Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 109038 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109038 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
“Well, that’s bullshit. You deserve it.”
He nods, looking down at the bar top. “Yeah. I fucking do deserve it. What the hell is wrong with my mind tonight?”
I laugh, and he finally cracks a smile too, looking up at me.
“Damn right.”
“God, I really am fucking crazy.”
I shake my head. “No. You’re just feeling what it’s like to be perceived for your talents. And I know it makes you question everything, but I can tell you with full certainty, you are talented, and everyone can tell.”
He looks up at me with something blooming behind his eyes. “You are too nice to me.”
“I’m not nice enough.”
I reach out and squeeze his forearm.
“Excuse me, Mr. Stone?” someone asks from behind me, and I drop my touch from Chase as I turn to look.
“Hello,” I say, seeing a formal photographer behind us.
“Pleasure to meet you. I’m the event photographer,” he says, shaking my hand. “Could I take a few photos of you and Mr. Cameron? I’m also a fan of Yard Line, I must admit.”
“You are so much more polite than paparazzi. Of course, go ahead.”
The photographer snaps a few shots of us smiling in our seats. We’re not touching in the photos, and I’m sure we don’t even look like we’re close. At an event like this, people get their photos taken with all sorts of people, who are friends, fans, and strangers.
But something tingles inside me knowing it’s the first time I’ve been publicly photographed with Chase.
After the photographer gets his shots, more artists come over to talk to Chase about his work. Over the next half an hour, a few more fans of mine come up to me, too, asking for selfies and autographs, but there’s no wild mob or gathering storm of attention.
I feel calm here, actually.
The event starts to wind down, and the food trays are cleaned up as the bar closes down for the evening.
Chase finds his way back to where I’m sitting at the bar, and he still seems dazed, like he can’t quite believe what happened.
“Thank you for coming,” he tells me again. He has the same removed look in his eyes that he had when I first came over for the photoshoot, looking all professional. “I’m going to be heading out soon.”
“Do you have a long trip home?”
“Not too bad. Depends if the subway has any delays,” Chase says. “Getting here was a bitch, though. I had all of my framed photos in a rolling suitcase. At least the suitcase will be empty now, going back.”
“Grab the suitcase. My driver can give you a ride home.”
“It’s okay, Logan. You don’t have to do that.”
“Well, I’m going to,” I tell him. “We can head out the back. I’ll tell my driver to loop around, and if we’re fast enough, there won’t be time for the paparazzi to figure it out.”
Something keeps shifting inside me the longer I see Chase act the way he’s been acting.
The entire time I’ve known him, he’s worn his heart on his sleeve so loudly it intimidated me. Where is any of that now?
Where did Chase go?
It’s like I have a sudden urge to reach into the darkness and pluck him back out, to find the Chase I’d gotten used to.
“Okay,” he finally says, after glancing around the gallery. “It’ll be an easier trip back. I’ll wait in the alley?”
I nod. “Give me two minutes. I’ll tell him to loop around.”
Chase gives me a salute. I call my driver and tell him to do his best to ditch any lingering paparazzi, and to take a route around to the back of the building.
Outside, I find Chase leaning against the brick exterior. His suitcase is there beside him.
A deep ache hits my chest.
I suddenly remember how I saw him that first day at the bar last year. He was such a mystery to me back then. That ghost of darkness always used to haunt his eyes, but it had seemed to fade away this year. At some point I’d come to know that Chase was a kaleidoscope of vivid color inside, just like his paintings.
But for a split second, as he’s leaning in the shadowy alleyway, I feel that same sense of mystery now.
Darkness that I can’t really reach.
All I want to do is pull him back to me.
His eyes scan over to meet mine and he stands up straighter, giving me a nod. Something grips the inside of my chest and I quickly look across the alley, making sure no one else is out here yet.
I step closer to Chase and grip his hand, pulling him to me. My other hand gently moves below his chin, tilting his head as I lean in to kiss him.
My lips burn against his.
I kiss him hard, and he opens for me easily, kissing me back with just as much need.