Making Chase by Lauren Dane Read Free Book Online Page A

nodded imperceptibly.
    Only one more year.
    “Don’t pass the potatoes by lard ass. I told you to make her a salad, Tina.”
    “Bill, shut the hell up already.”
    Tate drank her tea and kept her head down. Finally, after bickering back and forth, her father shut up. She didn’t bother eating, it would only prolong the evening.
    After strained small talk they all made an exit.

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    Lauren Dane
    “Come back to my place?” Beth hugged Tate tight.
    Tate shook her head and hugged Anne, Jill and Jacob too. “I need to be alone for a while. Shake this off. I’m not good company.”
    “Yes you are. Honey, don’t do this alone.” Anne kissed her forehead.
    “Look, I give you all most of myself but this is mine. I’m going to go and eat dinner. Alone. Please.”
    “We’re going to stay at William and Cindy’s tonight. We still on for breakfast tomorrow before Jacob and I go back?” Jill asked.
    Tate nodded. “Of course.” She needed to be alone, damn it. Quickly, she got into her car and headed back into town.
    At The Sands, Ronnie was there with a smile and a cup of coffee, ushering her to a corner booth. It was already half past eight on a Sunday night so the place was pretty uncrowded.
    “Evening, Tate.”
    “Hey, Ronnie.” Tate opened her menu.
    “Hey, fancy seeing you here.”
    She looked up into Matt Chase’s face and only barely resisted taking a long glance down the rest of him. His face was enough of a treat. Made her feel tingly when all she’d felt just moments before was numb.
    “Can I join you? I’ve been on a call. Warren and Pearl Jervis’s place. I wish they’d leave each other, but they won’t. He set fire to their couch tonight. Made me miss dinner at my folks’.”
    “Sometimes it’s because they don’t know any other way. Other times, it’s because they don’t give a shit about anyone else and can’t be satisfied until they bleed their misery on you.”
    “Wow, sounds like there’s a story there. I’m sorry for bringing you down. You can tell me. Or, I promise to entertain you with happy stories if you let me sit with you.”
    She rolled her eyes and laughed. “Sure, have a seat.” Instead of sitting across from her, he slid into the booth beside her, stretching out his long legs next to hers.
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    Making Chase
    “I’m absolutely convinced that Polly Chase will have a plate set aside for you in the oven as we speak,” she said dryly to hide the tremor working through her at his nearness.
    He grinned. “Probably. But I’d rather be here with you.” She narrowed her eyes at him but Ronnie came to take their order.
    “I’ll have the roasted chicken with the rice and a salad. Vinegar and oill please, Ronnie.”
    “Give me the pork chops and mashed potatoes and a salad with ranch, and a beer.”
    “Oh yeah, that sounds excellent. Beer for me, too, please.” Ronnie smiled at them both and sauntered back to put their order in.
    “Rough night?” Tate looked at him, liking the way his nose looked from the side.
    “Why do you say that?” Matt asked warily.
    “Because you had to go on what amounted to a domestic call, which can’t be much fun. But you’re here and avoiding your mother’s cooking, which I hear is legendary. Is something up?” He chuckled and took a long pull off the beer Ronnie dropped off along with the salads. “Polly is a mighty fine cook, yes. And I don’t know how Shane does it. These domestic calls are awful. I don’t have to deal with them often but when I do, it’s hard to take, you know?”
    “Yes, I do know.”
    He turned and their faces were just inches apart. She could see the beginnings of a beard on his cheeks and chin.
    “Too close to home?”
    “I really don’t want to talk about that right now. Until about five minutes ago, I was having a very crappy night. It’s looking up so don’t screw with that.”
    “Tell me about your night and why it’s been so