Off Limits 18+

Chapter 23

Scarlet

Do you know what I'm grateful for this year? So. Many. Things. But above all else, I'm grateful that my drunken phone call to Chase changed my entire life. He changed my entire life. I couldn't even put into words how much he meant to me.

I'm also grateful for confiding in my mom on Thanksgiving. When she heard about the things Kelsey said to me, her response couldn't have been more perfect.

Never give somebody else the control over your happiness, Scarlet. This is your life.

The single best advice I've ever been given.

Thanks, mama. I appreciate you.

I trusted her words and told Chase what happened. He actually laughed and said he didn't give a shit what Kelsey had to say. Everything he said made perfect sense and I'm thanking my mom for the wise words.

He spent Friday with my brothers—much needed, while I shopped with my mom. I bought Chase a new hoodie since I keep stealing all of his old ones, and some movie tickets. I'll grab him something else before Christmas. I thought about matching pajamas but didn't want to scare him off so soon. I couldn't wait for our first Christmas together as a couple.

I showed my parents the ring he gave me for my birthday and they about jumped up and down with excitement. They told me stories about how they would overhear Ethan giving Chase a hard time about how he saw him look at me and it happened on several occasions. Ethan apparently even hit him before. Poor guy.

Pulling into Ethan's driveway was nerve-racking. I needed to talk to him about Leah and what Kelsey said. It didn't look like Leah's car was here which had me panicked. I hoped that Kelsey wasn't already filling Leah's head with bullshit.

Ethan looked surprised to see me but welcomed me in, hugging me before closing the door. "Did Chase already fuck up?"

He was so dang serious. "No," I said, laughing. "I just wanted to talk about Leah."

His brow arched and he started toward the kitchen. "Looks like I need a beer for this conversation, want one?"

"Yeah, thanks."

I toed off my shoes and got comfy on the couch as he sat on the opposite end, shifting his body to face mine. We both took a long pull of our beers, waiting for the other person to start talking.

"Well, let's hear it," he said, in a serious voice.

"Remember when Chase and I came over for dinner Wednesday night?"

His eyes rolled as he shook his head. "How could I forgot? Leah wanted to fucking kill me."

"I'm really sorry..."

"Nah, I guess I always knew that you and Chase would end up together. I was more hurt that you both lied about it. I get it though, the Kelsey thing really fucked things up."

I nodded. "I know. I didn't even know about her and when she introduced herself to me the night you were going to purposed to Leah... I about puked."

"I can't believe he let you find out that way. Shit, so that's why you left early?"

"Yeah... I couldn't stay. I couldn't watch him with her. I was hurt and blindsided... it was a hard night."

He leaned toward me a little and rubbed my leg, a sad look on his face.

I shrugged. "It is what it is, ya know? It just... I should have ended things when I found out about her but I love him, E. I really love him. I'm sorry I didn't tell you that a long time ago." I chuckled.

He sighed. "Scar, if I knew about you and him messing around when you were seventeen... I would have killed his ass. So, I'm glad you didn't."

I laughed softly and said, "You remember that party you and Jordan had and all the crap happened with Cory?"

His eyes widen and he said, "Shut up."

"Yeah, he was in my room when you came and checked on me." I covered my mouth to cover my laughing and he looked like I had just punched him.

"Scarlet!"

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, he left after you knocked. You cockblocked me."

"Scarlet fucking Rose, never say that again."

I burst out laughing and eventually so did he. "I hate you," he said.

"I love you, too, bubby!"

"So tell me." He took another pull of his beer. "What did you need to tell me?"

"Remember how I came inside crying? Well, Kelsey told me that if I didn't end things with Chase, she would keep the baby from him and—"

"No offense, that's shady as hell but what's that have to do with Leah?" He asked.

"She also said that if I stayed with Chase that she would make sure Leah ended her engagement with you."

He looked away and took another drink. I waited for him to say something but a minute came and went and he still hadn't said a word.

"Tell me what I need to do," I finally said.

"Sis, if Leah ends things with me because of her crazy ass sister, fuck her."

"E... you don't mean that. I know you love her. Should you ask her about it?"

"You can bet your ass that I'm going to ask her about it. I love her but I'm not letting you ruin things with the guy you love, for me. I've clearly kept you guys away from each other long enough. I love her, yes. Will I let her dictate what goes on in your life? Hell no."

"Thanks, E."

Chase

It had been a solid two weeks of pure bliss with Scarlet. We made time for each other whenever we could but between my full time job and all of her classes, we found it pretty difficult to see each other as much as we wanted to.

Kelsey had been calling nonstop and I had taken most of them, hanging up when the calls weren't about the baby. We were meeting for lunch today. She had a doctors appointment this morning and I had asked to go along but she wanted to go by herself to the first appointment.

Sliding into the booth across from her was a weird feeling. I know that I was the reason for our break up but I didn't even know this girl anymore. Her threatening to keep me away from my kid was a new low and I lost all respect for her.

"How'd everything go?"

"It was amazing, Chase."

She dug around in her purse and pulled out a sonogram picture and handed it to me. It was only a little blob at this point but my stomach did a backflip when I looked at it.

"We made that... that's our baby," she said with a giant smile on her face.

I smiled back. It hit me, I was going to be a dad. I wondered if I would have a son or a daughter. I could handle a boy, I was a boy ya know? A girl on the other hand, well I would need Scarlet's help with that one.

"So everything looked good then?"

"Yes!" She exclaimed.

"Awesome. When is your next appointment? I'll take off work so I can go."

Her smile faded a little. "I'm not sure but I'll let you know."

"Listen, I know this isn't how you expected things to go when you found out you were pregnant but I'm trying, okay? I want to be involved."

"And I want you but we don't always get what we want, do we?"

This was going to be harder than I thought.