He was sporting his letter jacket, buttoned up to the neck against the crisp November air. The whole system of letters and jackets seemed like old relics from the days of putting a pin on your best girl, but on Chase, it worked. His wholesome smile made his jacket charming instead of cheesy.
“I don’t think we specifically said today. Did we?” I was doing my best to hide how charmed I was.
“No, but we did talk about getting coffee together at this time.”
“You’ve been waiting out here every third period for the last few days?”
He shyly ducked his head and my Grinch heart grew three sizes. If I was truly selfless, I’d end all of this right now. I’d push him away and unequivocally state that he needed to find someone else.
I was not selfless.
“Well, your chariot awaits.” I hit unlock on my key fob to punctuate my invitation with an anemic honk of my car alarm.
Chase only shook his head in amusement and folded his tall frame into the passenger side. I noticed a small piece of paper tucked under my windshield wiper and pulled it free. Maybe Chase was leaving a note when I found him?
Unlike the heart note, though, this one didn’t have any flourishes.
STAY AWAY FROM CHASE
A chill swept through me. I crushed the note in my hand and glanced at the boy in question, sitting in my passenger seat. I managed a brief smile and got in the car. Whoever asked the Red Court to take me out wasn’t content to wait. Just what I needed.
* * *
“What’s your poison?” Chase asked while we waited in line to order.
My typical large Americano didn’t sound as alluring as it normally did. Standing in such close proximity to Chase and the menace of the note stuffed into my pocket had my stomach in knots. My palms itched almost to the point where I couldn’t think of anything else, and I didn’t think it could handle the jolt of so much espresso.
“I might get a café au lait.”
“Mmm.” He glanced at me sideways. “That’s a pretty serious drink.”
I willed myself to forget everything else and enjoy the banter. “I’m a pretty serious girl. Didn’t you know? I’m quite intimidating.” My voice was a sultry slither.
He threw his head back and guffawed loudly. I had a feeling that everything he did required his whole self. All in, all the time. The idea of living like that, not reserving part of yourself from the world, was terrifying and a bit exhilarating. Maybe I could try it once my stint in the Red Court was over. It would be nice to go all in on something that wasn’t revenge.
When our turn to order came up, Chase motioned for me to go first. Damien, gorgeous barista and object of Gideon’s admiration, was manning the register. I had to hand it to Gideon, Damien was a catch worth admiring. He’d graduated from another high school a year early and was currently taking classes at the community college at only seventeen.
“Where’s your sidekick?” Damien asked.
And he was funny.
“He got stuck at school. I suggest you think about comping my coffee if you don’t want him to find out you called him my sidekick.”
We chatted for a few more moments before I ordered a café au lait and grabbed my wallet out from my bag.
“I got it,” Chase said to Damien.
Damien raised his brows at me and shot Chase an appreciative look. “What can we get you?”
“Can I get a medium mocha with two extra pumps of vanilla?”
Chase paid for our drinks, I gave Damien a wave before the next customers stepped up, and we went to stand near the end of the counter, where our drinks would be delivered. After a minute, I couldn’t stand it anymore.
“Two extra pumps of vanilla?”
Chase hung his head in mock shame. “Mochas are my weakness. I eat pretty clean. Food is fuel and all, but I can’t pass up a good mocha.”
He caught his lip between his teeth, genuinely abashed. My hand lifted toward his mouth but stopped short of touching him. A now-familiar tingle hummed through my fingertips.
Chase caught sight of the motion and grabbed my hand as I pulled it back, holding it in a light grasp. He was holding my hand. This boy, who I was not supposed to even be talking to, was holding my hand. To distract myself from the sound of my pulse pounding in my ears, I focused on the intricate dance of the baristas buzzing behind the counter.
Whatever gene I had that made me an avid planner and chronic overanalyzer kicked into high gear. What did this mean for me and Chase? What did this mean for me and the Red Court? Of the two thoughts, my mind was most drawn to the former. I wasn’t sure if Chase was the kind of guy to hold someone’s hand casually.
I risked a glance at his face. His eyes were asking if this was ok and telling me that this meant something. Despite the teasing and competition between us, Chase was the kind of guy who worried about his ex-girlfriend and her family. The kind of guy who didn’t like the drama that was part and parcel with me. I didn’t want the Red Court to take Chase from me, but how could I get any closer to him with all of my secrets between us? I pushed that thought aside, wanting something just for myself. Just this once.
Our moment lasted a little while longer until the barista called out our drink order from the bar. We moved in sync, getting in each other’s way, and laughing as we collided. I’m sure we looked silly, but inside the bubble of us, it was perfect. I didn’t have much levity in my life, and I drank in every moment like it could be my last.
As we walked out of the coffee shop, I noticed a familiar car a few spots down from mine. It was Matthew’s. I’d all but memorized his schedule by now. He should be in Mrs. Perez’s AP Chemistry class. Of every class, this would be the one I’d least expect him to skip. I looked at my watch. We had five minutes before we had to leave to make it back for next hour.
“Hey,” I said to Chase. “I see a friend over there. I think I should go say hi.”
He peeked around me to where Matthew was sitting in his car. “Do you want me to wait here?”
“I’ll just be a minute.” I handed him the keys. “You can get in if you want.”
Chase shook his head. “It’s fine.”
It was cold, but I wasn’t going to argue.
Cautiously, I made my way over to Matthew. There was no time for a proper plan. I couldn’t even think of what approach I should take. If he was angry at Gideon, he might be angry at me, too.
Matthew was sitting in his car, staring down. He looked...lost. There was something vulnerable about his body language. If there was ever a time to press my advantage, it would be now. I knocked gently on his window and he startled.