Zoey POV
Ugh, my head was pounding like a drum.
I struggled to piece together what had happened last night. Suddenly, a bright burst of light flooded my room as someone flung open the curtains.
Groaning, I sat up and rubbed my eyes.
"Good morning, Zo..." Quinn peered through the doorway, grinning. "Breakfast is ready."
I quickly glanced at the clock on my nightstand as she walked away.
12 p.m.! I'm running so late for work!
I jumped from my bed, dashed to the shower, threw on my warmest outfit, and hurried into the kitchen—only to freeze in my tracks.
Quinn, Michael, Logan, and Lola were all gathered at the table, enjoying a huge breakfast.
I could understand Lola being here. After a whirlwind of living in hotel rooms while chasing acting gigs, she finally settled back in California with me, grateful to take a break and enjoy some stability.
"Good morning!" they chimed in unison, all smiles.
"What's going on? I'm late for work!" I said, pouring myself a glass of orange juice.
"Zoey, just breathe," Lola replied, looking calm. "We called Kelly and told him you woke up feeling really sick and couldn't make it in today."
"And he was okay with that?" I raised an eyebrow, wanting the details.
"Surprisingly, yes. He said to take it easy and then went on about how incredible I am. He even expressed how it would be an honor if I ever guest-starred on *Love Fully Charged*. I said 'perhaps someday' and hung up."
"So, I'm off the hook for work?"
"Yep," Quinn nodded, gesturing for me to join them. "Now come sit."
I settled onto a chair as Michael served me a plate piled high with food. "What brings you all to my house today, anyway?"
"Don't you remember last night?" Logan asked, looking amused.
"Not really. My head feels like it's about to explode," I replied, sipping my coffee and wishing the memories would come rushing back.
"You remember the birthday party we surprised you with? Everyone was there at the karaoke bar. Even James showed up. He was in town for the weekend," Michael recalled.
"Oh, you have to remember James real well," Logan smirked, munching on a piece of bacon.
James?
I can picture the party, dancing, and James being there, but...
Flashback (Last night)
James pulled me in close while our friends danced around us.
James: "You look so beautiful tonight. I just want to..."
He pulled me off the dance floor and leaned me against the wall, kissing me deeply.
Flashback ends.
I was so out of it. Everything after that is a blur. I don't even remember if I kissed him back or pulled away or how I made it home last night.
I glanced at my friends, who had paused their eating to stare at me, Michael and Logan sharing sly grins.
"And you didn't stop it? Do you guys just let it happen?"
"We saw you with James, but you didn't seem to mind, we didn't even see the two of you kiss until logan mentioned it last night" Quinn said, stealing a glance at Lola, who nodded in agreement.
"You looked pretty comfortable, which kind of ruined your surprise, didn't it?" Michael remarked, causing Logan's eyes to widen.
"I totally forgot!" Logan exclaimed, pulling out his phone and typing furiously.
"What? What surprise?" I asked, eyebrows raised.
He met our gaze and placed his phone back on the table.
"Chase was supposed to come over for the weekend. He was meant to be at your birthday party last night, but after we saw you and James, we had to change our plans."
"Chase is in California? Where's he staying? What do you mean change plans?"
"Well, after witnessing how tipsy you were and how flirty you were with James, we thought bringing Chase in wouldn't be a good idea. So, we sent him off to Santa Monica Pier in the self-driving limo we arranged."
"He was furious," Michael added with a chuckle.
"But we brought him back and offered for him to stay with us. However, he insisted on staying at the Malibu Beach Inn. We told him we'd be at your place, so he should be here in about five minutes."
I sighed, covering my face in embarrassment. "How am I supposed to face him now, knowing what happened last night?"
"Just be honest with him. That's what you both want, right? You'd want him to tell you if something like this happened to him, wouldn't you?"
"Yeah...".
Knock! Knock!
"I think he's here..." Lola said as we all jumped to our feet. I led the way to the door and swung it open.
There stood James and Chase, both grinning and holding bouquets of flowers.
"James... Chase..." I exclaimed, surprised to see them here.
"We finally met..." James said, wrapping an arm around Chase's shoulders. "Sorry for showing up unannounced," he added, handing me the flowers. "I was hoping we could hang out today if you're free."
I glanced over at Chase, who was quietly waiting for my response.
