, wake up bud.”
Not even a flutter of movement. I try shaking him a tad harder. “Caleb, Caleb?”
Okay last resort, it works almost every time. I take a little bit of water and
sprinkle it over his nose. He swats at his face with his tiny hand. Ah finally,
we have movement. “Come on little man. You want to hang out with Chase today?”
This immediately gets his eyes to pop right open. Ha knew that one would work,
he’s been talking about how cool Chase is ever since he’s met him. I’m not
gonna
lie, it makes me a little jealous.

Caleb literally sprang out of
bed after that and even got himself partially dressed even though his shirt
ended up inside out and his shoes on the wrong feet. But with my help we were
finally ready to go and I usher him out so we could meet Chase.

He hops out of his jeep with a
small bouquet of daises in his hands and hands them to me.  “Are these for
me?” I ask, inhaling the flowery scent as he nods his head back at me. “Thanks
Chase you really didn’t have to do that.” He grabs
Calebs
car seat for me and buckles him in after
giving Caleb a high-five.

“Beautiful flowers for a
beautiful girl.” He steps back and does another up and down look of me. “Well I
liked how you answered the door earlier but this is definitely a sexy look on
you too. Can I see that one again later?” I slap my hands on his chest and push
back lightly before climbing into his jeep. “Thanks but I don’t think so. Now
why don’t you try and keep your eyes focused on the road?”

We drive out to his
moms
house which is in a small town about 20 minutes from
campus. Chase uses the ride to fill me in on his family a bit and all of the
different personalities of his many sisters. “It might be a bit chaotic when we
get there.” He looks over at me with a grin. I love the way his eyes seem to
twinkle every time he looks at me. “Just be prepared when you get there, that
many women together can get a little overwhelming.”

I clasp my hands together over
my laps as I contemplate what Chase has just said. Okay maybe I should have
just stayed home. I really wasn’t used to big family gatherings. Most of
Allys
family was spread out in different states so when we
did get together it tended to be just us, her parents, and two brothers. I
really wasn’t even sure how to define my relationship with Chase if asked, I
guess we were friends.
Right, friends?
Friends didn’t
really try to avoid each other.

“Hey,” he leans over and rubs
his hand lightly over my thigh. “They won’t be that bad. I know they’ll love
you. And Caleb will have a ton of fun.
As long as he doesn’t
mind tea parties.”
He turns into a long winding driveway that stops near
a sprawling Victorian house. One whole front of the house looks to be an arched
sheet of glass with stained windows across the top and there’s scallops running
across each of the arches. A wrap around covered porch curves around the other
side of the house and is dotted with comfy looking rocking chairs and various
kids toys strewn about. It basically looks like a blown up dollhouse and I’m
instantly in love. What girl wouldn’t be?

“Wow,” I say as I step out of
the jeep. “This is beautiful. You grew up here?”

Chase shakes his head as he
pulls out the groceries he picked up for his mom. “No, we moved here when my
mom got remarried to Chris, I think I was about twelve. He built the
place,
luckily it’s huge especially after they added more
siblings to the mix.”

He pulls open the decorative
entry door with Caleb on his hip and I cautiously follow him inside.
Which was a good thing, as soon as Chase is across the threshold
he’s assaulted by four girls who all look to be under the age of twelve.
“Chase, Chase you’re here!” I hear one of them shout as a girl with two
ponytails bouncing on top of her head leaps into his arms. “Calm down I was
just over like a week ago,” he laughs out as he sets down Caleb before being
assaulted by hugs. “Me! Me!” The littlest one of the group demands as she
stomps her little feet in place. She looks to be around three if I’m judging by
her appearance and looks to be about the same size as Caleb. Chase scoops her
up and plants a kiss on her blonde curls. “Girls this is Caleb, why don’t you
show him your room Belle?” They all run off towing Caleb along by the hand. Ah
kids have it so easy.
Instant friends.

