“Yeah, I have a headache, and I have to be at the restaurant early tomorrow anyway.”
“Aw, well, feel better hon,” Matt said, leaning over to kiss her cheek, and Chase longed for that indifference, for the ability to be so cavalier about touching her.
She blew a kiss to Tyler before she turned to Chase. “Bye, Chase,” she said with a forced nonchalance that was blatantly transparent to him.
He held up his hand. “Good night. Feel better.”
She turned, giving Colin a kiss and bringing her purse up to her shoulder, and he watched her walk out the door, his eyes not moving until it swung closed and concealed her from his sight.
“Alright, boys’ night out!” Tyler called, and Matt laughed.
“Dude, are you really gonna quote Billy Madison all night?”
Chase laughed, because he knew he was supposed to, but his mind was a million miles away from moronic movie quotes. Why did she leave? Was she really not feeling well? Or had she been looking for an escape as desperately as he had?
“Alright, rack ‘em again,” Matt called over his shoulder as he walked toward the bar to buy another round. “McGuire, get your head out of your ass, or you’ll be deemed chalk boy.”
Chase played another game, his motions listless and his thoughts scattered. He didn’t want to be out anymore. This wasn’t working. Nothing was going to work. He just needed time to get over this shit, and no amount of forced apathy was going to get him there any faster.
He managed to keep his head in the game long enough to win it for him and Matt, and as they started to rack them again, Chase placed his cue back on the wall.
“Alright, I’m gonna head out.”
“Are you serious? It’s only ten-thirty.”
“I know, but I got up early this morning. I’m fucking beat.”
“Come on, don’t be a pussy,” Tyler said.
“Shut up and let him go. I don’t want to buy this asshole any more drinks,” Matt chimed in, and Chase smiled and shook his head.
“Alright man,” Colin said. “Well, it was good to see you. Give me a call. We’ll catch a game together next week.”
Chase nodded, taking down the last of his beer, and as he turned and walked toward the door, he saw movement in his peripheral vision. He glanced over his shoulder to see the redhead from the bar approaching him.
Shit.
He had forgotten all about her, and now he slowed, even though he had no desire to stay in that bar for another minute.
“Hi,” she said, her voice sweetly shy.
“Hey,” Chase said, thrusting his hands in his pockets.
“I just wanted to thank you again,” she said. “I’m Jenna,” she added, holding out her hand.
“Chase,” he said, reaching for it.
She blushed again and looked down, holding onto his hand a few seconds longer than what would be appropriate for a handshake.
“So, Chase, are you leaving?”
“Um…actually, yeah,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck and looking at the door.
“Can I walk you out?”
Chase looked at her for a second before he nodded, and as the two of them turned toward the door, he heard a long whistle, followed by Colin’s voice. “Tired my ass, McGuire!” he called, and the laughter of the three men erupted behind him.
As soon as they were outside, Chase turned to her. “I’m sorry about that,” he said, gesturing with his head back toward the bar.
She waved her hand, dismissing them.
“Alright, so…” Chase trailed off. He felt sorry that he had bothered this girl, that he had managed to get her attention. She seemed sweet, but all he wanted at that moment was to be home.
Alone.
“So,” she said, bouncing slightly on her toes and wringing her hands in front of her. “Do you want to maybe go somewhere? Get some coffee or something?”
Asshole, Chase thought. I’m the world’s biggest asshole.
“Listen, Jenna,” he said, running his hand down his face. “I think you’re really beautiful.” She smiled, and he cringed internally. “But…I’m sorry…I gotta go.”
Her face dropped slightly, her eyes confused.
He couldn’t do it. Sleeping with this girl wasn’t going to help him get over anything; he had already attempted that ploy, and if anything, it just made him feel worse. Plus, he knew she didn’t deserve that. They had barely spoken a few words, but Chase could already tell that this wasn’t the type of girl you screwed on a rebound. He knew he was doing the right thing.