"Um... I actually wanted to talk to Chase..."
"Chase, you don't mind if Zoey spends the day with me, right?" James asked casually, patting his back.
"Uh, no, not at all. She can do whatever she wants." Chase stepped forward, handing me his flowers and pulling me into a warm hug. "Happy belated birthday! I tried to make it yesterday, but something came up."
He let go, and James clasped my hand enthusiastically. "Awesome, let's get moving!"
"Hold on! I need to put these flowers inside and grab my purse..."
James took the flowers from my hands and handed them to Chase. "Could you put these in a vase, please?"
Chase nodded as Lola helped him with the bouquets of flowers.
James smiled at me. "Forget your purse; I'm going to pamper you today. Let's go!" He tugged gently on my hand as we made our way to his car.
He opened the door for me, and I glanced back at my friends, who were inviting Chase inside.
Quickly, I pulled out my phone and texted Lola and Quinn.
"Please keep Chase there and don't mention anything about what happened between me and James last night. I'll explain everything when I get back."
"Ready?" James asked, a bright smile on his face.
"Yeah, let's go," I replied as we drove off.
Chase POV
Once Zoey and James left, my friends invited me to breakfast at Zoey's place. Before sitting down, I helped Lola place the flowers in a vase.
We enjoyed a nice breakfast, and then Logan suggested we all go to his house for a cookout. Excited to catch up with everyone, we invited Todd, Mark, Stacey, Dana, and Nicole. It had been a while since I'd seen Dana and Nicole, and I was eager for our reunion.
Logan was in the backyard grilling while sipping drinks with Todd, Michael, and Mark. The rest of us settled into the living room, catching up on life as we waited for the food.
"So, you're a school teacher?" Dana asked.
"Yeah, but I took a break to go back to school for criminology and criminal justice. I'm aiming to become a police detective."
"Im guessing they're making you exercise for any kinds of suitiation. You've lost quite a bit of weight!" Quinn remarked with a smile.
"I had to; the sergeant really pushed us during workouts." I chuckled, taking a sip of my beer. "What about you, Dana? How's everything going?"
"Well, I'm still single, just moved to California, and now I'm a therapist. My office is only about half an hour away."
"A therapist? Seriously?" Nicole's brow furrowed, clearly puzzled.
"Yeah, why's that so surprising?"
"I mean, we've known each other forever, and you've always had a bit of a hot temper and zero patience. It's hard to picture you in that role. Unless you've had a big change."
"Nope, I'm still me. But I think people appreciate my honesty in therapy. I really listen to what they have to say without sugarcoating my feedback. That's why I've got a five-star rating. You guys should come see me; I could really help!"
"Do we get a discount?" Stacey chimed in.
"Free for friends"
"Cheers to that!" Stacey lifted her glass, and we all shared a laugh, raising our drinks in unison.
"And what about you, Nicole?" Dana queried.
"I run an interior design business downtown called Decora. We remodel homes," she replied with a nod.
"That's great!" I said, genuinely impressed.
"I figured with your history of being boy-crazy, you would have ended up managing a male strip club," Dana joked, chuckling to herself.
We all smirked at that.
"Very funny," Nicole replied, feigning annoyance as she drained her drink. "I actually tried out as a weather presenter once, but that went south."
"What happened?" Lola asked, curious.
"Well, there's actually a clip in YouTube..."
The TV presenter introduced her: "Now we head over to Nicole Bristow, who's observing the snowfall. What's it looking like out there?"
Dressed in a long-sleeve white blouse and a black vest, with the Kansas Channel 12 logo on her shoulder, she stood in a thick blanket of snow, microphone in hand.
With a sarcastic glance to her side and back to the camera, she looked less than thrilled.
Nicole: Yeah, it's snowing, just as I predicted from the studio. I'm not sure why I'm out here, just staring at the snow. Honestly, you could just show a video of it falling. Do I really need to describe what snow looks like? It's pretty obvious."
She rolled her eyes, clearly exasperated by the whole situation.
TV Presenter: Looks like the chill has put you in a frosty mood today, Nicole.
