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Chapter Nine
Chase closed the last open window in the house and turned back to the living room to survey his work. The paint smell still lingered, but the pale green wall turned out great. He loved the color. It went well with the brown leather sofa and love seat he bought and hauled home in the back of his truck today. He still needed to put together the wood entertainment wall unit, unbox his new TV, and call the satellite company to get him hooked up. The dining room table, rugs, and bedroom furniture for his room and Eliza’s was due to be delivered tomorrow afternoon.
In addition to his furniture shopping spree, he’d hit the big box store an hour away and picked up a bunch of household essentials. He’d put the new outdoor grill he ordered to good use once it arrived.
He appreciated Shelby buying him some basic groceries, but he needed to make a run to the store, too. Maybe he’d do that after he stopped by her place to check on Eliza and make plans with Shelby. They needed to come up with a schedule for him to see Eliza that worked with her already established routine. He didn’t want to disrupt either of their lives, but he wanted his time and forEliza to know she could count on him to be there on a regular basis.
He didn’t want to give Shelby a reason to slam the door in his face ever again.
He wanted to be invited in and welcomed like he was a real part of the family. Even though they weren’t together, like he hoped they could be soon, Shelby and Eliza were his family.
Chase checked to be sure he’d cleaned up everything, then grabbed his keys off the counter. He’d spent too much time alone in the quiet today. His anxiety and negative thoughts were starting to push their way in. He needed a distraction and to talk to someone. And the only person he felt comfortable with these days was Shelby.
She listened without judging him. She offered advice but didn’t chide him if he didn’t take it. Mostly he did, because she was usually right.
He just liked being with her.
When he’d been away, just the idea of her, back home, eased him. Her constant presence in his life made him feel like he knew her. Now he wanted to really get to know her—and his daughter—by beingintheir lives.
Chase walked out the front door, locked up, then headed down the porch steps to his truck just as Hunt pulled in and rolled down his window.
“We need to talk.”
Chase unlocked his truck door, but didn’t climb in. “After the way you treated Shelby, I have nothing to say to you.”
“I’m trying to protect you. There are things about her that you don’t know.”
That’s exactly why he was trying to spend more time with her, so he could learn everything about her.
“I don’t need to be protected from her. Drop this, or the next time I see you, I’ll drop you.” Chase turned his back on his cussing brother.
He didn’t want to hear Hunt’s suspicions. He didn’t believe them anyway.
All he wanted to do was put the past behind him and live his life with his beautiful daughter. And her mother, if she’d have him.
Right now, she didn’t have a reason to even think his head and heart had gone in that direction. He needed to fix that and do something to show Shelby that she mattered to him.
He caught glimpses of interest from her, but she hid her feelings well. Sometimes he caught himself before he outright demanded that she simply tell him what she was thinking. Because he really wanted to know. She held everything personal back from him. She didn’t share anything that wasn’t about Eliza.
He wondered if that’s why she didn’t date. Other men found her standoffish when she was really just shy. They didn’t see what he saw in her, a woman who wanted to connect with others but found it hard to put herself out there.
At least, that’s how she seemed to him.
He had an in with her because of Eliza, but he wanted her to see him as more than just Eliza’s dad.
It would take time. She probably wondered if he’d hold his shit together this time.
He’d have to prove himself.
Hunt caught up to him before he climbed into his truck, grabbed his shoulder, and spun him around.“If you won’t watch your six, then I’ll have to do it for you.”
“Shelby is not pulling one over on me. She isn’t lying about Eliza. She didn’t even keep all the money I sent her. She used it to buy me this place. So tell me, Hunt, what are you trying to do other than drive a wedge between me and Shelby?”
“Like before, I’m trying to protect you from yourself. You need time to focus on your recovery. Starting a relationship now... it’s not a good idea.”
“I know what I want for my future, and it’s Shelby and Eliza. I want us to be a real family. I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I’ve been away far too long. My mental health, recovery, and me are better off with them in my life. And I’ve waited a damn long time to be with them and nearly didn’t survive to make it happen. I’ve lost enough time with them. I’m not waiting until someone else thinks it’s a good idea. I have my meds and my appointments with my psychiatrist. I’m doing everything I need to do to be healthy for myself and them. So thanks for the fucking concern, but what I could really use is your support.”
“Then do this the right way. Get the DNA test, a legal custody and child support agreement, and for God’s sake stay clean.”
