Unchartered Waters ✅

Chapter 16: The Return

Chase's POV

Monday, May 3 – Dawsonville, Georgia

Knock. Who is at my door and why?

Knock. Seriously, who is there? Did I forget about invite – no, I hadn't because that was why he was over tonight. We were spending some more time together, talking, enjoying each other's company, a distraction from everything that maybe could turn into something more.

"Who is that?" He questions me, resulting in a groan. I was hoping he wouldn't notice, we could ignore together and they'd go away.

"I don't know," I reply back, because truthfully, I didn't know.

Knock. Are you kidding me? If I haven't answered by now, do you really think I am going to answer? Can they just go away?

"Maybe you should answer that," he suggests, causing another groan. Why was someone interrupting our perfect night? It wasn't just anytime that he came to Dawsonville out of the blue, but here he was thanks to a flight with me following our shop meeting today. "It doesn't sound like they are going away."

"I wish they would," I comment quietly as I finally make my way off the couch and to the door.

I swear, if this is some random door-to-door seller, they are about to get an earful that will probably get me in trouble should anyone hear. If it's anybody else, they will get a stern reminder to give me a heads-up before they come over because I may be busy. That should cover everything, right?

Opening the door, prepared to tell someone off, my jaw drops immediately as I take in the image at my door. I was expecting anybody, any other damn person in this whole, than her.

What was she doing here?

"Kaitlyn?" I question as I allow the shock to wash over me, still. Seriously, why?

"Chase!!" She lets out, reminding me just how annoying her squealing voice could be. Why hadn't I allowed that to drive her away sooner?

"What are you doing here?" I deserved to know, right? I mean, it only seemed fair as this was my house, my doorstep, and she was interrupting my perfect night with Alex.

"I came to see you, of course." We broke up over a year ago – a year and three months for those who may be curious, perhaps four. We hadn't spoken to each other since, except for the text message she sent a month after we broke up that I didn't respond to. What exactly made her change her game plan to end up at my door?

"Why?" Considering the time line that I just offered, it only seemed logical.

"Because I miss you. Don't you miss me?" Would you miss someone who repeatedly broke your heart over and over? Would you miss someone who played you like a fool for three years? Would you miss someone whom you haven't even gave a damn about since you broke up with them?

"No." I hope that was your answer, too, because damn, why would it be anything remotely different?

"Are you sure?" Truth be told, there was many things that I wasn't sure about right now. I wasn't sure about Ryan and what to do moving forward after what happened. I wasn't sure about Alex, and if there was a future there together, or whether what I felt was real. I wasn't even sure if Alan had the right set-up for this coming weekend at Darlington. But this question? There was only one option.

"Absolutely. I know the games you play..." even if I was a blind fool for a long time, and allowed you to play me over and over again. It took awhile for my eyes to be opened, but now I swear to you I am not even allowing myself to touch that door again.