Nicole: "Oh, you bet, John! I'm definitely feeling icy! Nice pun, by the way. I've been standing here for twenty minutes, waiting for you guys to throw it to me, and all I can think is—I spent a hundred and twenty grand on a degree and four years in college just to come out here and describe what I see? I learned that in kindergarten! It makes no sense! And you know what else? On those lovely sunny days, you never send me to the lake or pool for a live shot. But hey, when there's a hurricane, snowstorm, blizzard, or flood, it's 'let's send Nicole out there!' Perfect!'
Nicole said this with a sarcastic laugh, rubbing her arms for warmth.
TV Presenter: You definitely have a valid point there, Nicole. Looking at these reports, the forecast isn't looking promising. Are the locals concerned?
Nicole glanced around, visibly frustrated, before turning back to the camera.
Nicole: Look around! Do you see any locals out here? Everything's closed, everyone's hunkered inside. The only reason I'm out here is to tell people to stay indoors. What am I even doing with my life!?
TV Presenter: You're incredibly brave, Nicole. Do you have an idea of what to expect tonight?
Nicole: Oh yeah! More of this! We're looking at another 12 to 18 inches, but don't worry about me! I've got this lovely sleeveless vest they forced me into. My fingers are practically falling off from frostbite, but hey! At least we've got the logo in the shot. Fantastic!."
We shared smiles and laughter, and Nicole responded with a cheerful nod, clearly not taking it negatively.
Meanwhile...
Zoey POV
James took me to Malibu Riders, where we rode horses and explored stunning landscapes.
We had a great time snapping pictures of the beautiful scenery, and when it was time to return to the ranch, we decided to race our horses. Naturally, I won—I grew up in Louisiana, on a ranch with horses, donkeys, chickens, and ducks. So, I had a bit more experience than James.
Afterward, we headed to a fancy restaurant James liked for lunch around 3 PM.
"So?." James took my hand as we finished our meal. "What's going on between us?"
"What do you mean?." I asked, feeling a bit uneasy.
"Zoey, we kissed last night. It felt magical—at least to me. Thanks for giving me another chance…" He leaned in to kiss me, and I pulled back. "What happened?"
"James, let me be clear with you. What happened last night wasn't supposed to happen. We were both very drunk, and I don't really remember anything else that happened after that. I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong idea."
He let go of my hand. "So you're really with Chase now? I thought you two broke up after you left him in Hawaii-."
"Yes. He was upset with me, but after Quinn and Logans wedding, we were able to talk about it and realized we still loved each other. I'm really in love with him, and I don't want to lose him again by my dumb choices."
He nodded and smiled at me. "Well, happy for you both. I'm sorry I kissed you last night, I didn't know you and Chase had gotten back together, but I do wish you both the best, really."
"Thank you for understanding."
"I hope we could still be friends.."
"We are friends."
He smiled again. "I think I've kept you long enough away from Chase, so why don't we go back to your place so you can be with him..." He stood up.
"Really?." I looked up at him.
"Yeah. Maybe he's only here for the weekend, and you're here with me instead of being with him."
"You're such a great friend." I said, standing up and hugging him.
As we pulled apart, we draped our arms around each other's shoulders and made our way out of the restaurant.
Lola's POV
After a while of catching up with Chase, he stepped outside to join the guys while we girls indulged in our usual chatter. Soon, we were all called out to enjoy the burgers that the now tipsy guys had prepared for us (with the exception of Todd and Chase, who were keeping it together).
We ate, laughed, and soaked in the good vibes.
"You guys can't have fun without getting drunk?" Dana asked Logan, Michael, and Mark.
"We can, but today is special because Chase is here," Michael replied.
"Yeah, we're celebrating Chase..." Logan added.
"Uh, I don't want to be the reason for that..." Chase chuckled. "Did you guys drink at Zoey's party yesterday?"
"Yeah, we did," Nicole admitted, rubbing her temples. "And I think I speak for all of us when I say we are still feeling the effects."
They nodded in agreement.
"Speaking of the party, did you all catch that kiss between James and Zoey?" Logan started, only to get elbowed by Quinn.
We turned to Chase, who looked taken aback.
"He's just joking, right, Logan?" I said, trying to keep my teeth from clenching.
"Am I?" He glanced at Quinn, whose expression warned him. "I am! I'm just messing with you." Logan laughed, but Chase seemed clearly shaken. He finished his beer and conveniently received a phone call, excusing himself as he stepped back into the house.
