Caught in Us (Caught Series Book 4) by Kacey Shea

Author:Kacey Shea [Shea, Kacey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kacey Shea Books LLC
Published: 2021-05-19T18:30:00+00:00

21

Alicia

I made a mistake.

Only, it’s not coming back to my hometown. No, it was leaving in the first place. It was staying away so long. It was keeping Chase from our son.

Watching him today with Matthew, it broke my heart. Because he’s a great dad. Of course he is. He’s attentive, fun, and kind. The bond between them was as instant as my regret. I don’t know how Chase doesn’t hate me. I worry one day when Matty is old enough to learn the truth, he’ll hate me too.

Chase glances in the back seat where Matthew is still passed out. “Will he stay asleep?”

“Yeah.” I hop out of my door, then pull open the back to get Matthew. I peel his chubby little fingers from where they’re still holding tight to the toy truck. “Can you bring in the car seat for me?”

“Of course.” Chase gets out and walks around the front of the truck to meet me on my side.

I remove Matthew from his restraints and lift him into my arms. He’s so exhausted, he doesn’t even open his eyes in the transition. Chase reaches out, steadying my arm as I get down from the truck. His touch sends a quiver of awareness throughout my body, the way it has all day. Any time he stood close, or stared too long, it lit up. I try to ignore the attraction. He’s unavailable. We aren’t meant to be together. But the connection we share is there—at least for me—and it doesn’t give a flying fuck that he’s with someone else. Which makes me a horrible person.

I thought maybe today would provide some closure. Be the affirmation I need to remember why I left in the first place. But no. If anything, it did the opposite.

My footsteps may be slow and measured as I make my way to the front door, but my pulse is racing. My heart feels as if it’s been split open. But I’m too worn down to pretend it’s not. “I love you, sweet boy,” I whisper against Matty’s cheek. “I’m sorry.” For keeping you from your dad. For waiting so long to come back home.

“Where do you want this?” Chase says softly, stepping around us to open the door.

“Just there is fine.” I point to the floor inside the entry. I let my purse fall to the floor on top of the car seat once Chase sets it down.

“Okay, well.” He slides his hands into his pockets. He doesn’t move to leave and I can’t tell whether it’s because he wants to stay, or because he thinks he should.

I could invite him in. Show him more of my ugly secrets. Mom’s probably passed out around here somewhere, and Daddy, well, he’s stuck in his bed. But I reach for the easy out. “I’ll call you.” I force a bright smile onto my lips. I doubt it’s convincing but Chase doesn’t call me out.

“Okay, yeah.” He nods, his gaze bouncing from my face to Matthew’s. “Thank you. For today.

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