Blurred Lines 1: CHASE novel Chapter 6

~Sofia~

I sipped my coffee to hide my face from them, but choked on it. After seeing him with Carlota, this news shouldn’t surprise me anymore.

Rafael chuckled at my reaction. “Come on, Sofia…” he teases, “you saw him and Carlota. That’s the fuck-ups you have to cover up. Are you sure you are in for a wild ride called Chase Montiero?”

Chase huffed, downing the alcohol, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down as he glared at Rafael.

Clearing my throat, I straightened my spine and met Chase’s cool blue eyes. “I’ve worked with extensively complex clients before, and I did a pretty good job at rebuilding my their image, pushing forward their passion instead of those ‘fuck ups.’”

A ghost of a smile crossed Chase’s lips, but it’s hard to tell if it was out of appreciation for my comment or annoyance.

“Well said,” Rafael commented, tucking his hands in his pocket. He peered at the silver clock on the wall, frowning. “Chase.”

Chase set his glass on the frosted wood table between us.

“Dinner at eight,” he said, standing up to his full height. In response, I stood on my wobbly legs too. My knees felt like jelly. “I’ll pick you up.”

“What?” I asked, quickly gathering my things.

“You and I, dinner,” he reiterated, a little firmer than the first time.

“What?” I parroted, frowning.

Is he asking me out?

A sudden flashback hit me like crashing waves. Chase was Derek’s best friend, and I’ve known him since forever. I was twelve when I saw him making out with some girl from school. And I felt a strange pain in my chest. That’s when I started to realize that I had a crush on him. It strengthened as I grew older. At the same time, Chase’s list of girlfriends accumulated like bricks crushing my chest.

Yes, they may be envious of my closeness with him, but it also meant that I could not act on my feelings. I was always too young for him. I fantasized about us, though. A happily ever after, a wedding, kids… him asking me out on a date.

I am reminded of that dream. My chest filled, and my heart skipped beats. “D… dinner?”

I want to pinch myself. Am I dreaming? Will I wake up and find myself in my apartment in Boston? God. Will I call this a dream or a laughable nightmare?

“Yes?” Chase replied. “To talk business. I have somewhere else to be. Sorry to cut our meeting short, Sofia.”