"Dude!?" Dana burst out, clearly annoyed.
"What!? I didn't know it was a secret..." Logan replied defensively.
"He needs to know," Michael chimed in.
"Zoey specifically asked us not to mention her and James kissing. She wanted to handle that in her own time!" I added, glancing back towards the house where we could see Chase pacing, still on the phone.
"I'll talk to him. He'll be fine," Logan said, rising to his feet, but Quinn gently pulled him back down.
"I think you've done enough…" Quinn replied, a hint of finality in her voice.
After that awkward moment passed, the girls shifted the conversation to plans for a mall trip and a shopping spree, while the guys settled on heading to a basketball game.
As we stepped back inside the house, we found Chase lounging on the couch, still engaged in a phone call.
"Just let him know he can reach out to me if he needs anything... Okay, catch you later... Take care, Mom, bye." Chase hung up and took a sip from his red cup.
"You girls leaving?" he asked, getting to his feet.
"Yeah, we're going SHOPPING!" Nicole chimed in, her excitement palpable.
"Really? That's awesome. I should join," he said, starting to move but misstepping over the coffee table. "Oops, sorry."
I caught him to steady him. "Chase, aren't you going to the game with the guys?"
"Honestly, I'm not in the mood. I think I'd rather head to my hotel room and catch some sleep. You all have fun, though. Thanks for a memorable hangout."
With that, he moved past me, hugging and kissing goodbye to each of the girls, starting with me.
"Chase, wait a second. You can't drive like this. Let me and Todd take you."
"I don't want to be a bother…"
"Not a bother at all," I insisted, turning to the backyard. "Todd!"
Todd noticed me and made his way over.
"Can you help me take Chase back to his hotel? You can head to the game after… please?"
"Sure," Todd replied without hesitation.
"Thanks." I turned to Chase. "Ready to go?"
He nodded. "Yeah."
Todd drove Chase's rental car to the Malibu Inn, taking the elevator up to his room on the 10th floor.
Once inside, Chase opened the mini fridge and pulled out a bottle of white wine. He poured himself a glass, settled onto the couch, and savored his drink.
"You guys don't have to stay. I'm good," he said, reclining.
I glanced at Todd, who nodded in agreement.
"I do want to make it to the game, so if it's alright, I can head out and come back to pick you up?" Todd offered.
"Sounds good."
"Don't worry, Todd. I can give her a ride back later," Chase chimed in.
"Perfect! See you later, guys," Todd said, winking at me as he left.
I turned back to Chase as he poured himself another glass.
I sighed and settled beside him, taking his glass. "Aren't you drinking a bit much?"
"I'm fine. Just enjoying some downtime…" Chase replied, lifting his glass again.
"Chase, about what Logan mentioned earlier, I want you to know that Zoey was thinking about you last night. She ended up getting drunk, and then James joined in, also under the influence. Zoey didn't really know what she was doing and felt terrible this morning. She thinks she let you down."
"I'm not mad," Chase said, standing to grab another glass and returning to the couch. He poured another glass of wine and handed it to me. "Want to hear a secret?"
"Absolutely."
"I'm not just here for the weekend. I moved to California to be closer to Zoey now that we've sorted things out."
"No way!" I gasped, covering my mouth. "And Zoey doesn't know?"
"No. I was planning to surprise her yesterday for her birthday, but I couldn't make it. I'll tell her whenever I get the chance."
"She's going to be so thrilled."
"Also, I got her this..." He pulled out a small red box and opened it to show a stunning ring.
"It's beautiful! Wait, were you going to propose?" I asked, excitement bubbling up.
"I was, yes." He nodded, closing the box and placing it on the coffee table.
"Was? Not anymore?"
"Maybe in the future. It should be a special proposal. Her birthday was last night, a perfect occasion, but my plans fell apart when Logan's limousine 'accidentally' took me all the way to Santa Monica, preventing me from proposing. Sometimes, I feel like fate is telling me the moment isn't right."
"Chase, Zoey wants this, trust me." I urged him. "She loves you and wants to spend her life with you. Don't doubt that for a second. I could even help you plan the proposal if you'd like."
"Sounds like a plan." He smiled as we clinked our glasses.
We talked at length about where and how he wanted to propose, but soon, he drifted off to sleep. It was around 5:30 pm. when someone knocked on the door.
