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CHAPTER 61: PARTY STORE DASH
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Thrill of the Chase CHAPTER 62: COUNTDOWN
"Alex, it's your turn to take out the trash!" I call out, struggling to be heard over the blaring "Can't Feel My Face" resonating from the speakers in the expansive Fayers' living room. My brother strolls into the kitchen moments later, snatching the pre-tied trash bags located next to the now-empty trash can."You missed something," he informs me, and I scan the kitchen to double-check if I overlooked anything. Even though my group and I aren't responsible for post-party cleanup, we're not exempt from helping out during the event."No, I didn't," I assert confidently after ensuring I've taken care of everything."Yes, you did.""Okay, Sherlock. What did I forget?""Yourself," he smirks, and I roll my eyes before ushering him out through the back door.As Alex heads toward the trash bins in the alley, I join the bustling living room just as Caleb pairs her phone with the speakers via Bluetooth. Besides our close-knit crew and their families, the Fayers have invited residents from both
Thrill of the Chase CHAPTER 63: PLAYFUL CHAOS
Bonnie's impromptu plan pays off just about ten seconds later when Kalix tumbles backward onto the bed. However, instead of just having Bonnie in his arms, he inadvertently pulls Avery down with them. With both girls under each of his arms, all three of them burst into even more laughter, prompting the other kids in the room to hush them so they can hear the movie playing on the flat screen.Using our indoor voices, the five of us arrange ourselves on the bed, spending the next few minutes goofing around and chatting. I personally seize this opportunity to tease Bonnie and Elena about their earlier conversation with Kalix."So... which one of you likened me to a dirty lollipop?" I inquire, raising an eyebrow. I hide my smile when Elena's eyes suddenly widen."It was Bonnie, totally Bonnie," she immediately throws her best friend under the bus, causing Bonnie to look at her with a gasp."I did not!" Bonnie protests, turning to Elena in disbelief, who responds with a sheepish, apologeti
Thrill of the Chase CHAPTER 64: TEQUILA TRUTHS
Does kissing Max's photo on my Home screen count?Nice one."I don't know. It'll be spontaneous as always," I reply with a nonchalant shrug. I immediately notice Avery's, Alex's, and Kalix's lingering gaze, but the others seem oblivious to the suspicious act.As the conversation in our little circle picks up again, I seize the opportunity to slip into the kitchen, craving another drink and, more importantly, some solitude."Desiring and needing are entirely different, though, Slayer," Buffy chimes in as my internal dictionary, right before I hear someone enter the kitchen from behind me."If it's Avery, I just need a minute. If it's Alex, you have nothing to worry about. And if it's some random stranger who's crashed the party, the bathroom is just down the hall and to your right," I say before downing my shot of tequila in one gulp."What if it's the best friend of the pain in the ass you've been missing like crazy lately?" I turn around to find Kalix leaning against the kitchen arch
Thrill of the Chase CHAPTER 65: APOLOGY
Max's words snap me out of my lingering gaze, which may have lasted a bit longer than I intended. "Stare all you want, Isabella, but I assure you that it's me. Your vivid imagination isn't playing tricks on you," Max asserts, pulling me back from my reverie."Max, what are you-""Admitting what I should've confessed twenty-one nights ago," he interjects with a determined look. "I've been a damn fool, Isabella.""Well, I won't argue with that," I concur as I close the door behind me. He shoots me a pointed look that practically says, "Now, of all times, you choose to be a smartass?" "Alright, go on," I gesture for him to continue."Thank you," he sighs, resolve returning to his face. "I've been a damn fool because I didn't appreciate one of the few good things in my life," he echoes Kalix's toast from earlier, his hands slipping into his jacket pockets to shield them from the cold. "You decided to give me, us, a chance even when I wasn't ready to share everything about my past, despite
Thrill of the Chase CHAPTER 66: SURPRISE VISIT
After we finally conclude our passionate reunion, we break away from the kiss, our foreheads touching as we exchange smiles."Happy New Year, Isabella," Max whispers."Happy New Year, Max."And cue the fireworks all over again."So, uh, we might have a slight issue," I mention to Max while playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.After the fireworks show, Max and I had settled on the swing that still adorned the Fayers' deck, with Max pulling me onto his lap. We remained nestled together for a good half-hour until a rather crucial detail crossed my mind. Amidst our reunion, I had completely forgotten that the party inside was still in full swing."What's that?" He inquires, planting a kiss on my exposed shoulder. Having been in Max's embrace for the past thirty minutes, I hadn't even considered going back inside to grab a jacket, completely oblivious to the cold."Well, there's an entire party happening inside, filled with neighborhood friends, and not to mention close relatives
Thrill of the Chase CHAPTER 67: LATE-NIGHT CONVERSATION
I enter my room, finding Max sitting on my bed, clad only in pajama bottoms. A puzzled expression crosses my face as I realize where I am. "You're still up?" I inquire. "And in my room?" I add, somewhat bemused. Max glances up from his phone, sporting a sly grin."Let's just say your mom is the only parent I know who'd allow her daughter and her boyfriend to sleep together in the same bed, all under the same roof," Max gets straight to the point. "Or maybe she just didn't want her daughter's first boyfriend to sleep on the downstairs couch," he adds with a shrug."That's all she said?" I question, somewhat skeptical. "No warnings, no precautions, nothing?" It strikes me as hard to believe that my mom, while open-minded, would be so casual about the situation. After all, I've never brought a guy home before, let alone to my bed."She basically said I'm welcome to sleep here as long as the rest of the house can't hear us," he smirks knowingly. "Seemed like a fair deal to me." Now that d
Thrill of the Chase CHAPTER 68: CHEESECAKE
"Why are we hitting up the mall again?" Max inquires as we stroll hand in hand into the Old Orchard Shopping Center, heading toward The Cheesecake Factory."Because we can't exactly tell my family that our extended absence is due to the fact that we've been otherwise occupied for the past two hours," I reply, raising my free hand to gesture towards the restaurant's sign. "This is our cover." He gazes up at the red, illuminated sign, a mischievous grin playing on his lips."What?" He asks, clearly amused. "Do you think cheesecake will make them forget that I just had a rendezvous with their youngest family member in the back seat of my car at the end of their street?""No, you fool," I retort, giving his arm a playful smack, to which he chuckles. "It's a diversion, remember? Besides, once they see the cheesecake, they won't be too curious about our prolonged absence... I hope." Eager to get inside, I pull him into the restaurant."Well, that just put a dent in my bank account," I comme
Thrill of the Chase CHAPTER 69: HOT SEAT
Henry repeated his question, "Señor Blackwell, what are your intentions?"Max began to answer, "Well, to date—" but was abruptly interrupted by Samuel, who mimicked a buzzer sound to indicate a wrong answer."That's incorrect," William took charge immediately, elaborating, "Our Isabellarita is like an unopened bud, waiting to bloom. She deserves love, care, and an abundance of happiness to blossom into a beautiful rose.""Unless your 'bad boy' persona turns her into a weed faster than your pull-out game," Caleb interjected, leaving Max and me dumbfounded."What?""What?" William echoed our simultaneous question, ignoring the peculiar looks we gave him. He quickly brushed off our expressions and continued, "My point is, make her flourish, not wither. Alright, next." Max and I didn't get a chance to respond because Avery seized the opportunity to finish her initial question."Before I was rudely interrupted," Avery said, "I was going to ask you to list the first three things that come t
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