“Hi honey. Thanks for picking
all of this up for me, I always manage to forget a thing or two even with all
the years of practice.” A woman wraps an arm around
Chases
shoulders and I can instantly tell this is his mother. They have the same
matching green eyes. She peeks over his shoulder. “Oh Chase!  You didn’t
tell me you were bringing company. Sorry dear I didn’t even notice you with all
of the
girls
excitement.” She turns and wraps me in a
warm hug, she smells just like I imagine a mother would like cookies and
cinnamon. She steps back and elbows Chase, “I’m Mary by the way. My son
normally has better manners and tells me when we’re having company.”

“Oh I’m sorry if I’m intruding.
Chase insisted I come, I just assumed he at least told you before he asked.” I
narrow my eyes and look back at Chase who has suddenly became occupied with a
nonexistent spot on the impeccable floor of the entry way. I don’t know how
this house stays so clean with so many people living in it.

“Not a problem dear we have enough
food to feed an army. You are just as beautiful as Chase described. It’s hard
to get him to shut up about you sometimes but we like to hear it, he rarely
discusses any girls so we know that you must be pretty special to him.”

Chase talking
about ME?
She must have me confused with Ashley, the blonde bimbo I’ve
seen hanging around. Chase and I haven’t even talked more than a few words the
past few weeks. Just as I’m about to interrupt her to correct the assumption
Mary steers me towards the kitchen, “C’mon Leah dear lets introduce you to the
rest of the girls, they’ll all be so excited that you’re here. And I just need
to meet that sweet little Caleb, I’m sure Belle will have him occupied for a
while.”

I feel my mouth drop open and
then I quickly shut it and shoot a look at Chase who’s making his way towards
the set of stairs the kids all ran up. So it was me Chase has been talking
about and nonstop apparently according to his mother. After the Halloween party
I had just assumed he had moved on with Ashley.

Mary introduces me to her
husband Chris and the rest of
Chases
sisters who all
seem to gush over my presence. I learn all about
Chases
youth and the activities he participated in throughout high school. His older
sisters, Amy and Katie, like to bring up the more embarrassing stories about
Chase which he simply shook his head at and gave his trademark smirk to. They
even filled me in on his past relationships and that he just had one serious
girlfriend, Julie, during high school.

“I think because he grew up with
all of us girls, it gave him a soft heart,” explained his oldest sister
Amy.  “Chase would do anything for anyone no matter the situation. That’s
what we all love about him. That bitch Julie knew exactly how to play Chase
too, she knew he would come running at her beckon and call.” I look over at
Chase as she said this
who
was looking down sheepishly
with a blush rising to his cheeks. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Chase
embarrassed before.

“Oh Amy stop it!” Mary chided
her oldest. “Julie was a bit of a drama queen but her and Chase
have
been over for awhile now. There’s nothing wrong with my
baby boy having a soft heart, he just needs someone to handle it well for him,”
she looks over at me with a pointed look. “Now let’s get all this food out to
the table before it gets cold.”

The meal was spread out on an
elegant dining room table with fall decorations scattered across it that were
lovingly made by Chases younger sisters who pointed out which one each of them
made to me.  Caleb seemed to be fitting in well with them and they seemed
excited to have a little boy around, making him king of the kids table.

Chase and I sat next to each
other with our loaded down plates. I leaned over to whisper in his ear as we
sat down, “So does your family know about Ashley or is she one of those secret
girlfriends?” He scrunches up his nose and gives me a confused look, “Ashley?
Wait you think….No we aren’t dating. We used to awhile ago but it was nothing
serious and I did her a favor by taking her to that party but she uh… well she
got sick of me talking about this other girl I’ve had a thing for.”

I raise my eyebrows at him, “Oh
another girl? You do get around don’t you Chase and you have your whole family
tricked in to thinking you’re this precious
mamas
boy, huh?” I teasingly ask as I grab a roll out of the bread basket that’s
being passed around the table.

He looks back at me and rolls
his eyes, “Leah seriously do I need to spell it out for you? That girl would be
you. Ever since I met you that first night your all I think about day and
night. Trust me there’s no other girl that compares to you, I just wish you
would see that.”