obviously not supposed to know about this meeting. True, Chase knows I
don't like Denise and maybe that's why he didn't tell me he was meeting her.
And the text from Denise about ditching me could have just been her being the
bitch that she is. And I didn't see any funny business between the two of
them, although most of their meeting was obscured from my view. Yet I still
can't shake the feeling that there is something else going on. The best I can
do is try not to act like a lunatic that has missed a few doses of medication.
"Hey, where'd you go?"
Chase asks as soon as I open the door.
"That's funny,"
I say with a clenched jaw. "I had the same question for you." I
feel guilty for already setting a trap but if he just tells the truth it will
set my mind at ease immediately.
"I just went down to
get us some dinner. I thought it might be nice to have something different
than what's on the room service menu." His eyes motion over to the
plastic bag I saw him carrying a few minutes ago, which is sitting on the
table.
My eyes close and I let
out a slow breath before I say anything. When I open them, he's looking at me
with a quizzical frown.
"You okay?"
"I know you met
Denise." My voice is as flat and emotionless as I can manage. I'm
disappointed and angry, but still unsure how much is justified.
Chase's shoulders wilt
slightly. "You were following me?"
My anger is bubbling up
now. "Don't try to turn this around. I happened to see her text the
other day when your phone was in my purse. When I woke up earlier, I heard you
talking to her. What the hell is going on? Are you two still fucking?"
"What?" he
looks genuinely shocked, but I know how well he can manipulate his emotions.
"God no!"
"Then why were you
sneaking down to see her? Why did you just lie about it when I asked you where
you were?"
"Because you hate
her, and you already think she's still pining after me. I didn't want to give
you any reason to worry. I would think you would understand that, given your
conversation today with Harrison."
So he had heard some of that.
"That's
different," I say, shaking my head.
"Really? Because
from what I heard, it sounded like you still have some feelings for him."
I shake my head again.
He's trying to deflect. Change the subject away from Denise.
"He's not the man
you think he is, Lila. You really need to be careful with him."
"What the hell do
you know about Harry?" I snap.
Chase looks like he's
about to say something, then stops himself. He's quiet for a moment.
"Just don't forget how we met. How easy it was for him to risk losing his
girlfriend in a poker game."
"Oh I won't forget
that," I say, my anger still boiling. "Just like I won't forget the
equally sleazy move of the asshole who tried to win a girlfriend in a poker
game!"
This time it's Chase who
shakes his head. "Lila, you don't understand..." He takes a step
toward me and touches my arm, but I shake it off.
"What the hell is
going on with you and Denise," I demand again. I refuse to let him try to
maneuver the conversation away from the real subject.
"There's absolutely
nothing going on between Denise and me, Lila, I promise you."
I want to believe him,
but things still don't add up. Yet his sincerity softens my anger a little
bit.
"So why did you want
to meet with her? She said it was your idea." I wince as I admit to
actually talking to her.
"You spoke to her?
Lila, what did you say?"
"I asked her why she
was still after you. She said you called her for a private get together. Is
that true? You told me that you guys don't see each other socially. What the
hell, Chase? What am I supposed to think here?"
Chase sighs, and then
takes a step back to lean against the couch, rubbing his head with his hands.
"Shit, Lila, it's not what you think."
"I
don't like Denise and maybe that's why he didn't tell me he was meeting her.
And the text from Denise about ditching me could have just been her being the
bitch that she is. And I didn't see any funny business between the two of
them, although most of their meeting was obscured from my view. Yet I still
can't shake the feeling that there is something else going on. The best I can
do is try not to act like a lunatic that has missed a few doses of medication.
"Hey, where'd you go?"
Chase asks as soon as I open the door.
"That's funny,"
I say with a clenched jaw. "I had the same question for you." I
feel guilty for already setting a trap but if he just tells the truth it will
set my mind at ease immediately.
"I just went down to
get us some dinner. I thought it might be nice to have something different
than what's on the room service menu." His eyes motion over to the
plastic bag I saw him carrying a few minutes ago, which is sitting on the
table.
My eyes close and I let
out a slow breath before I say anything. When I open them, he's looking at me
with a quizzical frown.
"You okay?"
"I know you met
Denise." My voice is as flat and emotionless as I can manage. I'm
disappointed and angry, but still unsure how much is justified.
Chase's shoulders wilt
slightly. "You were following me?"
My anger is bubbling up
now. "Don't try to turn this around. I happened to see her text the
other day when your phone was in my purse. When I woke up earlier, I heard you
talking to her. What the hell is going on? Are you two still fucking?"
"What?" he
looks genuinely shocked, but I know how well he can manipulate his emotions.
"God no!"
"Then why were you
sneaking down to see her? Why did you just lie about it when I asked you where
you were?"
"Because you hate
her, and you already think she's still pining after me. I didn't want to give
you any reason to worry. I would think you would understand that, given your
conversation today with Harrison."
So he had heard some of that.
"That's
different," I say, shaking my head.
"Really? Because
from what I heard, it sounded like you still have some feelings for him."
I shake my head again.
He's trying to deflect. Change the subject away from Denise.
"He's not the man
you think he is, Lila. You really need to be careful with him."
"What the hell do
you know about Harry?" I snap.
Chase looks like he's
about to say something, then stops himself. He's quiet for a moment.
"Just don't forget how we met. How easy it was for him to risk losing his
girlfriend in a poker game."
"Oh I won't forget
that," I say, my anger still boiling. "Just like I won't forget the
equally sleazy move of the asshole who tried to win a girlfriend in a poker
game!"
This time it's Chase who
shakes his head. "Lila, you don't understand..." He takes a step
toward me and touches my arm, but I shake it off.
"What the hell is
going on with you and Denise," I demand again. I refuse to let him try to
maneuver the conversation away from the real subject.
"There's absolutely
nothing going on between Denise and me, Lila, I promise you."
I want to believe him,
but things still don't add up. Yet his sincerity softens my anger a little
bit.
"So why did you want
to meet with her? She said it was your idea." I wince as I admit to
actually talking to her.
"You spoke to her?
Lila, what did you say?"
"I asked her why she
was still after you. She said you called her for a private get together. Is
that true? You told me that you guys don't see each other socially. What the
hell, Chase? What am I supposed to think here?"
Chase sighs, and then
takes a step back to lean against the couch, rubbing his head with his hands.
"Shit, Lila, it's not what you think."
"I
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