Up for the Chase (13 page)

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chase

When I left Ariana’s house last night, I knew that she wasn’t going to show up at the airport; mainly because she is too stubborn to let me know that I was right. It
is one of the many traits that I completely love about her, she isn’t afraid to stand her ground, but sometimes it fucking pisses me off more than anything. The day that she threw me out of her house I should have told her no, I should have told her that we were doing well and she wasn’t going to get away from me again. I shouldn’t have let her just push me out, but I did and now I have to figure out how I am going to convince her to let me stay around this time.

I don’t sleep all night, but yet I stay awake and stare out the window of my hotel room. I can see Ariana’s house from her
e, not in a weird way like I did it on purpose I just happened to get a room facing her house. I look out the window in her direction and I see her light stays on the majority of the night. When I finally decide to lay down and try to sleep I can’t help but dream of her.

It was the last day that I was in California; I woke her up as the light was falling over her face, she looked up at me and I could see the love filling her eyes.
l could handle the look in her eyes that morning, but something about hearing her confirm them scared the hell out of me. I remember looking at her and thinking just how completely beautiful that she was; I still feel that way.

Nine comes before I want it too, and although I haven’t gone to sleep yet I still take my time getting out of bed. When I finally arrive at the airport; two hours early like most crazy people do, I am standing in line waiting.

After an hour, and after I am through security I see more people filling in the seats around me.

Ariana

“What do you mean you sent him away?” I hear Hannah
shout in my ear as I shut the fridge door and walk over to my coffee and pour the creamer into it.

“I mean I told him that we were terrible together.”
I explain to Hannah.

“How do you figure?” I hear her ask me as I sit down on the barstool that sits at my island.

“I mean that I have a complete lack of judgment when he is around.”

“R, that doesn’t mean that you are terrible for one another.”
She tells me.

“Then what does it mean?” I ask her now really interested in what she is going to say.

Chase

Ariana fills my mind, I can’t stop thinking about her, and I
am consciously looking around hoping that I find her walking up to me, which I know is absurd because she isn’t allowed back to this point.

“Afraid of flying?”
I hear someone ask to my side as I look over I see an elderly man staring next to me.

“No,” I mumble to him.

“Ahh, than it is a girl.” He doesn’t ask it as a question but he tells me as a statement.

“Am I that transparent?” I ask him.

“Son, there’s two reasons why someone has that nervous look on their face in an airport; it’s either because they are terrified of flying, or they know that they are making a terrible decision and leaving something important.” I know he’s right.

“She doesn’t want me to stay.” I tell him.

“The way that you are looking for her, I bet you she does and that she’s just too afraid to admit it to herself. Son, in my life I have learned that women are beyond stubborn.” I look to him and I smile.

Ariana

“Have you ever thought that the reason you don’t think is because you know that you can trust him with your life. R, there are not many people like that out there. You two are made for each other, and if you can’t work it out than I don’t know what the rest of us are going to do.” I feel my eyes getting wider as I hear her tell me the things that I already know but have never wanted to admit to myself.

“Dear god, Han, I’m making a terrible decision aren’t I?”
I finally realize.

“Yes, R, you are an idiot.”

“Can you come watch Av?” I quickly ask her.

“Why?”
she asks, just making sure that we are on the same page.

“Because I have to go to the airport."

“I’ll be there in five minutes.” The line goes dead.

Chase

After a couple of minutes I hear the older man clear his throat and look to me again, “Sometimes the most fun in a relationship is the fight to keep it going, if you don’t fight for it, it will fall to pieces.”

“That’s what happened last time. I let her go. That’s what has happened every time. I have just given up so easily.”
I don’t know why I’m telling him this, but I just feel as if I can trust him.

“Well
then it’s not too late.” I hear him say as the loud speaker tells us that our flight is boarding. “Go and get her.” I smile at him and stand up before looking over to him.

“I’m sorry sir, what is your name?”

“Matt,” and I stand, staring at him. I see the twinkle in his eye and my heart stops. Now I’m definitely crazy. “Go get her, Chase.” I stand still staring at him.

“I never told you my name.” I mumble out and he smiles back at me.

“It’s on your bag.” He smiles at me but something about his smile reminds me of my brother.

“Right,” I walk away, but when I look back he is still smiling to me,

“Tell, Ariana the truth,” He stands staring at me and I close my eyes trying to grasp myself and when I open them again he’s gone,

“Weird
,” I mumble to myself but I let it drop in my brain and begin to run through the airport.

“I’m sorry I just dropped off a car and I was wondering if I could still use it for a few
another day?”

Ariana

“God, Hannah, it took you forever to get here.”

“I’m sorry, I came as fast as I could.” She defends herself.

“
It’s 11:30” I say looking at the clock and then back to her, “I have to get across town and hope that he hasn’t boarded,”

“Buy a ticket if you have to stay there if it comes to it, I’ll Watch Av tonight.”

