But…Everything came together then. This explained Derek’s evasive behavior over the phone. He told me Christmas was back on at our parents’ and said things were less dire financially, but he’d been unable to explain why. After several dodged attempts to get answers out of him, I’d given up. Derek was a terrible liar, but when he stonewalled me, he was impossible to crack.

“I asked Derek not to tell you. But it’s progress, because we were able to get along. Right?” Chase raised his dark eyebrows, trying to affect a look of innocence. He was still in a charcoal gray suit from his game earlier, with his tie removed and the top buttons of his white dress shirt unbuttoned. It was hard as hell to get mad at him when he looked like this. And he knew it.

“Don’t change the subject.”

Then again, he did have a point. Derek and Chase agreed to meet, engaged in a discussion that must have been at least civil, and came to some kind of agreement. It was oddly encouraging—even if I wasn’t sure how I felt about the money part.

I frowned, twisting my leather purse strap in my hands. “Is that why Christmas is back on at my parents’ place? I’ve been racking my brain, trying to figure out how it’s suddenly possible from a financial perspective. You’re telling me that was you?”

“Possibly?” Chase gave me a sheepish look that cut through my defenses like a hot knife through butter.

He was great at evoking a specific combination of emotions in me—frustration mixed with amusement and affection. Lucky for him, it usually led to hot sex. If I wasn’t careful, he’d seduce his way out of answering my questions and we’d skip straight to the sex part.

“Was it?” I repeated, trying to stay firm. Thank god we were in his truck and not yet inside; if this conversation was happening in my bedroom, it would be taking a dramatically different trajectory.

“Technically, I offered him a long-term loan. What he did with it after that, I can’t say.”

I nodded but said nothing. My mind was trying to process the situation, but I was going in circles without any resolution as to how I felt.

“James.” Chase nudged me. “You mad?”

I turned to look at him. “I don’t know?”

Mad wasn’t the right word. Exasperated, maybe. And a war of other emotions raged in my mind in addition to that. The whole situation made me feel vulnerable, which was why I had hesitated to tell him in the first place.