Under a Georgia Moon: Georgia Moon Romance Book 1 (12 page)

Chapter Nine

Tipping
her head back, Addie stared into Chase’s light green eyes. “Hey, there,” he drawled.

“Hey,” Addie said, feeling a little dazed and breathless. What was it about this guy that rattled her so much? “Sorry about nearly running you over.”

His fingers tightened around her waist and the smile he gave her doubled her already racing heart. “I’m glad. As fast as you were leaving, I would’ve had a hard time catching you.”

Did he want to catch her? Frankly, she wondered how he’d managed to get away from his adoring fans in the first place.

“Addison,” Pastor Dave said, coming up beside them. “You dropped this.” He held out Addie’s sparkly iPhone.

Realizing she was still in Chase’s arms, she stepped back and took the phone. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

The minister looked at Chase and an amused expression crossed his features. Addie followed his gaze and noticed Chase did not look particularly happy. “Chase, you did a wonderful job with the music today. It was very inspiring,” Dave said.

“Thank you, sir.” Chase’s words were clipped and formal. He addressed the pastor like he was much older than him when in reality the two men had to be close to the same age.

“I know Addison enjoyed it as well,” Dave said.

“I’m happy she liked it.”

Um, hello. I’m still here
. She glanced back and forth between the two men. Dave still had a smirk on his face and Chase’s lips were pressed tightly, like he was ticked off at the minister. He couldn’t be jealous, could he?

“Well,” Addie said, making the men look at her. “If you’ll both excuse me, I need to find my aunt.”

Chase’s scowl disappeared and his lips curved into a smile. “Actually, Miss Janie asked me to take you home. She had something come up and had to leave.”

“She left me?” Addie looked around incredulously. Her tenacious aunt was not very subtle. “Did she say where she was going?”

Chase lifted up one shoulder. “Something about needing to stop by the retirement home. She said she wouldn’t be long.”

Yeah, just long enough for us to be alone together
. Addie wasn’t sure why she was irritated. It would fit in perfectly with the plan she and Chase had come up with. Still, when it came to manipulation, she liked having the upper hand.

“Okay. I’m ready when you are.” Addie glanced at Dave. “I guess I’ll see you next week.”

“Next week it is,” Dave said, putting his hands in his pockets. He flashed a decidedly wicked grin for a man of the cloth. “Unless I happen to see you sooner.”

Was that a hint he’d like to call on her or something? Before she could make a reply, the pastor leaned in a little closer. “Miss Janie is helping me plan the menu for our retreat. I need to follow up with her on a few things so I may stop by her house.”

Addie wasn’t sure whom that clarification was for: her or Chase. Dave’s amused gaze was pinned directly on the cute musician standing next to her. “Oh, well, in that case, I guess I’ll see you when I see you,” Addie said.

Dave chuckled. “Sounds like a plan. Y’all have a good day.”

“Thanks.” Chase didn’t sound very thankful as he picked up his guitar case with one hand and placed his other hand at the small of Addie’s back to guide her out of the chapel. He didn’t say anything until they were outside. “I’m parked over here.” He moved his palm from her back and pointed to the east side of the building.

As they approached his truck, Addie glanced over at Chase. He still seemed so annoyed. “Sorry you got roped into taking me home. Aunt Janie just can’t seem to help herself.”

“I don’t mind.” His scowl deepened. “But now that you’ve met Pastor Dave have you changed your mind about our plan?”

Addie bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing out loud. Chase was definitely acting like he was jealous. “No. He’s not my type.”

Chase was quiet for the remaining few steps it took to get to his truck. He pulled the keys out of his pocket and unlocked the doors. Then he turned to look at Addie. “What is your type?”

Truthfully, Addie had no idea. It’s not like she’d had a ton of dating experience. Brandon had been her first serious boyfriend. Clearly, he wasn’t her type. “I’m not sure,” she answered honestly. She hated how vulnerable she sounded.

The creases on Chase’s face softened. “I wouldn’t worry too much. You’ll know it when you meet the right guy.”

“I hope so.” So far her track record hadn’t been very stellar. Feeling silly, she turned to open her door.

“Let me help you up.” Chase held out his hand to her, and Addie braced herself for the skin to skin contact. She might not know what kind of guy was her type, but she knew she and Chase had chemistry.

