The Chase Begins (Now Published so Sample Only)

Chapter 3

© 2013 Sandra Corton

Chapter 3

Her car sat in her driveway the following morning and Brianna could barely contain her surprise. She had never heard it be driven in even though she had been awake for most of the night. Andy had kept calling constantly until Brianna had left her phone off the hook. She was glad then that she didn't own a mobile phone or she would have never got rid of Andy pestering her.

She slid into her car praying it would start. She really needed something to begin going right in her cruddy world. The car purred to life instantly and Brianna's jaw dropped open. Chase had fixed her car. She hadn't had the money for repairs and knew the starter motor among other things was playing up. She sat there for a moment wondering whether to be angry at him or grateful.

Then again the guy was apparently a famous actor and probably had more money than she would ever see in her life. Her mind stalled but the car kept going. It finally caught up with her; Chase Montgomery, the guy she had spent four wonderful days with in Hawaii was famous.

No wonder he had assumed she knew who he was, even though she had no clue. She didn't own a TV or go to the movies that often so she still really had no idea who he was. She felt even more mortified about throwing herself at him yesterday. She would have to try and avoid the guy as much as possible. Knowing Andy she would try to throw them together as often as she could. She stifled a groan as she drove towards work. It seemed this would be a no win situation.

What a long and arduous day she was forced to endure! Driving home she felt despondent. As much as she loved the children where she worked, the people she worked with could be quite trying. Now that they knew about Chase it was all they wanted to talk about.

She had hoped for a peaceful day but ended up with nothing but harassment. As much as she had tried to keep thoughts of Chase from her mind she was constantly reminded by all her co-workers. Not only that she was still avoiding Andy's calls even as she threatened a diabolical scheme or two.

Pulling up in her driveway to find Chase's truck there just made her groan. What was he up to now? She decided to ignore the fact that he was there, especially as she couldn't see him anywhere. Instead she went inside and collapsed onto the old couch. Her life had gone crazy around her and she no longer felt in control of it.

The sound of hammering came from out the back of her house. With another groan she knew she would have to go and face him. The one thing she never expected him to be doing was to be on a ladder replacing her guttering. She stood there and watched him in amazement. She had no idea what to think let alone what to say. Then her remembered embarrassment of the night before hit her hard, bringing the anger back to the forefront.

"What are you doing here Chase?" She asked in between hammering.

He stopped what he was doing and looked down at her with a broad grin. Ugh don't let him affect you! Brianna told herself firmly. She tried to keep a hold of her anger but found it hard not to get distracted by him. That ruggedly handsome face with that smile she wished was especially for her. The flex of his muscles in his chest and arms as he got down off the ladder to approach her. She had no hope of him not being a distraction.

"Your guttering is shot Bree. I wasn't doing anything so I thought I would fix it for you." He explained and she felt her mouth flop open. She had one too many shocks in the last few days but this one topped them all so far.

"Why?" She pushed the words out through her still slackened jaw.

"Why not?" He shot back his grin going sly.

"Ugh I can't deal with anymore today!" She said as she went back into the house and shut the door. A tap on the door she still leaned against startled her and she jumped away abruptly.

"I'm sorry you had a bad day Bree. I'm not trying to make it worse I promise." His voice rumbled through the wooden door to her but it didn't change anything.

"Just go away." She told him as she forced herself to recall last night’s humiliation.

"I'll go when it gets too dark to work anymore." He said determinedly while Brianna ground her teeth in frustration.

Well if that was the way it was going to be, then so be it! She had better things to do than worry about him anyway, she told herself firmly. Just as she got to her most determined stubbornness the doorbell rang. With a grumble she went to answer it. She wasn't at all surprised to see a furious Andy in the doorway.

"Don't even start with me!" Brianna told her friend sharply.

"Fine I won't. I will ask what Chase is doing here though." Andy said smugly.

"I don't flipping know!" Brianna shouted as she strode back into her house, frustration in every step. "He was here when I got home fixing the guttering. I told him to go away and he won't." Brianna waved her arms in the air wildly.

Andy walked in the door trying to contain her grin. At least her best friend was angrier at someone else rather than her. It was rare for Brianna to get flustered over things. Andy considered that Chase may be the thing to get Brianna out of the rut she had been stuck in for almost her entire life.