I quickly hid the engagement box and went to answer it.
"Zoey!" I called out, my thrill breaking through the concern shadowing her expression. "How did you find us?"
"I called Quinn, and she told me where you guys were. She also mentioned that Logan let it slip about what happened between me and James to Chase. That's why I'm here—to explain."
"I tried to clarify that what happened between you and James was nothing serious, just a mistake made in the moment after a few drinks."
"Was he upset?" She glanced at the couch.
"We polished off an entire bottle of wine, but he insisted he was fine. He told me he wasn't mad at you, but I'm not sure if he was masking his feelings with alcohol. He fell asleep afterward."
"I can't believe I did what I did last night. I feel awful."
"Don't be so hard on yourself, please. Chase loves you, and he knows you love him. He's going to forgive you, I promise." I touched her shoulder with my hand.
She gave me a small nervous smile.
"Anyway, I'll want to walk down the beach before it gets dark, so you talk to him. I'll be back." I hugged her and left the room.
Zoey POV
I walked in and closed the door behind me.
I walked towards the living room and saw Chase sleeping.
After 1 year of being apart, he's finally here again.
I sat next to him, which woke him up. His sleepy eyes turned to see me, and he gave me a sleepy smile.
"Hey!? What are you doing here?." Chase asked, sitting up on the couch.
"I came to see you..."
"Right, right." He nodded. "So, how was your day with James?
"It was fun..."
"Glad to hear that."
"Chase, I know you know what happened between me and James at the party, and I want you to know that it didn't mean anything. We were drunk, and I know that doesn't justify my actions last night, but I need you to know...
He cut me off by kissing me.
He pulled back. "You don't have to explain anything to me. I admit I was upset about it, but after Lola explained in depth what happened, I understand you and James were under the influence of the alcohol, and what happened, happened and all we can do about it is forget about it and move on with our lives."
"Really?." I asked, wrapping my arms around his neck.
He nodded. "You love me?."
"You know I do."
"That's all I need to be happy."
We smiled and kissed.
After a while, we laid back and cuddled with each other, enjoying each others company.
"So? How long are you in town for?." I asked him.
"Actually, I moved to California."
I sat up and looked at him in surprise.
"I wanted to surprise you yesterday with this news, but yeah, I'm staying here."
I launched myself into him and hugged and kissed him.
"Where are you staying? You can stay with me if you I want, Lola wouldn't mind having you living with us."
"That's nice, but I actually bought a house next to Logan's. He told me about the house being on sale, and I jumped to the opportunity."
"Logan lives in a very luxurious neighborhood. Those houses are huge and beautiful. How could you afford that?."
"I paid half the homes value, and I'll pay the rest after I get a job as a Police detective. A buddy of mine who works at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department called me early today and told me there is a job position available, and I have an interview this Monday." He excitedly said.
"Oh yeah, I forgot you left teaching for this detective job... I don't know if I like you doing this job. It's risky. You could get hurt."
"I'll be fine. I promise." He assured me.
Knock knock ️️
"It's Lola..."
"Come in."
Lola swung the door open and made her way to us. "I got the key. Just wanted to check if you both were decent," she said playfully.
We exchanged grins.
"Take a seat; I want to talk to you and Zoey about something."
As she settled down next to me, Lola shot me a puzzled look.
"You both know I'm moved to California, and I bought a house," he started. "The seller's out of the country and won't be back for a month, which means I might take you up on your offer to stay with you for a bit. But I also have something else in mind. I wanted to see if you both would consider living with me in my new place. I know it's a big change, but the house has five rooms and six bathrooms, so there's plenty of space."
Lola and I exchanged glances before looking back at Chase. "Yeah, we'd love to move in with you," I replied.
"Awesome!" Chase wrapped an arm around me for a side hug, and he and Lola exchanged a handshake.
Lola then asked, "How much would rent be?"
"Nothing. You guys wouldn't need to pay rent; I'll handle that."
"No way! We definitely have to contribute something," she insisted.
"Whatever you want to give is cool, but you really don't have to," she assured us.
We nodded in agreement.
Authors Note:
READY FOR THE NEXT CHARTER? Chapter 2 coming out soon!
I also got this story in wattpad. Follow me at ChaseMatthewsZoey102