“Thanks,” I lean over and I actually kiss her on the cheek before both of us start to laugh,

“That was weird, never doing that again.” She laughs at me as I rush out of my house and towards the parking garage that I have my car in.

Chase

I whip my car into the parking spot where I know that Ariana parks her car in. I jump out of the car and look over seeing her car sitting in its usual spot I run down the stairs in record time and down the sidewalk until l get to her street and I rush across the street and toward the house, running up the st
airs I pound on the door and I watch it swing open as Hannah stands staring at me,

“Chase, what are you doing here?”
she asks me, stunned but she’s smiling.

“Where is she?”
I demand to know.

“
She just went to go and find you.” she tells me and I shout out profanities.

“Daddy,” I hear Avery say to me and rush towards me I lean down and pick her up hugging her quickly and then putting her back down.

“Baby, I will be back shortly but I have to go for right now. I will be back soon though. I promise. I love you.” I shout to her as I rush down the steps that lead up to the house and run back down the sidewalk and toward the parking garage. She must just left. I must have past her on my way down here.

Ariana

I run up the steps toward the 3
rd
level and I yank the door open quickly, I have to get to the airport before noon, before he leaves to go back to Orlando, without us.

I lock the car into reverse and I peel out of the space, although it doesn’t matter how fast I am going I constantly sound like I am in a high speed chase in any parking garage. I am going faster than I usually do as I am going down the ramp and as
I make the turn coming down the ramp and toward the road at the bottom, I have to slam on the brakes as I see a person walk out in front of where my car will break the plane.

“Shit,” I shout inside my car.

Chase

I hear the squealing of tires as the car comes to a stop just at my kneecaps.

Ariana

“Chase,” I shout as I push the door open, “What are you doing I thought your flight was at noon.” I run over to him as he flings his arms around me and pulls me into him, and then up to his mouth and forcefully kissing me as he holds onto my body. Time manages to slow down as his mouth indulges mine. When he finally pulls back he looks to me and he smirks.

“You were coming to get me.” I nod my head coyly and he can’t help but laugh.

“What are you doing here?” I ask stunned.

“I came to fight for you. I realized sitting in the terminal that I was being an idiot.”

“But I was the one walking away.” I tell him lowering my head.

“Yes, but I should have never let you. I should have fought harder for you.” l smile and then I push my mouth up to his as he divulges on my mouth again.

I’m not sure how long the horns have been honking as I pull away from him and giggle. “I have to move my car.”

“Let’s move it then.” He says taking my keys and walking me over to the passenger seat and opening the door for me. I slide in as I watch him walk around the front of the car. Although he has changed significantly from the boy I met years ago, he is still as attractive to me as he was the first day I met him. I see a flash of the young carefree kid that strolled up to me that day I stood in front of the larger water slide. He turns to me as he slides in and he smiles at me. There was never any doubting my feelings for him or his for mine, even over the years that he wasn’t around.
Maybe deep down I always knew that we would find our way back to one another. He maneuvers the car around the city block and back into the garage and up to my spot. When he finally cuts the engine off I look up to him and grin. I watch his mouth as it comes closer to mine and he is grinning from ear to car. I can’t help but feel something changing.

I ungracefully slide over the middle console and into his lap stranding him. I smirk to him as I let my lips crush down on his and I pull the lever on the seat letting it fall back.

“Ariana, what are you doing?” He asks.

“Finishing what we started years ago If only we had the
GTO.” I state as his eyes flare, “But we can always practice and get it right in it.”

“You’re killing me.” he says causing me to laugh. I bring my lips down to his again and kiss him more forcefully this time and grind my hips into his. I hear him moan out. With almost one motion I hear his zippe
r down and then feel him pull my shorts down to the floor as I position myself just right. I feel him enter and I can hardly contain myself.

“Chase,” I moan into his ear as he thrust into me.

“Do you want to get ice cream?” he asks into my ear as I lie in the passenger seat and look over to him n
odding my head. “Let’s crack a window and then get some.” We close the doors behind us as Chase hits the lock button on the key FOB and he slings his arm across my shoulders.

“Ariana,” he says as he stops and looks up to me again. I feel uneasy as he smiles and instantly calm me down, “I love you."

“I love you too Chase.”

After we order our ice cream and walk out to the water and sit,
eating our cold tasty treats. “I want to ask you something but it sounds crazy,” he says setting clown his ice cream.

“What is it?”
I question him.

“I came here because I had a conversation with an old man at the airport. He explained to me that I was being stupid; that I needed to fight for you.”

“That doesn’t sound weird.” I tell him.

“No it doesn’t until I tell you that his name was Matt, and it was crazy because he reminded me so much of him.”

“Maybe it’s just a coincidence.” I explain to him hoping that is what he is searching for.

“No, he knew my name. He said that it was because it was on my baggage, but he also knew your name.” I stare at him completely flabbergasted.