What Matters Most

Chapter 9

Chase decided not to tell Leigh that Sidney had called him earlier, and he ignored her call. He was getting ready to come over here to see her for dinner. He didn't want Sidney to ruin his mood.

Maybe if he keeps ignoring her calls she will finally give up and move on. She probably wouldn't go by his apartment to look for him either, because she hated it there. They always had to meet at her fancy apartment uptown which her parents paid for.

Chase explains to Leigh that Sidney is an established model. She has done photoshoots all over the world, so she has her own money. Her parents just help her keep up the lifestyle that she has become accustomed to.

"I'm not sure why she is so determined to be with me since I don't have any money. Well, I guess I can think of one reason," Chase says smirking.

I will need to call Christopher and warn him about her in case she shows up at the apartment pissed that I am ignoring her, Chase thinks to himself.

"Hopefully, Christopher won't get booked on any photoshoots with her," Chase says. "That would be awkward, and I have heard she can be a real bitch to work with."

"Well, I guess you and your brother are a lot more alike than I thought," Leigh says.

"Look I know the situations do sound similar, but they are nothing alike. I never promised Sidney anything."

"When we started seeing each other it was understood that it was just for fun, someone to go out to events with and stuff like that. I'm not going to lie, yeah we have hooked up a few times. It was just sex, it always has been."

"I just don't have a deep connection with her. You and Christopher are a totally different situation. I know he cares about you and wants you in his life. It was hard for him to leave you right now. He is not trying to get away from you like I am with Sidney."

"I am not a bad guy, or a player like everyone thinks I am. Just haven't found the right girl that I want to settle down with yet. I really hope you believe me when I say that Leigh. I don't want you to get the wrong impression of me."

"I know we kid around, and I like to flirt with you. I mean god look at you it is hard not to, but I don't want you to think badly of me because of how I have handled things with Sidney."

Leigh thinks about what he has said and believes him. She says, "I don't think badly of you Chase. You seem like a nice guy, and I don't think you would hurt someone intentionally. The situation just hit a little to close to home there for a second."

"Trust me I have had relationships in the past that I wish I could have gotten out of sooner, or that ended badly. Sometimes you can't always stay friends after you break it off with someone. It sucks, but it happens."

They will revisit this conversation later about these relationships that ended badly for her, Chase thinks to himself. Is that why she was so eager to move to Atlanta from California? Maybe he will need to make a trip to California to kick some guy's ass. He will find out about that later.

"I apologize for judging you so quickly," Leigh says.

"No apology necessary," Chase says. "Thank you again for dinner Leigh, it was delicious."

"Well I hope you saved room for dessert," Leigh says.

"What? I am about to pop right now I couldn't possibly eat another thing."