Her dress was a little short and she exposed more of her thigh than she’d intended once she was seated in the truck. But like the gentlemen Chase had proved he was, his eyes only flickered down for a brief second before he stepped back and closed the door.

While Chase went around the truck to the driver’s side, Addie tugged on the hem of her dress and tried to calm down. Her heart pounded like she’d just sprinted across the parking lot. For a few seconds, she entertained the thought of Chase being her type. She definitely was attracted to him.

He opened the back door and put his guitar on the seat. Before he could close it, a trio of his groupies surrounded him, and Addie changed her mind. Guys who attracted girls like this were off-limits. Brandon had frequently attracted female attention whether Addie had been with him or not.

“Chase, I didn’t get a chance to tell you how incredible you were today!” one of the girls said. She was pretty and looked exactly like Chase’s type. Blonde, skinny and had even more curves up top than Addie did. In fact, she looked very similar to her niece’s
Barbie
. “Your cover is even better than the original soundtrack.”

“Wow, thanks.” Chase’s face glowed with the praise.

The other two girls offered similar compliments but
Barbie
moved in for a hug. “I just know you’re gonna be famous someday. Just don’t forget me, okay?”

Addie tamped down her irritation at the girl’s cheesy line and the lingering hug. No wonder Chase didn’t have a girlfriend. He wouldn’t be able to limit himself to just one. The girls lavished Chase with more compliments and promised to come to his next performance.

Addie tuned them out and pulled out her phone to check her messages. There was another email from the camera company about the photo contest. She really needed to focus on her purpose here in Georgia, which wasn’t dating Chase or any other guy. If she wanted to move forward with her plan to open her own photography studio, then she had to win the contest.

Since there weren’t any other new messages, Addie closed the app. She was suddenly feeling a little homesick and missed her family. The Facebook icon was still on her home screen, and Addie was tempted to reactivate her account just so she could stay connected with her nephews and sister.

The choice to leave the social media site had been made one night after dozens of people had commented on a post someone had left about Brandon’s new girlfriend. People were trying to be kind, but Addie hadn’t needed any more sympathy or advice. Now that Brandon was married, maybe she could open a new profile. Chellie would be happy since she’d view it as Addie’s entrance back into the social scene.

Addie wished she could call her sister, but Chase’s fan club had wrapped up and he was climbing into the truck.

“Sorry,” he said, giving her a sheepish grin. “I shouldn’t have kept you waiting.”

“No worries.” She lifted one shoulder up. “Besides, they’re right. You were pretty amazing. I had no idea you were that talented.”

He looked genuinely pleased by her compliment. “Thanks.” He started the truck and shifted into gear. As he pulled out to head for Aunt Janie’s, Chase lowered his window and glanced over at her. “You okay with the window down?”

“Sure.” She lowered her own window as they slowly passed by a row of cherry trees just starting to blossom. If the weather stayed this warm, the trees would be in full blossom before she left. “This weather is amazing. Back home, we’re still getting snow.”

“Seriously? Last year we were hit by some freak snow storms that made me glad we don’t get snow that often.”

“I don’t mind if it snows in the mountains this time of year, but in the valley I’m ready for spring to come.”

Chase glanced at her as he came to a four-way stop sign. “Do you ski?”

“No. I’m one of those annoying snowboarders.” That was another thing Brandon had found distasteful about her. His family often went skiing to different premier resorts in both Idaho and Utah. Addie had never been invited since she was a lowly snowboarder.

“Annoying?” Chase lifted one eyebrow. “I’ve tried both and snowboarding was a lot more fun.”

She smiled. “Where do you go skiing around here?” Addie had yet to see any mountains.

“There isn’t anything in Georgia.” Chase looked back at the road and moved through the intersection, heading for Aunt Janie’s. “We go to a resort in North Carolina. It’s about a five hour drive from here. My friends and I usually go once a year and spend the entire weekend on the slopes.”

“Does Jackson go with you?” Addie remembered the loving couple, and doubted his friend went on skiing trips now that he was married.

“Yep.” Chase gave her a quick glance. “Jackson said he and Sydney met you.”

“Yeah, Sydney is really sweet.”

