It Started with a Crush by Piper James

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Sage

Antonio’s was busy, especially for a Monday night. Chase had already arrived and requested a table before I got there, but we were still standing in the lobby for fifteen minutes before a booth—Chase’s specific request—became available.

He wanted to sit next to me in a booth, not across from me at a table, and it didn’t take long after we were seated to find out why. His arm immediately draped over my shoulders, pulling me flush against his side while his opposite hand reached over to clasp one of mine and pull it into his lap. He nuzzled my neck, pressing butterfly-light kisses against my skin until the server arrived to take our drink orders.

His overt affection was making my insides squishy, and I loved every second of it. This man was quickly proving to be everything I didn’t know was missing in my life. With him, I had no qualms about opening myself to new experiences like that hot-as-fuck phone sex last night. I’d never dreamed I would do anything so brazen, but when he started it…I couldn’t help myself. I wanted to do it, and the whole experience didn’t disappoint.

I was already making a mental list of things I might say the next time.

I’d even texted Belle, Dakota, and Ember in our group chat afterward to tell them about it—while keeping the details vague, of course. Ember called me a liar while Belle sent a meme with the words “bow chicka wow wow” printed above a picture of a rabbit humping a chicken. Dakota was supportive with a few messages like, “you go, girl” and “get it.” Once the furious barrage of replies died out, I informed them they are no longer allowed to make jokes about me having a stick up my butt, which Ember did every time I tried to guide one of them into making smart, safe choices.

I was definitely evolving. Becoming more adventurous. Having more fun. And coming more times than I ever had in such a short span of time.

And it was all because of the man sitting next to me. I didn’t know what I did to deserve him, but I planned to hold on tight and keep him as long as I could. And I refused to let myself worry about him eventually leaving to go back to California.

I was living-in-the-moment-Sage now, and I wasn’t going to let fear dictate my happiness. And I was happy. Deliriously so.

“What are you thinking about?” Chase whispered, nuzzling his face against my neck.

“Just how happy I am,” I replied, shivering as his tongue darted out to flick against my earlobe.

He pulled back to look at me, a slow smile spreading across his face. “I’m happy, too. These last few weeks have been fantastic, Sage.”

He leaned in, pressing his mouth to mine in the sweetest of kisses. When he pulled away to look at me again, there was something soft in his expression I couldn’t quite define. No one had ever looked at me that way, and it sent my heart racing.

“Well, well, well. Isn’t this an interesting development?”

I felt the blood drain from my face in an instant. I released Chase’s hand and slid out of his embrace, my veins turning to ice as I looked up at the ugly smile on Mrs. Turner’s face. Her husband stood beside her, frowning as his gaze darted between me and my dinner date.

“Mrs. Turner. I—”

“Save it,” she interrupted in a deep, nasty voice. “I can see now why you refused to properly punish that boy for sexually harassing my daughter.”

Chase visibly stiffened, figuring out who these people were. He’d never met them, and I honestly had no idea how they even knew who he was. They’d obviously done their research, and now we were trapped in my worst nightmare. The very thing I’d feared when I decided to go for it and date Chase—we’d been found out by the two people who could, and would ruin everything.

“Excuse me, ma’am, but my son has not sexually harassed anyone. He’s eight fucking years old, for Christ’s sake.”

The room started to spin as Chase defended his son, and Mrs. Turner snarled at him in response. I pressed a palm to my forehead, hoping to quell the dizziness, but it didn’t help.

“His age is irrelevant,” Mrs. Turner snapped, then turned her dark gaze on me. “And I’m going to have you fired.”

“This is ridiculous,” Chase growled. “Sage had done nothing wrong. Stop being such a Karen.”

Mrs. Turner lunged toward him, but her husband pulled her back before her claws could slice into Chase’s face. There was a brief struggle before Mr. Turner spoke in low, furious tones.

“It’s not worth it, Karen. Be the bigger person, here. We know we’re in the right.”

“Oh shit,” Chase said, barking out a laugh. “Your name is actuallyKaren? Classic.”

“Not helping,” I tried to say as my knee bumped against his, but no sound came out.

My throat was clogged with fear and dread, and I took a drink of the ice water the server had dropped off a few minutes ago. This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t be. I was dreaming, and I just needed to wake up.

“Wake up. Wake up. Wake up,” I chanted under my breath while squeezing my eyes closed.

Chase’s hand landed on my knee, giving it what I was sure was meant to be a comforting squeeze, but I jerked away from the touch. Coming to terms with the fact that I was not, in fact, safe and snug in my bed, I opened my eyes to meet Karen Turner’s angry gaze.

“Mrs. Turner, I handled the situation per school guidelines. Mr. Walsh agreed with my methods, assuring me both children were dealt with in the proper way.”

“Both children?” she shrieked drawing every eye in the busy dining room. “Madisyn is the victim here.”

“Madisyn hit my son,” Chase cut in, his voice dangerously low.

“He deserved it,” Karen snapped, then held up her phone with a malicious grin before he could respond.

I gasped as the image on the screen came into focus. It was a picture of Chase and me, in this very booth, our lips touching as we kissed. My cheeks were flushed with pleasure, and Chase’s arm was wrapped tightly around my shoulders.

“When the school board sees this, they’ll know,” she seethed. “They’ll see you let that little punk off the hook because you’re fucking his dad like the slut you are.”

Her words peppered me like bullets, tearing through muscle and bone to lodge in my heart. Chase started to rise, and I couldn’t even summon the strength to stop him. I was dead inside. A husk of the woman I used to be as my world came tumbling down around me.

I vaguely registered Mr. Turner dragging his wife away and pushing her through the front door. Chase dropped back down into the seat beside me, and his hands brushed over my face and arms as he said words I couldn’t hear.

All sound was drowned out by the thumping of my rapid heartbeat in my ears and the never-ending dialogue running on a loop through my mind.

I knew this would happen.

I never should have suggested this.

Dating a parent is wrong. And dangerous.

That’s why I made that rule.

I knew this would happen.

I knew this would happen.

I knew this would happen.

“I need to go,” I said out loud, shoving against Chase to get him to slide out of the booth so I could flee.

“Sage, wait,” he begged as he stood up, clearing the path for me.

“I can’t, Chase. I’m sorry.”

I ran for the door, Chase’s voice in my ear as he followed behind me. I blocked out his pleas for me to stop. To talk this out. I rushed out into the early evening heat, digging my car keys from my purse as I jogged toward my car.

“Sage! We can figure this out! Don’t go,” he shouted.

I stopped at my car door, looking directly at him for the first time since Karen Turner popped up beside our table. He looked devastated. And afraid. He’d stopped several yards back, his hands in front of him, palms up, begging me to come back to him.

“I’m sorry,” I wailed as I wrenched open my door and slid in behind the wheel.

I cranked the engine and squealed out of the parking lot. Tears blurred my vision, and I yanked the wheel, my rear end drifting as I swerved onto the main road that led back to Red River. I swiped a hand over my eyes to clear them, but the tears just kept coming, pouring in rivulets down my cheeks.

This was a mistake. I should’ve stayed away from Chase Perry.

But I didn’t, and I knew exactly what I’d be missing now that it was over. Because it was over. It had to be.

In that moment, I finally discovered what true heartbreak felt like.

And it sucked. Royally.