Take a Chance on Me

Forty-two

"So where will this party take place?" Chase asks as he stuffs his face with nachos and takes a big gulp of his beer.

"I'm thinking your place. It will be super easy to set up since you guys have an awesome backyard with that long table and jacuzzi. We can just decorate it a bit with some string lights and get some good food. Plus Alex will definitely think something is up if I try to guide him to some unknown location." I look to Gabby and Chase for reassurance and they both nod in unison.

"I agree," Gabby says, finishing off her glass of wine. "We can set up while Alex is at work. Emily and I can get the food if you two want to get the decorations? Just let me know what he would want to eat and I'll get it all sorted out."

"Does that work for you, Chase? I can pick you up at noon tomorrow and we can get whatever we need to make the backyard perfect." Chase nods as he finishes the rest of the nachos and starts on his next beer. 

I lean back in my chair, letting the stress fall away. I take a sip of my wine and close my eyes knowing that this will be the best party for the most deserving guy. 

-

I pull up to Alex and Chase's house at noon exactly. Luckily for me, Alex is gone all weekend on a surf trip, trying out one of his new boards, so I won't have to make up an excuse to go shopping with Chase. 

While I wait for him to come outside, my nerves begin to spike. Until this moment I didn't realize how potentially awkward this car ride can be. We've never really spent any time alone, except for when I watched a movie at his house, and we don't really have much in common except for Alex and the death of a parent. Think Leah. Think. You have a minute tops to think of topics of conversation. 

I'm interrupted from my thoughts when Chase opens the door and settles into the passenger seat. "Deep in thought?"

I shake my head and come back to the present moment. "Oh just uh daydreaming. Ready to get the best decorations for the most anticipated party of the year?"

Chase laughs as I put the car in park and start driving to the closest mall, about 20 minutes away. "Pretty bold statement considering it's only January."

"Just go with it, okay?" I feel my nerves begin to dissipate and turn up the volume when one of my favorite songs comes on. 

"You listen to The Night Cafe?" Chase asks and immediately starts belting out the lyrics to 'Addicted.'

"Well, barely, I just started and I only know a few songs, but I really like what I have heard so far." I begin to sing along with Chase, playing song after song by the same artist until we get to the mall. 

-

"I think our best bet is Target," I say as I guide us from the parking lot to the super store. "They have pretty much everything for any occasion."

"Hmm. Everything?" Chase pauses, deep in thought. "What about fishing equipment? I love fishing."

"Yep, they have fishing equipment."

"Well, what about sushi? What if I am dying to eat sushi and my only option is Target? Do they have that?" I know Chase is just trying to prove me wrong. Unfortunately he stumped me.

"You caught me. They don't have sushi. But can't you just go along with it?" I try to head off to the party supplies section but Chase doesn't move. "Come on, let's go."

Chase fakes an expression of hurt, going completely overboard, making his lip quiver and face fall. "I thought I could trust you, Leah. You just lied. Straight to my face."

I grab Chase by the arm and pull him as hard as I can towards the decorations. "I'll drag you across this floor if that's what it takes to get this shopping done." After a few more seconds of resistance he follows me down the aisle. 

We find plates, plastic utensils, table covers, streamers, and a surfboard shaped piñata. We go down a few more aisles on the hunt for cups and ping pong balls. When we finally find everything we need, I push the cart towards the front of the store to check out.

Chase stops me before we reach the front. "Wait, can we scan the book section real quickly?"

"Yeah, of course." I had no idea Chase was a reader. I'm finally getting to know Alex's best friend. It's not like I didn't know him previously, but I have learned that everyone is a bit different each time I meet them again. It's as if going back in time has changed their life paths in just the slightest, changing each person and their personality just barely different than they were originally. 

Chase begins browsing the book section and this is the first time I have seen him deeply interested in something. I never would have guessed it would be books. 

"What are you looking for?" I ask, following his gaze to a thriller on the bottom shelf. He leans down to inspect the book, then he picks it up and reads the back synopsis.

"Nothing in particular. Just trying to find my next good read. I kind of stopped once my dad passed. It has been really hard to get back into it."

"I never knew you were a reader. What's your favorite genre?"

He puts the book in the cart, revealing a murder mystery thriller. "I like something that's going to make my heart race, so usually I read thrillers. Sometimes I'll read a war novel too. Whatever really interests me at the time."

We get in line to check out and start putting our items on the conveyer belt. "I usually read romance novels, but my second favorite is thriller. I actually have one you might be interested in, if you want to borrow it?" 

"That would be really cool. Who is the author?" 

"Lisa Jewell. She writes the most twisted books, in a good way."

Chase slides his credit card and I bump his shoulder, letting him know that I was supposed to pay for everything. "It's cool, I got it. And Lisa Jewell is the murder mystery queen. I would love to borrow whatever books of hers you have."

I can't help the smile that automatically spreads across my face. Chase and I have a lot more in common than I initially thought.