Chase laughed. “She’s amazing. I honestly don’t know how Jacks landed her.”

“They seem like they’re in love.”

“Disgustingly happy.”

Addie was surprised how cynical Chase was. Maybe he resented his best friend being taken away from him. “What’s wrong with being in love?”

“Nothing. It’s just not something I’m looking for right now.”

There was no reason for Addie to feel disappointed by his comment. If anything, it should make her feel relieved. Still, there was a part of her that wondered if she wasn’t the type of girl men fell in love with.

Fearful her emotions would be evident in her voice, Addie swallowed and looked out the window. After a few seconds of marked silence, she noticed a sign for the annual Macon Cherry Blossom Festival. Aunt Janie had mentioned they could drive into Macon one of the days to see some of the sights.

“Did I say something wrong?” Chase asked.

Addie quickly shook off her insecure feelings. “Of course not.” She turned back toward him. “I just saw the advertisement for the cherry blossom festival. Have you ever been?”

“Yeah, my dad’s side of the family came from Macon so we go every year.” Chase made a right turn, bringing them onto the back road to her aunt’s house. “We could go, since you’re supposed to my girlfriend and all.”

He was teasing her, probably trying to lighten the atmosphere. “Speaking of girlfriends. How did it go last night?”

Chase pressed his lips together and stared straight ahead. “Hayden doesn’t seem to care if I have a girlfriend or not.” He chuckled dryly. “I shouldn’t be surprised. Fidelity has never been one of her strong points.”

Wow. Wrong thing to ask about. The atmosphere just went from slightly uncomfortable to extremely tense. “I’m sorry.”

He turned down Aunt Janie’s driveway, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. “I’m the one who should apologize.”

Addie waited for him to finish, but he didn’t say anything else until he came to a stop. “Look, I can’t promise Hayden won’t try to cause some kind of scene, so if you want to back out of our deal I’ll understand.”

The muscles in Addie’s tummy tightened. This was the second time he’d mentioned backing out of the deal. Maybe he wanted to call it off and just didn’t know how to say it nicely. Before she could offer him an out, he turned to look at her, a tentative smile playing at his lips.

“But I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t…that is, if you’d still be willing to go out with me a few times. Please?”

Um, yes, and can I be the mother of your children too?
“Sure. And don’t forget you’ll be helping me out.” She grinned. “Pastor Dave really isn’t my type.”

His gaze narrowed slightly. “He seemed to really like you.”

“He was just being nice.”

Chase laughed. “There’s nice and then there is
nice
.”

Addie tried not to smile too brightly, but the way his southern accent drew out the word
nice
, Chase almost sounded jealous. Not sure what else to say, she was glad when her phone chimed an incoming text.

“Ten bucks it’s my aunt making sure I got a ride home.” She glanced down at the screen. “Yep.” Another message popped up. “Ooh, even better. She invited you to stay for lunch.”

“Sweet,” Chase said. “I love when she feeds me.”

Although she was tempted to say she was still stranded at the church, Addie quickly typed in a reply that, yes, Chase had taken her home and that he would stay for lunch.

A few seconds later her aunt sent another message. “Aunt Janie needs us to go turn off the oven. She’ll be home in about fifteen minutes.”

“Let’s go.” Chase started to exit the truck, but paused when Addie went to open her door. “Hey, what’ve I told you about opening your own door?”

Addie let go of the handle. “I forgot.”

He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “See that it doesn’t happen again.”

“Yes, sir,” she said, giving him a two-finger salute.

He laughed and climbed out of the truck. When he opened the door for her, Addie was self-conscious of her short skirt and quickly swung her feet over to step down on the running board. One of her apricot colored stilettos slipped off and fell to the ground. Chase picked it up then leaned over to place it on her foot.

Boy was she glad she’d shaved her legs this morning. She pointed her foot slightly as Chase skillfully slipped the shoe on. Her breath caught as his fingertips lightly skimmed across her ankle before he stood up.

His green eyes had taken on a different intensity as he held out his hand. Warmth snaked up her arm and settled inside her stomach when her palm met his. Addie stepped down, but Chase didn’t let go of her hand right away. Slowly, she lifted her face until their eyes met. The air around them popped with a tangible energy.